conversation this week?" I ask.
He looks like he's weighing something. "Yes, we went and talked to Kevin Baxter before we came up here." He doesn't look like he's going to add anything here.
I look at Patches. "I hate that you see all that shit. Are you going to remember all this?"
He smiles at me, "Yeah Brother." He stands. "Thanks Danny." He walks to the door.
"He's going to make lists; I better go help him out with that. Thanks Dad." I give Pres chin and follow Patches. Fuckin Patches, he knew. I look back; Pres is smiling at my father. I realize as I'm walking Pres didn't say not one fuckin word through all that. Fuck I don't want to know this shit. We spend hours trying to figure shit out.
I text Digs about dinner. He and Bob are going with a group to a bar on the other side of the main drag. After going through a whole fuckin life of choices and scenarios I'm ready to see fuckin Brothers over food and beer. We meet up with them; all the Officers are here with Te Jess and Kate. I kiss them and throw chin to the group before sitting down. "Ally was asking about you today. She wanted to know if you're doing a competition. I didn't know. Are you?"
Looking at her I notice Pres is on one side and my father on the other. Fuck. It takes me a second to remember her question. "I'm not sure." I look at my father. "Are you doing the hill?" I ask him.
He shakes his head no. "I'm not leaving Kate while there's a threat; we're not in Kansas anymore." He smiles.
I look at Kate with a smile. "Yep, I am." Everyone laughs. "What? I don't have a fuckin chance if he enters."
Digs starts telling everyone about me flipping the bike in the air coming off the jump in the yard. I watch Pres and my father. My father is shaking his head no. "You want to go dad?"
Pres looks at me then my dad. "No Rich, I want to leave right after the competition on Friday. We're taking the long way home. I don't want to have to worry about the bike making the trip back." Pres smiles at Kate. Shit. I don't know what to feel here. I just nod. Patches is watching me. I look away to see VP watching me. Fuckin hell! I need a beer. I talk to Bob on the side of me.
Patches
Watching Rich I see he’s noticing Pres with Kate. As much as he doesn’t want to know he can’t deny what everyone else already sees. Pres is happier than I’ve ever seen him. So are Kate and Danny. I think it’s fuckin great. VP does too. He smiles watching them all the fuckin time. Tiny hasn’t said anything but he’s at the house before everyone is up, he has to know. Pres truck in the drive and Jessie sleeping over all the fuckin time can’t be missed by everyone.
I want to be like them but I don’t want to hide it. Maybe they don’t advertise it because of the kids. I want a woman that’s proud to be with us and doesn’t want to hide. If we find someone we can be open before she has kids. It won’t be so bad for them. The Baxters don’t seem to have a problem. We didn’t talk about how we would handle advertising or not. It should go on the list. If we don’t care who knows no one else will. Our fuckin list is getting longer every time I see the interaction between Kate, Danny and Pres. It’s going to drive us fuckin crazy or teach us how to make it. I smile.
“Patches what the fuck you smiling about?” Digs yells across the table. Fuck.
Might as well start preparing them now. “My list for the woman me and Rich are looking for.” Rich looks at me and cracks up. “He asked.” Everyone laughs but no one asks me another fuckin question. Pres throws me chin. He fuckin knows what I’m thinking. He’s too fuckin smart. I just smile at him.
THREE
Two days
Tess
I need to pee. I call out, "I need the bathroom."
The Prospect comes in; pulling me by the cuffs he leads me to a Port a