MandyI'm sick to my stomach with fear and excitement as we pull into the parking lot of the clubhouse. There aren't a lot of vehicles parked, so I'm pretty sure my coming home is low-key; exactly how I wanted it. "I think the only people here is your family and Caelin." He puts the SUV in park, shutting off the engine. "Good, I don't know what I would do with a whole group.""Well, I mean, your family classifies as a whole group," he laughs."True, but I'm comfortable with them.""Hey," he says the word softly. "If at any time you need to leave, whether it's your family or not, you just leave. You don't owe anyone anything."I pull my lip between my teeth and nod. "Why am I so nervous?"He grabs my hands, pulling them over the console. "I was nervous to come get you because I didn't know how you'd feel about coming home. I suspect you're nervous because you don't know how they feel about you coming home. It's all the same nervousness. We just gotta get through it."
MandyI watch as some of the last people leave the clubhouse. The only ones staying behind are Dalton, Walker, Caelin, and myself. I can't deny how much I want to spend time with Dalton, but there's another part of me that needs to make sure Walker knows how much I love him. After all, he saw me through the darkest parts of life so far. "What do you say we get out of here?" I grin at the two of them."Get out of here?" Dalton asks, his eyebrow raised. "Babe, it's after ten.""Yeah, I have to go to bed." Walker frowns."No you don't, not tonight. Tonight's special! Do you remember the letter I wrote you? What I said we'd do on our first night together?"His eyebrows come together in concentration. "You said we'd go to Wet Wanda's to have wings.""I did say that, but there's a catch. If it looks like there's too many people there, we'll take them to go and tailgate. Sound good?"Dalton slightly raises his hand. "What do you mean by too many people?"Tilting my head
Dalton"He's asleep," I say as I walk back up from where the dorm rooms are."He'll probably be out all night, he had a big day." Mandy walks over, putting her arms around my waist."It's been a big day for all of us," I remind her."Glad we had cupcakes, though," Caelin interrupts from the computer room.Almost forgot he was here, but I may as well get used to him hanging around.Who knows when he'll be leaving. He keeps the weirdest hours I've ever seen."I'm gonna go take a shower, see you in a few minutes?" Mandy leans up, giving me a lingering kiss."I'll be there as soon as I close up."Most everything is put away, but I waste a few minutes, making sure the trash is taken out and wiping down the counters. I don't know why, but I'm nervous to be alone with her in my dorm. Maybe it's because of the way we left each other the last time, or maybe this is something else totally different."Don't work all night," I tell him, turning off the lights in the main room.
MandyWalking up to my parents' house, I let the early morning smell wash over me, the sun just starting to rise up over the horizon. The walk is good for me, and I'm glad I decided to take it.My thighs are still sore from the night before last, but I grin to myself because it was totally worth it. Knocking before letting myself in, I see Walker sitting on the couch."Hey, kiddo."He gets up, coming around to hug me tightly."Did you have fun last night?" I ask, ruffling his hair."Yeah, Harley and I made Justice scream. We found a frog."I shiver, I hate nature in the form of amphibians. "That was mean.""But the look on her face?" He grins. "Was worth it. What are you doing here so early?"I shrug. "Was kinda hoping you'd go have breakfast with me. Word has it, Harper is saving some sausage biscuits for us, and Tyler'll be there."He's already getting up to put his shoes on. "C'mon, Mom, let's go!"* * *A few days later I pull my SUV into the parking space o
DaltonWaking up with her in my arms is the best feeling in the world. She's snuggled in next to me, her leg wrapped around my waist, her hand on my chest. The alarm is about to go off.I'd give anything to reach over and keep it from announcing the arrival of a new day. We haven't had enough time to enjoy each other, but I know part of her recovery is getting back into a routine. Her routine includes going back to work with Charity.As far as I know, they haven't spoken with each other, even when we welcomed her home. Charity seemed to keep her distance, and I worry. Worry that the two of them won't be able to find their way back to the friendship they've always had. Their friendship is just as important as mine and Drew's. They need each other, probably more than we do. She stirs and I do my best not to move, but eventually her eyes open."Hey." She grins, her voice full of sleep, her eyes lazy and heavy."Hey." I grin back."Why are you awake? The alarm hasn't gone
MandyThis.This is normal.Driving down Porter Pike, listening to the radio, my window rolled down slightly to inhale the fragrance of the coming season. Grass smells different when it's starting to sprout after being dormant for the winter. It's always been a favorite smell of mine, but somehow, I forgot. So many things I forgot over the past few months.There's dew on the hood and windshield of my SUV, bringing with it a sense of new beginnings. The morning is slightly chilly, but it'll be warm by lunchtime. I wave at one of the farmers who shares this end of Porter Pike with us. He's getting ready to start his season. If we're still at the clubhouse in a few months, I'll have to start planning my mornings earlier.Getting behind a tractor is definitely a thing here in this part of Kentucky. Funny how I'm already looking forward to the future, when before I couldn't even look back at the past.Which tells me more than anything how much better I am. Mandy a few m
DaltonWe've settled into a routine, one I'm familiar with, and approve of. Every morning, I wake up to my wife in bed with me, my kid in the next room. She and I share the bathroom space as we get ready for the day. Something we've never done before, and I'm trying to figure out why we haven't. Maybe because we used to be so focused on leaving the house with enough time to get where we were supposed to be.Now, the one hurrying is Walker, but only when he wants to. Someone takes him to school every morning and picks him up in the afternoon. Try as I might, I can't remember another time when we've been so settled.I'm doing my best not to think the other shoe will drop, but at the same time, I'm aware things can't always be perfect. Which is why I'm not surprised when I walk into the common area of the clubhouse to see Drew and Caelin sitting together. "What happened?""Someone broke into Wet Wanda's last night and stole the cash deposit to be made this morning."Now th
Mandy"Don't scare the teacher."He chuckles darkly in his throat. "I'm not going to scare the teacher.""Dalton," I plead. "There's enough reasons for this teacher to think horribly of us. I don't want to give her any more.""Screw her, she doesn't know what we've been through."I blow a breath through my nose, and it comes out as a modified snort. "I'm pretty sure she probably does know what we've been through and she's more than likely saying screw us. Especially since she's had to deal with our son.""He's perfect." Dalton flashes me a grin, a toothpick lazily going from side to side in his mouth.This time I do snort. "Yeah, okay.""Just like you." He puts his arm around my neck, pulling me into him, before he takes the toothpick out of his mouth and nuzzles me on the forehead. This right here melts my heart. The stuff I missed when I was too damaged to realize there was good in our relationship and lives. I'm still pissed at myself for not seeing it, but now I
William Walker Jr., 85 of Bowling Green, died peacefully in his sleep at his residence. The Warren County native was the son of the late William Walker Sr. and Lauren Walker. He was the husband of Denise Walker, who survives.He was the owner of Walker's Wheels.His legacy will be carried on through the members of the Heaven Hill MC, Bowling Green Chapter, and the numerous friends who became family. Liam, as he was known to everyone who cared for him, had a gift of taking people who had given up on themselves or had no direction, and showing them they were worth putting work into. Over the years many have found themselves under his tutelage. Hundreds have called him friend, and others have called him family. He took great pride in who he was, and what he did. The loss of him is a hole that won't be filled - ever.He is survived by his wife of forty-three years, Denise. Son Drew (Charity), daughters Mandy (Dalton), and Tatum (Remy), sister Sharon (Rooster), nephew Carter (Storm), numer
HarleyFifteen Years Later "Are you sure you want me to teach you, and not your dad?" I question Erick, looking up at him, because he's now taller than me. He grins, the one so much like his dad I have to do a double-take. "No matter how good he is on the back of a bike, I think everyone knows you're better." "I wouldn't say that. He can hold his own, but I've been riding longer than him." "Exactly," he runs a hand through his shoulder-length hair. "He can show me how to do all the mechanic shit, but I want you to teach me how to ride." I should reprimand him for the curse word, but he hears it so often with the group we hang around. It'd be like telling him not to breathe. "Okay," I nod. "The first thing I want you to know is you're going to be wearing a helmet until you're eighteen and can make your own decision about what you want to do." "Mom," he groans. "Don't mom me. It's what's going to happen. It's a right of passage, and you're go
Harley"He looks like us, doesn't he?" I whisper to Justice as we sit on the screened-in back porch at Grandma and Gramps' house. "He does," she coos. "Those eyes and the set of his chin are one-hundred percent Walker. His little wisp of blonde hair. Are you going to let yours go back to blonde?" She asks, lifting up a lock of my still-dark hair. "I don't know, I kinda like it. Not that I want to be different than you, but it sets us apart." "It does and I understand. You should do whatever you want. "His lips are Bishop's, though. Full and plump, always ready for a smirk or a smile. I think he's got his forehead too." Grandma walks in. "Give me that baby. He looks so much like Drew did when he was his age." I roll my eyes. "Don't give Dad any more bragging rights than he already has. He's been almost unbearable to put up with. You'd think he pushed this kid out of his vagina." "He doesn't have one," Justice points out. "Exactly."
BishopCarrying my son out for the members of Heaven Hill to meet him is one of the proudest moments of my life. There are still remnants of tears below my eyes and I can't be bothered to wipe them away. This is one of those moments I don't mind showing my emotions. The doors open and there they all are, standing and waiting. "Hey." I smile up at them over his head. "How's Harley?" Justice asks immediately. "She's good. They're sewing her up and then she'll be okay for visitors. She told me to tell you not to leave, she wants to see you." Immediately, her shoulders relax. It must've been hard for her to be out here knowing her twin was going through everything inside those doors. "I'd like you all to meet Erick Walker." There's a murmur of confusion as everyone questions his last name. Drew puts his hand on my shoulder. "Bishop came to me a little while ago and asked if he could take my last name. He and Harley plan on getting married at some p
HarleyAfter sex with Bishop, I fell into the best sleep I've had in what seems to be months. When I'm jolted awake by a pain stretching across my abdomen and a gush of wetness between my legs, I'm more surprised than anything. I gasp loudly. "Lee, you okay?" His voice is sleepy and I don't want to disturb him if I don't have to, but as another pain stretches across my abdomen and then goes down into my back, I know I need to. "I think my water broke." I gasp as the pain keeps going. "How far apart are they?" We went to the classes they offer but, truth be told, I'm blanking on everything they told us right now. So much for paying attention. "I just woke up so I haven't been able to time them, but I know if my water's broken we need to get to the hospital." "Your bag is here, isn't it?" "Yeah I have one here, at the shop, at home. Just in case." I grimace as I try to sit up, but this has been hell on my core muscles. "Give me a minute and I'll
Bishop"If you roll over one more time, you're going to roll off this bed." "I can't get comfortable," she grumbles. "My belly's too big. I can't sleep and I just wanna be able to lie on my stomach. I haven't been able to do it in months. I wish you could feel this. It's annoying," she complains, turning over so that she's cuddled up against the body pillow she's taken to sleeping with. "Do you want me to shove a pillow under my shirt? Put a watermelon around my waist?" I think this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard, but whatever it takes to put her at ease, I'll do. "That's a great idea. There's a cantaloupe in the kitchen, why don't you go grab it?" She's absolutely not kidding. The tone of her voice isn't playing around. I squeak out. "Right now?" "Why not? If I can't sleep, why should you?" She says with an evil laugh. "Alright, if I'm getting up, so are you." "Easy buddy, I'm already awake." She reaches out, without words, ask
Harley"Get out of here." I shoo Will's hand away. "We're gonna eat in less than an hour.""I've watched you, you keep eating," he complains."I am heavily pregnant," I argue with him. "It's fucking hot and my ankles are swollen, do not argue with me."Bishop grabs Will's hand. "C'mon, little man, let's go play some Call of Duty with Caelin.""Gladly." He sticks his tongue out at me."You've got to be nicer to him," Mom admonishes me.Justice interrupts. "She's got to be nicer to everybody.""You try carrying around a watermelon on the front of your body and see how you feel," I retort. "I'm fucking uncomfortable.""It gets better," Grandma says as she comes over to rub my shoulders. "I know it's hard to think it's going to, but it will. I promise.""I'm so sick of people saying it's going to get better," I grumble. "Every time I go and they make me spread my legs, I dread it. She did this thing called scraping my membranes this week. I mean, what the fuck? It hurt so bad. Like, do I
BishopI'm nervous as I watch Drew across the bays. This is something I never thought I would do and since we talked about how Liam wasn't his biological father, I've gone back and forth, wondering if this was the right decision. In the end, I know it is. He catches me looking, narrowing his eyes in a what the fuck way. Putting my hands in my jeans pockets, I walk over to him. "You mind if we talk?" Immediately, he looks worried. "Is everything okay?" "Harley's fine, but what I want to speak to you about has to do with her." "Okay, wanna go behind the shop?" "I wanna ask her to marry me." I hold up my hand. "But I have a request for you. I wanna take the Walker last name." He opens his mouth, then shuts it, before opening it again. My stomach drops and my heart pounds. The silence stretches on between us and I'm worried about what I've just requested. "I'm sorry, you don't have to say anything." He reaches out, holding on tightly t
Harley"Eight more weeks and it's looking like he might come early. You're carrying low. He's a good weight, though, so as long as we can keep him in four to six more, you're good," Doctor Simmons says as she checks me. "Have you been having any pain or anything?" "No." I shake my head then think better about it. "Actually, yeah I did. Bishop and I were..." I stop, not sure how to proceed without being crass. "Being intimate and I felt some pressure." "Was there bleeding afterward?" "No, it just got uncomfortable very quick. To the point where I had to ask Bishop to stop. I've never done that before, not since we had sex for the first time." My face flames as I tell this woman more than I ever expected to. "It's okay," she explains. "You're going to be feeling more pressure the closer you get to him coming. Like I said, you're already carrying low. The lower he gets, the worse it's going to be for you. Your hips are widening and preparing for you to give birth,