Page 137 of The Trust We Broke
Lucy buries her face in my neck, lips brushing my skin. “Don’t let me go.”
We lie there, tangled, breathing slowing, hearts thudding.
“I’m never letting you go again.”
EPILOGUE
GRUDGE: ONE WEEK LATER
“You ready?” Mom asks from the safety of my room at the clubhouse.
I look at the ring box on the desk. “Never been more ready. Thanks for coming with me today.”
Mom smiles. “Feels right, I guess. I was there to help you buy the first one.”
The one I now know Lucy has kept all this time. I want her to have that ring and keep it forever, however she wants to. But I want this new one to represent a fresh start. Something that is more representative of who we are now.
Two people willing to blend their lives together.
Lucy spent the day with Wren and some of the other old ladies, because Wren is losing their mind in the apartment above the bakery.
And I took Mom to see Dad.
It took a hot minute to get him to understand why this is a good thing. But as Mom said, love always wins.
And Dad is a sucker for Mom when she gets romantic.
And the final stop? A jeweler in Denver, where I spent the equivalent of a house deposit on a ring I hope Lucy loves. Astunning cushion-cut stone on a platinum band that has smaller diamonds on it.
“Do you think she’ll love it?” I ask Mom, opening the box.
Mom puts her hand on my shoulder. “She’ll love it because she loves you, sweetheart. You’re easy to love.”
I huff at that. “You’re biased because you’re my mom.”
“Maybe. So, are you going to go get your girl?”
“Yeah, Mom. I’m going to get my girl.”
When we get to the bar, Lucy is already there. So are all my brothers, so are their old ladies, if they have them. It’s not an official party.
Yet.
It’s just a regular family night at the bar, with the familiar scents of oil, whiskey, and woodsmoke from the huge fire someone started in the fireplace.
Butcher slaps my shoulder on the way by. I asked his opinion on proposing to Lucy in the clubhouse so soon after becoming president. And he assured me the club needs the good to offset the bad.
Lucy sits with Wren and Greer, but I see Catfish watching Wren from his spot across the room. I didn’t want them here. King was keen we kept them safe away from the clubhouse.
But with Lucy and Catfish pleading Wren’s case, I capitulated.
Not gonna think about the look on Catfish’s face, right now.
I nod to Smoke, who turns the volume down on a Black Sabbath classic, “Changes.”
“Hey, Luce, get your ass over here,” I shout.
That gets me some wolf whistles and cheers.
