Page 3 of Crewe
Ryanne chuckled. It had taken some time getting used to the teasing between the cousins and brothers. When she’d first gotten the job at the bar, it had taken her a while to figure out which three cousins belonged to which dad. Burt, Peck, and Bill all had three sons by three different women. None of the nine women stayed around after the boys were born. So the brothers raisedtheir sons all together in the large apartment above the bar. Although they were cousins, the nine men acted like brothers.
The teasing and the bets between the men were a source of entertainment for everyone, especially those coming to the bar.
“Hey, I saw Quinton was wearing the pink penalty shirt today, but when I asked what bet he lost, he walked out without saying,” Ryanne said.
Ellie giggled. “Oh, I know. He bet Schaefer and Halligan that he could beat their time on the obstacle course. Unfortunately, he didn’t put any qualifiers on running the course,” Ellie said, laughing.
“Oh no, what did Halligan and Schaefer do?” Vivi asked.
“Halligan ran the course first, then Schaefer. Schaefer had the fastest time, with Halligan twenty seconds slower. When Quinton started to run the course, Schaefer grabbed his shorts and pulled them down his legs. Quinton fell, shorts around his ankles, and as he fell, he racked himself on the fire hydrant they’d used for an obstacle.”
Ryanne laughed until tears ran down her face. Now she knew why he didn’t want to discuss it. These Nelson cousins were ruthless teasing each other, but she’d never been around more caring and loving men toward children.
“The pink penalty shirt was the best thing I ever instituted because at least it slowed down the betting. Before, there were multiple bets every day and sometimes for the stupidest things,” Vivi said.
“How are you doing with your parents gone?” Ellie asked.
“It’s been fine. I’m glad they are taking some time for themselves. Peck, Bill, and Burt decided that they were honorary grandparents to the kids. The kids are loving it,” Ryanne said.
She listened to the women talk and chimed in periodically, but hanging with these women gave her too much time to think.
Vivi and Ellie’s question about dating had her thinking of the Nelson cousins, or one cousin in particular. Crewe had spent two weeks perfecting the mozzarella grilled cheese and chips beforefinally deciding it was perfect for her last week. He was sweet, caring, and always listened when the kids talked. He’d become a good friend. And those arms of his, with the muscles. Who knew a tight black T-shirt and a well-worn pair of jeans, along with a chef’s apron, would be a turn-on. She’d be lying if she said she’d never imagined how his closely trimmed beard would feel against her skin.
When the carnival had been in town, he’d taken her and the kids to ride the rides, get cotton candy, and play the many games. She’d be kidding herself if she didn’t admit she’d imagined them as a family. But she needed this job. She was making some money from her nature photography but not enough consistently to depend on. The salary from the bar and rent-free apartment was a blessing that she couldn’t survive without.
Despite how Crewe made her feel, he was off-limits. Safety and security were more important than her own needs.
Chapter Three
Crewe decided to deliver the food to the table himself. He’d briefly met Flick’s brothers at the wedding but hadn’t really talked with them much. A group of the Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC had ridden their bikes to the bar today, and Crewe wanted to chat with them. His other cooks in the kitchen could man it for a while.
He carried the tray to the table and placed it down in front of Brody, Gunner, Flick, Dex,Cannon, and Bear. He added his plate to the empty seat.
“You guys care if I enjoy my supper with you?” he asked.
“Nah, we’d love to have you,” Flick replied while taking his first bite of food. “Man, this is good. You have a gift with food.”
“Thanks,” Crewe said. It always gave him a good feeling when people enjoyed his food.
“I need to get my rehabilitation moving along faster, or you’ll be rolling me into the businesses instead of walking,” Brody said. He’d been injured on his last tour and was undergoing therapy to walk without a cane.
“It must be going well if you rode today,” Crewe said, taking a bite of his own sandwich. He rarely sat down and ate in the main bar. Usually, he grabbed a quick bite at his table in the kitchen.
Dex chuckled then replied, “He wasn’t going to come, so we told him either let someone drive you in a truck or ride on the back of a trike. He wasn’t going to until Regina got involved.”
Laughter filled the table.
“So, which did you do?” Crewe asked.
“I rode on the trike behind Gunner because Regina said I had to come to chick flick night if I stayed in Bluff Creek. I was not watching a romance movie with them,” Brody grumbled.
“How’d it feel?” Crewe asked.
“Once I got past I wasn’t the one in charge of the bike, it was good to feel the wind and just relax.”
Whiskey came over and joined the group. “Hey, guys, how’s your evening?”
“It’s good. Food is always excellent, and the beer is cold,” Flick replied.
