Chapter Fourteen

Maybe Vegas or Alaska?

Alice

"You know, I think how this week played out is pretty good," I said, watching Wrecker walk to the Mini Weenie with a large tote filled with leftover s'mores fixings and the food Meg had generously handed over.

"How so?" Wrecker grunted as he hefted the tote up into the camper, his muscles flexing with the effort.

"Well," I said with a smile, "we got to have all the fun for five days before you guys showed up, and now you can do all the work of packing up. It's pretty perfect."

Fox, who had been busy grabbing the last of the lawn chairs, handed them to Wrecker. He shook his head at me, a playful grin on his face. "Dirty, Mom," he said. "Here we came up ready to defend your honor, and all you want us for is to load the camper."

Wrecker chuckled as he tucked the chairs away under one of the couches. "Joke's on her, bud. She's still gotta drive this thing home. You and I are on our bikes."

Well, shit. I hadn't thought about that. I peered into the camper, mentally calculating the space. "You're sure we can't fit your bike back here?" I asked, half-joking, half-hopeful.

Wrecker shook his head and climbed down, wiping his hands on his jeans. "That would be a negative, babe. We'd have to get one of those campers that doubles as a toy hauler." He rubbed his fingers together, emphasizing the cost. "A whole lot more money than ol' Mini Weenie here."

Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. As much as I loved the idea of a fancier rig, the Mini Weenie had a charm I wasn't ready to give up.

"All packed up?" Meg's voice called out as she walked over, looking effortlessly put together as always.

Meg was much more seasoned when it came to packing up her RV. She and King had finished almost an hour ago, and while they had offered to help with ours, I knew she had already done more than enough for me all week. Besides, I had Wrecker and Fox to handle the heavy lifting.

Wrecker slammed the camper door shut and wiped his hands again. "It's packed in there, but I can't tell you when it will actually be unpacked."

King laughed from behind Meg. "Yeah, just as long as you get the perishable shit out when you get home, you can take your time with the rest of it."

I nodded, smirking. "I'm lazy enough that I figured that out right away."

The rest of the crew started wandering over, most of them with bags in their hands, no doubt filled with last-minute souvenirs and snacks.

"That gift shop store thing they have here is freaking amazing," Greta announced, her eyes wide with excitement. She dug around in her bag and pulled out a black t-shirt. "Look at this. I got it for Bear." She unfolded it, revealing the bold print and picture of a camper. "Balls deep in this hitch," she read aloud with a grin.

"Good lord," King sighed, though there was a trace of amusement in his voice.

"I love it!" I laughed. I had never met Bear before, but I got the picture that he was kind of like Wrecker. Tough and rough around the edges, but one of the best guys you'll ever know.

"I got this one," Raven chimed in, pulling out a bright pink sweatshirt. She held it up, proudly displaying the text. "I love peeing outside," she recited, clearly enjoying the reactions from everyone around her.

Meg tipped her head to the side, looking slightly confused. "Did you... I mean..." she started, her words trailing off as she tried to find the right question.

Raven burst out laughing and shook her head. "I didn't this weekend, but I like to keep people guessing. I'm sure Clash will ask the same question."

The laughter that followed was infectious.

As the laughter died down, I felt a pang of melancholy. It was always bittersweet when a trip came to an end. There was a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction but also a little sadness, knowing that it would be a while before we'd all be together like this again.

"Well, I think that's everything," Wrecker said, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. "We should hit the road soon if we want to beat the worst of the traffic."

I nodded, glancing around the campsite one last time. "I'm ready to go home to my cows, but not the impending camera crew."

Wrecker shrugged. "They haven't given us a new date yet, so I wouldn't worry about that too much, babe."

"Good," Wendy sighed. "Then you can help me figure out Adley." She held up her phone to me. "I just got this message from her."

I hate all men. I'm running away and joining a covenant.

I cringed. "Yeah, it's probably a good thing the camera crew isn't going to be around yet. Maybe she just had a bad day," I suggested.

Wendy shoved her phone in her pocket and headed to the camper. "I think I'm going to start drinking on the way home."

"Uh, should one of us tell her that's illegal?" Cyn pointed out. "I'm all for a good time, but an open container while driving…" she trailed off.

Raven threw her hands in the air. "I got her." She said her goodbyes to everyone and climbed into the camper.

"We're going to do this again, right?" Karmen asked, her tone tinged with sadness. Her eyes darted around the group as if she were afraid this might be the last time we'd all be together like this. "I'm going to really miss you guys."

"Yeah," Nikki chimed in, nodding enthusiastically. "Maybe we can do something different next time. Go to Vegas or Alaska," she suggested.

Meg tipped her head to the side, a playful smirk on her lips. "Uh, those are two very different places, Nikki."

Fox, who had been quietly listening, leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "You go to Alaska, I'm coming with. You guys don't get to have all the fun and then tell us we can't come because it's a girls' trip."

Reva pointed at me and Meg. "I think whatever we do next is up to these two. They're the masterminds behind this whole thing."

Meg turned to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I think we can figure out something to do next time," she said with a knowing smile. There was no doubt in my mind that she was already brainstorming ideas.

Lennox, who had been unusually quiet, held up her hand. "Can we at least wait until I'm not pregnant?" she asked, her tone a mix of frustration and longing. "It sucked not being able to drink with you guys."

Snapper, ever the supportive husband, wrapped his arms around Lennox and pressed a tender kiss to the side of her head. "I know mom will make sure the timing's right," he murmured, his eyes full of affection for her.

"Oh yeah," Meg agreed, nodding thoughtfully. "We definitely need time to plan. I would say this time next year. We make it a yearly thing."

Lennox's face lit up with a wide smile. "Then count me in."

The rest of the girls quickly raised their hands in agreement, voices overlapping as they all chimed in.

"I'm in."

"Absolutely."

"Wouldn't miss it."

I felt a surge of warmth in my chest as I looked around at my friends, these incredible women who had become like family to me. "I think we've got ourselves a plan," I said, my voice steady and full of conviction. "Next year, same time, and maybe a new place. But wherever we go, it's going to be amazing because we're doing it together."

Meg nodded, a twinkle in her eye. "We'll keep it a surprise until then. But trust me, it'll be worth the wait."

Karmen sighed, but there was a smile on her face now. "I can't wait. I'm already counting down the days."

Fox, still not willing to let us have all the fun without him, pointed at me with a mock frown. "You better keep me in the loop. No secret girls' trips to Alaska without letting me know."

"We'll see," I teased, giving him a wink. "But you might just have to settle for hearing all the stories when we get back."

"Typical," Fox muttered as he stepped back.

"Looks like we're all set," I said as Snapper and Fox headed to their bikes. I watched them for a moment, feeling a mix of pride and that ever-present twinge of worry. Fox was more than capable and a man, sure, but I was still his mom.

Karmen and Nikki were already climbing into the camper, laughing about something I couldn't quite catch, but it made me smile anyway.

Cyn, Reva, Greta, Lennox, and Paige were piling into the RV, each of them calling out goodbyes and waving enthusiastically. I waved back, my heart swelling with affection for this wild, wonderful group of women.

"Well," I said, turning to Meg. "I think this was a pretty good first inaugural girls' trip."

Meg nodded, a satisfied grin on her face. "Just one bump in the road with bitchy Carrie, but other than that, great success." She gave two thumbs up.

I laughed, and we pulled each other into a big hug. The warmth of the embrace was comforting, but I could feel tears threatening to spill over. I held on a little longer, trying to soak in every last bit of this moment.

"I need to go before I start blubbering like a baby," I confessed, pulling back and blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

Meg nodded, her own eyes suspiciously shiny. "Me too. Drive careful, Alice."

I pointed at her, narrowing my eyes in mock seriousness. "And you watch out for mailboxes."

King chuckled from behind us, shaking his head. "She told you about that, huh?"

Wrecker and King exchanged the typical big man handshake, complete with a back-clap that echoed through the campsite. It was their way of saying they'd had a good time without all the mushy stuff we were prone to.

I gave one last wave to Meg, feeling a little piece of my heart tug as I turned away. Wrecker walked me to the driver's door of the camper, his presence a steadying force.

"You okay to drive?" he asked, his voice low and filled with concern.

I nodded, wiping away a lone tear that had managed to escape. "Yeah. I know I'm crying, but I'm ready to go home. I miss my cows."

Wrecker eyed me skeptically, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Fine," I added with a sigh, "and my kids. I miss the kids, too."

He laughed softly, then pulled me into his arms for a kiss. It was the kind of kiss that melted away the sadness, the kind that reminded me of all the reasons why I loved this man so damn much.

When he finally pulled back, I felt steadier, more grounded. "I'll follow you home, babe," he promised, his hand lingering on my waist.

I tapped his chest with a smile. "I wouldn't want it any other way. Let's go, Beardilocks."

This girls' trip was the exact thing I needed before life was about to get crazy for the Fallen Lords, and I was just thankful Wrecker would be next to me.

Bring it on.

Ready to see how crazy life is going to get for the Fallen Lords MC?

It all starts with Adley in The Fallen Lords MC 2 nd Generation

Coming September 29 th , 2025