Chapter Twenty-Seven
Gobsmacked and notquite sure how to respond, Hawkeye followed Delilah into the clubhouse.It was still too early for most of his brothers to be awake.At least the ones that had been passed out all over the common room this morning.Not that it would keep him from waking them.She didn’t need to deal with that shit.They could get up and go to their rooms.Well, the patched brothers could.He was going to set the prospects, all but Hunter who was on the gate, to cleaning.
Inside, he found Dax still lying on his back on top of the bar, hands clasped on top of his stomach, as if he’d been laid out for a viewing.Hawkeye shook his head as he stepped around Delilah where she stood a few feet inside the door, looking around as if trying to decide where to start.There was no way he would let her clean this place.
Not only was it gross, but that was the prospects’ job.He made his way behind the bar where he grabbed the water sprayer and doused Dax.The younger man sputtered, then sat up looking around as if he was going to knock someone out for waking him.
“Get up.Find David and unload all the stuff out of the blue pickup.Take it up to my room then clean this place up.It’s a shit hole and I don’t want Delilah to think she needs to do it.”Hawkeye dropped the keys to the truck on the bar beside where Dax still sat, blinking.
“Yes, sir.Any idea where David is?”
Hawkeye shook his head.“He was on the gate a couple hours ago, so maybe he crashed?I have no clue.Find him and get busy.”He turned to where Delilah stood next to the door.“I don’t know if there’s anywhere in here safe to sit or if you would be more comfortable going back to my room?”
“Can I offer another option?”Taylynn said from the opening of the hallway that led to the kitchen as well as Raven’s office.
“Sure?What you got?”
“How about you both join Raven and me in his office, at least until they get this place cleaned up some.”She scanned the room, her nose crinkling in distaste as she took in the several bodies still sprawled on furniture and the floor, as well as the mess.“You know the way if you want to join us.”She turned and disappeared back down the hall.
Hawkeye turned back to Delilah and lifted one brow.“What do you think?”
She watched him a moment, as if she was trying to figure out what he wanted her to say.Finally, she lifted one shoulder and dropped it.“I don’t see anywhere out here I’d be comfortable sitting, at least not until it’s been scrubbed and dipped in bleach, but I feel like we can’t spend all our time in your room.We’ll drive each other crazy inside of a week.”
“Sounds good.Want something to drink?”
“Water would be nice.”She stepped carefully across the room to meet him when he stepped from behind the bar.He gave her the water then dropped his hand to the small of her back so he could steer her to the office.
“What’s up this morning?”Hawkeye said as he stood in the office doorway and found Taylynn and Raven in his chair behind the desk.
“Not much.Just hanging out somewhere that’s not a biohazard.I just got an email from the contractor.They’ll start construction on the first of the houses tomorrow,” the president said.
Hawkeye followed Delilah into the room.He sat in one of the two chairs in front of the big desk, and had to fight the urge to pull Delilah down on to his lap, much the way Taylynn and Raven sat.But she wasn’t his and she might not be comfortable with it, not yet.If she stayed, she would get used to it.He’d just have to be content with that for now.
“Good.Speaking of.Add me to the list.”
“What list?”
“The waiting list for houses.”
Raven’s brows shot up.His mouth opened and closed a couple of times, before he shut it and snorted.“All right.I don’t know how long it will be.The more of us who get their asses out there and help, the faster the houses will go up.”
“Not sure the contractor will like that.Doesn’t it cut into his profits?”
Raven lifted one shoulder and let it fall.“Not as far as I’m concerned.If they’re making sure we’re getting shit done right, just managing to get it done faster, I’ll pay full rates.I want Taylynn and me out of here before snow flies.Not sure we’ll manage it, but I do not want her spending the winter in the clubhouse.”
“That gives us two months, if we’re lucky.If not, maybe one, maybe one and a half.What did the contractor say?”
“He says typically six to ten months, but he’s got a team of five men.Things will go far faster when there’s two or three times that many working.And they should get faster after the first one when we have a better idea what to do.”
Hawkeye had doubts about that, especially as winter got closer, but he had to admit, he liked the idea of having his own house, his own space more than the ten by twelve room he had here in the clubhouse, before winter.Hell, for that, he might get out there and help build the houses too, if it meant they could move in sooner.But there was something more important.Something that had to be done before he could focus on the house or anything else.
“I guess that tells me how much time I have to get shit done.”Hawkeye glanced at Delilah, checking on her reaction and if she even had any clue what he was talking about, then he turned back to his president.
