Chapter 6

Harley opened the door with a grin. “Hey, bad boy.”

“He is, isn’t he?” Grandpa chimed in at my side. He hugged Harley, and then disappeared into the house.

“Grandpa?” I called after him.

“He’s going to be fine. Axel and the guys are here.” Harley grabbed my bicep, dragging me into his kitchen. I stopped when I noticed all the guys sitting around the kitchen table. I arched my brows.

“What’s all this?” I asked.

“Well?” Harley spread his arms out. “We were wondering what happened last night?”

“What do you mean, ‘what happened’?”

“Well, you went out with Stan, right?” Gareth piped up.

“We went out to dinner and then we watched a movie at my house. It wasn’t a date.”

“Reallllly?” Harley bounced up and down. “You guys looked pretty comfy at the shooting range.”

I eyed the guys. They all had goofy grins on their faces. I placed my hands on my hips and narrowed my eyes at them. “Are you trying to set me up?”

“Oh, no,” Gareth rolled his eyes. “Why would we do that? Because you smile and laugh when Stan is around? Maybe it’s because we’ve never seen you this happy?”

“You did set me up!” I pointed an accusing finger.

“Oh, please!” Ransom snorted. “I saw your face when you found out Nash asked him out! You wanted to slap the shit out of me.”

Well, I couldn’t argue with that. I really did want to slam him into something hard. Repeatedly. Ransom grinned and winked at me.

“Please stop trying to ‘make’ this happen, okay?” I pleaded with them. “If I’m supposed to be with Stan, I will be. I don’t want any interference from you guys. That includes setting him up with other people. Now, where is Achilles?”

“He’s out back with Axel, why?”

“I need to talk to him.”

“You’re not going to ask him to ‘take out’ Nash, right?” Gareth chuckled.

“Shut up, Munchkin.”

I went out back and noticed Axel and Achilles at the deck table. I looked for Grandpa and panicked when I didn’t see him.

“He’s with Hammer,” Achilles spoke up.

“Okay.” I let out a sigh of relief. I approached them and then stopped in my tracks. It occurred to me I had no idea how I was going to ask them how to track someone down. I only had a first name for Stan’s asshole, abusive ex. On top of that, I’d promised I wouldn’t breathe a word of it.

“Rebel?” Axel said.

“Yeah?”

“You got something on your mind?”

“Not really. Just wondering about your job description,” I answered, taking a seat next to them at the table.

“Well, we babysit and sometimes we kill people,” Achilles drawled.

“Who, specifically, do you kill? Drug runners and stuff like that?”

Achilles leaned on his elbows and eyed me seriously. “You thinking about making a career change?”

“No. Just curious.”

“Well, normally I’d come home to a manila envelope on my doorstep with the name of the guy I’m supposed to, well, get rid of. Mac gets me all the info of the where, and I take care of the how,” Axel said simply.

“But not anymore, right? Because of Gareth?”

“Not that Gareth has an issue with my former job, but yes, that’s why I don’t do that kind of work anymore.”

“So it’s Mac who knows who and when,” I mumbled.

“Why? You have someone you need gone? I hope it’s not Nash. I like that guy.” Achilles elbowed me with a laugh.

I thought about that for a second and then dismissed it. I didn’t have anything against Nash except that he had a thing for Stan. I don’t think I’m cutthroat, either.

“I was kidding, Rebel.” Achilles searched my eyes.

“Oh. Oh! No, I don’t have anything against Nash.” I chuckled.

“Is that right?” Axel arched his brows. “You didn’t look so happy at the range when you found out Nash asked Stan out.”

“I wouldn’t have him taken out for that.” I sighed in exasperation.

“You’d have to take a few guys out. I was with Stan in California for a few hours while we there, and let me just say — the men really like his butt.” Axel cracked up. He noticed my face and sobered. “Wow, you really got a thing for Stan?”

“I don’t know what I have.” I checked my watch. “Crap, I have to get Grandpa to the VFW.”

“I’ll go get him.” Achilles stood and began walking toward the back gate of the yard.

“Rebel?” Axel leaned forward in the chair.

“Yes.” I met his eyes.

“What’s going on?”

“Look, I can’t get into it. I’m just…pissed off about something.”

Axel searched my features for what seemed like hours before he nodded slowly.

“You spent time with Stan yesterday. Did you guys have a long talk?”

“Yes, we did.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about Stan, Rebel. He’s in very capable hands.” Axel stood and glanced down at me. “Very capable.”

Axel went inside and I slumped back into the chair. Axel knew about Stan. He had to. Achilles came back with Grandpa and I said goodbye to the guys. We headed to the VFW and I noticed Stan’s car right away in the parking lot. He stood just outside the doors waving at us. I grinned at the excitement on his face.

“I’ve never seen someone so excited to be hanging out with a bunch of old relics,” Grandpa snorted.

“Grandpa…” I warned.

“I know why that boy is so happy. He’s got a thing for ya. Maybe you should show him your big —”

“Grandpa!” I laughed. “Stop it!”

“I was gonna say shoes.”

“Un huh, suuure ya were.”

“He looks like he’s gonna bust.” Grandpa chuckled.

“Leave him alone.”

We parked and got out and Stan walked over to us. He really looked like he was about to pee his pants.

“What’s up, Stan?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Stan asked, head tilted to one side.

There was a slight breeze, and it moved his hair ever so slightly. His eyes shone with mirth and his grin was infectious. Aw, shit. I was starting to notice little things about Stan.

“You look happy,” Grandpa said.

“I am happy. I love these guys.”

“You’re a good kid, Stan.” Grandpa took Stan’s hand and they walked in together.

The place was bustling with people waiting in line for spaghetti. Stan took Grandpa to one of the tables and sat him down. He left to get the food and I followed him.

“Hey, Stryker! You adopt another kid?”

I turned to see one of Grandpa’s oldest friends, Henry, coming toward us. They had served together and remained close.

“I’m hoping he’s going to be a grandson-in-law.” My grandfather beamed.

Stan choked and I slapped him on his back. I shot my grandfather a look as Henry sat down with him, and pulled Stan to the buffet table.

“Sorry about that,” I murmured.

“Your grandfather’s a riot. I should be used to it by now.”

“Maybe after this we could go for a ride?”

Stan stopped mid-reach for a garlic roll and turned to eye me. “What?”

“You know, a ride on my bike?”

“Um, okay?”

“Is that a question?”

“No?”

I laughed and helped Stan fill the plate. We brought the food over and sat down on either side of Grandpa and Henry. They talked about the war and I watched Stan out of the corner of my eye. He had his chin propped in his hand and was smiling. Music began to filter throughout the dining room and Grandpa turned to me.

“Dance with Stan.”

“What?” I said.

“Yes! Go dance with Stan.” Henry pushed my arm. “Give the boy a thrill, Rebel.”

“Oh for fucks sake,” I mumbled.

“You don’t have to, Rebel. It’s cool.” Stan smiled at me.

“What the hell.” I stood up and offered him my hand. “Let’s give these boys something to gossip about.”

Stan seemed unsure, so I grabbed his hand and walked him out to the middle of the room. Catcalls surrounded us as I slipped an arm around his waist.

“These guys are worse than teenagers.” Stan cracked up.

“Show them how it’s done, Rebel!” Grandpa cackled.

I held Stan’s hand and began to dance with him. It wasn’t that ‘slowly go around in a circle’ dance either. My grandmother always said that women like to be wooed, and dancing was one way of doing it. I learned how to ballroom dance, foxtrot and many others thanks to my grandmother. I’m sure she was planning on me using them on women, not on men. Well, one man. I tightened my arm around Stan’s waist and dipped him slowly. The room exploded with whistles and clapping and Stan grinned as I brought him back up slowly.

“Kiss him!” A woman shouted from the back.

Stan’s eyes widened and he glanced over his shoulder to see the woman who had done the shouting.

“Sweetie, that was hot!” she fanned herself with a napkin. “You two are just delicious together.”

“Oh. My. God. Mabel!” I laughed.

“What? Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’m dead, right, Auggie?”

“What she said.” Auggie pointed at Mabel.

Stan stepped back from me and bowed. I bowed with him as they all

began to clap for us again. I ushered Stan back to the table and realized he was staring at me.

“Yes?” I said.

“Where did you learn to dance like that?”

“My grandmother. She always said I should know how to dance, cook, and clean.”

“My girl could cut a rug!” Auggie exclaimed. He eyed us with seriousness. “I’m ready to go to the nursing home for a few hours. We’re watching Cary Grant movies.”

“I’m coming too!” Mabel chimed in.

I stared at my grandfather and he glanced up at the ceiling under my glare. “Grandpa?”

“What?”

I leaned into him, lowering my voice so that only he could hear. “Are you and Mabel…?”

“Speaking of that. Can we stop at the pharmacy so I can get condoms?”

“Oh shit. I can’t talk to you right now.” I chuckled.

“Take Stan up the mountain tonight. Full moon and all that.”

“I’ll see where he wants to go.”

“Mabel was right you know.”

“About?”

“You and Stan. You look good together.”

“Okay, come on.” I took him by his bicep and Stan went to his other side. I glanced over at Mabel and winked. “He’ll see you at the home, Mabel.”

“She’s going to see a lot —”

“Grandpa, stop!”

Stan laughed.

Stan and I were riding along the winding Snow Bowl Road, the cool air caressing us. I could tell he was getting used to being on the back of my bike. He wasn’t breaking my ribs anymore. I found that I liked riding with Stan. He didn’t try to talk to me; he just enjoyed the scenery and the hum of the bike. I pulled over at one of the camping sites and cut the engine. Stan crawled off the back and spread his arms out, inhaling deeply.

“God, it smells fantastic up here!”

“We’ll have to come up when there’s snow and take the lift.”

“Yeah?” Stan turned to me with a wide grin. “That would be cool.”

“You’re so cute when you smile like that.” Stan’s eyes widened and I realized what I’d said. I coughed and motioned to the bike. “You want to head up to the resort?”

“Sure, but after that I think I might need to eat again.”

“Where do you put it all?”

“Not sure.” Stan climbed on the back of the bike and wrapped his arms around my middle.

“You like waffles?” I asked.

“I do. Why?”

“I make fantastic waffles. You should come over for breakfast.”

“I can do that.”

I got back on the road and we continued up toward the resort. Once we got there, I parked and we took one of the trails off to the side. Trees surrounded us on both sides and the smell of pine was strong.

“You like camping, Stan?”

“I haven’t really had a chance to camp, but I like the idea of it. Why?”

“The guys and I go camping once a year. Usually it’s after a tour, but I think it would be fun if you came with this time around. It’s a really cool spot, you have a view of Sedona.”

Stan seemed to contemplate it and then nodded. “Sure. I’d have to get supplies and stuff.”

“No need. I have a two-man tent. You can bunk with me.”

Stan seemed surprised, but covered it pretty quickly. I don’t know why, but I wanted to see him in a different atmosphere away from the business side of the group and his time with Grandpa. He fidgeted a bit and then met my eyes.

“Um, what should I bring?”

“Well, we always stock up on food so that’s not a problem. I think there will definitely be more of us this time around.”

“Because of the guys and their relationships?”

“Yeah. Come to think of it, they might not even want to go.”

“Well, I’ll still go. Sounds like fun.”

“Okay, I’ll see what’s up. Ready to head back?”

“Yep.”

 

I drove Stan home and even walked him to his door. He turned at the top step and gave me a grin. He had dimples. Honest to goodness fucking dimples. And they looked really good on him. Stan tilted his head to the side and that’s when I noticed his hair had gotten lighter.

“Did you dye your hair?”

“Nah, normally when summer’s coming it gets lighter.”

“Yeah, I’ll say. It’s normally, like, a lot darker, right?”

“Well not black, but a chestnut brown or something like that. That’s what the woman in town calls it.”

I blinked a few times and Stan descended a step, taking my hand.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked.

“Um, yeah. I’m good. Um, I’ll let you know about the camping.”

“Sure.” Stan went back up the steps. “Thanks for today, Rebel.”

“Yep.”

I waited for the door to close and then went back to my bike. Okay, so I was freaking out just a bit. Since when did I notice hair color on a guy? I mean, on Halloween Stan was dressed as Morticia and he’d shaved his legs. He’d said something about not having black hair sticking through his stockings.

I think.

I fired my bike up and drove toward home. Stan in fishnet stockings I remembered quite well. For fucks sake, I needed to concentrate. By the time I got home, I was confused as fuck and Grandpa wasn’t home yet. I called the nursing home and the nurse let me know he was going to stay overnight.

Probably with Mabel.

At least he was getting some.

I flopped onto my bed and buried my head under the pillow. Tomorrow was another day.