Page 28 of Gunner
Looking at him, seeing the clarity in his eyes, gave me hope that we could at least be friends. I wished for more, but Kade and I may be one of those couples who were better without each other. Men in the MC didn’t have female friends, but I hoped we could at least learn to be around each other without animosity.
I chewed on my lip as I debated his question. Just this morning, I was stood up for my first real date, and the rejection was still fresh. Could I trust him not to hurt me again, either through words or actions? As shitty as his actions were and as far as I know, he’s never lied to me, so I took the leap of faith Ann kept saying would happen, and I squeezed his hand as I replied, “That sounds nice, but I need to find a babysitter for Jacob.”
He stood from the couch and encouraged me to join him with a tug on our connected hands. I mirrored his position, and he turned, pulling me toward the door.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he opened it.
Walking off the porch, he smiled at me over his shoulder as he replied, “I’m finding you a babysitter.”
I wasn’t keen on Jacob hanging out at the clubhouse, not knowing what his impressionable eyes would see. Just as I went to speak, Dalton stepped out of the clubhouse and turned his gaze to us. Kade walked straight up to him, and I tried to tug my hand from his, only to have him squeeze a little more.
“I see you found him,” Dalton remarked to me with a smirk, and I wanted to stick my tongue out at him.
“Hey, man. I want to take Sadie to an early dinner tomorrow evening. Can you watch Jacob at her place for a few hours?” he asked, and my eyes grew wide as my brother nodded.
“I need to spend time with the little man, anyway. How about I get there at noon, so you two have time to do whatever without a time constraint,” Dalton replied, and I looked between the two of them like they’d lost their minds.
Who the hell was standing in front of me, and why was he agreeing to watch our rowdy little brother?
Kade slapped my brother on the back and smiled as he replied, “Thanks, man.”
I looked at my brother, and he winked with a smile as Gunner tugged me closer to the clubhouse and the barbeque in full swing. As I looked around, I realized there weren’t the usual club sluts and hangers-on, and I relaxed slightly. A few of the brothers said hi or lifted their chin in acknowledgment as we walked through the clubhouse and into the kitchen.
Kade released his hold on my hand and offered me a plate at the start of the food line. I shook my head and explained, “I need to get home before Uncle Mick brings Jacob back.”
He turned to me and set his plate down before taking both of my hands into his. “You can’t stay for a little while?”
I shook my head. “I promised Uncle Mick I’d cook tonight, and I need to stop by the store and pick up a few things.”
He exhaled, his eyes losing some of the luster as he nodded. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
He linked his hand with mine as we left the clubhouse, and as we were walking across the front yard to my car, I heard Needles call my name. Turning, I saw him jogging up to us, his long beard and bald head glistening on the hot Tennessee sun.
“I wanted to give you this to look over. Some options for what we talked about.”
He handed me the large, sealed, brown envelope, and I thanked him before he left, leaving Kade with a confused look on his face. I could see the wheels turning in his head, but I didn’t answer his unspoken question regarding the contents of the envelope. I opened the car door and placed the envelope on the passenger’s seat before turning back to Kade. He looked unsure and worried, so I took his hands back into mine as I explained.
“I’m going to need time to trust you again. Are you willing to give me that time without being demanding of me, my time, or my thoughts?”
He nodded. “I can give you whatever time you need if it means there’s a chance to gain your forgiveness and earn back your love.”
I smiled before lifting to my tiptoes and kissing him softly on the cheek. I could feel him smile under my lips, and when I pulled away, he raised my hands to his mouth and kept his eyes locked with mine as he kissed the back of both. He stood with his eyes on me as I got into my car and pulled away.
For the first time in over a year, I finally had hope. Today was a small step, and tomorrow would be another. With enough small steps, I think he and I could put our demons to rest and find the happiness we both deserve.
The next morning, I woke up with butterflies in my stomach and worry rattling through my brain. Jacob was already in the living room when I walked in, and he smiled up at me with a bowl of cereal in front of him. I was happy he was finally at the age to make his own breakfast but seeing him growing up made me a little sad.
A knock on the front door sounded into the room before the lock disengaged, and Dalton walked into the living room. Closing the door behind him, he plopped down on the couch with Jacob and glanced over his shoulder at me.
“That’s not what you’re wearing on your date, is it?” he asked, and I shook my head in mock outrage.
“I just woke up, ass. I’ve got two hours before Kade will be here,” I replied, and he stood from the couch and joined me in the kitchen.
“Are you having second thoughts about today?”
I shrugged, and he stepped closer to me before lowering his voice. “I know he fucked up bad,” I scoffed, and his gaze turned hard. “Give him a chance, Sadie. Let him prove he’s changed before you throw away something that has the potential to be everlasting.”
He turned to walk out of the kitchen and paused with his hand on the doorway. “He loves you. Let him show you how much.”
