Page 67 of Blue

“I got a lot of regrets, peanut.” He slapped his hand against the trunk of Jazzy’s car. “I shit on my responsibilities to my princess and her mother. Fighting, drugs, women. We all got shit in our past.”

A Harley rumbled from down the street. My chest tightened. I didn’t have to see the bike to know it was Blue. “I guess he didn’t get my message.”

Blue pulled into the driveway and killed the engine.

Butterflies flitted in my belly as he swung his leg over and casually approached. A flip of his head had his bangs swishing to the side. He slid his hands into his front pockets. “Levi is at the hospital.”

Sully stood. “Everything okay?”

“She’s having the baby. Romeo and Jazzy have been up there for a couple of hours. I haven’t heard anything more. But Dozer headed over a few minutes ago.”

A mixed flurry of emotions swirled within me. When we were kids, Levi and I had planned our weddings. We’d wear biker boots with our lace wedding dresses. We didn’t dream of diamond rings, but wearing cuts declaring us Heller property.

We promised to live next door to each other. I’d name my first boy Axel, and she was going to name her first Romeo. I’d known why. She’d always loved him. He’d doted on her like a brother, at least that’s what I’d tell her because he’d never taught me to ride a bike,dried my tears, or beat up a boy for calling me a name. He did those things for Levi.

I’d been so full of jealousy. Levi and I both had crappy moms. Hers was in prison. Mine should’ve been. Her dad was serving a lifetime sentence. I guess in a way mine did, too. Neither of us would ever see our dads again.

But Levi had Willow and Bear. She had Dozer. I wanted her to be jealous of something I had. But Romeo didn’t catch feelings. It hurt…unless I was high.

“I’m okay if you want to head up to the hospital,” I said to Blue. I’d taken enough from Levi. Today wasn’t about me.

“Later.” He pressed a chaste kiss to my mouth. Not the kind I wanted. But I could wait until we were alone to feel the heat in his lips. “If you wanted, I thought you could go with me to pick out something for the baby. Something from both of us.”

This man. He’d claimed I couldn’t fix him, but he seemed determined to fix me and to find a way to repair the damage I’d inflicted on…on my friends.

Blue nodded toward Jazzy’s vehicle. “What’s up with the car?” he asked Sully.

“Shea needs wheels for the meetings.”

Blue cocked a brow.

“Oh. I can’t wait to tell you.” I hesitantly reached for his hand. Rejection still lingered in the back of my mind. But I didn’t need to worry. His fingers easily threaded with mine. “Today, Sully and I went to the community center.” I led him around the corner to the backyard patio. “I met a counselor. He was so nice.” I showed him the pamphlet. “They have meetings every day.”

Blue glanced at the paper.

“I’m not using,” I said. “But I want to be clean. I don’t want to be afraid of the cravings.” I didn’t want him to worry about my sobriety. I wanted him to trust me the way I trusted him.

Blue dropped the paper onto the table.

“Is something wrong?” I asked. Not that I could pinpoint the reason, but something seemed off. Blue was quieter, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

“Nah.”

The car rumbled from the garage, sounding like a dying animal as the engine choked and gasped.

I smiled and rushed to the garage as Sully backed the Ford onto the driveway. He popped the hood and listened to the engine.

“Something’s rubbing,” he said as Blue approached. Sully positioned on the left side of the engine. I stood next to Blue on the right.

“Climb in and give it a bit of gas,” Blue said to me.

I sat behind the wheel and pressed the gas pedal. I was nervous. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d driven a car. At least a year ago, before I’d left for the wilderness rehab.

“That’s good,” Blue said. “You can turn it off.”

By the time I got out of the car and came around the hood, Blue was leaning into the engine and tightening a bolt with a wrench.

“You two should take it out.” Sully smiled.

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