Chapter 27

 

Graham

 

 

I WAS STILL in good spirits the next morning, although I knew it was going to be a hectic day. Even the news about the weather being shitty didn’t bother me too much.

I popped open an energy drink and was about to fix myself something to eat, when my cell phone began to ring.

It was Tank.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Just checking in,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Make sure you hadn’t forgotten about the trip to the hospital.”

“Hell, no. I’ll be there.”

“Good.” He cleared his throat and I could hear him spitting on the other end of the phone. “Sorry. I think I’m getting a fucking sinus infection. I always get one this time of the year. Never fails. So, I’m not going to be there today. Wouldn’t want to give any of the kids what I have. They already have enough problems.”

“Bummer.”

“Yeah. Jessica claims if I take a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar a day, I’ll stay healthier. That shit is disgusting though.”

“I take the pills,” I told him. My adoptive mother was really into vitamins and I still took about eight different kinds a day. I usually stayed relatively healthy, but then again, I didn’t have kids like most of the club did.

“She said they don’t work as well. I told Jessica if she wanted to help me out, douche with it and sit on my face,” he said, chuckling. “We’ll both be happy. She didn’t find it as humorous as I did.”

I snorted.

“Anyway, it sounds like Chloe is going to be at the hospital too. Cleaner picked her up.”

I scowled. “Oh?”

“Yeah. I was going to ask you to do it, but he insisted. She wanted to drive herself, but the roads are shitty and we’re supposed to be getting a blizzard tonight.”

“Huh.” I imagined Cleaner flirting with Chloe like a mother-fucker, and her falling for it. The thought of them together made my blood boil.

“You be careful driving, too. Better yet, take the sled and let Rudolph worry about the storm.”

“Will do.”

Damn you Cleaner.

I wondered if I should say something to Tank about his intentions. He was the one who’d warned everyone not to flirt with her. Everyone but me, at least.

“You weren’t paying attention, were you?” he asked, sounding amused.

“What?”

“Forget it. Look, the gifts for the kids are in my office at the clubhouse. More stuffed reindeer and candy canes. Could you swing by and get them on your way to the hospital?”

“Will do.”

“Repeat what I just said.”

“You want me to stop by the clubhouse and pick up the gifts. I heard you.”

Tank chuckled. “Just making sure. Thanks, brother. Call me later and let me know how it all went.”

“Sure.”

“By the way, Raptor and Adriana are already downtown, making the space we’ve rented for the Meet Santa program festive. They even made an oversized Santa chair for you to sit down on with the kids, so they can tell you what they want for Christmas.”

I hadn’t thought about that. I’d have kids sitting on my knee. Crying babies. Flashing cameras. And of course… Cleaner and Chloe dressed as elves, exchanging fleeting glances at each other. My Christmas spirit was beginning to wilt.

“Some of the Old Ladies are going to be selling ornaments, jewelry, and other shit too. Sounds like it’s going to be a real flee market. I’m actually bummed out that I can’t be there.”

“So am I,” I replied. Tank had set all of this up and had been hyped about it for weeks. It was a shame that he was going to miss out on his project.

“Raina is going to bring the kids, so at least they’ll have some fun.” He let out a weary sigh. “You know, I don’t know how this snow is going to affect everything. At least the blizzard isn’t starting until early evening.”

“I think we created enough buzz about it yesterday that people will show, snow or not. Especially for their kids.”

“Let’s hope so. Anyway, I gotta go. Raina just walked in with a Hot Toddy. Call me later.”

“Will do.”

We hung up and my mind shifted back to Cleaner. He was obviously doing what he set out to do - bag Chloe. The fuck if I was going to let that happen.

Knowing that I had to stop at the clubhouse now, I decided to forgo a homemade breakfast and pick up Mc Donald’s along the way. Not something that I really wanted, but nor did I want to be a hangry asshole later.

I took a quick shower and decided to wear the Santa suit right away, since I’d need it all day. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I had to admit – I looked like a pretty buff jolly, old elf, but knew it would change if I kept eating fast food and cookies.

As I was brushing my teeth, I heard someone knocking on my door so I went to go answer it. When I saw who was standing there, I regretted opening the door.

“What’s up?” I said to Bonnie, who was holding a gift in her hands.

Smiling at my Santa suit, she held out the present. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to see, but I wanted to give you a gift.”

I held my hands up in the air. “Bonnie, I don’t want it.”

Her smile fell. “Can’t you just quit being a jerk for one minute? I mean, I’ve done everything to try and show you how sorry I am and you won’t even hear me out-”

“We have nothing to say to each other,” I cut in angrily. “I mean, what in the hell do you expect from me?”

“Forgiveness, maybe? It is the holidays.”

“Fine. I forgive you. Now… get lost.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “How can you be so cold?”

Seeing one of my neighbors opening up their apartment door, I pulled her into my place. “How can I be so cold? You have the gall to ask me something like this after I caught you cheating on me last year, in our bed? I had to throw that thing out because I couldn’t take sleeping in it anymore. I had to change a lot of things after what you did to me.”

“I’m so sorry. It was a mistake,” she said, moving closer to me. She grabbed the lapels of my Santa suit and stared into my eyes. “I still love you, you know. I always will.”

I grabbed her wrists. “Stop it.”

“But…”

“Listen to me,” I said, trying to remain calm. I just wanted her out of my life, once and for all. “I’m going to be real here, okay? I don’t love you anymore.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. “You’re just angry still. I bet if we just gave it another shot, you’ be able to forgive me and we could start again.”

“We can’t,” I said softly, realizing that after everything, she might still love me in her own, fucked up way. But, I didn’t feel anything like I had before she’d betrayed me. Not love at least. Looking at her now was like staring at a stranger. It was actually a relief.

“What if we just spent the day together? As friends. We can see where it leads to without pressure.”

“No. I have plans today. Thus, the costume.”

“I have to admit, you look kind of sexy in the Santa suit,” she said, drying her tears. “Remember that time we role-played? You were pretending to be Santa and I was naughty, so you gave me a spanking?”

“Look, I have to leave,” I said, remembering but not wanting to. The very thought of getting together with her left a bad taste in my mouth.

“Could you at least accept the present?”

I knew that if I did, it would give her false hope. “I appreciate the thought, but I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Bonnie let out a ragged sigh. “Fine. Just so you know, it was a bottle of Cristal. I thought we could have shared it on New Year’s Eve.”

“I have plans for New Year’s, but thank you.”

“With another woman?” she asked, her eyes filled with pain.

“With my family,” I replied. “My brothers.” There was going to be a party at the clubhouse and afterward, Jessica and Jordan had invited me over to ring in the New Year.

“So, there isn’t anyone else in your life?” she asked, her face brightening.

I thought about Chloe and at that moment, wanted someone like her in it. Scratch that. I wanted her in it. I just didn’t know if she’d be interested in a scruff like me.

“There might be,” I replied, honestly. “At least, I’m hoping.”

Sighing, she stood up on her tippy-toes and kissed my cheek. “No matter what happens, I really do want you to be happy. Even if it’s not with me.”

“You, too,” I replied, meaning it.

She touched my cheek and then stepped back. “Goodbye, Graham.”

“Goodbye, Bonnie.”

She smiled sadly and walked out of the apartment.

As I closed the door behind her, I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge might have on Christmas morning. After he’d been visited by the three spirits. I felt happy and content. I also had a giddiness in my stomach that had everything to do with Chloe. I’d finally closed the door to my previous life and was now ready to open a new one and take my first step.