Page 51 of Smitty

“How about tomorrow or Tuesday after I get off work? We could meet somewhere or…”

“I’m not sure I’ll be back by Tuesday,” he interrupted. “I’m leaving this afternoon.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve got some club business to tend to in Kansas City, but I might be able to do Wednesday or Thursday. I’ll have to let you know.”

“Okay. Whenever will be fine.”

“Thank you.”

“I wish it hadn’t taken us this long.”

“Me too. More than you know,” he scoffed. “I should let you get back.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they’re wondering what’s taking me so long.” I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. “Do you still have the same number?”

“No, it’s changed a couple of times over the years.”

“Same.”

He pulled his cell from his pocket and handed it to me without hesitation. The simple act made my chest tighten. The last time I'd held his phone, we'd been arguing over whose turn it was to pick the music on a road trip. That lifetime felt impossibly far away.

I tapped in my number, then added my name before handing it back. “You’re all set.”

He glanced down at the screen, and for just a second, he stared at my name like it belonged there. Maybe it always had.

I offered him a small smile as I told him, “Call me.”

11

SMITTY

It was after ten before we rolled into the hospital parking lot. Neither of us had talked much on the drive, and I was okay with that. I needed the time to think and clear my head. I figured Drifter felt the same. It couldn’t have been easy for him to come back here, even if he had moved on with Raelyn.

The past has a way of sneaking up on you and biting you right in the ass. I knew that better than anyone. It had only been a few days since mine snuck up on me.

We'd stopped once for gas and grabbed burgers we barely touched before getting back on the road. Drifter spent most of the drive staring out the passenger window, and I spent mine wondering about Anslee. Was she already asleep? Was Brooke rocking her before bed? Had she asked for another story?

It was crazy how a little girl I'd never met had taken over every thought in my head, and it was even crazier that just thinking about her made me feel whole in ways I never thought possible.

I was wondering what it would be like to hold her for the first time when Drifter pointed toward the hospital entrance. “Just pull up here.”

“You got it.” I eased the truck into the parking spot and killed the engine. “You want me to wait?”

“Nah, come on,” he answered, already reaching for the door handle.

I nodded and followed him up to the front door. They slid open, and the second we stepped inside, I was hit with the stout smell of disinfectant. The waiting area was quieter than I expected. A handful of folks were watching the news on the TV mounted in the corner, while others were sitting off to themselves.

As soon as we rounded the corner, a man stood and started towards us. He was wearing a cut, which meant he was a brother, but I had no idea which one. He was probably pushing fifty, built, and salt-and-pepper had taken over most of his dark hair. But there wasn’t anything old about the way he carried himself.

My eyes dropped to the Vice President rocker on his cut, and that’s when I realized it was Ace, KC’s second-in-command and a good friend of Drifter. He looked his brother up and down for a half second before a grin broke across his face. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Hey, brother.” They shared a quick, brotherly hug. “It’s been a while.”

“You can say that again,” Ace muttered. “I missed your drive-through.”

“Drive-through?” Drifter scoffed. “Is that what we’re calling it these days?”