by Erin Osborne
“I’m happy for you,” I tell him, sitting down next to him. “I’ll help in any way that I can.”
“Thank you, Alice. For everythin’. You’re someone that I can spend time with without havin’ to worry if I’m leadin’ you on. I know that you understand that I’m tryin’ to move on, but that it’s hard and some days I’m gonna have to push you away when I feel like I’m in over my head,” he says, letting me know that I am helping him in a small way.
“Well, I’ll always be there if you need to talk to someone. Maybe it’s because I’ve been where you’re at before. I’ve been going through this for almost six years. I don’t want more than you’re willing to give me even if that means that we’ll stay friends and nothing more,” I tell him, setting my drink down on the table so that I can turn and face him for this conversation.
“I know and that’s why I know eventually you’ll be the one I move on with. Alice, I may not be able to give you my entire heart, but I know that I’ll care about you and make sure I do everythin’ in my power to ensure you’re happy,” he says, leaning in for another kiss. It’s just as tender as the one we shared earlier.
The remainder of the night, we spend quietly watching TV. There’s a ton of old shows that we like watching and it’s nice to not have to worry about any expectations or uncomfortable silences. With Pops, it’s just easy. When he eventually leaves for the night, he kisses me good night and then waits on the outside of the door until he hears the locks click into place. It’s something that he always does when he leaves here. The small routine is something I look forward to when we do spend time here together.
Chapter Nine
Pops
THE LAST SIX MONTHS I’VE BEEN STAYING at the clubhouse. It’s not ideal, but it’s been what I needed. Being here gave me the chance to get back into the swing of things on a full-time basis with my family and the club. The club girls that weren’t here on a regular basis, thought that meant another man to try to sink their hooks into. They learned really quick that wasn’t the case with me. Bailey got in more than one face and made the men proud of the way she stands up for her family.
Alice has also been to the club on a regular basis. She accepts the club and the life that we lead. Granted, we don’t go out in search of doing illegal things. But, we won’t shy away from it either. Especially if it comes to making sure our women and kids are safe. No one will come in and shit in our house without getting retribution dealt to them.
I’ve spent a lot of time hanging out with Alice the last few months. It’s like I’m re-energized and know that I can keep Ma with me and still live my life. I’m not scared that I’m going to forget her if I live each day. Bailey and Joker are upset with my decision not to be in the house, but I finally explained to them what my thinking was and they understood it to a degree. I guarantee that it would’ve been more of a fight if I said that I was selling it. But, I’d never do that to my family. That house wasn’t just Ma’s and mine; it’s all of ours. My grandkids need to be able to see what kind of woman she was. Not just listen to the words that we tell them or remember their memories that might become vague as they grow up and make so many more memories of their own.
Today, I make another change to my life. I’m moving in with Alice. We’ve talked about it and thought everything through before making the decision. On my part, I know that this is the right thing for me. Alice is the one person that makes me want to live without the shadow of Ma hanging over my head. She’s the one that I go to when my day turns to shit and I can’t get out of my head. Bailey, Joker, and the rest of the club have been there for me. But, Alice and I know what we’re getting into.
“Pops, you ready to head out?” Cage asks, walking up behind me with a box in his hands.
“Yeah. Is that it?” I ask, wanting to make sure that everything is out of my room here at the clubhouse before we leave.
“Yep. The only stuff left in there is what you didn’t pack,” he answers, walking past me and out the door to the SUV that’s holding the rest of the things I’m taking with me.
As I walk out, I see Bailey already sitting in the passenger seat. She’s excited for me to live with Alice. Apparently they’ve all noticed the change in me since I started seeing her. I guess you could say we’re dating. I’m not sure what the hell it’s called at our age. But, it works and that’s all that matters. Fuck, I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks about it. It’s been almost two years since everyone was taken from us. I’ll miss my wife every single day I wake up. That doesn’t mean that I have to give up on living. So, I’m going to wake up each day with Alice in my arms and see the magic in the day. I’m going to make memories with my family; new and old members of that family.
Cage puts the last box in the back of the SUV before making his way over to his bike. Joker, Cage, and Rage are going to help me get everything in Alice’s house. The day seems rushed, but it’s her only day off from the diner and I want her there when my stuff is being moved in. Oh, she said it didn’t matter to her since I was going to be living with her. It’s about respect and making sure I don’t move something she doesn’t want moved. Once I explained my reasoning, she understood.
We make the short drive to my new house with Bailey making small talk. She’s talking about the kids and the latest antics they’ve been getting up to. My grandson is a wholly terror these days and I can’t help but laugh. Bailey and Grim are amazing parents, as I knew they would be. But Zander is definitely giving them a run for their money. He reminds me of his dad when he was younger. And his uncles. They were always getting into trouble and causing havoc wherever they went. I can’t wait until he gets a little older and tries to take one of their bikes. Yeah, Joker and Grim definitely tried that a time or two.
“Dad, you really ready for this step?” Bailey asks, finally getting to what she’s asked me a hundred times since I talked to her.
“Yes. We’ve been over this. I’m tellin’ you that I’m ready. Ma is still in my heart, but I care about Alice. I’m movin’ on and you need to stop worryin’ about me,” I tell her, letting her know by my tone that I’m dead serious. I’m not stupid enough not to realize that this is all because she wants to make sure I’m really okay. Bailey is a worry-wart when it comes to me. A trait she definitely gets from her mama.
I back into the driveway and watch as Alice opens the door when I finally turn the engine off. She stays in the doorway as the guys get off their bikes and I get out of the SUV. Bailey jumps out and makes her way to Alice. They’re both smiling and I love that they get along. Alice gets along with everyone in the club. Even the club girls. It’s to the point that on busy days, the girls wander in the Country Corner and just start helping out with whatever needs to be done. That happens when we go in for a meal too.
The guys start to unload the boxes as I walk up to the girls. Yeah, it’s my shit coming in here, but the guys are a lot younger than I am. So, they can handle them while I talk with the girls. Alice greets me warmly but is a little standoffish. She doesn’t get too close to me while the club is around. We haven’t talked about it, but I’m sure that we will before too long. Alice doesn’t need to be shy around anyone in the club. She’s seen what happens at parties and didn’t go running for the hills.
“Where do you want them to put everythin’?” I ask, stepping up and giving her a kiss. I don’t give a shit who’s here.
“We can put it in the spare room until you’re ready to go through it,” she answers, stepping to the side as the guys make their way toward us. “I’ll show them where it is.”
Bailey stares at me and I can see the happiness mixed in with sadness in her eyes. She’s so used to only seeing me with her mom that she doesn’t know how to take me being with someone else. It’s the same look I had in my eyes as her and her brother found their significant others. I want them to be happy and find the love that I shared with Ma. But, it’s hard to watch them go through the pain of finding that person and then watching them go out and live
their lives. They did real good though. Both of them and I’m happy that Grim is my son-in-law and Skylar is my daughter-in-law.
Alice comes back out from the bedrooms a few minutes later. She’s laughing as she joins us. I can only imagine what they guys are doing to make her laugh. Especially the combination of them. Rage is getting the brunt of being a prospect still and he’s doing a great job. But, the guys pick on him endlessly. Especially Cage. He’s the one that makes sure the prospects can stand the club life. They are definitely put through their paces with him around.
Everyone is finally gone and Alice and I are eating a quiet dinner. She made beef stew and it’s amazing. The silence is comfortable as we enjoy the meal she put on first thing this morning. But, we need to talk about the whole backing off when anyone from the club is around.
“Alice, I think that we need to talk about somethin’,” I begin, sitting up in my chair and pushing my empty bowl away from me. “You have no problem with kissin’ me or wrappin’ your arm around me when it’s just us. Why aren’t you like that when the club is around?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. For most of the people around the club, they’ve only seen you with Ma. I’m not trying to make anyone think I’m taking something that doesn’t belong to me. Or that I’m using you for some reason,” she says, pushing her food away from her. “These people are your family and I’m not going to do anything to get in the way of that. Or upset anyone that loves and cares about you.”
I sit back and listen to Alice. She’s got a valid point, but it’s not one that I care about. I’m an old ass man and can move on with my life if I want to. Ma isn’t alive and I’m not cheating on her. Something that I would never in my life do. We’ll have to work on this. If we’re dating, or whatever the hell you want to call it, then she’s the only one that’s got the right to put her hands, or mouth, on me. Everyone at the club will get used to it. Or they can kiss my fucking ass.
“Alice, I don’t care what they think. I don’t like that you shy away from me when they’re around. Yeah, it might be hard on them at first. But, the only ones I care about are Bailey and Joker. I’ve talked to both of them and they understand where I’m at,” I tell her, standing up and making my way over to her on the other side of the table.
Pulling her up, I walk her into the bedroom. We’ve put my clothes and things away in here but there’s still a few boxes to sort through. I walk Alice backward until her legs hit the bed and she falls to her ass. Bending down, I take her flip flops off before running my hands up her legs. We’ve never had sex before, but I think it’s time to make sure that she knows I truly care about her.
Standing up over Alice, I begin to remove my clothes as she watches me. Just as I go to remove my pants, she gets in gear and begins to take her own clothes off. I stop her when she’s in nothing more than a black lace bra and matching panties. When I’m undressed, I bend down so that I can kiss her. Alice accepts me and deepens the kiss as I push her back and lean down over her. I listen as she moans deep and begins to writhe against me.
I break the kiss so that we can both catch our breath as I begin to kiss my way toward Alice’s neck. She arches her head back so that I have better access to it. At the same time, I raise a hand up to start lowering the strap of her bra. There’s no shyness from Alice the way some people can be when they’re having sex for the first time. I like that. She’s comfortable with her body and I know that she’ll let me know if she does or doesn’t like something I do. So, I start to kiss my way down her neck toward her chest. Alice arches her back so that I can undo her bra and move it out of the way of getting to my intended target.
“We don’t have to do this,” Alice says, breathless and panting as I suck one hard peak in my mouth.
“Not stoppin’ or doin’ anythin’ I don’t want to do,” I respond, briefly taking my mouth away from her body before moving on to the other side.
I reach down and push her panties to the side before swiping a finger through her folds. She’s wet and more than ready for me. This time isn’t going to be filled with foreplay or games. Alice is who I want and I’m going to take her hard and fast this first time. I’ll more than make up for it later on though. So, I pull her panties down enough that she can kick them off of her feet before I align my hard cock with her entrance. I look in her eyes as I slowly push inside.
My thrusts are fast, hard, and uneven as I chase the release rapidly building in my body. Alice has her eyes shut and her head tipped back as she meets every single move I make. I feel her angle her body upward so that I hit her clit as I slide in her body each time. She reaches between our bodies and begins to rub her clit as my speed picks up. Her body begins to tremble as her moans become louder, bouncing off the walls in our bedroom. As I feel her begin to squeeze me, I can’t hold back anymore.
“Alice!” I holler out at the same time she screams my name.
I roll to the side, pulling Alice’s body with me. We both lay still in one another’s arms as our breath begins to slow and return to normal. Alice presses a soft kiss against my chest before trying to roll away from me. That’s not gonna happen. Not right now when I want to hold her. She might not be used to it, or she might be feeling things she doesn’t know what to make of. What she’s not going to do is pull away from me.
“What’s goin’ on?” I ask her, tipping her chin up so that I’m looking into her eyes.
“It’s been a while. A long while. I haven’t been with anyone since Henry. I’m sorry but it’s just a little overwhelming,” she answers, relaxing her head against my chest.
“I get it babe. I really do. Don’t quite know what I’m feelin’ right now,” I tell her honestly, beginning to stroke her back in comfort.
We lay in silence for a while before Alice gets up to clean up. I join her in the shower so we can go in and go to bed. There’s a lot more to do tomorrow.
Alice
It’s been almost a week of living with Pops. We’re still getting used to one another and the little quirks that we both have. You know, the same routine you go through when you begin living with someone for the first time. None of it is too bad; to the point that you want to scream and shout at the top of your lungs about whatever is going on. Pops and I are both set in our ways and it’s going to take some time to figure it all out.
The nicest part of living with someone is that I’m not constantly alone. Pops is with me unless he has club business. Including when we go to bed. It’s nice sleeping next to someone again because even though my husband has been dead for five years, it was a lot longer than that since we slept in the same bed. Between the treatments and how he felt afterward, he didn’t want to bother me with getting up and down every few minutes. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t there for him. I was by his side every single second. Henry just didn’t think we needed to sleep in the same room.
We’re slowly getting into a routine. When we get up every morning, I make breakfast while he watches the news. Then he takes me to work before he goes to the clubhouse or to see his grandkids. At least once during the day he’ll make an appearance in the diner for a meal before coming back to pick me up. When we get back home, he usually cooks diner for me while I relax for a few minutes after being on my feet all day long. Then I get up and do some light cleaning.
I’m lost in thought while I’m supposed to be doing inventory. I hear the squeak of the door to the storeroom opening before I feel a pair of arms wrap around me. The stubble on Pop’s face scrapes against the skin of my neck. A chill runs down my spine as the warmth at my back fades away with the few steps Pops backs up.
“You gonna be in here all day?” he asks, watching me as I turn around to face him.
“I don’t think so. I’m almost done here. Then I just have to put the numbers in so I can place my order. What’s going on?” I ask, wanting to make sure that everything is okay.
“Nothin’. I was gonna grab lunch and wanted to know if you wanted to join me. Bailey and Grim might stop
in, but I don’t know for sure,” he says, leaning against the wall behind him and looking completely at home.
“Yeah. I could probably come out and eat with you,” I answer him, setting the list and pencil down on the shelf I’m working on so that I can pick back up when we’re done eating.
As we walk out into the dining room, I see that Grim and Bailey are already here and sitting at a booth. They’re sitting on one side and I can see the smirk playing on Pops’ face. He knew they were already here but didn’t think I’d come out to eat if I knew they were here. I look up at him as he quickly masks his face with an innocent look. He’s not fooling me one bit.
“Hey Alice!” Bailey says, greeting me as she starts playing with the straw wrapper sitting in front of her.
“Hi guys,” I respond, sliding into the booth so that Pops can sit on the outside.
Simone comes over to take our orders while giving me a weird look. I’m not sure what the hell her problem is. She serves different members of the Wild Kings on a daily basis. I’ll have to spend more time paying attention to the treatment they receive when they’re at her tables. I look over at Bailey and see that she caught the look too. Maybe I can talk to her and see if she’s noticed anything off about Simone and her treatment of the club.
After everyone places their orders, I watch as she makes her way to the kitchen. I can’t hear anything, but I’m sure she’s running her mouth. Turning my attention back to the people at the table, I keep an eye on Simone. When she doesn’t return to the dining room to see about her other tables, I excuse myself. Walking into the kitchen I notice that the back door is pushed open and that there’s no one in here cooking. What the fuck?