Page 106 of Apex of the Curve

“You’re serious,” I said.

“I am.”

“You would do that? Uproot your entire life just to make mine better?”

“In a heartbeat,” he affirmed.

I fell mute and lay my head back down.

“Okay?” he asked.

“Okay,” I murmured.

“Okay.”

* * *

It’d been a few days,and we were executing Fen’s loose plan through a bit of trial and error. There honestly wasn’t a whole lot we were able to get done the next few nights. By the time I got home, it was late and I could only maybe go through one or two boxes or fill a trash bag.

Still, slow progress was better than no progress, I guess.

On Saturday night, Fen rode from his farm to my shop and came in just before I flipped the sign to ‘closed.’ Several of the ladies from the class that evening eyed him like he was a side of beef as they walked by, and I fought down the urge to say anything.

“Hi,” I murmured as he bent to kiss me.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

“What brings you here?” I asked as I locked the doors.

“Wanted to see my baby,” he murmured and reached over to pull the cord on the lit ‘open’ sign higher up in the window.

I couldn’t help but smile and said, “Well, here I am.”

“Club’s having a feed tonight. Thought we could grab dinner on the way home versus cooking.”

“Oh, you know what?” I said. “That sounds really good. Are you sure I’m invited, though?”

“Babe, you’re mine, you’re with me, you’re invited. The girls’ll be there and it won’t be nearly as crowded as Mace’s thing.”

“Yeah?” I asked, moving around my shop, picking up.

“Yeah, just the local chapter. No out-of-towner’s.”

“Okay.” I nodded. “Just let me finish closing up.”

“What can I do?”

“Nothing!” Amber called from the back of the shop. “I got it! Go on and get outta here, boss!”

I smiled and laughed a little. She knew now that I would eventually be closing down. That had been a hard conversation, but she’d declared herself in to the bitter end.

“Naw, we’ll help,” Fenris declared. “It’s dark as fuck out there and no way I’m letting you go out with no one here to have your back. Safety in numbers, kid.”

“I’m not a child,” Amber said, stepping out front with us and rolling her eyes for Fen’s benefit.

“You’re just a damn baby,” he argued.

“Fen’s right, Amber. It’s getting sketchier and sketchier out there.”

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