Page 68 of Through The Woods

Chapter Nineteen

“Okay, we can set that pan over on the back counter.”

Joker grabbed a pair of oven mitts and moved the pan of baked beans from the oven to an empty countertop. We hadn’t had a moment to rest. The past three days had been nothing but work.

I spent yesterday morning cleaning the entire clubhouse and the damn thing sparkled from all the elbow grease. I’d taken some extra time cleaning Gunner’s room—okay, I snooped.

Again.

I’d done something nice for almost all of the guys, but I hadn’t been able to think of one thing to do for him.

It had taken me an extra fifteen minutes, but in his nightstand, under a roll of condoms, was a worn picture of two Marines. I studied the picture and realized that one of them was Gunner. When I turned the picture over, there was a name and a date.

I’d known that he was a Marine, but nothing was ever mentioned in the journal about his return home. It appeared that Twitch wasn’t the only one who’d lost friends in battle.

Feeling like a thief, I’d tucked the photo into the waistband of my jeans and finished cleaning. Once I was sure that no one was paying attention, I snuck out and drove into town. The men were busy getting the meat ready to smoke—something that was going to take all night from what I understood.

I doubted they’d even noticed I was gone. I parked the truck to find them gathered around the smoker back near the storage shed, drinking and laughing. I’d simply returned the photograph back to his nightstand and set the canvas up on his dresser before heading back to work.

Hours later, I woke to an empty house and realized that the men hadn’t even made it back inside. Joker joined me in the kitchen about an hour after I got up and we worked side by side in comfortable silence. I’d made the potato salad up in advance, so all we had to take care of were the baked beans.

I was going to need to nap for a week to recover.

I cleaned out her room today—Luck insisted. Said he had a prospect that was patching in and needed a place. I thought about splitting his face open, but remembered the plan.

Billy showed up and helped; Bobby’s still in Psych…something about a mandatory seventy-two hour hold. We didn’t talk; just worked in silence, packing her things.

I was proud of myself, thinking that I’d done alright until I saw the book. We all had one—she’d insisted on it. After Matt’s broken arm, she was adamant that we learn to communicate with him the only way he knew how. I sank down on the bed and turned the pages, my fingers tracing her drawings, as my chest tightened in despair.

It just hit me that she’ll never draw another picture.

I’ll never again see her head bent over that damn desk while she furiously sketches a masterpiece.

I lost it and demanded everyone’s copy.

I torched them all, but the pain in my chest has only gotten worse. My love for her is a grave that I can’t seem to stop digging.

I wanted to shed my ratty clothes and head upstairs to shower, but I owed this to Charm. I was finally beginning to understand his anger over the signs I’d made. I’d practically rubbed his face in the fact that she was gone.

I turned to Joker. “Hey, I forgot to take the signs down. I’m just gonna take care of that while this finishes up. Okay?”

His face fell, but he nodded.

No one had mentioned them again, but I knew what they must’ve been reminded of every time they passed by one. The other clubs weren’t likely to let it go unnoticed either. I’d just pulled the second one off when his voice startled me.

“What the hell are you doin’?”

I jumped and turned around. “Hey, good morning. I was just getting rid of these before the party.”

I wanted to try and fix a horrible mistake…

Charm shook his head before barking out, “Let’s put it to a vote. See what the club says.”

My mouth fell open in shock. “Are you drunk? You all but told me to take them down not that long ago.”

“Guys! Let’s go.”

The other bikers walked in and sat down at the table, as if it was completely normal to call impromptu meetings in the middle of the dining area.

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