Player Chapter 2

Riding back into Hunters Creek after my ride, I tried not to feel short-changed. I did get to take the day off like I wanted and go for a ride. The only thing that made it less than ideal was the fact that I was cutting it short. It was my fault, so I had no one to blame but myself.

While at the clubhouse Wednesday night, I overheard some guys talking about meeting at the bakery on Friday afternoon. It seemed there was a water leak in the back, and repairs needed to be done. The leak led to the debate about whether it was the right time to expand the shop. The club had purchased the remainder of the buildings on that block. We had the room to do it. After talking about it, several agreed to join Rebel there to check it out. Tank, our brother who oversaw the Hunters Creek's division of AW Construction, and Vex, who worked as his head foreman, would be there. A few of my other brothers agreed to stop in and see what the job might require.

While we'd usually use construction crews from AW to do the work, they were stretched rather thin at the moment, which was a good thing. It meant business was booming. Over the years, most of the members had done work in construction in some form or another. We filled in wherever there was a need. I had experience, so I offered to come by as well. I would've done it regardless of my plans. My ride wasn't as crucial as the livelihood of the club. I hadn't begrudged it until I saw how lovely the weather for riding was today. However, there was no way I'd leave them hanging.

Pulling up outside the bakery, I parked in the open spot out front rather than in the parking lot. We agreed to be there at three o'clock. Most of the day's customers would have been there and gone by then, so closing early wouldn't cost them much in terms of revenue. I was a tad early, so I noted that a couple of customers were still in there when I entered. I waved at Jess and Mad, then sat at an empty table.

As I sat there, I noticed a woman across from me. She had her head lowered, staring down at her phone. She was pressing on it, so I assumed she was sending texts. What caught my attention was her hair and body. She had long, silky hair hanging in a long ponytail almost to her waist. It was a medium brown with streaks of lighter gold tones in it. She was dressed in jeans with a figure-hugging top, which showed off what I thought was a killer body. I wished she'd stand up so I could see her body better, and so I could judge her height. She looked taller than many women. Of course, at six foot four, it was hard for me to judge sometimes.

I was about to get up and walk over to say hello when the door opened. Vex, Tank, Bull, and Stalker walked in. Damn, I lost my chance. She'd be leaving. The other customers got up and called goodbye to the old ladies before exiting. They must've been warned they'd have to go when the others arrived. However, the woman stayed where she was. Vex and Stalker walked to the counter. Madisen ducked into the kitchen. She was probably going to the office to get Rebel. Jessica began pouring cups of coffee, no doubt for us, as she chatted with Stalker. Bull and Tank sat down at the table with me.

"How was the ride?" Bull asked as soon as he was seated.

"Great. It was hard to stop, I tell ya."

"You could've texted. We would've done this without you," Tank said.

"I know you would've, but I said I'd come, and there's always tomorrow. You know how it is. Once you get to riding, it's hard to stop. Are we it, or are more coming?"

"We're it as soon as Rebel gets out here," Bull said.

Hearing Vex call out had my head snapping up. "Saylor?"

He'd moved away from the counter and was halfway to the woman who had grabbed my attention. Her head came up. She frowned at him. "Yes?"

"Saylor, it's me, Vex. I mean Bryce Kincaid. Hell, it's been forever, it seems, since I've seen you."

Even though I couldn't see her whole face, I noted a smile spread across it. Vex was moving closer to her. "Oh my God, Bryce. Imagine running into you in Hunters Creek. What brings you here?" she asked, sounding happy.

He reached her. She was standing up by then. He took her hand, pulled her into his arms, and hugged her. As she laughed, I found myself gritting my teeth. If the way they were hugging and murmuring to each other was an indication, it seemed those two were more than just passing acquaintances.

My mental grumbling was disrupted by Jessica coming to the table with a tray piled with pastries and napkins. Stalker was right behind her with a tray full of coffee cups. As they set them on the table, Rebel and Madisen came out of the back. Only they weren't alone. Trotting next to Madisen's side was a beautiful dog with a pale silvery-gray coat and dark gray stripes. It was what you called a brindle coat, or so I thought.

The dog immediately left their side and went to the woman's. Her hand came down to touch its head. Vex stopped hugging her and dropped to a couch. I didn't hear what she said, but the dog relaxed, allowed Vex to pet its head, and then licked his hand. He laughed.

I knew he loved animals, especially dogs. His adoptive family, the Flynns, owned a dog training business near Dublin Falls. Talia, Razor's old lady, was their daughter. Rebel and Madisen took a couple of empty seats. As they did, I found myself speaking up.

"Shouldn't all customers be gone? Tell Vex to get his ass over here so she'll leave, and we can get this show on the road," I muttered.

I saw Jessica and Madisen exchange puzzled looks before Mad answered me. "Saylor is fine. She's gonna hang here until we're done. She's not a bother."

I tried not to scowl, but it was hard. I was fighting not to pay attention to what Vex and the woman Saylor were saying. Saylor… that was a different name, but I liked it. The others at the table were busy drinking coffee and eating. This left me wondering how she and Vex knew each other. Was it in more than just a passing acquaintance way? Had they been lovers or casual hookups? Having met each other again, would they do so again? The thought of it upset me. Again, why should I care? I didn't know her.

There were plenty of women around here with whom I had hooked up with over the years. It didn't bother me if I saw one of them talking to or doing more with one or more of my brothers. I wasn't one to begrudge them gettin' some action. The same was true of them when I got it off someone they'd been with. A core group of women seemed to come to the compound consistently. Eventually, most of them ended up sleeping with most, if not all, of us single members and even the prospects. In many cases, we talked about which ones were the best at various things and who to avoid, such as the clingers.

All this was running rampant in my head, not making me happy when they headed over to our table. The dog stuck close to her. Vex had her holding onto his arm. They were both smiling. With her fully facing me for the first time, I could catalog her looks better and check out her body.

She was a taller woman, maybe five foot eight or nine. Her shape was sexy and curvy. Her eyes were a pale olive green, which stood out against her darker hair and pale skin. Against that skin, the scarring around her left temple area was visible, but it didn't detract from her beauty. However, it made me curious to find out how she got it. Her lips were pale pink, her lower lip was fuller, and the gloss she wore made it stand out as if she were begging to be kissed or bitten. My hopes increased. It was unlikely they were anything other than past casual fuck buddies. That meant I'd be able to have a go at her. I plastered on my best smile that drove women wild and waited for her to notice and fall under my spell.

"Hey, guys, sorry, I know we've got business to talk about, but I want to introduce someone to all of you. This is Saylor McKay. I know her through Flynn Farms. Saylor, you know Madisen, Jessica, and Rebel, you said. We also have our president, Bull, our VP, Tank, Stalker, and Player." As he said our names, he slightly turned her to face us, which I thought odd. Why not just point?

She gave us a big smile as she held out her hand. Bull shook it first, then Tank, followed by Stalker. Stalker seemed to hold it extra long and smiled brighter before he let go so I could shake it. I had the urge to snap at him and tell him to let go. As my hand made contact with hers, I felt something zap my palm, like a static shock. She let out a tiny hiss, telling me she had also been shocked. I gave her hand a firm single shake, then dropped it.

"It's so nice to meet all of you. I'll let you get your meeting over with. Don't mind me. I'll be over there, out of the way with Freya. Bryce, shoot, I mean, Vex, I'll see you when you're done. Thanks for the offer to take me home." She smiled at him.

"It's my pleasure. We have a lot to catch up on."

"We do. Again, sorry for disturbing you."

"You don't need to run off unless you want to. Nothing we're going to talk about is confidential, although it might be boring. We're merely gonna discuss fixing a leak and whether we should take the opportunity to expand the bakery while we're at it. You're welcome to join us," Bull told her.

"Are you sure? I know Madisen said you were debating an expansion. I might not know much about construction, but I know this place is always busy. If you had more tables and added a few more items, it would more than pay for itself," she stated.

"Saylor, I'd love it if you would stay. You might be able to give us some ideas about those things you and I discussed earlier. If we expand, I'd love to include those. I want to be sure not to overlook anything," Madisen told her.

Vex was pulling out a chair for her as Madisen spoke. I noticed her dog bumped her leg and stuck his nose against her hand. She sat down. Vex took the seat on her other side. I was across the table from them.

"Thank you. I'd love to stay if I won't be a bother."

"You want coffee or a pastry?" Vex asked.

"Coffee, please. Black if you have it on the table."

Jessica pointed to an unclaimed cup. He picked it up, putting it in Saylor's hand. The cups were the kind you saw in most coffee shops, with lids to keep them from spilling and the contents hot. She took a sip, sighing contentedly. "No matter how often I have it, your coffee never gets old."

"That's for damn sure. No one makes coffee like they do. Alright, if everyone is set, let's talk about this," Bull said, bringing the meeting to order.

It was hard to keep my attention on what was being said. She was distracting me, which I had never had a woman do, not when it came to club business. I typically had no problem ignoring an attractive woman until the club business was completed. I threw in enough comments and questions to hide my preoccupation from the others. We'd been at it close to an hour when Madisen asked Saylor something that caught my attention and puzzled me.

"Saylor, what would you suggest we include to ensure we're more than ADA compliant? I want to be sure we're more than just meeting the regulations. I want people with disabilities or challenges to want to come here because we make them feel comfortable and secure."

"I love that you want to make it that way, although I have to tell you, it already feels very secure and comfortable. Hmm, let me see. The first thing to think about is your pathways. Ensure there's enough clear open space around the tables, the counter, and the self-serve station. You need to keep tables and chairs from being moved out of their designated spots. Visually impaired people will commit the layout to memory if they come here often. If things get moved, they can trip and fall. Not everyone has a service animal to assist them. The clear space also ensures that people in wheelchairs or using service dogs and other mobility devices such as walkers and canes can navigate safely. In addition, test your space when the chairs are pulled out and in use at those tables to be sure they leave enough room," Saylor rattled off without a pause. I noted Jessica had a notebook. She was noting all of this down.

"This is great. What else?" Rebel asked. She had everyone's attention.

"You need to include some wheelchair and scooter-accessible seating throughout your dining area. That means the tabletops should be no higher than thirty-four inches from the floor, and the clear space underneath the tables needs to be at least twenty-seven inches high. They have to get their legs under the table while in their devices. Oh, make sure you have enough room so that when they use their own seating, you can remove the regular chairs out of the way.

"This is something often overlooked. Teach anyone who works for you always to ask the person's permission before they move a cane, walker, crutches, scooter, or wheelchair so it's safely out of the way of others. It's courteous, and you don't want them not to know you did it, and then they try to move and end up falling. That reminds me, make sure you have storage space for those devices, too."

She paused to let them ask questions. As far as I could tell, they were avidly listening and taking notes. I thought what she said was great, but I wondered how she knew. Did she work with disabled individuals? Was it part of her job?

"Go on. Tell them the rest," Vex encouraged her.

"You probably know as much as I do."

"I doubt it. Besides, you say it better," he told her with a smile. She chuckled.

"Well, I've had a lot of practice. Okay, what else? Oh, make sure the counters for the self-serve station are no higher than thirty-six inches from the floor. Place the items closer to the front rather than toward the back. I know it's usually done the opposite way to give people space to set their trays and stuff down, but it makes it hard for some disabled patrons to reach them. Your short customers will appreciate it too." She winked, causing them to laugh.

"You can test it by placing a chair next to the service area and see if you can reach and see the items. You have the menu on the wall, but it would be good to have some handheld ones available before they get to the counter. It'll help them make choices and speed up the line. The menus should be in large print, high contrast, and non-glare for visually impaired people. Also, for your blind customers, a few menus in Braille would be great.

"You already offer bendable straws, which is great for those unable to lift or hold containers. You ladies already do this, but if you hire more staff, ensure they're trained to ask customers if they need assistance even if they aren't noticeably disabled. The elderly often need it but hate to ask for help. Just ask them, then wait for them to say yes or no. In addition, make sure staff know they may need to read the menu to some. Not all visually impaired people read Braille. They should get into the habit of watching for opportunities to assist with the self-serve items and show people to seating or bathrooms. Those who are hard of hearing may need to write down what they want, so keep note paper and writing tools close at hand. They may have reduced strength, dexterity, or mobility, so they may need you to carry their trays. I'd post signs around reminding patrons to ask for assistance.

"The last things are for those with service animals. Those animals can go with them anywhere. They have to be under the control of the person at all times. Your staff is allowed to ask someone with an animal two things. They can ask if the dog is a service animal for a disability. They cannot ask what their disability is, nor are the customers obligated to tell them. They can also ask what work or tasks the dog has been trained to perform. If you want to make a service dog owner extremely happy, having water bowls for dogs and maybe an item or two on the menu that's dog-appropriate would be amazing. They'd sing your praises if you did."

When she was done, suffice it to say, I was surprised and impressed. She'd given us food for thought on the bakery's setup and all our businesses, especially those geared toward hospitality like here and The Dark Angel.

"Saylor, you've given us a lot to think about, and I thank you for that. We've never quite thought of it from the angles you just did. Mind if I ask how you learned all this? Do you work with the disabled?" Tank asked.

She briefly glanced down and then back up before she answered. "I do work with the disabled, but I have a much more personal knowledge of the challenges."

"What's that, if you don't mind me asking? Do you have a family member who is?" Stalker asked.

"No, not a family member. I'm technically legally blind. Freya isn't my pet, although Madisen and Jessica allow dogs here as long as the owners make them behave. She just doesn't have her work vest on since the buckle on her old one broke. Among her many skills, she's been trained to help me navigate the world. Haven't you, girl?" she crooned. Freya alerted immediately, pressing her nose into her mistress's hand. Saylor rubbed her head.

Everyone around the table was quiet. I knew it was because most of them were stunned like I was. Nothing in the way she acted hinted she was blind. She looked at you when you spoke to her. Her movements were sure. I was dying to ask how it had happened. Had she been blind all her life, or did the scar on her temple have something to do with it? I stopped myself from asking.

"Undoubtedly, you have questions," she said.

"I admit, I'm curious, but you're under no obligation to tell us anything. I'm happy you helped us with this project and opened our eyes," Bull was quick to tell her.

"I don't mind. I talk about it frequently. First, you asked if I worked with the disabled, and I said I did. It's true. I do most of my work at the VA with blind veterans, helping them to adjust to their new normal, although I do work with others having difficulties. As part of that, I tell them what happened to me."

"Why veterans?" Stalker jumped in to ask.

"Because I can relate, and they can relate to me. I'm a veteran. I was blinded in the line of duty. They find they can talk to me, and I understand their challenges better than civilians. It's a struggle for anyone to go from being fully sighted and a contributing unit member to being dependent. They believe they'll be useless and dependent on others for everything for the rest of their lives. Many contemplate suicide. I teach them ways to be independent and adapt and how they can still be contributing members of society."

"That's amazing. Do you mind me asking how long you've been blind and about Freya? I assume you got her from Flynn Farms since you know Vex. I've got to admit. I had no idea you weren't able to see. I was under the impression someone blind didn't make eye contact. You fooled me," Tank admitted.

"I'll confess, I can see shadows if the lighting is right. It makes it easier for me to know where to look. Most blind people try and may get close using auditory cues. I did get Freya from Flynn Farms. Vex was one of her trainers the second time around," she said while smiling in his direction. Every time she smiled at him or Stalker, I tensed up. I didn't like it. Damn it, what was wrong with me?

"The second time around?" I asked.

"We train more than just service and protection dogs at the Farms," Vex interjected. "I know that's what you've been exposed to between Brute, Blitz, and Ruger in Dublin Falls. The farm also works for the military, training dogs to serve in various capacities. The four main ways are sentry, scout, explosive, and casualty dogs. The sentry dogs help guard checkpoints, ammunition depots, and military compounds. They're skilled at working in the dark to detect enemies easily. The scout dogs are also called patrol dogs. They're used to detect snipers and ambushes. They're trained to work in silence. Explosive detection dogs' specialty is evident by their name. They can detect the chemicals used in weapons on people, in a vehicle, or along the road. Usually, they're Labradors or German Shepherds. Their sense of smell is forty-five times greater than a human's. There's no device capable of detecting explosives better than them. The last are casualty dogs, who search for and report casualties in obscure places. The number of people saved throughout history with their use is huge."

"That's fascinating, but what does that have to do with Saylor?" I asked impatiently.

"Because Freya was originally trained as a military dog, a scout dog as a matter of fact. She and I were sent out to detect snipers and ambushes. It was during one of our operations that I was blinded and had to be medically retired. A lot of our dogs mourn a handler for a long time if they're killed in combat. Some K-9s get PTSD, just like a human can. It's common for them to refuse to work with another handler, so veterans or families of fallen soldiers adopt them. In Freya's case, she refused to work with anyone but me, so they retired her. I adopted her and then asked the Flynns to train her to be my service dog. There was no way I'd have another dog do it," she said with an affectionate smile as she patted the dog's head, then rubbed her hand up and down her back.

"Wow, that's amazing. I hate that you went through that, but you seem to be coping well," Bull stated.

"I've had four years to learn. I won't lie. Going from a Marine to this was hard. There were days I didn't want to get out of bed, but Freya wouldn't let me wallow. I always thought I'd be doing different work when the time came to get out of the military."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but your MOS as a handler is a secondary one only available to those who are military police, right?" Bull asked. He had been a Marine years ago.

"You're right. After Marine Combat Training, I was selected to go to MP training and then to be a handler. I had another dog first. He had lost his original handler. He worked with me, but he died in the field. I was given Freya, and she's been with me since. That was seven years ago."

"Oorah," Bull said, smiling.

"Oorah. So a fellow Marine, I take it. Nice."

"I was, many years ago. More than I like to count. Sweetheart, I don't mean to be nosy, and if I am, tell me to fuck off, but how did you lose your sight in the line of duty?" Bull asked softly.

She grimaced. He immediately jumped in to say, "Never mind. Forget I asked. Thank you so much for what you've helped us with."

"It's alright, truly. I don't mind. I grimaced because it was preventable."

"Did someone fuck up?" Rebel asked. He'd been in the military, too.

"Yes, you could say that. I was deployed to Afghanistan like most of us were at that time. We were out on patrol. Freya and I took point with a few others ahead of our company. We were hunting insurgents hiding out to ambush or snipe us. A Master Sergeant, who had never been in the field with my company before, was out with us on patrol. Freya signaled she detected enemies ahead of us. I reported it. The Master Sergeant chose to ignore my warning. He ordered us to proceed. I reiterated why we shouldn't. He ridiculed me and asked if I was scared. He ordered me to send Freya ahead of us. I knew it was a bad idea, but I complied. We were ambushed minutes later. In the ensuing firefight, several Marines were injured. Freya went in to help them. I did, too. That's when it happened."

She stopped. I was still astonished to find out she'd been a Marine, even though I shouldn't have been. Bull's daughter Harlow had been a Marine sniper.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into that and hurt," Tank said. The others were more or less muttering the same. We were all interrupted by Vex.

"Saylor, there was more to it than just that. You should tell them the rest."

She shook her head and slanted a quelling look in his direction. This piqued my interest. What was she hiding? And why?

"Don't give me that look. Fine, if you won't tell them, then I will. You're looking at two heroes. Freya and Saylor went in after their wounded fellow Marines under heavy fire from the enemy. Despite being shot themselves, they pulled four men to safety before they couldn't go back and get more. While bringing out her last man, Saylor was caught in an explosion. You're looking at a Silver Star with Combat ‘V' and a Bronze Star with Combat ‘V' recipients." Vex said proudly.

Rebel and Bull came instantly to their feet and saluted her while thanking her. Saylor blushed and appeared to be uncomfortable with Vex outing her. She tried to play it off.

"Freya was the one to deserve the Silver Star. I was just doing my job. The explosion was what took my eyesight. Freya's injury was minor enough that she could've continued to serve, but she refused, as I said, to work with anyone else. She's contrary. Anyway, I'm glad I could be of some help today. I'll let these ladies know if I think of anything else that might be helpful. Everything you said you wanted to do sounds exciting to me. You'll have no problem bringing in more customers. Everyone who comes in here raves about it. I learned about the bakery a few months ago from some customers. They were wives of veterans I work with at the VA."

"And we're so happy you came in and gave us a chance. We look forward to talking to you whenever you grace us with your presence and Freya's. I love the idea of adding a few dog-friendly treats to the menu. You're right. We don't mind dogs as long as they behave. Why didn't we think of that?" Madisen asked Jessica.

"I don't know, but I'm kicking myself for not," Jessica replied.

This broke the tension in Saylor. Everyone sat there joking and tossing out food ideas for the next ten minutes or so. I listened and studied Saylor. When it ground to a halt, Bull closed out the meeting.

"Saylor, again, thank you, and it's an honor. We'll talk to the rest of the club and get their votes, but I don't see them saying no. I believe now is the ideal time to expand. We can do the bulk of the work without closing the bakery. Those things that require us to be on this side of the building can be done after hours."

"It can. Oh, I just thought of something. Saylor, are you doing anything tomorrow?" Tank asked out of the blue.

"Ah, no, not that I can think of. Why? Do you need my help with something more?"

"No, not help. You should come to the compound. The other old ladies and our brothers would love to meet you. Freya will be in doggie heaven if she likes kids."

"She does love kids. She runs and plays with them whenever I take her to the park. Thank you. I'll see if I can get there."

"No need to worry about a ride. I'll pick the two of you up. What time, Pres?" Vex jumped in to offer.

"Say around noon. We'll throw some food on the grill and kick back. You can have some downtime while Freya plays to her heart's content," Bull said satisfactorily.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"We wouldn't have offered if we weren't sure. Alright, we need to get out of here. Vex, you make sure she gets home safe and sound, and we'll see you tomorrow," Bull told her.

And just like that, I still felt off-kilter minutes later when I watched Vex leave with her. I had no idea why. What I did know was I'd have to distance myself until this weird illness of mine went away. I didn't know why she affected me this way, but it would never do. Although, if I could get her to agree to warm my bed for a night or two, it would likely go away. Once I slept with a woman, my interest waned and then evaporated. Hmm, yeah, that's what I'd do. I'd have to see if Vex was tapping that. If he were and it was casual, I'd let him know to tell me once he was done. With this new plan in mind, I was slightly more relaxed on the ride to the compound.