“Little to the left,” I say.
Viper glares at me. “You want to do this yourself, Prez?”
“I’m making sure it's right.”
Colt climbs down from the ladder and surveys the room. “She's going to love it, bro. Relax.”
I don't know how to relax. I've faced down rival clubs and men twice my size without breaking a sweat, but the thought of getting down on one knee in front of Karina makes my palms damp.
What if she says no?
“Quit worrying,” Colt says.
“I’m not.”
“You're standing there with your jaw clenched, staring at nothing. You’re spiraling.”
I force myself to unclench my jaw. “I'm fine.”
“Sure you are.” He claps my shoulder. “She's going to say yes. That woman is crazy about you. Fuck knows why.”
“Thanks, Colt.”
“Anytime, brother.”
I pick Karina up at five. She's wearing a soft sweater dress that hugs her curves and makes me want to skip dinner entirely. Her hair falls in loose waves around her face, and she's smiling at me in a way that makes my heart beat faster.
“Where are we going?” she asks in the truck, Dolly sitting between us and begging for a treat. I give her one from the packet that I keep hidden in the pocket of my cut.
“It's a surprise.”
“I hate surprises.”
“Karina. You love surprises.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You're acting weird.”
“Nothing's wrong.” I reach over and take her hand, threading my fingers through hers. “Trust me.”
She softens. “I do.”
Karina’s face when she sees the community center is worth every minute of planning.
Her voice is barely a whisper. “Clay…you did all this?”
“Had some help.”
She takes in the lights, the flowers, and the table for two in the center of the room. Her eyes are shining, and she’s trying not to cry.
“This is where we met for the first time,” she says.
“It’s where you changed my life, cupcake.”
I lead her to the table and pop the champagne, as she looks around the room like she's memorizing every detail.
She's so damn beautiful. I don't deserve her. I know that. But I'm selfish enough to want her anyway.
We eat dinner. She tells me about her latest event booking and how her mother was bragging to her friends about her success. She talks with big gestures, laughing, stealing little bites off my plate.
