Chapter Twenty-Six
Jo
I squeezed Nana tight as we said goodbye in the driveway. All of her stuff was packed and she was heading out today.
“I’ll be back down for your graduation, young lady,” she said, dabbing her eyes. “We’ll have a nice party and a long game of gin. I’ll even let you win.”
“Thanks, Nana.” I smiled. I was lucky to have had even a short amount of time with her. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“You’ll have to remember to keep my grandson in check.” She winked at me. “He doesn’t eat nearly enough vegetables.”
“Come here,” Clint said, giving her a big bear hug. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but I’ll come visit at Missy’s house.”
Clint and I stood next to each other as the car pulled out of the driveway. I reached up to wipe a tear away and he put his arms around me.
“She’ll be back soon.” He squeezed me against his side. “No tears, okay?”
“I know.” I smiled up at him. “I’ll miss her.” I patted his chest. Then our eyes locked. I realized that he was holding me, comforting me.
Clint stepped away. “You won’t have time to miss her.” He grabbed his keys. “We’re leaving tomorrow. Be at the clubhouse at 5:00 a.m.”
He was right. I didn’t have time to miss Nana. The next day we would leave for Reno.
* * *
It was still dark outside when I got to the clubhouse. A few guys milled around the bar area. Clint, Rip, and Colt were leaned over a map that was spread out on the pool table. Since Colt was there, I looked around for Krista. She wasn’t there, but I did see Bettes.
“You’re here early,” I said, giving her a hug.
“I’m here to see the guys off.” She handed me a blueberry muffin from a basket on the bar. “It’s tradition that when they go on a run, we usually give them a goodbye kiss. Since none of the guys going have girlfriends, I thought I’d give them hugs at least.” Her eyes went wide and I could see wheels turning in her heard. “Tate told me about the other night. I was hoping you guys would reconcile by now.”
“Things are...slow. I think the argument the other night was progress.” I tore a piece off the top of the muffin and ate it. It was dry and caught in my throat.
“I hope you guys work through it. Oh, here.” She slipped something into my hands. It was an MP3 player. “I have a lot of audiobooks, thought you might want to borrow it for the ride. They’re all romance novels. Hope you like them.”
“Thanks!” I laughed. “I haven’t read a romance novel in years, but I like them. I hope Clint does too, since he’s driving.”
Bettes’ face turned into a blank mask. Her easygoing smile was gone. I wondered what I had said that was wrong.
“It’s time to say goodbye.” She grabbed my arm and started walking toward the door.
The whole group moved outside. They checked engines on the motorcycles and then on the Lamborghini. Roach put my backpack in the trunk and the guys put on helmets. Bettes and I stood off to the side watching the action. It seemed like we were ready to go.
Tate, the president, greeted each of the guys and they shook hands. I imagined it was how a general would send his troops off into battle.
As soon as Tate was done with the handshakes, Bettes gave out the hugs. Clint was last on the receiving line, and after she gave him a hug, she turned to me. Then everyone was looking my way. It was weird, like some sort of initiation was happening. They were letting me choose how involved I wanted to be. They didn’t know my role and this was the moment I would establish it. I took a deep breath and started walking across the asphalt.
I started with Rip. He was the closest to me, so I gave him a hug.
“Thanks, sister. We’ll keep you safe on the run,” he promised as he gave me a one-armed squeeze.
“I know you will.” I smiled and moved on to Roach, who gave me a big bear hug.
“If it don’t work out between you and him, you’ll call me, right?” he said, lifting me off the ground.
“I can’t.” I couldn’t imagine dating any other guys from the club. They were a family—it wouldn’t be right.
“Damn, I like you even more for that,” he said, laughing as he set me down. “You’re a good woman.”
“Thanks.” I was surprised to find myself tearing up. “I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.”
“Jo?” Clint said from my left. He must have walked up while I was hugging Roach.
I launched myself into his arms. I was still reeling from Roach’s comment. I could never consider dating anyone at the club; it would tear Clint apart and me too. I tried not to cry as I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck. He slipped his arms around my waist and held me.
“It’s okay, babe. Everything will go fine,” he assured me.
“It’s not that,” I said, sniffling. “This whole goodbye thing, it’s because you might not come back. That night in the kitchen, this is what you were thinking about, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” he admitted, kissing the top of my head. “I know you didn’t have to do this, but thanks. It means a lot to me.” Abruptly, he dropped his arms and stepped back. “Do you have your knives?”
“Yes, I’ve got them.” I patted my hip holster where the stiletto was hidden, and my throwing knives were in my backpack.
“Good, we’ve had a change in plans. You’re gonna drive and I’m going to ride as far as Tahoe. Then I’ll join you in the car to the drop-off point,” he explained.
“Sure.” I frowned. He didn’t want to be stuck in a car with me for the twelve-hour drive. “How come you aren’t riding with me?”
“I thought it would be easier this way.” He didn’t look at me as he opened the car door. “I wanted my bike close by and the Lambo can’t exactly pull a trailer.” There was a hardness to his eyes as he said it. I thought that maybe we had made a little headway in the pawnshop, but apparently not.
I felt tears prick in my eyes and I wiped them away before Clint could see. I just had to keep it together and not screw anything up as we dropped the car off in Reno.