AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The place has a cozy feel to it. At one end of the counter where the register sits ready to be used, sits a complete coffee area. I have no clue how the fancy coffee machine works and it’s not something I’ll ever attempt to use. Give me a simple coffee pot or one of those single brew things and I’m good to go. This thing looks as if you need to read a couple hundred pages of instructions just to learn how to turn it on.
By the front windows, they’ve got those overstuffed chairs and some tables sitting there. Each chair has a blanket folded over the back of it waiting for a customer to sit down and use it as they enjoy a good book. This is often how I find Kasey when she’s reading and wants to be comfortable as hell when she does it. She’s put her love for reading and discovering new authors through every aspect of her store. The second you walk into the main area, you can feel the love Kasey has put into this space. She looks around as she stands in the middle before directing us on what needs to be done today. It’s not a lot since most everything has been done. So, we get to work so I can take my girl out once we’re done.
Kasey and I are heading out of town after putting in a few hours of work at her shop. Our dads went back to the compound to have dinner with the boys and their wives. The only stop we made before heading out of town was Haley’s to grab something to eat. I placed an order yesterday so she’d have it completely ready to go for us today. We have dinner, dessert, and a few drinks and snacks to last us a few hours. Tonight’s date is going to be something Kasey and I haven’t done in a very long time. It’s simple and easy but something we used to love doing. I don’t really give a shit what we do as long as I’m with her. I’m just hoping tonight will be the first step in the right direction as far as our date nights go.
Instead of taking the highway and going in the same direction as Kasey was going that night she was run off the road, I head in the opposite direction and keep to the road running parallel to the highway. It’s dusk and the perfect time for us to be on our way to the place I’m taking her. By the time I get everything set up, Kasey and I will be able to look at the stars and watch them start showing in the sky.
“Are you gonna tell me where we’re going yet?” Kasey asks, her voice startling me out of my head.
“Nope. I’ve got this, sweet girl. You’re just gonna have to trust me and know you’ll have fun,” I answer her, placing my hand on her leg just above her knee.
It doesn’t take us too long to get to the park I’m taking us to. It’s a public park but closes at dusk. I went through the proper channels and got permission to be here because I don’t plan on staying in the parking lot while we’re here. There’s a section I was shown where I can park and we can set everything up for our date. I drive to the gate where an employee is waiting for us. He opens it up and I slowly drive through and come to a stop at the top of a small hill. The gate disappears from sight and the only thing we can see all around us is nature. There are trees, thick, lush grass, and a valley in front of us. We’re not here to see all of that though. Kasey loves watching the stars almost as much as she loves reading. That’s what we’re here to do tonight.
“Stay here and I’ll be back in just a few minutes,” I tell her, picking up her hand and pressing a kiss against the back of it.
“Okay,” she says, a smile on her face as she looks around at everything surrounding us.
Getting out of my truck, I open the back door and pull out the blankets, cushions, and pillows I put in here yesterday. Opening the tailgate of my truck, I start putting everything down to make a bed for us to lay on. Kasey needs to be comfortable and so I’ve brought as many thick blankets as I could to help her level of comfort. The pillows will be used to help support her back and head. After I get everything set up, I pull the bag of food from the backseat and lay everything out in the back of the truck on the blankets. When everything is set up and ready for Kasey, I go around and help her out before leading her to the back of the truck.
She gasps in surprise before looking up at me with tears in her eyes.
“You did all of this for me?” she asks, resting her hand on my arm.
“Yeah. It’s somethin’ we used to do all the time and I know you used to love just relaxin’ and watchin’ the stars as they come out and fill the sky. I thought tonight would be perfect for it,” I answer her, picking her up and setting her on the tailgate so she can move further back into the bed.
Climbing in after her once I’ve removed my boots and help Kasey get her sneakers off, I help her get comfortable before making her a plate and handing it over to her. Making one for myself, I lean back as close to her as I can get before we begin eating our dinner. For a while we don’t talk as we enjoy the wonderful food Haley made us. Once we’re done eating, I take care of our plates and pull a blanket up over Kasey when I notice a chill run through her. I slide under the blanket next to her and pull my sweet girl into my arms. Kasey rests her head on my shoulder and wraps her arm around my stomach. Her belly presses against my side where our baby girl rests and gets in the way of holding her any closer than I am.
“This is perfect, Anthony. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to just come out and watch the sky fill with stars. I think the last time I did this was just before we moved to Cedar Bay and we were out behind the clubhouse. I was pregnant with Andrew if I remember correctly,” Kasey says, her warm breath brushing across my neck and making goosebumps break out on my skin.
“I think you’re right. That’s way too long to go without doin’ this. It’s so peaceful here. There’s nothin’ but nature, the stars, and you. The only thing that would make it better would be for the boys to join us. They’re just a little too young for this yet. I can’t wait to bring them out here and show them how amazin’ the stars are. I have you to thank for that. Before, I always took it for granted that they’d show up and be there no matter what,” I tell her, my voice barely above a whisper as I look up at the stars.
We go silent and stare at the sky above us. I keep my girl close as she points out the constellations. It’s been so long that I’ve forgotten where they all are. Kasey laughs and snuggles closer when I try to point one out and get it wrong. She’s not making fun of me so each time I do it, I make my guess even more outrageous than the last one. Before too long Kasey is laughing so hard she can’t catch her breath. I love hearing her laugh because it’s soft and melodic. The sound wraps around me and makes me smile down at her.
“I’ve missed this, sweet girl. Just the two of us doin’ somethin’ so simple without gettin’ all dressed up in clothes you won’t be comfortable in right now. There’s no loud music, a ton of people wantin’ our attention, or any other distractions. It’s simply the two of us, nature, and hearin’ your laughter,” I tell her, pressing my lips to the top of her head.
Kasey looks up and her eyes drop to my lips. I’m not about to push the issue despite wanting to kiss her more than anything else in the world. My sweet girl takes the choice out of my hands though. She leans in closer, presses her hands against my chest, and slides her lips against mine. I hardly move and wait to see what she’s going to do. Kasey doesn’t make me wait or disappoint me. She slides her tongue against my lower lip and I open my mouth for her. Kasey slides her tongue inside and tangles it with mine. I kiss her back, pressing one hand against her lower back and the other against the back of her head. I take every single moan from Kasey as she continues to kiss me.
She doesn’t let her hands wander my body or anything else. They remain on my chest as I feel our baby girl kicking my side. Breaking the kiss, I can’t help but laugh while moving my eyes down to look at Kasey’s stomach.
“What’s so funny?” she asks, an adorable pout on her face.
“Our baby girl is kickin’ me. I’m not sure if she’s excited or tryin’ to get me away from you,” I tell her, laughter filling the night air as Kasey looks down and starts laughing with me.
Once we’re done laughing, we eat our dessert and have a few snacks. When Kasey starts yawning one right after another, I pack everything up, help her back in the truck, and make our way home. It doesn’t take Kasey long at all to fall asleep in the passenger seat with a blanket wrapped up tight around her. When we get home, I gently lift her from the truck and carry her inside our house. Keegan helps me get her in bed where I place a soft kiss against her forehead while tucking her in tight. I walk our parents out, check on the boys, and make sure everything in the house is locked up tight before heading to bed with my girl. I fall asleep quickly with Kasey in my arms.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kasey
THE DAY IS finally here. Today I’m opening up my bookstore and I can’t be more excited than I am right now. I hardly slept a wink last night and Anthony stayed up with me. I’m exhausted today, but there’s still so much I have to get done before I open the doors. I’ve made countless lists in my head and written more than a few down on whatever scraps of paper I’ve found around the house or in Anthony’s truck over the last few days. The members of the club went around and put up a ton of fliers in Cedar Bay and the surrounding towns announcing the opening of the shop. Kim, one of the ol’ ladies in the Phantom Bastards MC, designed the fliers for me and she did an amazing job. They turned out even better than I thought they would.
I’m glad the store is opening now because I’ve got a little over two months left of this pregnancy and I want to make sure that everything is in place and I’ve been able to hire an employee before I go into labor. I did meet with Venom, Wicked, and Bull again two days ago. They assured me that when I have the baby, the ol’ ladies and the Prospects will step up and make sure the store remains open and running smoothly until I’m ready to go back to work. We’ve gone over all the numbers and projections I’ve created to ensure this business is a success. I don’t want it to fail because I didn’t think of every possible scenario that can happen when you open a business.
Anthony has been with me every time I go to the store and hasn’t been back to work yet. With their new employees, he can afford to take the time off without worrying about leaving Viking short staffed. Viking doesn’t want him there right now either. They want to make sure I’m always covered and have the protection I need so no one comes after me again. Anthony doesn’t want to take any chances with my safety and has ensured that if he’s not with me that our dads are along with others from the club.
I still haven’t gone back to the clubhouse. Now it doesn’t have anything to do with not wanting to see anyone though. Members and the ol’ ladies have been coming to our house to spend time with us on a regular basis. There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t have at least a few people with us for a visit, a meal, or something else. It’s been fun reconnecting with everyone and talking to them about why I chose to do what I did. They even went to the trailer and packed up all my stuff and moved it back to the house. I guess I’m not moving back out like Anthony and I talked about. Though, at this point, I really can’t say I want to go back there. I’ll miss living next to Lyric, but she can come visit me anytime she wants. And we still talk daily.
“Anthony, I have to go. If I don’t get to the store now, I won’t be there when Keira arrives. I have to set up her table and make sure everything’s ready to go,” I tell Anthony as I leave our bedroom to find him in the living room with our boys.
