Chapter One
Rachel Smithson breathed a sigh of relief at seeing the sign for Bluff Creek, Kansas. They had only twenty more miles to go.
She’d banked their future on this town and the people of the Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC, all because of the sweet woman she’d met first online in a crafting forum, and later in person, who had said Rachel could find a home. When Clara had traveled to a craft show where Rachel had a booth to meet in person, Rachel hadn’t known what Clara had planned. But Clara was one of those people who inspired trust. It was the only thing to explain what Rachel had done.
Rachel wasn’t usually impulsive, but circumstances dictated that she take a chance on a woman she barely knew. But just like she always did,Rachel would put a smile on her face and look at all the positives. Frowning or grouching about circumstances never changed them; it only made the situation harder to get through.
She glanced behind her, seeing the greatest gifts in her life and her whole world. Whether it was raining or the sun was shining, each day was brighter because her kids were in it. And if this worked out the way Rachel hoped, her kids would have a stable environment for school and get to know friends.
Michelle, her youngest, had so wanted to stay awake to see the town but had given in to sleep a couple hours ago. Her little man had covered his sister with a blanket and made sure she was comfortable and safe in the vehicle. Well, vehicle and home in one. She’d designed and built it herself as a home away from home at craft shows. But now, it was their home, and she was so thankful for it. It had beds for all of them, a stove, microwave, sink, refrigerator, toilet, and a really small shower. She’d added an outdoor shower for the summerthat had sides she could pull out from the opened back doors along with a curtain.
Her little man, Marcus, wasn’t going to sleep until she had them set up. Despite being only nine, he acted so much older. The promise in Bluff Creek of him getting to be a kid was one of the many things that had her grabbing onto Clara’s offer with both hands.
She’d told the kids they were going on an adventure, and both of them had smiled and asked where they were going. She was thankful for the resilience of her kids and their smiling faces. She had her kids, and that meant, no matter the circumstances, everything would be okay.
She had her crafts to sell, and Clara had promised the Bluff Creek MC had a job for her in addition to her crafts if she wanted. They had a place to live. She had a job, and Clara had guaranteed that food would be provided as part of her pay. Rachel thanked her lucky stars that she and Clara had connected.
She drove down what she assumed was Main Street. She saw the businesses that Clara hadmentioned: Bluff Creek Ink, Regina’s Roadside Refuge, and Bluff Creek Crafts. Broken Hearts Brewing was supposed to be right after that, along with the MC’s K9 training and rescue. She couldn’t remember what Clara had called it.
The last two weeks had been a whirlwind, so Rachel was giving herself some grace for not remembering everything.
Rachel only hoped that Clara wasn’t irritated with her because Rachel wasn’t going by the compound like Clara had directed. She was two days early. Once she’d made the decision and their life had changed, she’d gotten them on the road. With how kind the MC was being, Rachel couldn’t bring herself to barge in early and expect them to be ready.
She would park behind the coffee shop and set up their van. They could explore the town tomorrow and then go by the MC. Two in the morning was not the time to barge in on an MC compound. At least that’s what Rachel assumed.
Clara spoke about the MC as if it were a big family. Rachel’s only interactions with an MChad been reading about them in romance books or watching shows on TV.
“Is this it?” Marcus asked, his voice a little husky from fighting sleep.
She nodded, “Yep, buddy, it’s our new start.”
“I’m excited. Clara said there are kids my age,” he said softly, keeping his voice down so he wouldn’t wake his sister.
She made the turn into the parking lot and decided she’d pull around so they were underneath the light in the lot. She had to maneuver a little to get the small trailer attached to the van straight. She’d had one on her wish list to be able to bring more crafts to events, but when their circumstances changed, she’d bought the small trailer to have room for some of their items that wouldn’t fit in the van.
She had an awning she’d installed on the passenger side of the van for them to have some shade from the early morning sun, but there was no reason to put it out tonight. She’d put up the window coverings to keep the sun out and do the minimum things. Her shoulders ached. Her eyeswere dry and itchy, and she didn’t think she could deal with all the things she normally did to make the van seem like home.
It had been an eventful two weeks, but she wasn’t going to think about that tonight. Nope—not tonight.
She needed sleep in the worst way, and she was going to go to sleep knowing she had a plan and the promise of a future in Bluff Creek. She scooted between the seats into the main area of the van. She and Marcus efficiently transformed the van into their bedroom. She installed her metal guards that would keep anyone out, even if they broke the van’s windows. She turned the two front seats toward each other and added the items she’d made to have a bed for Michelle. Lifting her daughter, she moved her, tucking the blanket around her with her favorite little stuffed animal.
Marcus took care of making the couch into his bed while she did the same with her sleeping area, lowering it from the ceiling. She plugged the nightlight in just in case anyone needed thebathroom during the night, taking her turn after Marcus got changed and brushed his teeth.
Once he was settled under his blanket with all types of motorcycles on it, she leaned over and kissed his forehead. “I love you, buddy. I’m excited for tomorrow. How about we eat pancakes at the restaurant in town?”
His eyes lit up. He hadn’t had much to smile about lately but pancakes were a winner.
“Clara said they are delicious and that you can get toppings. Will she meet us?” he asked. Clara had quickly won over both her kids with her kind demeanor and loving manner. With everything that had happened, the promise of seeing Clara had been a beacon for the kids to focus on.
“We’ll see. Let’s play it by ear, but we’ll definitely call her and see about meeting,” Rachel replied.
She walked over to her bed, tugging the light cover back and crawling under it. Her arms, shoulders, and the back of her neck ached from the long drive, but she wasn’t going to get back up to take any medicine or find her heating pad. She was exhausted and was positive she’dfall asleep quickly. The quiet of the little town soothed something in Rachel as she closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
Tomorrow was the first day of a whole new life.
Chapter Two
Gunner Adams took the turn onto Main Street and headed toward his new obsession—Broken Hearts Brewing Company. When he’d met his brother Flick in Texas to help Flick and his girlfriend with an issue the club was having, he had no idea he’d end up getting to have one of his dreams fulfilled—to own and run a coffee shop. He grinned in the early morning light. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, and the cool, crisp January morning had Gunner glad he’d added a long sleeve shirt under his cut.
