by Eve R. Hart
“And did I say something epic?”
“What? No, you showed up on Christmas with mistletoe on your hat, you didn’t need to say anything epic.”
“Right,” I said nodding like I totally understood it.
“And the movie would be called I’ll Be Home For Christmas, which is cute because this isn’t your home—”
“But you are.” I finished for her.
“Eh,” she said with a one-shoulder shrug. “It sounds a little cheesy, don’t you think, Lake? I would have expected better from you.”
One minute she was giving me crap, the next she was swept up in my arms and I was holding her as close as I could without crushing her. My nose was in her neck, inhaling her amazing scent and her boobs were mashed against my chest.
And everything felt right.
“You’re here,” she whispered like she couldn’t believe it.
There was that hint of shock that I’d been expecting.
“Well, yeah. I thought you already figured that out,” I said with a chuckle. “Wait, did you think you imagined me? Do you often talk to imaginary me out loud?”
Her head fell back as she laughed uncontrollably.
“Tell me why?” she asked, wiggling out of my hold and taking a step back to look at me.
“Why I’m here?” She gave me a little nod. “Because I missed you?” While it was true, it came out sounding more like a question because I wasn’t sure what she was hoping to hear.
“Mmmhmmm.”
“And… I really wanted to see you?”
“Okay, yeah.”
“And…”
“And?” she asked taking a tiny step closer to me.
Fuck it.
I was just going to lay it all out there.
“And I’m going insane without you. I want you to come back with me and stay, like for good. I want to be here to kiss the new year hello with you. I don’t want to spend another day with this distance between us.”
I waited for her to tell me that I was nuts. Maybe even call me stalker-crazy or something.
“Okay,” she said with a shrug like she hadn’t just made this big decision and agreed to uprooting her life.
“Wait,” I said, my eyes finally moving around to take in the chaos that was her apartment.
Neatly boxed up chaos.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you…” she said cocking a half smile at me. “I’m moving.”
I pulled her into me.
“I know this little garage that is in desperate need of my organization and filing skills,” she went on, and there was that twinkle in her beautiful eyes again.
“Oh, I think I might know this place. And yes, you are very much right, they definitely need you there.”
My lips were on hers a second later and I kissed the hell out of her.
“Please tell me you still have a bed somewhere in here,” I breathed out as I tore my lips from hers.
“I don’t know, maybe you should find out,” she said playfully.
Then she was breaking away from me and running across the apartment.
What was I supposed to do other than follow behind her, right?
After a quick round one, we ate a frozen pizza that she had in her freezer.
Then came round two, which lasted much longer.
We watched the ball drop while eating pistachio ice cream in her bed. Naked, of course.
And when the countdown hit one, we kissed like we were in a movie.
I started the new year exactly how I wanted to spend every night with her. In bed, naked, and sexed out.
The next day, I called around and tried to find a moving place that was open while Bridget organized the boxes into piles of things she wanted to keep and things she was donating. Oh, and things that she was going to load up into her car to take back with her immediately when we left the next morning.
Yep, we weren’t wasting any more time.
I called Iron to let him know that I was going to be one more day. I hated not being there to help my club, but he assured me they had it all under control— well, as much as possible— and that they still hadn’t found anything.
“This is happening really fast,” she said later that night after we loaded up her car.
“You alright with that?” I asked, hoping like hell that she wasn’t having second thoughts.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” she replied with reassuring excitement. “It’s just that I hadn’t planned on taking off until next week. I mean, it’s not like I have anything I need to stick around for.”
We spent half the night scrubbing down her apartment.
Then morning came and it was time to go.
“One stop before we head out?” she asked like I would have some sort of problem with it.
“Yeah, anything you need, hellcat.” Her nose scrunched up in the cutest way. “No, not working for you now?”
“No. I think I like that I’m your Bridge.”
“Well, I like that I’m the Lake that gets to be under—”
“Nope. No. Stop.” She was shaking her head but she was also laughing.
“Hey, Bridge,” I said as I stepped up to her.
“Yeah, Lake?”
“I think I love you.”
“Yeah? Maybe I find myself loving you, too.”
Our lips met in a sweet and quick kiss.
And that was that. It couldn’t have been any more perfect. Well, for us it was.
She placed her key on the counter, having called her landlord the day before filling him in on her plan and letting him know that was where she was going to leave it. He would let the movers in when they were due to show up a few days later.
Then we were off to start our new journey together.
Okay, that was a bit cheesy.
Just forget I said that.
That stop she had to make, it didn’t surprise me in the least that I followed her to a cemetery. I kind of wished I had thought to bring some flowers. While she hadn’t told me, I had a pretty good idea that she couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to her dad.
“You want me to wait here?” I asked as she got out of her car and I flicked my kickstand down.
She shook her head and I could tell it was because she was too emotional to speak right now.
I slipped my hand into hers and let her lead the way.
I stared down at the tiny headstone thinking that it wasn’t big enough for a man that sounded so great.
“Hey, Dad. I’m not going to ramble on with bullshit. I’m sure you know by now what’s going on in my life and that this guy here is pretty amazing.”
I saw the smile twitching at the corner of her mouth.
“I forgive you for going behind my back like you did. I forgive you for leaving me way too fucking soon.”
She sniffed and I gave her hand a little squeeze.
“I’m moving on. This town isn’t my home anymore. But don’t worry. I’m taking you with me. I know that you’re not here, you’re in here.” Her hand went to her heart. “And I will keep you alive with me every day. I won’t ever forget you and I hope that I have made you proud.”
With a tiny tug, I pulled her into my side and wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
“I get now that you wanted something different for me. That you felt like you were forced to carry on the business even though it wasn’t something you dreamed about. Thank you, for being the best dad ever and looking after me even though you’re gone. I love you.”
She kissed her fingertips and I released her as she knelt down and touched the top of his headstone.
We walked back in silence. At her car, I paused and made her look at me.
“You sure about this?” I asked one more time because I didn’t want her to feel forced into anything.
“Yes,” she said with a soft smile. “Don’t ask me that again or I will go find a Tampa biker to keep me here.”
“Oh, you think you’re funny.”
“Yep,” she said popping the P.
/> “Tampa bikers aren’t as cool as we are.”
“You sure about that?” She eyed me playfully.
“Ehhh…” I said taking a page of out her book and giving her a one-shoulder shrug.
“I don’t sound like that!” she screeched. “And I don’t look that stupid either.”
And as we laughed like crazy people at the edge of that cemetery, I knew she’d be alright.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lake
I was on fucking cloud nine as I passed through the city limits.
I was back home and now everything felt complete.
Okay, so everything wasn’t fixed just like that. And while I was like a pig in shit because Bridge was right behind me, I knew I’d be going back into hell. Maybe it was wrong to drag her down with me, but I heard the old man’s voice in the back of my head.
Keep her safe.
I wasn’t sure if it was that easy, but I had to make it simple.
I would keep her safe.
No matter what we came up against.
I couldn’t wait to see him and I knew Bridge was thinking the same thing.
So despite the fact that I needed to get back to the compound as soon as fucking possible, I drove over to his house knowing she would follow me.
“You read my mind,” she said after we had parked and she got out of her car. “You know…” She looked at me with narrowed eyes for a second. “I talked to him about an hour before you got to my place. And that asshole didn’t say anything. But he knew, didn’t he. Because he had this… this lightness in his tone that I’d never heard before.”
I knew she kept in touch with him after she went back home and I was glad that he hadn’t ruined my surprise. Well, somewhat of a surprise, since she really hadn’t seemed all that shocked. But she was happy and that I would take, that was for damn sure.
“I stopped over here before I headed out. He knew I was coming to get you.” She smiled at me then leaned in and gave a quick kiss to my lips. “He’s going to be so excited to see you.”
“And I can’t wait to choose a mug!” She bounced on the balls of her feet with excitement.
I couldn’t blame her. I loved his stories too.
“Ed,” I called out as I knocked on the door knowing damn well that I’d earned the right to use his first name.
I looked over at Bridget and saw that her eyes were wide hearing me say it.
“I get to call you Ed now, old man,” I said with laughter in my tone as I pushed open the door.
Only I didn’t make it but two steps into his living room before I lost all the air in my lungs.
“Ed?” His name rolled softly off my tongue. “No.”
Bridget gasped behind me but I couldn’t take my eyes off the unmoving man perched in his recliner.
“Fuck,” I blew out with shock.
Even though I could see it, I didn’t want to believe it.
I somehow managed to calmly walk over to him. My ass lowered to the edge of the coffee table and I just stared at him.
His eyes were closed. The blanket was sitting around his lap like normal. His hands were casually clasped together.
And if I wasn’t mistaken, there was almost a smile on his peaceful-looking face.
It hit me like a wrecking ball to the chest.
He was gone. And it was almost like he knew it was coming.
Clapping caught my attention and I turned my head to see the TV on and I pictured him fading out watching his beloved game shows.
I heard Bridget’s feet shuffling away but I couldn’t move to see where she was going. I heard her voice float my way in a low murmur and I couldn’t have been more grateful for her right now.
She stepped in when I needed her most.
I was at a loss at what the next step was and I didn’t even think I could hold it together long enough to try to figure it out.
But there she was, taking care of it without me having to ask.
If I wasn’t so shocked and sad, I would have realized that I fell even more in love with her right then.
“Why, old man, why?” I whispered.
It was then that I saw the white envelope sitting on the small table beside his chair with a mug right next to it.
My name was written on the front in blue ink. I reached over and picked it up with a shaky hand. My fingertips traced over the flowing cursive writing.
With a deep inhale, I flipped over the envelope and pulled out the folded sheets of stationary paper inside.
I didn’t want to read the words that were there for me.
I didn’t want to hear his goodbye.
Because I knew that was what was there.
I looked back at his face again.
Yeah, the old man knew it was coming.
With tears clouding my eyes, I unfolded the paper and began to read.
Dear Lake,
You have brought an old man joy in his last minutes here on earth. Keep that with you always.
Gertie and I didn’t have any children but I think of you as one. Lucky as fuck you are though, you didn’t get my ugly face. I know she would have loved your dumbass as much as I do.
I have a lot of shit to say and you know how I love to talk, so get comfortable. And for fuck’s sake, stop blubbering. This is a happy thing. I know I will see my Gertie soon.
Thank you for helping keep her alive for me. This one here was my favorite story. It was the one that reminded me that love was endless. That no matter how many years I’d spent by her side, I could always fall harder in love with her. When you’re done reading this sappy shit, tell it to me. And tell it to Bridget.
Keep us alive in your hearts but don’t be sad that I’m gone.
Which reminds me, you better be calling me Ed. I swear I will come back and beat your ass if you didn’t bring her back with you, dead or not!
I don’t have much, but it’s all yours. Fix up the house and make it a home again. Breathe life into her because she has good bones. Take care of my mugs and keep the tradition alive with them.
And maybe collect your own now that you have someone to do that with.
Well, the good Lord is calling me home.
Take care of her.
And yourself.
I love you, son.
—Ed
Oh, and get rid of this recliner, someone died in it. And it’s ugly as shit!
Tears streamed down my cheeks at a steady pace.
I looked up at him once again after I read the last word.
I was happy.
I was sad.
I was… everything.
“I love you, too, old man,” I whispered.
I sat there until Bridget came back in. I sat there feeling like I was in some alternate reality. Like this was just a joke. That I’d snap to any minute now and he’d be laughing hysterically at me.
But I also felt a calm peace settle over me.
Because he was going home. He would be with his love again and I knew he’d be watching over me. Over us.
Her hand was reassuring as it landed on my shoulder. My hand moved to cover hers. She grounded me. She made me feel like it was all going to be okay.
“I love you, Bridge.”
“I love you, too.”
“I don’t want you to ever question that. I’m going to make sure that you never do.”
“Lake,” she said softly.
I reached over and picked up the mug and my fingers traced over the outline of a seahorse.
“Ed and Gertie had been married twenty-three years. One day he woke up and called in sick to work…”
I started the story.
The one that was his favorite.
The one that I loved too.
“He took her just down the road to the aquarium.” I tried to tell it just like he had. “It wasn’t a long trip but he woke up that morning and couldn’t be away from her, not even for a few hours. She sat there forever watching the seahorses. She loved the way they moved so gracefully and
how they seemed to just float there in place. Ed thought they were the ugliest things, all bumpy and with their weird looking eyes that you couldn’t tell what the hell they were looking at.”
Bridge let out a wet laugh and I didn’t have to look at her to know she was choked up too.
I went on. Talking about how they spent most of the day there even though it was a small ass aquarium. He had packed a lunch and they ate in the middle of the park nearby. They talked about what it would be like to live in a boat on the ocean and how both of them thought it sounded like a terrible idea.
When I was done, I softly placed the mug back down on the table.
After he’d been taken away and Bridge had the information that she needed, we decided to do a walk-through just to make sure that everything was cleaned up and put away.
“Lake,” she called out from somewhere in the back of the house.
It was then that I realized I’d never been anywhere other than the living room and the kitchen.
“Look at this,” she said as I stepped into what I assumed was his bedroom.
And sitting there, on his perfectly made-up bed, laid out like he had a purpose for it, was his old man sweater over a blue button-up shirt and a pair of khaki slacks. There was even a pair of shoes sitting on the floor in front of the bed.
“Blue was Gertie’s favorite color. She said it made his eyes come alive.” I had no clue why I felt the need to say that, but I did.
He’d even thought to pick out the outfit he wanted to be buried in.
I didn’t know if I could take much more tonight.
“Come on,” she said as she slipped her hand into mine and tugged me out of the room. “I’ll come back tomorrow and take care of everything.”
“You don’t have to…” The words died in my throat.
“I know,” she said softly like she got it.
I grabbed the key ring that was hanging on the hook next to the door. There were only two keys on it but it felt a million-pound weight in my hand.
I had no clue how I made it back to the compound, but somehow I did.
“Go up to the room, I’ll see if I can find Iron,” she said like she knew that I needed to check in.
I shook my head because I had to pull it together.
“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” I said dragging my eyes up to meet hers.