by Wilder, L.
“Yes, it does.” Remembering the story of how he’d gotten his road name, I smiled as I teased, “Just be careful not to tip us over. I wouldn’t want us to become a spot on the pavement.”
“Hush, woman. You’re safe with me.”
Deciding not to torment him any further, I nodded. “Never doubted that for a minute.”
As soon as the light changed, we were on our way again, and in no time, we were driving into Oakland. I knew we were getting closer to his folks’ place and started to get nervous when we passed a few familiar hotspots of our old hometown. While I’d never been inside Caleb’s house, I knew exactly where it was. I’d driven by the beautiful ranch-style house a million times when I was younger. It was nestled back in the middle of his father’s cotton field with a driveway that seemed to go on for miles. I tried taking a deep breath to settle my nerves, but it was pointless. My heart started racing the second his house finally came into view. When he started down the long driveway, I felt Caleb’s back stiffen, and I knew he was feeling just as nervous I was—if not more. I couldn’t imagine what was going through his head as he parked next to the garage and got off his bike. It didn’t help that he remained completely silent as he took off his helmet and waited for me to do the same.
My fingers trembled as I unlatched the chin strip and slipped it off my head. I quickly ran my fingers through my hair and smiled as I asked, “You ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
He took my hand, and I followed as he started towards the front porch. We’d barely made it up the steps when the front door opened and his mother stepped outside. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stood there staring at Caleb in complete disbelief. After several long moments, tears started to fill her eyes as she muttered, “Caleb?”
“Hey, Mom.” I could hear the strain in his voice as he continued, “I’m sorry to just show up unannounced like this, but I—”
Before he could finish his sentence, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him as she cried, “I can’t believe you’re really here!”
He didn’t speak. Instead, he just stood there holding her as she sobbed. He was still hugging her when his father suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Caleb?”
His mother quickly released her hold on Caleb and turned to her husband. “Can you believe it? He’s really here.”
Mr. Hughes didn’t seem as pleased. In fact, he seemed downright disgusted as he stood there staring down at his son. He studied him for a moment, then turned and shook his head with repulsion when he spotted Caleb’s Harley parked in the drive. He turned back to Caleb as he glared at his leather Satan’s Fury cut. “So, you’re what? A biker now? That’s what you’ve chosen to do with your life?”
“Stan, please,” Mrs. Hughes pleaded. “Don’t.”
“It’s fine, Mom.” Caleb looked up at his father as he told her, “I never expected him to understand.”
“You’re damn right, I don’t understand!” He stepped out onto the porch and motioned his hand out to the cotton fields behind him. “I spent my entire life busting my ass, morning, noon, and night, to provide for this family. I wanted you to have something you could be proud of. I wanted this land to be yours, and what did you do? You went and shit all over it!”
“I never wanted your land, Pop.” I could see the emotion building behind his eyes as Caleb said, “Farming was never my thing. It was yours. I wanted something different.”
“That’s right. The big football star was too damn good to be a farmer.” Anger flashed through his eyes as he glanced over at me. “Well, look at you now. A drug-addict biker who runs around with trash.”
“You’ve crossed a line.”
Ignoring Caleb’s warning, his father grumbled, “A damn Harrington. Couldn’t have gotten any lower if you tried.”
Caleb took a charging step towards his father, but his mother placed her hand on his chest, stopping him. She scowled up at her husband as she shouted, “Stan! That’s enough!”
“You’re actually going to stand there and defend him after all he’s done to this family!” He pointed his finger at Caleb as he snarled, “Don’t forget that he’s the one who hocked your mother’s wedding ring, so he could buy—”
“I said, that’s enough!”
“Fine. Have your little reunion.” He turned and started back inside. “I’m done.”
When the door slammed shut, Mrs. Hughes turned her attention back to Caleb. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. You know how your father can be. It’ll just take him some time to come around.”
“I know. It’s fine. I just came here to let you both know that I was okay.” While he tried to play it off, I could tell he was hurting as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. He offered it to her as he said, “Here’s my number. Just call if you ever need anything or just want to touch base.”
“Okay.” She reached out her hand as she turned to me and said, “I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure. I’m Susan.”
“Hi, Susan.” I shook her hand. “I’m Darcy.”
“It’s such a pleasure to meet you.” She smiled as she looked over to Caleb. “I take it you two are dating.”
“We are.” Caleb slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. “She’s the one who convinced me to come here today.”
A soft smile crossed her face as she looked over to me and said, “I’ll be forever grateful to you for that. I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me to see that he’s okay.”
“You’re very welcome.”
We talked for a few more minutes, then Caleb announced, “It’s getting late. We better get going.”
“Okay.” Susan reached out and hugged Caleb once more. “I’m really glad you came by. I hope you both will come again.”
After we both said our goodbyes, neither of us spoke as we got back on his bike and started home. Caleb was quiet the entire way back to Memphis. I couldn’t blame him, especially after the way his father had behaved. I’d had it in my mind that things would’ve gone better, but there was no way I could’ve known how his father would react. I just hoped that his mother was right, and that in time, his father would come around. I was still going over it all in my head when Caleb pulled up at my house. Still silent, we got off his bike and started inside. Once we were behind closed doors, I turned to him and said, “I’m really sorry about today. I had no idea it would play out like that.”
“Nothing for you to be sorry about, Darcy. I knew what I was getting into when I went over there.” He turned and placed his hands on his hips as he looked around my living room. “So, where do you want to start?”
Confused, I asked, “Start what?”
“Packing.”
“Packing? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. It’s beneath you.” He slipped his arm around my waist as he pulled me over to him. “Now, answer the question. Where do you want to start packing?”
“So, we aren’t even going to discuss what happened with your parents?”
“Nothing to talk about. Things played out exactly like I thought they would.”
It was obvious that he didn’t want to discuss it, but I just couldn’t let it go. “I’m sorry that your father was—”
“An asshole?” he scoffed. “I’m used to it. I hate that he said what he did about you. I hope you know that it had nothing to do with you. It was all about him trying to get me where it hurts.”
“Seemed he was pretty intent on making you feel bad. That’s for sure.”
“Like I said, things played out exactly like I thought they would. Eventually, he’ll come around, and if he doesn’t, then that’s on him.” His serious tone quickly changed as he said, “Now, enough about that. A deal’s a deal. It’s time to get this place packed up.”
I wound my arms around his neck as I said, “So, we’re really moving in together.”
“We are, but that’s just the beginning.” He lowered his mouth to my neck, kissing me ligh
tly. “Once we get you settled, I’m gonna put a ring on your finger, and then—”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “A ring?”
“You heard me.” His eyes met mine in an intense gaze. “I want it all, Darcy, and I want it with you.”
“Well, I guess that settles it. We’re moving in together.” As I looked around the room at all that needed to be packed, I told him, “We’re going to need boxes. Lots and lots of boxes.”
“We’ve got some over at the clubhouse. I’ll call Clay and have him bring some over.”
“Okay. I think there are some out back in the storage shed too.”
After Caleb called Clay, we headed outside to the shed. As Caleb started gathering boxes, I found myself looking over at Maybell’s place. I hadn’t seen her since the day of KeShawn’s funeral when I’d gone over to pay my respects. I was expecting her to be devastated by the loss of her grandson, but she seemed to be doing okay. In fact, she seemed to be doing better than okay. When I asked her about it, she simply said that she’d miss him, but she’d always known that it was only a matter of time before his bad decisions caught up with him. Maybell was a smart lady, smarter than I’d ever realized. I was still staring at her trailer when Caleb handed me a few boxes. “You okay?”
“Yep. I’m good.”
I took the boxes from his hand and waited as he grabbed some more. We were on our way back inside, when I heard Ms. Frances ask, “Looks like you two have quite a project going on over there.”
“Yes, ma’am. We do.” With all the excitement, I’d forgotten about my two little guardian angels. They had been so good to me over the years, and it saddened me to think that I wouldn’t be seeing them every morning and every afternoon. I was worried about their reaction as I told them, “I’m going to be moving in with Caleb.”
“Oh, Darcy. That’s wonderful news!” Mrs. Alice replied with unexpected excitement. “We’re just so tickled for you.”
“You are?”
“Of course, we are! We can both see that you’ve got yourself a good fella there. We knew it was only a matter of time before things would come to this,” Mrs. Frances answered. “Now, don’t get me wrong. We love having you here, and we’re going to miss you terribly.”
“I’m going to miss you too. Very much.”
“Well, no one said you couldn’t come visit now and then,” Mrs. Alice teased. “In fact, we’ll both be upset if you don’t.”
“I’ll visit as often as I can.”
“We know you will.” Mrs. Frances turned her attention to Caleb as she said, “You better be good to our Darcy, or you’ll have to answer to me. You got that?”
“Yes ma’am. I sure do,” he replied with a smile. “But you don’t have to worry. I have every intention of taking very good care of her.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear. Now, you two get in there and get to packing.”
“Yes ma’am. We’re on it.”
As we started inside, Mrs. Alice called out to us, “If you need a break later, you’re welcome to come over and have a toddy with us.”
“Thanks. We might take you up on that.”
Once we were inside, Caleb walked over to me and said, “I meant what I said out there. I’m going to do everything I can to make you happy.”
“Don’t you know?” I wound my arms around his neck. “You already have.”
He leaned down and kissed me, long and hard, and as he held me in his arms, it hit me. Caleb Hughes was an essential part of my life. He was my past, my present, and now, he would be my future. He was mine, now and forever.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
When I walked back into the bedroom, I found Darcy looking at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of fitted jeans with a long-sleeve black top. Her long auburn hair was pulled back, revealing the delicate curves of her neck, and as usual, she looked incredible. I knew we were short on time, but I couldn’t resist making my way over to her. As I came up behind her, I lowered my mouth to the nape of her neck and pulled her close as I trailed kisses down her shoulder. Staring at me through the mirror, Darcy warned, “Caleb.”
“Um-hmm.”
I slipped my hands under the hem of her shirt as my hand drifted along her bare abdomen. She tilted her head back as she muttered, “We don’t have time for this.”
“For what?”
“To mess around,” she fussed. “We need to go.”
“We have a few minutes,” I lied as I turned her to face me. Before she could argue, I pressed my mouth against hers with a kiss that was possessive and demanding, leaving no question as to what I had in mind for her. She gasped into my mouth when I pulled her hips to mine. “I need you...now.”
“Caleb…” she breathed. As I’d hoped, her inhibitions fell away, and she reached up to remove my cut, quickly lowering it from my shoulders, then tossing it onto the bed. She bit her bottom lip as she lifted her arms over her head, waiting eagerly as I reached for the hem of her shirt and easing it over her head. So damn perfect.
My fingertips roamed over her bare skin, only stopping when I reached her breasts. I slipped my hands inside the cups of her bra, pulling them free. She couldn’t stop herself from squirming as my hands traveled around her back to unhook her. Darcy’s fingers gripped my shoulders as I lowered my head to her breast, flicking my tongue across her sensitive flesh. Her breath quickened as I moved to her other breast, and a shiver ran over her when the cold air hit the spot where my mouth had been.
I removed my mouth and hands from her breasts, letting her bra drift down, and then reached for her waist, unbuckling her jeans before I lowered them down her long legs to her ankles. I placed my hands on her bare hips and turned her around. She watched my reflection in the mirror as I trailed the tips of my fingers along her inner thigh, and her breath caught when I slipped my fingers between her legs. “I can’t wait a second longer. I need to be inside you.”
I quickly unfastened my belt and eased down my zipper, and she groaned with anticipation as I reached between us, positioning myself at her entrance. She placed her hands on the dresser bracing herself as I buried myself inside her with one hard thrust. “Fuck!”
A hiss escaped her lips as her body tightened around me. My hands reached up to cup her breasts as I started to rock forward with shallow thrusts. Her grip on the table tightened when I started driving into her with longer, deeper strokes. Her entire body trembled, and her breathing became ragged as her climax approached. She gasped with pleasure when I reached around and began teasing her with just enough pressure to send her over the edge.
“Oh, God! Don’t stop,” she cried while her orgasm surged through her body. My hands gripped her hips when her legs started to buckle and held her upright as she continued to spasm around me. My body tensed with my own impending release, and my thrusts became relentless as I quickened my pace. Seconds later, I came deep inside her with a satisfied growl echoing around the room. I didn’t want to move. I just wanted to stay there until I was ready to go again, but then Darcy reminded me that I didn’t have that luxury. “Umm, Caleb...We have to go.”
“Just one more minute.”
“We’re going to be late.”
“I don’t care.”
“Caleb,” she fussed as she inched forward, breaking free from our embrace as she headed towards the bathroom. “We have to go.”
I fastened my jeans, and as I pulled on my cut, I told her, “I’m ready when you are.”
“Of course, you are,” she said with a huff. “Why don’t you just go start the truck. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“You got it.”
I was on my way outside when my burner started ringing. I grabbed it out of my pocket, and when I looked down at the screen, I saw that it was my mother calling. Since the day I’d gone out to the house with Darcy, she’d been doing all she could to mend our broken relationship. She called at least twice a week to check in, and even came out to the house to have dinner with Darcy and me. Unf
ortunately, Dad didn’t come with her. He was still holding onto his grudge, but I hadn’t given up hope on him—at least not yet. “Hey, Mom. How’s it going?”
“It’s going. You know how it is around here. Your father is still out in the fields, and I’ve been working on laundry. What about you?”
“Darcy and I were just about to walk out the door.” As much as I hated to rush her, I didn’t have a choice. “Was there something you needed?”
“Well, umm...Your father and I would like to invite you and Darcy over for dinner on Sunday. Nothing fancy. Just grilling burgers or something, and your sister and her new boyfriend will be here too.”
“Dad knows about this?”
“Actually, it was his idea.” She paused for a moment, then continued, “He wants to set things right, or at least try to.”
“Kind of surprised to hear that.”
“Your father is a stubborn man, but he loves you, Caleb. Give him a chance to fix this thing between you. If not for you, then do it for me, please?” she pleaded.
Hearing how much it meant to her, there was no way I could refuse. “We’ll be there.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I’ll see you both on Sunday.”
I was just hanging up the phone when Darcy came out of the house. As she rushed towards the truck, she asked, “Who was that?”
“Mom,” I answered as I got in and closed the door. As I started the engine, I told her, “I’ll tell you about it on the way.”
Just as I expected, Darcy was pleased to hear that my father had finally started to come around. In fact, she was still going on about it when we arrived at the hospital. As we walked through the front doors, I couldn’t help but think back to the last time we were all there. Kenadee was fighting for her life, and we were all worried that she and her baby might not survive. It was touch and go there for a while, especially at the beginning, but they both managed to pull through. We shouldn’t have been surprised. Kenadee has always been tough, and we should’ve known that the same would hold true for their baby girl. When we walked into the waiting room, all of the guys were already there, talking amongst themselves as they waited for news about the baby’s delivery. Hoping that they wouldn’t notice that we were the last to arrive, Darcy and I walked over and sat down with the others.