“Mhmm,” she nods into my back.
I chuckle and flip the last pancake onto the plate next to the stove.
“I’ll grab the butter and syrup,” she says, letting go of me and opening the refrigerator. She puts the gallon of milk on thecounter, hinting that I fix the glasses of milk since her hands are full.
I grab two glasses from the cabinet and fill them, then sit them on the table along with two plates. I sit down with Lilly at the table and she’s already three bites into her pancakes. I put a light layer of syrup on my plate and dig in.
“I could get used to you cooking breakfast for me,” she says with a mouth full of pancakes and strawberries.
“When you start bartending again, you’ll never wake up in time for breakfast. It’ll have to be lunch.”
“I can’t wait to go back to work, and I can’t wait for Mindy to have this baby for me to spoil!” she squeals.
Her excitement is infectious. It will be cool to have a little one around now and then. I’ve got an awful lot of time and awful lot of useless knowledge that’s steady going to waste without someone to pass it on to.
“I hope it’s a boy.”
She scrunches her nose.
“No. A girl. I need a little niece to spoil and put bows in her hair.”
“Bows, huh? If it’s a boy, he can have bows too. The kind you shoot, not the frilly ones you want.”
“That defeats the purpose. I’ll be happy either way, honestly.”
“Mindy and Linc are going to make great parents. And we’re gonna make a killer aunt and uncle.”
She smiles that smile that makes me weak in the knees, and I lean across the table and kiss her, syrup and all. Sticky ass woman.
“I’ve got to start cooking. I only have a few things left to do because I did the majority of it yesterday and the day before. Potato salad, cornbread dressing, and green salad are the only things I have left. You have to cook the steaks, though.”
“I’m going to start on those around eleven, right around the time everyone shows up. Who all is showing up again?”
“Your dad, my mom, David, Aaron, Mindy, and Linc.”
“Good. I didn’t want too many people over to entertain today. I’m still recovering from the party last night.”
Lilly giggles and shakes her head at me with a widespread grin on her face.
“I think a small get together is perfect with the people I love the most.”
I nod in agreement.
“I’m going to get some firewood for the fireplace then I’ll start all of mytediousduties around here.”
She rolls her eyes at me and mouths a ‘whatever’ before I disappear into our bedroom to get dressed. It’s cold out. Lately, the winters have been cooler than normal, and I hate it. I can’t stand to be cold. I get a chill and I can’t shake the fucking thing. It’s good cuddling weather though. There’s an old man who lives a few blocks over that has a ton of chopped firewood, so I throw on a zip-up Hounds jacket and a pair of worn blue jeans. I lace up my boots before kissing Lilly and walking out the door. If I didn’t have to pick up firewood, I’d be on the bike. Rain, sleet, or snow, I ride.
And I have to pick up a last-minute gift for my girl. One of the vendors from a motorcycle rally we attend is meeting me at the gas station by the interstate. She was coming this way for family shit anyway and said it worked better for her that way. I’m not one to argue and it’s convenient as fuck for me. I got her a custom, one-off ring with a purple stone in the center and small accentuating diamonds surrounding it in a square, halo style ring. The interior of the band has two wolves engraved in it. I think I’m more excited about the damn thing than she will be.
I stop at Mr. Watts’ house and fill the bed of the truck with firewood, paying him in cash with one hundred dollars morethan he asked. I hand the wad to him and say goodbye before he has a chance to count it because I know he’ll try to give it back. He needs it more than I do, that’s for sure. I live a well-off life, and I like being able to do for others when I can, and I always can.
I’m ready for Christmas to be over with. I’ve got a lot of loose ends to tie up, starting with Gater. Thoughts of all the ways I will make him pay for what he’s done to my club taunt me on the drive to meet Allison at the gas station. I spot Allison’s blue Jeep parked on the side of the store when I arrive. Her grey-blonde hair hangs low down her shoulders and wisps in the wind as she steps out to greet me. She smiles brightly at me.
“Merry Christmas, Cass.”
“Merry Christmas, Allison,” I chime, wrapping her up in a hug.
She reaches just inside the driver’s door and hands me a small ring box. Inside is the custom ring. It shimmers under the morning light, making me grin. Lilly is going to love this, I just fucking know it. I shove it into my pocket and hug Allison before heading back home. When I arrive at the house, Lilly has the entire thing smelling like a gourmet restaurant, making my mouth water when I walk inside.
