Enforcer: (Boneyard Brotherhood MC Romance Book 2)

by Amber Burns

  Annabelle nodded.

  “True, I don’t mind as long as my dad is happy.”

  She slid down in the seat and let her head rest on Michel’s shoulder. He drove along, Tracy Chapman singing on the radio as they cruised into Beaumont and headed out onto the road that led to the property. Annabelle stirred against him, and sleepily sat up, rubbing her eyes.

  “Are we almost there?” She asked, her voice groggy.

  He kissed her cheek.

  “Yes, almost, keep an eye out for a bed-and-breakfast will you? So that we can head back toward it later,” he asked.

  She nodded, “Okay.”

  Annabelle’s breath was knocked away by the view of the house as Michel turned into long, pole-lined drive. The paddocks bordering the drive were inhabited by Bay horses, Mares as far as she could tell. They looked up curiously as they heard the car, but then went back to grazing. In the background beyond the horses stood the house and barn, much more magnificent than it looked in the pictures.

  “This is something else,” Annabelle said softly.

  When she opened the car window the scent of hay and horses filled her nose, and Michel pulled off, slowly driving toward the house. On the wide porch, two people appeared, a couple in their fifties. When Annabelle and Michel exited the car, they came down the stairs to greet them.

  “Hi, we’re Eva and Art,” the woman said, her voice soft with a typical Texan drawl.

  They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

  “Shall we show you the outside of the property first guys? It’s such a beautiful afternoon, and then Eva has baked a cake for afternoon tea.”

  Art put his arm around his wife and they walked off toward the barn. Annabelle and Michel followed them around hand in hand, listening as they spoke about the different buildings and told stories of the animals. By the time Eva took over to show them the inside of the house they had both lost their hearts to the place. Michel wrapped his arms around her as they stood in the arched entry way to the large lounge.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’d move here tomorrow if I had a chance,” he said, pulling her into a hug, right in front of the older couple.

  She smiled up at him and answered with exactly what he had expected.

  “I feel as though I’ve come home Michel, please can we buy the farm?”

  Behind them Eva and Art laughed heartily.

  “This place has a habit of making one feel like that little lady,” Art said.

  Michel took the coffee Eva handed him, as did Annabelle, and then the men discussed business. Eva led her to a big plush sofa and the women sat down.

  “Are the two of you from the area?” She asked Annabelle.

  “No, we are from Crystal Beach, we are going to see about finding a bed and breakfast in town to spend the night in, have a bit of an escape from the coast.”

  Eva seemed appalled by that idea and insisted they stay the night.

  “Oh heavens no! I refuse, we have plenty of space, and that way you can truly get a feel for the place.”

  She smiled so convincingly, and they were within earshot of the men. Annabelle watched as Art nodded his agreement.

  “Oh absolutely, I insist,” Art said.

  Michel shrugged, “I would like that very much. I have never been in a more peaceful place.”

  The women disappeared into the kitchen to make dinner together after that was agreed on, and Annabelle found herself feeling oddly as though she was around an older sister, or mother-figure. She stood next to Eva and chopped peppers for a salad while the older woman rubbed olive oil and garlic into a whole chicken.

  Annabelle smiled as Eva handed her a glass of wine once prep was done and the food was in the oven. They walked out to sit on the porch, on comfy wide sofas facing the paddocks and the drive, and Annabelle breathed out heavily.

  “I feel so relaxed and so free, this is a whole different world to Crystal Beach Eva, why are you and Art selling the place?”

  Eva took a sip of her wine and made a sweeping gesture taking in the paddocks and barn.

  “We are getting a bit too old to cope with all the physical labor involved in a farm like this. It’s hard work, and we don’t want to keep hiring more people to work the place.”

  She looked sad for a moment there, and Annabelle felt the fear of ageing, but then she thought of growing old with Michel, and it wasn’t so scary.

  “We are looking forward to moving on to different things, don’t get me wrong, we are going to take some time off and travel cross country. We have been so stuck here, we haven’t done any travelling,” Eva said, smiling.

  They sat around the large kitchen table to eat, because Annabelle had flat out refused to let Eva set the dining room just for them. It felt cozy and homey, with lamps glowing warmly throughout the house now that the sun had completely gone down, When the two of them walked into the bedroom Eva guided them toward, Annabelle swooned at the beauty.

  A king-sized bed stood against the centre of the far wall, and it lay thick with covers and quilts, the pillows and blankets varying shades of red and beige. Annabelle could not resist, the second they were left alone in the room she ran across the floor and leapt onto the bed, flinging herself across it spread-eagled.

  “Oh Michel! It’s so big!”

  He chuckled, “I usually hope you’ll wait till I’m naked to say things like that…”

  With Annabelle rolling around in fits of giggles he stripped himself and then proceeded to peel her excess clothing off too, drew her body close to him under the covers and held her tightly.

  “Just think, we might be falling asleep in our new home for the first time,” he whispered in her ear.

  She wiggled against him.

  “I like that thought, although, there are other things we could be doing in our new home for the first time…”

  Her ass moved against him and he pulled away.

  “Let’s respect the fact that we are guests, and the owners of the house are right next door. Sound carries in these old houses,” he said, smacking her bottom under the covers.

  With a sigh of resignation she gave up and settled back into his embrace.

  ***

  When I woke the next morning, it was to the sound of a rooster crowing and cows lowing in the distance. I could hear all sorts of movement about the house, and Anna was gone from the bed. I stretched, sat up and rubbed my eyes, uttering an amazed guffaw when I saw that it was five thirty in the morning. I could not remember the last time I’d been up this early. As I sat there, watching the rays of sun fall through the striped curtains, the floor just outside the bedroom door creaked.

  Annabelle came tiptoeing in holding two mugs, and before she even reached halfway across the room I smelled the aromatic, rich coffee. She handed me one.

  “It even has farm milk in it, look at the layer of cream on top!”

  I pulled her closer and kissed her.

  “Good morning to you too.”

  “Oh, sorry, good morning handsome.”

  She sat down on the side of the bed, and I looked at her. Her hair hung in curls wildly around her face, and she glowed. I brought the mug to my nose, inhaling the scent so characteristic of early morning.

  I love coffee, the smell, taste and effect of it on the senses. I don’t view caffeine as something that I am addicted to, I enjoy the ritual of making coffee in my own home, or watching others do it in theirs. I love the smell of grinding the beans, and when I go to a new town or place I always look for roasters that offer tours. My guilty pleasure is, and always will be espresso with cream.

  “Anna, I want to move here, sell everything, even my house, instead of renting it, and move here,” I said.

  She stood and walked over to the window, sliding the curtain open.

  “I’d like that, can we get married here, on the farm? It will save on the costs.”

  She stood staring out at the paddocks, and when I went to join her, she leaned back against me, smelling of coffee, her
perfume, and her own soft scent.

  “I think it was a sneaky sales tactic of Eva to let us stay here last night,” she murmured, still holding her mug to her nose.

  “If we do this we are committing to a completely different lifestyle, is that something you are prepared for?” I asked her. “It’s a seriously big change.”

  She nodded, I felt the movement against my chest as her head bobbed.

  “I can quit my tutoring at the university without giving notice, I don’t have a contract.”

  We had breakfast with Art and Eva, and hit the road back to Crystal Beach with our heads bursting. The plans for our relocation kept us both occupied, and we passed the drive in silence. When we arrived back, we picked up Armand, and Roy made us each a cup of coffee while he quizzed us about the time away, asking where we had been.

  “We actually went to look at a house Roy, a farm outside Beaumont,” I said, testing the waters for his reaction.

  He cocked his head to the side, “A farm? That’s one hell of a change.”

  “I have to agree,” I said, “But it is a good opportunity, and both Annabelle and I really like the place. I would actually like to discuss something with you about the property, and the move.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “When we move I would, well, Annabelle and I would very much like it if you moved with us.”

  He started in his movement, and put the mug that was halfway to his lips back down.

  “You want me to come with you? What about my shop? And my house?” He asked.

  I took Annabelle’s hand.

  “We thought about it, and you have worked so hard, you are close to retirement age, it makes financial sense too. There is a large guest cottage on the property, and the money from the sale of your business and house can be a good padding for your retirement fund, you won’t have any expenses on the farm.”

  He frowned, deep in thought.

  “What would I do with myself?” He asked, looking from me to Annabelle.

  I smiled at him.

  “You will have free run of the place Roy, there will be animals, and Anna and I want vegetable gardens too.”

  I could virtually see the cogs turning in his head as he spoke.

  “I need to think about this, but believe me, the idea appeals to me.”

  “Take your time, it will take me a while to sort out putting my house on the market, then Annabelle needs to deal with the land left from hers, and insurance claims. I’ll also be dealing with transfers for the farm, I don’t think any moving will happen in any time frame shorter than three months.”

  14

  The strangest of situations had unfolded with the sale of the house in Crystal Beach. Eva and Art had driven down to bring papers for signing, taken one look at the ocean, smelled the sea air, and said they would buy it. So in an instant the two couples had effectively swapped houses. Michel would only need to help with selling Anna’s land, Roy’s house, and pay Art the difference in price for the farm. It complicated things, but also simplified them.

  Michel ducked as the ball of newsprint came flying toward his head.

  “Hey! No need to get vicious here!” He yelled across the room at Annabelle, who held another missile at the ready.

  She sat down in a little heap giggling.

  “I am bored, and tired of packing crockery…” she pouted theatrically at him.

  He raised his head, “Well then what do you feel like doing Anna girl?”

  She sighed.

  “I don’t know, this move is coming so I know the packing has to get done, I just have no motivation.”

  She picked up another plate, wrapping it carefully and placing it in a box with the rest. They were not even planning on eating in the house that night, the whole kitchen would be un-usable.

  “I am looking forward to being on the farm now, having my dad there too will be amazing.”

  She spoke as if to herself, but hoped he understood it was just an outing of an unspoken need to reassure herself everything was in fact okay.

  Another hour passed in relative peace, when the porch creaked and there was a hesitant knock at the door. Annabelle watched as he stood and stretched, then moved over to go and open it. The door was not in her line of sight, and her curiosity got the better of her, so she got up too and stuck her head around the corner.

  He held a salad bowl in his hands, but when Michel opened the door, the large glass dish fell from his fingers and shattered into a hundred pieces on the wooden floor. Annabelle clapped her hands over her mouth to keep quiet. He only said one word before Annabelle moved farther around to see who had shocked him so badly.

  “Mom?”

  ***

  I heard Annabelle gasp behind me, but everything faded into the background as I faced Lorraine Deverroux. I could not speak, I reverted straight back to the teenager I had been when I had walked out of this woman’s life so many years ago. My heart stuck in my throat, and my palms were suddenly coated in a slick of sweat. I felt Annabelle move up behind me, and then her hand was on my back.

  “Hi, can we help you?” She said softly, in the absence of my voice.

  The woman on my doorstep had aged badly, her hair was a dull grey, with only a few hints of the lustrous black it had once been still showing through. Her eyes sat sunken in a face that showed a hard life, wrinkles at her eyes and the sides of her mouth betrayed her smoking habit, and when she reached up to brush hair from her face, there were nicotine stains on her fingers. She looked from me to Annabelle and smiled faintly, uneasily.

  “I’m… I am Mickey’s mother, I am sorry to pitch up so unannounced.”

  She stepped from foot to foot.

  “I heard that Andy had died, and Mickey was here, back from Afghanistan.”

  I flinched every time she said that name, Mickey, it was as though I was being poked with a needle. I opened my mouth, closed it, and simply stepped aside. I didn’t know what to do. Annabelle sensed it and took over.

  “Why don’t you come in, I can offer you a glass of iced-tea?”

  She started picking up pieces of the broken bowl, and then gestured Lorraine toward the couch. My mother sat down on the edge and when Annabelle handed her the glass of liquid, I watched her to see if her hands were shaky, and they were.

  “I’ll be back in a minute,” I said, and picked up my jacket and walked straight out through the door, not turning to look at either of them; I very suddenly needed space.

  Not at any point had I imagined seeing my mother again, and here she was. As I stood looking out at the sea after walking about a hundred feet down the beach, a sudden question popped into my head, why was she here alone? Where was my father? I can’t say I felt a ‘sudden surge of love’ or any major concern. These people had written off my existence when I technically needed their guidance most as a teenager, and I had a niggling concern as to why Lorraine Deverroux was suddenly on my doorstep. She knew Andy had been very wealthy, and she also knew he had not had any children.

  I felt bad for leaving Annabelle with her, a strange woman, so I took a few deep breaths and turned around to head back. Anna was sitting on the sofa opposite Lorraine, and she also held a glass of iced tea, I saw Lorraine was talking, and there was a pained expression on Annabelle’s face. When I turned the door handle she looked toward me and I caught the glance that told me why my father was not here. There were tears on her cheeks which she hastily wiped away.

  “I’m sorry, just needed to get out for a moment, I was not expecting you.”

  I faced Lorraine. She nodded.

  “I am sorry,” she mumbled. “I just told Annabelle, your father died a month ago Mickey, he had a heart attack.”

  I sat down, “Oh, that why you came?”

  She seemed offended by the lack of joy at her appearance, and it puzzled me. I frowned.

  “What exactly do you want Lorraine? You wrote me off when I was only a kid, Andy is the one who got me back on my feet, and now, a month after Harry dies, you
pitch up on my doorstep. What do you want? Were you expecting a welcome party?”

  I noticed Annabelle’s discomfort at the tone of my voice, and turned to her.

  “Baby, can you maybe go to your dad for a short while so that I can sort things out here? I don’t want to upset you, and I have a few things I might need to discuss with Lorraine.”

  Anna kissed me, gave me a tight hug, and with a nod, stood to leave.

  “Bye Lorraine, take care now.”