Page 52 of Alice & Meg: Summer Vacation
“We’re doing this again,” I announced, swallowing the lump in my throat.“I don’t care if you guys had the worst time of your lives.I willforceyou all to be here again next year.Same motel.Same everything.”
Everyone laughed, but mine came out with a tremble.I was teetering on the edge of full-blown waterworks.
“You won’t have to force Bear and me,” Greta grinned.“We’ll be here with bells on.Hell, I’ll call the flamingo floatie again.”
“I’m in,” Hero chimed in.“You guys can’t get rid of me that easily.”
My eyes moved to Adley, who was leaning out her van window with her chin resting in her palm, that little half-smile playing on her lips.
“As long as I’m not living in my parents’ basement next year, I’ll be here,” she said, with a laugh but clearly a little embarrassed.
“Would youstopragging on yourself for staying with us until you get back on your feet?”Wendy scolded gently and crossed her arms over her chest.“I’m just so excited you’re home.”
Adley turned to her with a genuine smile.“I know, I know.I guess I just need to…” She trailed off, shrugging helplessly.“I don’t know what I need,” she confessed softly.“But Iwillbe here next year.Maybe I’ll even have one of my own good guys with me.”
“Thatis the kind of positivity we’re talkin’ about!”Cyn pointed dramatically at her.“Next year this time, you’ll have your own place, an amazing job, and a man who worships the ground you walk on.Manifest that shit!”She let out a cackle that made all of us laugh.
Adley rolled her eyes but smiled.“All right.Manifesting activated.”
“Let’s get on the road before someone cries,” King called from beside his bike.Meg stood next to him with her sunglasses already hiding what I knew were teary eyes.
Everyone moved in at once for hugs.The kind where everyone said “see you soon” instead of “goodbye” because that’s exactly what it was.
“Don’t forget to text when you get home!”Adley shouted as she leaned out her window, blowing kisses to everyone.
“We will!”Meg called back.“Drive safe!”
The Devil’s Knights started their bikes.First, King and Meg in the lead, then Rigid and Hero fell in behind them.Bear gave one last nod, put the Bronco in drive, and followed after them, with Greta waving out the window like a beauty queen on a parade float.
Then it was just us.
“Are we ready?”Wrecker called out, already straddling his bike.
Slayer and Clash both grunted in that way that meant “yeah, but I’m pretending I’m not sad.”
Wendy and Raven waved, but they didn’t say anything.I could see the tears on their cheeks, and I knew my own weren’t far behind.It was hard saying “see you later” to people who had become family.No matter how many times we did it, it never got easier.
Wrecker cranked the engine, and the rest of the guys followed suit.The deep rumble of the bikes filled the parking lot.A rhythm that said home is wherever we ride together.
Wrecker turned his head and looked at me.“You good, babe?”
I nodded and wiped the tear off my cheek with the back of my hand.I was.I was sad that the vacation was over, but I was okay because I knew what was waiting for us back home.
The kids.
The club.
The farm.
The TV show.(Ugh.)
And, more than anything, each other.
I looked over at Adley one last time as she climbed out of her van to give Wendy a second hug.
Yeah… we had some stuff to figure out with her.
I wrapped my arms around Wrecker from behind and leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek.His beard tickled my lips.
“Take me home, Beardilocks.”
He grinned and dropped his hand to cover mine where they rested on his stomach.“You got it, babe.”
And just like that, we rolled out and headed back to real life.
But damn if it didn’t feel like something big was waiting for us.
Something that was going to change everything.
