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Buck isn’t a part of the club, but his son, Texas, is. His real name is Kaleb. He and Ringer were both arrested around the same time. Tex got out a little over a year ago, but Ringer’s been in this entire time.
“Wouldn’t miss it kid.”
I turn and smile at Buck as I push the heavy cart over to the bakery section.
“I know I don’t know much about these things, but um, Lile? You own a bakery. Why are we buying this shit?”
“Sasha, look how much meat we have. I have the Thomas’ wedding Saturday afternoon. I don't have time to make enough bread for this!” I giggle.
Sasha and I finish grabbing the necessary items for the party. She is once again surprised when I give both full carts to the cashier to hold and fill two more. The total on the register makes her eyes bulge out of her head as I hand the cashier my dad’s club card.
It takes every bit of twenty minutes just to load everything in the back of the truck. When we pull up to the clubhouse gates, Wes sees it’s me and opens them. I pull the truck around to the back by the kitchen doors.
Maggie, Horse’s ol’ lady, swings the door open with a smile and pulls the tailgate down before I can even hop out of the cab.
“Hey, Lilah! You brought help this time?” she calls as Sasha and I round the truck.
“Hey Maggie,” Sasha smiles while lifting a hand to wave. The three of us then work together to unload the truck and bring everything into the industrial-sized kitchen.
“This kitchen is huge!” Sasha exclaims once everything is set out on the large counter.
Maggie giggles while watching Sasha’s fascination.
“Are you coming to the party, Sasha?” Maggie asks.
“Lilah invited me. I haven’t made up my mind yet. This place is pretty intimidating,” Sasha confesses.
“It’s big, that's for sure,” Maggie admits. “But it is full of the best people I know. This party's gonna be a good one. We have a brother coming home that has been gone for years now.”
Maggie’s mention of Ringer makes my stomach flutter. “Hey Mag, can I have the key to Ringer’s room?”
Maggie eyes me curiously as she pulls the key from her master set.
I leave Sasha with Maggie as I creep upstairs to Ringer’s room and unlock his door. I enter the dark room and flip on the lights, coating the room in light.
Looking around the empty room, I notice his bed first. How many nights as a teenager had I fantasized about being in this bed? I pad over to the nightstand. On the top is his glock, a pack of cigarettes that is at least eight years old, and a framed picture I gave him when I was thirteen.
I pick the picture up and run my fingers over the dusty surface. The picture is of me when I was about twelve holding up a rifle, with Ringer standing proudly behind me as I shot the target right on the bullseye.
It instantly takes me back to that day. Ringer, my dad, and I had gone shooting at the back of the compound.
“Alright Princess, hold it steady, take a breath in through your nose, and let it out through your mouth. Slow and steady. That’s it, Princess. Shoot!” My pointer finger squeezes the trigger and the sound of the gun is muffled by the headphones covering my ears.
I lower the gun to my side and squint as I look closer at the target. I hit the bullseye!
I turn towards Ringer with the biggest smile on my face. He scoops me up in his arms before I can register my embarrassment about putting my braces on full display. He lifts me in his arms and swings me around in circles. I feel his chest rumbling against mine and realize he’s talking. I can’t hear what he’s saying because my headphones are still on.
I pull them off as he’s still talking. “Knew you could do it!” I catch him saying and throw the headphones down to the dirt.
Ringer lets me down with a straight, white smile. I hear my dad clapping behind me. I spin around and run at him with a huge smile.
“Did you see that, Daddy? I finally hit the target!”
“I saw it, baby girl! I’m so proud of you. I knew you could do it.” He places a kiss on the top of my head.
Dad walks over to Ringer and pulls him off to the side. I know that means they need to talk without other ears hearing, so I turn the other way and notice Nana sitting in her chair with her own headphones on and her camera lowered to her lap.
“Did you get a picture of my shot, Nana?” I ask excitedly as I skip over to her.
