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“I can’t wear a tie for the holidays?”
“No,” they replied in unison.
“I’ve never seen you wear anything but a T-shirt or a hoodie.” Kaden pointed out this tidbit of information, as if his or Ace’s wardrobe wasn’t the exact same.
Two trucks pulled in before I could muster up the words for a response. I didn’t want to give anything away. Although I had the ring tucked inside my vest, I still wasn’t a hundred percent sure I was going to propose today. Here at the club. In front of everyone I knew. Vulnerable to rejection. I wasn’t sure I was ready to take that leap.
One door after another slammed, and moments later, Ryder, Braylen, and their two kids waltzed our way, Stone and Addy following.
I couldn’t get over how big Roman was getting. I swore he grew every time I saw him, which would make sense as I didn’t see him but a few times a year. His sole focus was on the iPad in his hands as he walked by, but I wasn’t gonna let him get away with ignoring me. I snatched his arm and pulled him close.
“You too old to say hi to me?”
“Hi, Uncle Hawke.” He laughed when I ruffled his hair, pulling him into my side to give him a hug. Even though there was no blood relation, the kids referred to everyone as aunt or uncle. Kaden and Lincoln used to do the same, but once they joined the club that stopped.
“You got a girlfriend yet?”
“No, he doesn’t,” Braylen answered for him. “And don’t put those ideas in his head.”
“I’m sorry to tell ya, but they’re already there, I’m sure.” I glanced down at Roman, and the look he gave me told me I was right. “Where’s your brother?” He shrugged as I released him. He headed toward the clubhouse seconds later.
“He’s right here.” Ryder passed me his youngest, the dark circles under the big guy’s eyes indicative he was having a rough go of it. “He just stopped crying.”
Silas’s eyes were red and puffy, and as soon as I had a hold of him, he laid his head on my shoulder.
“Are you drivin’ your dad crazy?” I gently patted his back. “He deserves it, so keep doin’ it.”
“I heard that,” Ryder shouted over his shoulder, his steps long and hurried as he approached the clubhouse door.
“You got him?” Braylen asked, carrying two trays stacked on top of each other.
“Yeah, go ahead.”
She walked after her husband, the two of them looking like they needed a break. This was yet another reason why I never wanted kids of my own. Too much work.
Stone was in front of me next, grinning and looking at the material tied around my neck.
“Don’t say a fuckin’ word,” I chastised, not in the mood to get more shit about my decision to wear a goddamn tie.
“You can’t curse in front of kids, Hawke.” Addy sidled up next to the VP, throwing me a disapproving glance.
I looked down at Silas. His eyes were closed. I doubted he even heard me. “He doesn’t know what I’m sayin’.”
“They know more than you think at that age,” she responded, strolling past me and across the lot. Stone fell into step beside her, leaving me alone with a toddler, who may or may not wake up and start screaming any second.
Since I couldn’t properly hold him and carry the desserts at the same time, I headed back inside to hand him off to either his parents or someone else.
The sight that greeted me made me stop dead in my tracks. Like I mentioned before, I wasn’t big into the holidays, but the atmosphere inside the clubhouse eased the anxious part of me. The furniture that had been in the center of the room had been moved to the far-right wall, two long, square tables taking its place. They were positioned side by side, enough chairs for everyone.
Presents overflowed beneath the Christmas tree, even more decorations hanging from its limbs than before.
The door to the kitchen swung open, Addy and Reece carrying plates of food to the table. They disappeared for a second trip, then a third. The tables filled up fast, the sight of dinner making my stomach rumble.
Before I started to salivate, my brother came into view.
“You forget the desserts?” he asked, caressing the top of Silas’s head.
“Is everyone that addicted to sugar they can’t focus on anything else?” I asked in slight frustration.
