They’d lucked out that today had been good weather to ride in. Tonight, the second Saturday after Thanksgiving kicked off the MC’s orchard sleigh and carriage rides. Sleigh rides were only if they had snow, which they didn’t. So tonight, there would be carriage rides.
Regina had assigned places for all of them. Speedy preferred an iron steed between his legs instead of a horse. He’d volunteered to help string the lights yesterday through the orchard and would be manning one of the food booths tonight.
He held up his hand to make sure everyone slowed down as they rode into the compound. A shiny blue sedan, along with a sheriff’s vehicle, was parked in front of the clubhouse.
He backed his bike in and then waited for War to make his way to the door. Speedy followed along with the rest of the club.
Regina was sitting at the table with a woman Speedy would guess to be in her forties, wearing a suit, and the sheriff’s deputy. The sheriff’s deputy wasn’t smiling, but the woman smiled as she turned toward them.
“Here he is. Deke, you have some visitors,” Regina said.
He tried to read her face, but she wasn’t giving any hints about what this was about. She’d called him by his given name, which said to him it was something official.
“Deke Kimble, I’m Ginger Carlin. I’d like to talk with you regarding Anita Young,” she said.
Speedy sat down at the table. It had been six years since he’d heard Anita’s name.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen or talked with Anita. What do you need to talk with me about?” he asked.
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Anita was killed by a drunk driver five nights ago in Las Vegas. It’s taken us a little bit of time to find you. Her will, along with the kids’ birth certificates, states you’re the father of Deacon and Teresa,” she said.
Speedy wondered if he was dreaming because the woman’s voice seemed to be getting louder rather than quieter. Surely she didn’t say what he thought she said. How could he be a father to two kids when he’d never heard of them or seen Anita in six years?
“I haven’t seen her in years, and you’re saying I’m the father?” he asked.
“Deacon is five years old and Teresa is six weeks. A neighbor was keeping the kids while Anita went to her six-week checkup. I’m sorry that this is such a shock. There is a sealed note addressed to you that was with the will and birth certificates,” the woman said.
Regina’s hand on his shoulder grounded him. This was really happening. He was trying to wrap his head around the news that he had a five-year-old son that he didn’t know.
“Umm, where are the kids?” he asked.
“I wanted to speak with you alone. Regina was nice enough to have Violet and Beth take the kids into the kitchen,” she said.
Speedy stared at her, thinking through all the things he needed to get and do, including moving out of the clubhouse. It was mind-boggling how his life had changed in an instant. He wanted to know why Anita kept him from his son, but also why she named him father to a child it was impossible for him to have fathered. But for now, he’d concentrate on how to make this transition as smooth as possible.
His feelings didn’t matter. It had ripped out his heart to lose his parents at forty-four. He couldn’t imagine how a five-year-old was handling losing the only parent he’d ever known.
“All right. What do I need to do to make this legal and have the kids?” he asked.
The social worker smiled and started in on her spiel. He was listening but at the same time thinking through the logistics. He wondered, then had to know immediately.
“Does Deacon know I’m his father, and do you know what she told him about me?” he asked.
“I’ve talked with him a lot. She told him you were a hero in the Army and serving your country. I will say Deacon seems to be wise beyond his years. I haven’t figured out why yet,” she said.
“I apologize for interrupting, but I wanted to get people started. Deke, are you good with moving into the four-bedroom house two down from us?” Regina asked.
“Sure. Wherever you think is best,” he said. He’d take all the help he could get because he had a son and, it seemed, an infant daughter, too. He and Anita had a short fling when he’d been stateside helping in Las Vegas for a couple weeks. He’d neverheard from her again and hadn’t expected to. But he wished she would have contacted him when she found out she was pregnant.
Speedy hadn’t ever really thought about having kids. He’d have to find the right woman first, but now, he was a father. He was going to be the best father he could. He’d been blessed with his dad and mom in his life. These kids had lost their mom, so he was going to do whatever it took to make their lives extraordinary.
“I can introduce you to the children now. With your okay, they’ll be in your care, but to make it permanent, there are some official things that will need to be done in the coming weeks,” she said.
He nodded and followed her into the kitchen. What if his kid hated him for not being there?
Beth was sitting at the table with a little boy with thick, dark hair. When his eyes caught Speedy’s, Speedy paused. He was looking at a boy that was almost identical to Speedy’s pictures from childhood.
Deacon stared at him warily, and Speedy couldn’t fault him. Speedy walked over and crouched down to Deacon’s level.
