Settled
Dina
After Ryder leaves, I call Maggie back. She answers quickly and eagerly. Her tone is deliriously happy as she talks about her trip.
“Okay, so he didn’t propose, but he did say he wanted to get married.”
“What!” I screech happily for her.
“So much has been going on, and he feels like he’s neglected me. He said he wants to get engaged and married, but he wants to do it right. He even wants to ask my dad and brothers.”
I laugh. “Harrison may want to kick his ass just to see if he’s man enough to take it.”
“Probably, but Brayden will have to understand I’m worth it.”
She sounds happy and good again.
I don’t want to take away from her announcement, so I leave out what’s going on with Ryder, just saying we are doing good. I also don’t want to burst her bubble that Brayden lied about the accident, so I stay silent, yet full of concern for my best friend.
I don’t know what is going on with him, but I am going to hold on to hope that he was just exhausted and needed this break. Maybe when they get home, things will be back to normal for them and Ryder and Brayden at work.
“Be home tomorrow, Dina,” she says on a sigh before we disconnect the call. I am happy to have her home. I miss my friend.
I take the rest of the weekend to relax. Ryder and I see each other as much as he can fit it in with breaks at his shop. Then the daily grind of the week comes around, and Maggie and I spend it working on a few upcoming events. We are both settled in work and our relationships, and it feels good.
Since we are steady at work, I ask for something I have been toying with in my mind for a few days now.
“Maggie, the Cruisin’ the Coast car show is coming up in Mississippi, and Ryder is delivering a car there. I’m thinking about going with him, even though I haven’t asked if he wants company. Can you handle work if I take a few days off?”
She laughs at me. “Dina, you’re the boss. Why are you even bothering to ask me? And of course I can handle it. Go have some fun with your man, girlie.”
Step one done; work is covered. Now, step two: asking Ryder if I can tag along.
***
Ryder
I arrive at the shop where Brayden is waiting out front. I walk up, give him a fist bump, and then we head inside.
Brayden immediately begins like he can’t hold it in. “Man, I’m sorry about everything. I just got overwhelmed and exhausted.” He sighs in defeat.
“We both messed up, man. Let’s just get back to work.”
It’s done. He’s my best friend, and he has a lot on his plate. All is forgiven. I just want to get back on schedule.
“Maggie wants to get married,” he blurts out, shocking me that he seems surprised by the statement.
I laugh. “And what’s wrong with that? You two have been together for four years. You love her, and you live together; why not get married? Come on, man; are you really surprised?”
He rolls his shoulders like he’s really uncomfortable. “I love her. I want to marry her, but it just feels like so much pressure. I’m no good for her. Hell, look at how I fucked up with you. She deserves better.”
I don’t know what it is to have a long-term relationship. Hell, Dina is the only woman I have ever wanted to call mine and have any form of attachment to. The thing is, I do love her, and if she wanted to get married, then I’m in, so I don’t understand Brayden’s hesitation.
“Stop stressing about everything, man. We’re good. You’re still my boy. Just don’t ever talk about me and Dina like that again. Put a ring on Maggie’s finger and move forward. Now, are you ready to get your ass back to work?”
He visibly relaxes. I guess he needs reassurance about more than just things with me.
“Hell, yeah. I have a ring to buy,” he responds, seeming to settle down now.
We begin working in companionable silence. Then Jake arrives.
Seeing Brayden, he asks on a laugh so Bray will know everything is okay, “You finally pull your head out of your ass, man?”
Brayden chuckles. “Yeah, man, I did. Sorry about making more work for everyone.”
After a few hours of solid work, we take a break to eat. Brayden seems like he had a lot to get off his chest today since he keeps opening up more and more.
“Guys, I love Maggie, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, but I don’t want kids right away. Do you think she’s going to start wanting kids if we get engaged? I know she wants a quick wedding—she has said so enough times.”
Jake laughs. “Stop stressing and just ask Maggie what she wants. If this is what has you so wound up lately, you need to have your head examined.”
“Plus, B, sometimes things just happen, and she could end up pregnant. Being engaged or married won’t stop it if it’s meant to happen,” I pipe up without going into details about my own situation.
Brayden shakes his head, stress pouring off him again. “Kids are expensive. I don’t know what we would do. I barely keep up now, and I don’t want Maggie feeling like she needs to pay bills. I want to be the one to take care of her. It stresses me out.”
This concerns me. I know what kind of money he makes. Maggie and Dina have a solid business going for themselves. Maybe Maggie has an expensive shoe habit or something I don’t know about.
I look at my friend. “Is that your issue? You’ve been stressing over money since buying Maggie that house? A house I know you can afford. Look, Jake is on full-time now, you’re back, and I hired Andy Jenkins from the paint shop so we can expand to doing our own paint work without contracting him out. We’re going to take on more projects, which means more revenue. I’ll get a raise worked out, so don’t stress, bro. All you had to do was talk to me, and we could’ve handled this months ago without you having a breakdown.”
At that, Brayden relaxes, and we get on with the day. As the hours go by, I feel the old Brayden coming back.
The week goes by relatively quickly and productively. We are actually on schedule for all projects and ahead on the Rolls-Royce. Dina and I manage to see each other almost every day, too, even if some days it’s only for dinner. Then we spend our nights bouncing between her house and mine. Having her toothbrush and toiletries occupy the other vanity in my bathroom seems like the perfect fit. Things are going well, even with the question of the pregnancy.
We are now lying in my bed like we have been doing it for years.
“Dina, baby, next week, I’ll be gone for the show.”
“I know,” she sighs out, tracing her fingertips over my tattoos.
“Not really sure what you and Maggie have goin’ on, but you wanna go with me?”
She looks up at me with a mischievous smile. “I was gonna stow away in the trailer, but since you’re inviting me, Maggie has work covered.”
“You planned on riding with me?”
She nods. “I already sorted my schedule.”
We work. This fits.
I turn over so she’s on her back and I am covering her. “Fuckin’ love you.” I press my lips to hers, showing her just how much.
Going away, just the two of us … Oh, that makes me one happy man.