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Bear laid his hand against Winnie’s back, enjoying his woman and his family getting together for lunch. With so many people wanting to spend time with the kids, he could sit by his woman and bask in the atmosphere without any worries for the moment. He’d decided to compartmentalize the threat to the kids. It was something the therapist had talked about with him. If he couldn’t solve it immediately, make a box for it and only pull it out when he was directly working on solving it. It had actually helped a lot.
Baron stood at the front of the table. Everyone quieted waiting for him to say the blessing.
“I promise I won’t talk too long because my woman wants everyone to eat her food hot but lately when I look back on what we’ve built, my heart overflows. The guys and I started Bluff Creek because we were floundering after getting out of the service. We also felt called to make a difference. Now, over forty years later, it’s grown beyond my dreams. Adding in all the ways we help change lives makes this old guy so very happy. So, raise a glass with me to the men and women of the Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC. May we always remember that our greatest triumph is helping those who can’t help themselves. Here’s to you, my family.”
Bear raised his glass, touching Winnie’s. Seeing his sunbeam’s smiling face and her gorgeous chocolate eyes shining with her love had him wondering why he’d ever doubted if they should be together. He hated what the fire had done but he was grateful it had been the catalyst for him pulling his head out of his ass.
Bear listened to the laughter of his family as he ate. He made sure Winnie had all of her favorites and he even tried the broccoli slaw she brought. He still didn’t love the taste of raw broccoli but he wasn’t going to undermine teaching their kids to eat healthy.
He’d eaten until he was almost too full. Regina had made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Even though it was on the diner menu and he could have it anytime, it tasted different when Regina cooked it in the MC kitchen. Maybe it was the atmosphere of love the kitchen exuded. He didn’t know and didn’t care.
“Cane, stop chewing my shoes. Dad will get mad,” Grant chastised the puppy.
“It’s okay, Grant. I’m sorry I yelled when Cane ate the laces on my boots this morning. He’s a puppy and we’ll have to teach him to not chew shoes.”
“Okay, Dad.”
“I’m just glad you found a good name. There was no way I was letting you name your dogDog.”
First, one of the sisters giggled. Then Scoop laughed and suddenly the whole room was filled with laughter and giggles.
“What’s so fucking funny?”
Voices yelled out, “Swear jar!”
Roam glared around the table. As the laughter died down, Roam was looking at his son.
“Daddy, I really wanted to call him Dog.”
“I know, son.”
“So Papa got on the computer and looked up what dog was in other languages.”
Bear bit his lip, trying to contain his laughter but Roam’s face was priceless.
“So Cane is...?”
“Dog in Italian,” Baron replied.
Roam shook his head and shoved a bite of food in his mouth. Bear thought him not replying was probably the smartest decision he could have made.
Bear helped clear the table after the meal was done, then smiled with a belly laugh watching Rascal threatening Scoop if he didn’t hand over Joey. Scoop stared Rascal in the eye and handed Joey to Sarah.
“What the heck, Scoop?”
“Sarah called dibs way before you walked in the room.”
“I’m his Papa, I always have dibs.”
Sarah leaned over between Rascal and Scoop. “If you don’t want your RV to have major electrical issues the next time you try to watch football, you’ll allow me some time with one of my nephews. My house is right by Winnie’s. Don’t act like you don’t see the kids at least three or four hours a day, plus you and Dad do the early morning feeding. It’s time you learned to share or else.”
Rascal shook his head, stomping off muttering about pushy women. Sarah chuckled and did a little dance as she walked over and settled into one of the recliners near the fireplace. Their MC definitely had strong women who weren’t afraid to speak their minds. Rascal may grumble but he had more than once not let one of the sisters hold Joey because they were having Papa time. Bear had known one of the sisters would eventually get fed up and put his dad in his place. Winnie lifted his arm and snuggled up next to him. He leaned over, smelling Winnie’s scent that always relaxed him and kissed her hair.
“If you keep smiling so much and laughing, I’m going to wonder where the MC’s grumpy S.A.A. went. Did becoming V.P. change your attitude that much?”
He slid his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to reach her mouth. He placed his lips against hers, savoring the feel of her. “Sunbeam, how can I be grumpy when I live with you and our lightning bugs?”
Little arms wrapped around his leg. “Where are the lightning bugs? I want to play with them,” Phoebe asked.
