“How’d you do on that ride, sweetheart?” Shep asked as we all got off the bikes outside of the PPG Paints Arena.
I glanced around and stretched a bit as I did. “I’m fine. I’ve done longer rides, just not recently,” I admitted.
Shep seemed to blanch at my words, and then glanced at Smoke guiltily. “Sorry, I forgot,” he offered up in unnecessary apology.
Smoke just chuckled. “It’s not like any of us were in the dark about each others’ pasts, Shep. I know she was with a biker before” With that Smoke came over and tossed his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “You all good, babe?” He asked as his lips glanced over the hair on the side of my head.
“Yeah, just the tiniest bit stiff, but it’s nothing.” We started moving toward the building with my brother and Shep following along behind us.
“So, are you ready to see your brother destroyed on his home turf?” Shep asked Smoke.
“Shiiit, Kent is not going down easy, especially at home.”
“They’re playing the Bruins, dude. I hate to tell you, but they’re no match this season.”
“Bullshit,” I coughed out.
Smoke grinned at his friend while Chief laughed at him. “Dude, she’s a major Penguins fan. They’ll win just through her force of will alone.” My brother was not wrong. Well, in my own personal theory, I figured he couldn’t be wrong, but what the hell did I know.
“We’ll see,” he sighed. “I can see I’ll be outnumbered here tonight though.” Shep took his jacket off revealing a Bruins jersey making the rest of us groan in unison. It was just like his crotch rocket. He was going to be the odd man out, and I could already tell he didn’t care what level of embarrassment he heaped on us as a result.
“No! It can’t be,” I lamented. “Your friend has to get new seats. This is unacceptable.” Smoke pulled me closer; chuckling the whole time as if he was in on a joke and his best friend from work wasn’t about to root for the team his brother wasn’t playing for.
“It’s okay, babe. Kent knows about this idiot’s penchant for the Bruins. He also knows he’ll be heckled to death before he even gets to his seat wearing that shit.”
“Rightfully so,” I explained unnecessarily. I did notice that Shep was grinning, Chief was shaking his head and trying to hold in a laugh, and I could feel Smoke’s chest beneath me rising and falling in what could only be contained laughter. “Oh, whatever! Go ahead, laugh at me, but I’m telling you he’s not wrong about the crowd heckling you to death.” I warned.
“I’m a big boy, and this ain’t my first rodeo, sweetheart, but thanks for the warning.” With that Shep actually waltzed into the arena with his head held high and a grin on his face. Stupid man.
~*~
The Penguins won. Shep was grumbling about it as we waiting on Kent to come out and meet us. The rest of the friends, family, and puck bunnies waiting around were eyeing him suspiciously as if he were standing around waiting to attack their players simply for winning. When Kent came out his face lit up and he, surprisingly, moved straight to Shep, picking him up off the floor in a surprise pounce-hug. “You should have known I’d give it my all when you showed up wearing that bullshit again. Thanks, for the extra motivation, bro.”
“Damn it,” Shep muttered. “Put my ass down numb-nuts!”
Kent slung Shep back and forth another good couple times before dropping him on the floor. “I’ll have you know, my nuts aren’t numb, ya whiny little bitch.” He then moved on to hug his brother, my brother, and then he stopped in front of me and opened his arms. I hesitantly moved into them and gave him a quick pat on the back before attempting to step back. “Oh no, that’s not a hug. Come on, I owe you since I sent you away so quickly last time.” Before I knew what was happening I was smashed face-first into Kent’s very muscular chest while he nearly squeezed the life out of me. I was tapping out before Smoke realized and rescued me from his overbearing, killer bear-hugging brother.
“Kent, if you could let my girl breathe, I’d appreciate it.” Kent let go immediately.
“Sorry,” he mumbled as he ruffled my hair. “Did you enjoy the game?”
“Of course I did. I even enjoyed the way all the people around us came together to give Shep shit about that monstrosity he’s wearing.”
“I like her,” Kent informed his brother.
“Yeah, so do I,” Smoke explained as he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my middle. “So, where are we headed now?” Kent glanced around nervously before answering his brother.
“Let’s get out of here, and head back to my place before we make any decisions,” he told his brother.
It was then that I realized a whole lot of people had been watching our interactions. More importantly, the women I’d tagged as puck bunnies seemed to be salivating over Kent, and the three men I had come here with. Chief didn’t seem to mind the attention which made me question his judgment just a bit, but as my mom used to say when she was alive, ‘boys will be boys’.
It didn’t take long to get from the arena to Kent’s posh penthouse apartment. It was nothing like what I would have expected and my face must have shown my surprise, because Kent laughed and clapped one of his big hands down on my shoulder. “I know, it looks pretentious as hell, but it came already decorated like this. I haven’t had the time to do anything with it since the season started right as I closed on it.”
“Ah, okay. I didn’t think this looked like something a major athlete would have going on, but then again, what do I know?” I shrugged my shoulders.
“Well, I bought this from a major athlete who was traded, but I think this was his wife’s doing. She fancied herself an interior designer, but oddly enough her career never took off for some reason,” he explained with a playful wink.
“Can’t imagine why,” Chief offered up with a certain level of disgust in his voice. His cell rang at that moment and he excused himself to walk down the hall away from everyone while he answered.
“You guys thirsty? I have water, orange juice, cranberry juice, and milk right now. I don’t keep sodas in the house, because I don’t drink them, but I can order some or we can go out.”
“I’ll take some water, please.” I moved toward the kitchen where Kent was headed, because I hated the idea of other people waiting on me, even in their own home. Smoke started following me, and then dropped off as his cell started ringing.
“I’ll be right there, babe,” he told me as he too moved to a quiet corner of the apartment to take the call. Shep shrugged at me and offered up, “looks like club business,” before we both continued on to the kitchen with Kent.
“So, Smoke tells me you’ve been a fan of the Penguins a really long time,” Kent started in as he pulled three bottled waters from his immaculate fridge that when closed looked like part of the cabinetry.
“Yeah, the first game I ever went to was with my dad when the Penguins were playing in Atlanta, back when we had a team.”
Kent nearly choked on his water. “Jesus that had to have been a while ago.”
“Yeah, it was, and since that team moved to Canada I started rooting for the Penguins instead,” I told him with a grin.
“Good call,” he offered before chugging the entire bottle of water. He noticed me watching him as he chucked the bottle into the trashcan. “It takes forever to rehydrate after a game.”
“Smoke said you have a new woman in your life. Are you still hiding her away from family and friends or what?”
Kent’s grin lit up his entire face at the mention of his girlfriend, and it made me smile. It seemed the brothers weren’t that different when it came to their love lives. They appeared to be either all in or not at all. “She had a family thing to attend out of town this weekend or she would have been here. I’m hoping to bring her down to meet everyone as soon as we catch a little break in our schedule.”
“Smoke will be happy to hear that. He was concerned that you were hiding her for a reason.” Shep chuckled at an apparent
remembered conversation. I hadn’t realized he’d followed us into the kitchen until then. “We discussed all the reasons you could be keeping her under wraps.” He held up a finger, “she’s butt ugly, but has a great personality,” he ticked off before tossing another finger up. “She’s a famous model, and you didn’t want competition from the guys.” Another finger went up. “She’s a butterface, which kind of goes with number one, but personality be damned if she’s all spectacular tits and ass.”
I was laughing right along with Kent as Shep continued with all the reasons they had come up with for why Kent would hide the existence of his woman. They all added up to the fact that either she was ugly and he was embarrassed; or she was exceptionally beautifully and he was afraid of losing her to someone else.
Kent finally cut off Shep’s ten-minute tirade. “Maybe, we’re just both really busy, and I haven’t had the chance to do it yet.” I smiled at Kent as Shep waved him off.
“Likely excuse.”
“Says the man wearing a loser’s jersey,” Kent tossed out.
I laughed at them, because they got along as if they were brothers too. Obviously, this wasn’t their first time hanging out together. “How long have you known each other?”
Kent scrutinized Shep for a few minutes before answering. “I think about six years, right?”
Shep appeared thoughtful for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah, that sounds about right. That’s when I transferred into the station with Smoke and we started working together.
“Wow, that’s a long time. I didn’t realize,” I added. They both smiled at me then with Kent about to say something when my brother and Smoke joined us, both looking grim.
“Club business?” Kent questioned. I couldn’t tell if there was disapproval in his tone or if he was just frustrated by the prospect, but either way it was clear he wasn’t happy about the interruption.
“Yeah,” Smoke agreed while heading straight for me. “Chief and I have to go for a bit. You gonna be all right hanging here with Shep and Kent?” He glanced up as he asked me the question, seemingly asking his brother at the same time if he was okay with me sticking around.
“Sure, do what you have to do,” I agreed. On the inside I wasn’t too sure about it. I had just met Kent, and while he was someone I loved watching play hockey on television he was still no more than a stranger to me. Shep, likewise, was someone I had just met. This was the life sometimes though, and I knew that going in.
Smoke nodded to whatever non-verbal answer he received from his brother then he pulled me close. “I promise I’ll be back to get you as soon as possible, and if it’s not soon enough, I’ll have transportation arranged to get you back home. I’m so sorry about this,” he apologized.
I swallowed down the little bit of hurt feelings I had over being left behind and just nodded into his chest as he kissed the top of my head, squeezed me a little tighter, and then let go for my brother to take his place.
“I would have gone on my own, but Smoke is needed,” he tried to explain.
“I know how the life works, Chief. It’s okay.” It was okay, even when a little part of me thought it was unfair. I knew what I was getting into by saddling myself to another biker. The difference being, my ex would have just taken off and let someone else explain why he was gone again. Smoke was already making plans for getting me home safely, just in case. That was something new for me.
Once the guys were gone I glanced between Shep and Kent who were standing quietly on the other side of the kitchen from me. “Well, since you two are stuck with me for a bit, what are we going to do with our time? You have any decent movies or what?”
Kent smiled at me then, and tipped his head toward the other room. “That is the one thing I’ve made time to set up. I have all the channels plus Netflix. You can binge to your heart’s content.”
“You are a saint!” I took off for the other room in a flash and plopped down on the surprisingly comfy couch, even if it was a butt ugly, putrid green color. “What was she thinking with this color scheme?”
“Who knows?” Kent looked around for a moment. “Davey said she was going for spring time fresh since she was sick of winter, but I see more baby vomit than anything.”
I laughed. “Yeah, she definitely missed the mark on spring time fresh, but at least this is comfy.”
“The only reason I haven’t had a real interior designer in here to fix this place yet. It’s comfy until I can pick shit out myself. I’ve seen what those designer ladies did with my buddy’s place, and let’s just say it isn’t much better than this. It’s all stark black and white with no personality. I hate it.”
“I thought they were supposed to design based off their client’s personality and ideas?”
“I don’t know, he hates it too so apparently she just went with what she thought a rich and famous bachelor pad should be.” Kent looked away and then back at me before speaking again. “Does this kind of thing happen often?”
“What do you mean?”
“Where my brother just up and leaves you places. I mean, I’m his brother, but you don’t know me from Adam, and I don’t think you and Shep have known each other long.”
I shrugged my shoulders again. “This is part of the lifestyle. I understand it because I’ve lived it for the past ten years, but believe me when I say your brother is at least more considerate than most, and no it doesn’t happen like this often. This is the second time he’s had to dip out on me since we’ve been hanging out, but from what I hear it’s abnormal for the Cedar Falls Club.”
“That’s what you’re doing? You’re just hanging out?”
“Well, I don’t know what else to call it at this point.”
“So, you guys haven’t had the talk about being exclusive or whatever?”
Suddenly, I was feeling a little like the guy in the hot seat during an interrogation. Shep must have felt the slightly hostile vibe too, because he stepped in. “I’m pretty sure they’ve had that discussion, they just never put a label on what they are for now since she’s going through a divorce at the moment.”
I tipped my head forward in agreement while eyeing Kent. “What’s up with the divorce anyway? Why is it taking so long?”
I sighed deeply then. “I don’t know. My ex is being a pain in the ass. At first I thought it was about the money, since he knows I’m selling my family’s house and land. Now, I just think he’s being a jerk. If he cared, he would have fixed things long ago, so it’s not that.”
“Sometimes, you don’t realize what you had until its gone,” Kent interjected.
“Sometimes, you never appreciated it to begin with so there isn’t much to miss. Walker is just being difficult, and for the record, no, I don’t want him back. No, the thought doesn’t even cross my mind. Yes, I am pushing to expedite the divorce rather than continue dragging it out. Yes, I am serious about your brother. He’s a good man, he shows that he cares, and I enjoy being around him. Where we will go from here is between us though, and I’m sure he’ll let you know if and when things change.”
Kent smiled then. “I like that. You aren’t a pushover, and that’s a good thing with the man and the club he’s in.”
“You don’t approve of his lifestyle?”
“I don’t understand why he does it.” Kent glanced at Shep then. “Look at Shep. They have the same career, make decent money and benefits, and both enjoy motorcycles. Why be in a club that takes you away from your family even more?”
“They are his family,” I answered simply. “I know you are too, but while he was raising you and your sister who was taking care of him?” Kent looked startled for a moment. “I know about your past, and I know that the club filled a void that needed filling whether he realized it or not, and whether you agree or not. He needed that positive male role model to keep doing what he was doing for you guys. It benefitted everyone. It was also the driving force keeping him in line to become the man he is today with his job at the fire department. So,
while you see a club that takes him away from the people he loves, you forget that he loves those people just as fiercely. It’s probably not much different than you’ve felt for some of your teammates over the years.”
Kent looked away, seemingly lost in thought for a minute. “I never thought of it that way,” he spoke quietly. “Hell, I sometimes forget that we were a burden on his shoulders for a long while.”
“I doubt you were ever a burden to him. Smoke wouldn’t see it that way.”
Kent huffed out a small laugh. “You’re right about that. He wouldn’t see it that way. I am lucky to have him as a brother, and I think he’s lucky to have you in his life too. I know my sister gave you some shit when you first met, but I see now why she changed her tune about you so quickly. You are definitely nothing like that conniving bitch he was hitched to for all those years.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell him about her coming on to you? You might have saved him a few years with her if you had.”
“I don’t know. I figured I owed him my silence after all he sacrificed for me, you know? He seemed happy with her at first, and I didn’t want to take away his happiness.”
“You’re a good brother too, you know?” I questioned him, but he didn’t get a chance to say anything because Shep came back from the bathroom then.
“Why haven’t you picked a movie yet?” He moved in closer and took the remote control from me. “Never mind, you lost your chance, now I get to pick.” He turned toward the TV and started flipping through the channels, landing on one of the Thor movies as he did so. I wasn’t going to complain about that choice so I settled in and allowed myself to get lost in another world for a time. At least I did until I fell asleep.
I awoke to someone wrapping their arms under my knees and behind my back, but the person didn’t feel familiar at all so I startled and came awake immediately.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Shep’s familiar voice soothed a bit of my initial panic. “I’m just moving you to Kent’s guestroom so you’ll be more comfortable and stop drooling on his butt ugly couch.”
Redemption Weather Page 15