Page 26 of The Other Princess

As I finished up and explained to my father the dynamics of getting his wife to clean and care for his tattoo I noticed that Deck had edged closer to my space. He was trying to peek at the work I’d done so I moved in order to block his view. I heard him chuckle in response as he greeted my father. “Double-D,”

“Deck,” my father returned the one name greeting. “You getting some work done too?” My father asked.

“Nah, just here to see Ever.”

“Hmm.” Double-D made the non-committal noise and then grabbed my business card off the desk that sat to the side of my chair. “I’ll have Luce give you a call if she has any trouble with it. You know she’ll be able to see it if she’s caring for it though.”

“I don’t think she’ll spill the beans, so it’s fine.”

“You’re probably right. She thinks I deserve to wait it out with everyone else. Says you’ve had to wait years for me to step up and be a real dad, that it won’t hurt me to have to wait on you now.” I glanced up at my father then, because what he was saying seemed like more than just Lucy’s regurgitated words. “She’s not wrong, Ever, and I’m so damn sorry baby.”

Shit. He was making me tear up, and I really didn’t want to do that. Not here. Not in front of all the people I worked with and Deck. They all had gotten too many glimpses of my pain as is, I was getting really sick of having to share it with them. I just nodded at my father and then turned my back, cleaning up my space to keep my hands occupied since they were shaking. I heard what sounded like a hand slapping leather, and then my father’s gruff voice, low so as not to be overheard. “Be good to her,” he stated and then I heard the clomp of his boots on the floor as he walked away.

Once I had everything squared away I turned to see Deck smiling at me. “Everything go okay today?”

“Yeah,” I managed to get out before a single traitorous tear slipped down my cheek. “Sorry,” I whispered as I turned my head away to swipe the rogue tear from my face.

“Don’t,” Deck admonished as he came over to me, pulled me close, and moved to wipe the tear away himself. “This whole process is bound to be emotional, Ever. I don’t think anyone is expecting anything different. Just, don’t hide from me, okay?”

I shook my head in agreement just before he cradled my face with his hands, kissed my forehead, and pulled me into the warmth of his chest. “What do you say we get out of here for a bit so that you can let go all of the built up tension?”

“I’d like that,” I explained to his chest where I was still resting my head and taking in his fresh scent of leather and the sea. I’d bet money that he’d been out on the water today, or at least as close to it as he could get, because he smelled like salt water and sunshine on top of the leather. Don’t ask what sunshine smelled like. It was just this innate warmth that seemed to cling to the man I was leaning into. I waved to Zeke as we left since he was the only other person there. He tipped his chin up at me in acknowledgment and we slipped out of the shop without another word.

It wasn’t until we were taking off and pulling out into traffic that I noticed my father was sitting on his bike across the street watching us. I wondered what that was about, but as soon as Deck kicked his bike into higher gear and our speed increased with it any questions lulling around in my head were sent to rest as the thrill of the ride overtook me. I could not contain the joyous smile that graced my face as we moved along the street, weaving in and out of the slower vehicles as we passed. I understood completely why the men of the club were so in love with riding. I just wished one of them would have shared it with me sooner. As I let my mind drift, I changed my opinion. I was glad it was Deck I was sharing this with. It seemed right this way, because I didn’t think he’d ever do anything to taint the experience.

When we pulled up at the movie theater I laughed a little. “Date number two has you laughing already?” Deck asked me as he dismounted his bike and offered me a hand with getting myself off as well. My legs felt better this time, but I wasn’t kidding myself that I was used to the rumbling ride and therefore my legs were unaffected. It had just been a much shorter ride than yesterday’s.

“No, I don’t know why it struck me funny that you brought me to see a movie.” I shrugged my shoulders while I stalled to find the right words. “I don’t think we’ve ever even watched a television show together,” I told him as if that was enough explanation for him to get it.

“Yeah, so there are a lot of things we are going to be doing that we’ve never done before, Ever. That’s what dating is all about.” He winked at me, secured my helmet to his bike, and then took my hand. Our fingers laced together as we walked side by side to the front of the theater. I gazed at the marquee, but wasn’t really seeing what any of the words there actually said since I was having trouble seeing past my excitement.

“What do you feel like watching?” Deck glanced down at me then and it was his turn to chuckle. “I think you had a fair point a minute ago, because I just realized I don’t know what you might want to see.”

“So, what if I said that one,” I pointed to a movie poster highlighting a tortured looking couple in the latest romantic drama. Deck let out a sigh and squeezed my hand.

“Then I guess we’re seeing that one,” he offered while trying to hide the slight grimace that he couldn’t quite contain. It made me laugh once more. “I love that look on you,” he admitted, smiling genuinely then.

“What look is that?”

“You laughing. I haven’t seen much of it since I’ve been back. You used to laugh a lot when you were hanging out with our brothers before I left, but since I’ve been back, I’ve seen you do it only a couple times.”

“Not much to laugh about before you came back, I guess.” I turned back to the movie posters lining the wall, because somehow the pictures were easier to navigate than the blurring words on the marquee. “And for the record, I do not want to see that movie, at all. I’m thinking that one.” I pointed toward the poster indicating the latest comic book super hero movie, and I watched as instant relief swept over Deck. It nearly made me laugh again.

“You’re sure?”

“If you really want to see the other one I’ll make the sacrifice for you, but I’ve been dying to see how this one turns out.”

“Thank fuck,” he hissed out while using our twined hands to pull me closer to his side. He leaned in and kissed the top of my head as he moved us forward to the window to purchase our ticket.

Two and a half hours later we emerged to a thoroughly darkened sky, and my belly grumbling like I hadn’t eaten in a week. “Let’s go get some food in you before your body revolts any further,” Deck teased.

“That’s so embarrassing. You’d think the popcorn would have staved off the hunger pangs, but I guess not. That’s what I get for working through lunch after I was too nervous to eat breakfast,” I lamented with a pout of my lower lip at the end for effect.

“You didn’t eat all day?” I shook my head in the negative as we continued to walk toward Deck’s bike. “Why the hell not?” Concern was evident in his voice as he asked.

“Like I said, I was too nervous. I only found out that morning which two people were coming in for their tattoos, and when I knew who it was my nerves got the best of me for a bit. I had a pack of crackers when my dad and Crow had to take a break to handle business, but other than that, I just couldn’t stomach anything.”

“Jesus, you don’t have to keep doing the tattoos if they’re upsetting you, Ever. It was supposed to help heal, not add turmoil to your life.”

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