CHAPTER FORTY

-:- ROCK -:-

Monday evening and Red is sitting with Mia and Jo, giving me the opportunity to come up the compound and check on how far the cabin has gotten.

It's like one I’d seen years ago and always loved. I know Hammer and his team will do a good job on the place and now he’s back at work, I’m sure they’ll get it done in no time. Yeah, I’m happy with how things are going.

Walking back to the clubhouse, I look up at the treehouse and see Star dressed like a geisha and Meat as a samurai. They are kneeling on the walkaround and Star is serving Meat with tea! Well, I presume it's tea. I keep walking and give a small wave as I pass. Fucking idiots, the pair of them, but they are happy idiots, so it’s all okay.

The next three days, I work on the pickup truck, making sure it is overhauled and in excellent working order. I had to replace a couple of parts, but Raven has kept the pickup truck in good condition.

“Splash.”

“Yeah, what’s up, Rock?”

“I want the truck sprayed, and this is what I want…”

I can’t wait to see Red’s face when I give her the truck. She’s been a long time without a vehicle, and I’m not happy at her using Ubers all the time. You just don’t know who these assholes are and could be a serial killer.

At the moment, I'm staying at Red's, but once the cabin is done, we'll be moving in. It will save a lot of cash because the lease is higher than you’d expect for the size of the place. Red will have more of her hard-earned money left when we get into the cabin. I told her she doesn’t have to work, but she wants to continue with what she’s doing as she loves helping her authors succeed.

Red receives nothing but praise from Jo for the growth in sales and readership. Despite being a well-known author, Jo’s status skyrocketed by thirty percent thanks to Red's support, an astonishing feat in such a short timeframe.

I read the letter from Marie to Red about Jo at the book signing, and it seems all the tables around Jo’s did an amazing number of sales, and the authors are saying they want to be booked next to Jo next time. One, because of the cosplay that went on, and two, the uplift they had in sales due to the cosplay.

We heard from Garrett yesterday, and he’s settled in his house. The job is better than he expected and has chances of promotion. Jessica was tested, and she has a high IQ, now Garrett is hunting for a school that will help her learning advance according to her ability, but he isn’t willing to put her into any boarding school, or any school where she is not living with him and attending classes daily.

Jerica, we do not know where she is or what she’s doing, and if we are honest, we don’t want to know either. Red is happy without her sister in her life and I’m happy if Red is happy. Let Jerica come and try to ruin her happiness, and I’ll make sure she meets her maker.

Hot Hogs and Cages has had four celebrities place orders that we are looking forward to doing, but they were told they had to wait their turn or go elsewhere. Just because they are famous doesn’t give them the right to have ordinary people wait for their custom jobs to be done. Some of our customers have saved for years to have the work done, and as we all at the MC have started from nothing, we know how it feels to achieve the goal you set yourself.

Friday and I’m taking the truck home with me. Fist had given me a lift to work this morning, so I wouldn’t have to leave my hog here overnight. The truck runs like a dream, with no clunking, clanking or other sounds, just a nice smooth engine noise.

I park up and head indoors, finding Red at the stove stirring a pan of something. I wrap my arms around her, kissing her neck. Then reach forward and turn off the stove. “I’ve something to show you. Come on.”

Red gives me a sigh as she puts a lid on the pan and takes the hand I’m holding out to her. “What’s going on?” she asks, but I say nothing. Opening the front door, I lead her outside and she’s looking at me questioningly rather than where we are going, but as soon as she turns to look forward, she stops dead in her tracks.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my, that is beautiful.”

I stand watching with what must be a silly grin on my face as Red walks to the truck, which is standing gleaming in front of her. “The truck is yours. I know you liked it when you drove it back from the ice cream place. So, I had her sprayed for you, and hope you like it.”

“What? For me?” Red gives me a beaming smile as she steps toward the truck, with a watery expression, which has me a little worried.

To describe the truck as ‘red’ would be an understatement. It is a dazzling fire truck red at the roofline, but by the time it reaches the bottom half of the doors and wheel arches, it is a very dark cherry red. The bottom of the truck is a shiny black. You hardly notice where the colors change. It's almost seamless.

The interior is dark red leather, and although it’s all red, it doesn’t look loud or over the top. The gear knob has been replaced with a stone ball of red rock. I think Fist called it ‘Red Jasper’. I know it wasn’t cheap because of its size, but it certainly makes a statement.

Having been around the truck twice, and then sat in both front seats to see everything from all angles, Red hops out and stares at me.

“You like the truck, then?” I ask, and Red launches herself into my arms. Wrapping her arms around my neck and legs around my waist, I place my one arm around her, holding her to me, and another under her butt to keep her in place. “It’s gorgeous. Thank you so much.”

I carry Red indoors, kissing her and nipping at her neck, leaving hickeys for all to see. “You can say ‘thank you’ upstairs, in the kitchen, even the utility.”

“Oh, can I now?” Red laughs, but I stop that when I kiss her thoroughly, leaving her breathless and flushed.

We spend the weekend at home, eating take out, sleeping and rounds of sex all over the house. I think we christened every room, but I can do each room again just to be on the safe side.

Sunday night, we are lying in bed wrapped around each other and I can’t help but burst out laughing when Red suddenly states. “Shit, that pan is still sitting on the stove from Friday.”

“We’ll just throw the pan away and buy a new one.” I say, kissing the top of her head as she snuggles back down onto my chest.

Just as I’m falling asleep I hear Red ask. “You ever wanted to be a cowboy?”

“When I was a kid, maybe.” Looking up as Red sits on top of me, giving me a huge grin.

“You ever heard, save a horse, ride a cowboy?”

“Yee-haw!!” I shout and she rides this cowboy to the end of the ranch and back. I can’t help thinking how lucky I am and I’m going to make sure Red wants to ride this cowboy the rest of her life. I’m gonna have to get me a cowboy hat, I think to myself as I fall asleep.