He shoves my arm again and turns to put the truck into drive again. “Honestly, those are more words I’ve heard from you than in the last few years combined. Good to see you coming back to yourself a little bit. I missed you. Glad you’re back in time to be my best man. Romona tried to talk me into having her brother as my best man. He’s an alright guy, but he’s not the right man.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “He doesn’t know the story behind why you’ve refused to drink chocolate milk since the eighth grade.” Watching Mitch shudder at the thought only makes me laugh even harder.
“Listen, fucker. You swore you’d never talk about that. We did a blood oath.”
I try to stop laughing. “I know. I never told anyone, but that doesn’t mean I can’t give you shit about it.”
Mitch grumbles something about me being a fucker. “Let’s just get to the clubhouse. Everyone’s waiting to see you.”
Everyone but the one I want to be waiting for me.
Grant
Mitch went to pick up Erik. Linnea decided to do a big dinner to welcome him home. Something she said makes me think that he’s not going back out again. It’ll be good to have him back. I’ve missed our friendship. I know he got scared and ran, but fuck if I did anything to stop him. Instead, what did I do? Fuck everything I could—woman or man. I was drinking myself something fierce, like Mom, and throwing in some cocaine on top of it. Thanks to a bar fight and my bringing my knife into play, I got to spend a few months in lockup. I won’t be going back there or doing that shit again. I honestly considered ending things with Monica before she told me she was late. One week and a doctor’s appointment later, and she’s moving in with me. We’re expecting a baby in about six months.
Am I in love with her? I don’t think so. Am I beyond excited to be a dad and to be having a baby? Hell yeah. I think I could grow to love Monica. I mean, she’s not a bad person or anything. We’rejust very different people. She is taking a bit to adjust to the news of the baby.
Gretta asked if I was going to propose to Monica. I told her no. Just ‘cause we are having a baby doesn’t mean we need to get married. Maybe it’s because I don’t think I’m completely in love with her, or maybe it’s because part of me wishes for something I can’t have. Either way, it doesn’t feel like the right move. We are going to be parents and be together. If it feels right down the road, I can ask her. That’s something I ain’t going to rush.
We just got to the clubhouse, and Monica went over and is helping Linnea, Anna, and Gretta with the food. Sis has been hanging around more lately, but I think that has more to do with the house being quieter since Dad passed, and Mom is almost always drunk or passed out. I asked her if she wanted to move into my new place with Monica and me, but she said no and that she was figuring out plans for herself.
A couple of months after everything went down between me and Erik, Jonah asked what happened. I made some lame ass excuse about an argument. He didn’t push, but I think he knows it was something more than just a misunderstanding. As much as I still wish he could accept us, at the heart of shit right now, I miss our friendship. I think I’ve reached the point that I want that back more than anything. Our talking about everything and nothing around the fire in the summer. Being able to go fishing at the river and not have to say anything but have a great time.
I know Mitch misses him, too. They were always close and if I were a betting man, he partially blames me for Erik taking off these last few years. I know he’s excited to have him back in time for his wedding.Ramble on some more in your head, Grant, that’s not normal at all.
Getting out of my head, I hear a commotion outside the clubhouse door. I look over just as the door opens, and Mitch and Erik walk in. I stand up to greet them, along with Wyatt, Jackson, and Jonah.
Linnea runs past us and barrels into her brother. “You’re home!” She hugs and squeezes him. When she lets him go, she bops him upside his head. He immediately glares at her and rubs his head. “Hey!”
She points her finger at him and shakes it while talking to him. “That’s for going away so long and barely coming home ever. Tell me you’re back for good.”
Erik pulls her in for another hug. He looks over and makes eye contact with me. I’ve forgotten how his blueish-gray eyes can make everything else in the world fade away.
“Yeah, Sis. I’m back for good.” He then whispers something to her, and she squeezes him once more and lets him go. He only breaks eye contact with me when he’s hauled into a bear hug by Jonah, who’s tall enough to block out the sun. He makes Erik, at just under six feet, look small. Watching him get greeted by everyone, I get up and walk over, waiting my turn to welcomehim back. Jackson is the last to hug him and give him a hard time about something ‘cause fuck if I was paying attention. No, my attention was on noticing how much Erik filled out in the last two years since I saw him in person. He’s still a couple inches shorter than me and has more of a swimmer’s build than bulk, but he’s definitely added more muscles to his frame.He’s your fucking friend, and that’s it.Fuck. I’m living with Monica and about to be a dad, and yet part of me is screaming that my person is standing in front of me.
Jackson moves back, and I give Erik a chin lift in greeting. He gives me a half-grin that has that damn dimple on his cheek coming out to taunt me. He surprises me by engulfing me in a hug. “Missed you, asshole.”
I can’t help but laugh at his greeting. Patting him on the back, I release him to really look him in the eye. “Missed you too, asshole. Heard you were finally gonna stay on land this time.”
He nods. “Yeah, I am. Think you get into too much trouble when I don’t.” Fucker. “Fuck you, asshole. I’m on the straight and narrow road these days. Got a job and all that.” I feel an arm come around my waist. In a millisecond, Erik’s eyes widen in surprise. “This is Monica. Monica, this son of a bitch is a brother who we’ve all missed too much, Erik.” He nods his head in greeting but only gives her a small smile. “I hear congratulations are in order.” He glances between the two of us, and I watch as he locks his emotions and feelings back up in the vault.
Monica, who doesn’t know him and doesn’t see the change, smiles at him and thanks him. “Yeah, it came as a surprise, but I think this guy is going to be a great dad.”
Erik gives her a bigger smile and winks at her. “Darlin’, I don’t know much in this world, but on that I think you’re completely right.” He gets distracted by Linnea calling his name. I don’t know why, but his saying that means more to me than just about anything else anyone has ever said. To know he believes in me, even if…well, it still means something. I guess I’ll file the rest in my mind underwhat might have been.
CHAPTER THREE
About a year or so later
Grant
I’m sitting in the kitchen of the clubhouse, wondering once again where the fuck Monica ran off to hide this time. Samson is dozing in the stroller next to me, but Saxon is fussy as all get out. He’s not usually the one who has issues taking a nap or eating. Samson’s the fussy eater, and those first couple of months with him getting croup were rough. I don’t think I slept more than an hour or two at a time till they hit three months old. Made trying to get my shop up and going a real challenge. Monica’s mothering gene must be missing, or at least it’s fucking hiding. She would sleep through both boys crying their eyes out and not think twice about it. The minute we get to the clubhouse, she’s usually sleeping in my room or somewhere else, not taking care of the boys. She’s not an evil person, but maternal, she most definitely is not.
I’m sitting at the table trying to get Saxon to take a bottle since he didn’t want his baby food, when I hear voices coming this way.
The first voice is Romona’s. “Don’t you think it’s weird? I mean, she seems nice and all, but anytime we talk about their wedding or getting married, she refers to it as her wedding. Even when talking about furnishing the house he just bought, all she says is what she wants to do, not a ‘them’ or ‘we’ in the sentence ever. It’s like she’s more focused on the wedding and what she gets. Your brother being the one she’s marrying is just an afterthought.”
Linnea walks into the room with Anna behind her. “I know. I’ve noticed that too, but what the hell can I do? I asked Erik if he was happy and wanted this, and he said yes. If I question him again about it, he’s gonna get all stubborn and quit talking to me about anything. I have to support him and try to get along with her. I mean, she’s not the worst person or anything.”
