We knock softly, unsure if Artie’s awake.It’s still visiting hours, but it’s later in the evening and I know he’s been tired lately.
“Come in,” Artie calls just loud enough for us to hear him.
I smile as I push open the door and hurry over to the side of his bed.Artie’s entire face lights up when he sees me and he sits a little higher on the mattress.
“How are you feeling?”I set the small vase of flowers on the table next to him.
“Eh, I'm alive and feeling a lot better than I did when Storm dragged me out of there.They’re making me use oxygen because my lungs are crap, but they say I’ll make a full recovery.”He waves off my concern, just like he always does.
“I'm glad you’re feeling better.”I squeeze his hand gently and smile.
“What’s the verdict on the café?”He asks softly.The emotion swirling in his eyes makes it hard to swallow.I know what he’s really asking.Will he be able to bring Jenni’s dream to life before he dies?
“The Little Fox Café is still going to happen,” Storm says before I can answer him.“I have a structural engineer looking at the building in a few days.Once we have the go ahead, we can rebuild.The guys are already gutting the place of whatever was damaged.Jenni will still have her dreams come true.I promise.”
“You’re a good man, Storm.I’m so thankful you stopped in my restaurant and made me an offer I couldn’t pass up.”He smiles through the tears in his eyes.
“I'm so thankful you accepted my offer.”Storm chuckles as he wraps an arm around my waist and tugs my back against his chest.“If you hadn’t, this woman would’ve disappeared from my life.I’ll never be able to thank you enough for keeping her here.”He presses a soft kiss to the top of my head.
Chapter 25
Storm
Wipingmyarmacrossmy forehead, I let out a long sigh.I had to rip out almost all of the wiring I installed in the café and start over.I wasn’t happy about it, but I’d rather do the extra work than risk another fire.
It’s been two weeks since the fire and the structural engineer gave us the green light to get to work.There was no damage to the actual structure, even though most of the inside was destroyed.
Chopper and I have been here every night trying to finish our work so the drywall and floors can get worked on.Jasper and Morris have been working on sections as we finish to keep moving and get this finished faster.
I know Dixie’s chomping at the bit to get in here and put some finishing touches on the place, even though she pretends she’s not.
I can't blame her.Everything she’s ever dreamed of is at her fingertips, yet it keeps getting pushed back.We were so close to opening before the fire and she hasn’t complained once about the destruction the Reapers caused.I don’t miss the disappointment in her eyes or how her shoulders slump when people ask about the café though.
“Storm!”Dixie calls from somewhere in the front of the building.
“I’m in the office!”
Since all of the drywall had to be torn down with the smoke damage, I’m rewiring the entire building.I want to make sure this is the safest place my girl can be outside of the clubhouse.
Porter insisted on polycarbonate windows in the entire building.He wants to make sure the Reapers can't make a repeat performance.Though, sending their president pictures of his men dead on the ground, sent a strong message not to mess with us.They’d be stupid to attack The Little Fox Café a second time.Especially because the cops are now looking for anyone wearing a patch who doesn’t belong to the Savage Wolves.They don’t want that trash in our town and they’re happy to help us keep them out.
“Hey,” Dixie says softly as she leans her shoulder against the exposed stud where her door frame will be soon.
“Hey, I'm almost finished in here.Maybe another hour?I need to get your office wired so Jasper and Morris can hang the drywall tomorrow.”I stand from my spot on the ground and wipe my dusty hands off on my jeans.
“I always forget how cute you look when you’re working.”A slow grin spreads across her lips as she watches me.
“Oh, yeah?”I close the distance between us and sweep her into my arms.“I never forget how cute you are when you’re working.”
“You just look so different.You have on jeans and a white shirt.Plus, it fits your body like a second glove and shows off all your muscles,” she whispers, trailing a finger up my bicep.“And I love seeing your ink peek out from under your tee and snake down your arms.And then there’s the man bun.I swear I always thought they were ugly, but I love it on you.”
She tugs on my man bun and grins up at me.I stare at her and smirk as emotion flits across her face.
“I love you, Storm.”
“I love you too, Little Fox.”I press a soft kiss to her lips.
“Thank you for helping me bring my dreams to life.I don’t think any of this would’ve been possible without you.”
