13. Friday Date Nights

Chapter 13

Friday Date Nights

G race

It was Friday, and Sabre would leave the clubhouse soon to head my way. When he'd told me we'd make a real go of this at the beach, I'd wanted desperately to believe him. I was also a realist, and if he didn't show or made an excuse, I would just move on. I was having a baby by myself, and I didn't need to worry about a man in my life.

The first week after I had moved into the pool house, Sabre called and texted the entire week. It was the little things. He'd send me a text in the morning. By lunch, it was usually a video call while he sat in his office, and at night, he'd call me again. I'd keep a running commentary about whatever TV show or movie I was watching. I didn't know if I was distracting him from his work or keeping him company. There were always power tool sounds in the background, and I didn't want to ask for fear he'd stop calling.

That Friday rolled around, and I pretended like it was another day. I ran errands. I worked on a small proposal for a project that would need to be completed by the end of the year, and I tried not to watch the clock. Sabre had called that afternoon to tell me he was on his way. He'd never missed a Friday, even though I knew the miles took a toll on him.

This Friday was no different. I was sitting at the island counter in the pool house, answering emails and pretending count the hours. I was writing an email, but my eyes were so focused on the microwave clock, that I forgot to hit send. Laughing at myself, I grabbed my phone off the counter and headed to my bedroom .

I was puttering around the room when my phone rang. Smiling, I reached over and grabbed it. Taking a deep breath, I shook out my arms and legs. I had to play this cool. I refused to show him exactly how much I missed him when I wasn't sure what to make of our situation.

"Hello?" I said.

"Mama."

I smiled widely and held my giggle in. "Hey," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Don't give me that shit. I don't believe you're not as excited about today as I am."

"A little." I smiled as I climbed into my bed, getting comfortable.

"What are you doing?" Sabre asked.

"Shouldn't you be asking me what I am wearing?" I was trying to play coy.

"No," he scoffed. "If you start that shit, there's no way to finish it. I am not riding four hours with my dick so hard it's suffocating in my jeans."

"That sounds like a tragedy." I finally gave in to the laughter that bubbled in the back of my throat.

"It is. He'll shrivel up and die."

"Why do you talk about him in the third person, like he has actual feelings?" I didn't know why I was keeping up with this silly conversation, but it was fun and light .

"He does, and he really wants to get acquainted with you."

"That's not my fault. You did that to yourself." I openly laughed at him.

He made a disgruntled noise. "Don't know what I was thinking, but it fucking sucks."

I could hear him walking around, but there weren't enough background sounds to place exactly where he was in the clubhouse. I'd asked one time why he didn't call me from the road. He'd told me I was too much of a distraction, and he'd rather call me from the clubhouse before he actually left. Safety first. It also gave the brothers a chance to razz him if they knew he was talking to me.

"What are you doing, mama?" he asked me.

"Lying in bed. I might take a nap before you get here." I'd been increasingly tired the last couple of weeks, but it wasn't so bad that a nap wouldn't cure it. Dr. Vargas hadn't implied that anything was wrong, and I chalked it up to the baby growing.

"You're killing me," he huffed. "Grabbing a cup of coffee, and then I am on my way. You alright?"

"Don't worry about us. We're fine." I didn't want him stressed trying to get here when a nap sounded fantastic.

"You don't quite understand that you're mine. Even if you were here, I'd still worry about the two of you. It's just what you do for the people you care about. Sleep tight, and I'll be there soon."

I awakened an hour before his arrival, so I'd showered and dressed in shorts and a nicer shirt. The first Friday he'd arrived, I'd worn a dress and heels. After he had told me how beautiful I looked, he had slapped my ass and told me to go change. We hadn't been going anywhere that required that level of dress code. I'd actually been more comfortable and had a better time. Now, I didn't bother with the fancy clothes.

I waited until I heard the engine of his bike driving down the street to grab my things and lock the front door of the pool house. Walking around the main house, I made it to the driveway as he pulled in. I stopped. This was my favorite part.

He stopped the bike and made sure the kickstand was in place before balancing the bike on it. It was always the same pattern. Next, he turned off the bike but didn't stand. Sabre slid his helmet off and ran a hand through his hair. Placing the helmet behind him, he sat on the bike and watched me watching him. We both smirked at the same time.

I waddled towards him, and as I approached, he wrapped his arm around my waist, and I wrapped mine around his neck. "Hi," I said before I leaned down and kissed him. When I started to pull away, he wouldn't let me go, resting his forehead against mine.

"Hi," he said. "Each week you're more beautiful than the week before, and that's saying something, because you knock my socks off."

"Words like that will get you laid."

"Nah, I fucked myself over telling you'd I wait. I'll keep my promise to you, so that the next time I make one, you won't ever doubt that the words are true."

I didn't know what to say, and when he scanned my face, I think he knew I was having a hard time. It'd been a while since anyone had kept a promise to me. I wasn't sure I even believed in them anymore.

"Hungry?" he asked me. "I am starving, and I thought we'd head to that seafood place on the beach."

I nodded, still needing a minute. He unhooked his arm from my waist and held out his hand for my keys.

He drove us to the restaurant, and we took our meals and sat down in the sand to eat and watch the tide. When we finished eating, he reached for me, and I climbed into his lap. My back to his front.

Sabre told me about the club's shenanigans. "Cyph's been running the fight channel all hours of the day and night. He's been telling Grizz he's getting his money's worth. Of course, it's not going well, and there's almost been several fights break out. Who needs the channel, when they could just do a knockout tournament in the backyard?"

I laughed as I leaned back into him and just listened.

"Count's our treasurer, so he's been running one of our clubs until we can get a new manager. It's not a big deal. Count knows what he's doing, but it means that he spends a lot of time with the girls."

"Strippers," I corrected.

"How do you know they're strippers?" he asked me.

"You were pausing over keywords, like there was more to it than just a club with waitresses. It wasn't hard to figure out." I tipped my head back and smiled at him. He nipped at my lips before he went back to telling me the story .

"Well, Count couldn't care less, but supposedly, Cyph enjoys hanging out with the girls." He reached down to my side and lightly tickled me. "So now, I have Count teasing Cyph, who's picking on Grizz. When Grizz explodes, he'll take out at least three more brothers. I swear, it's like running a fucking frat house."

"I am sure you can handle it," I teased.

"Well, you'll get to experience it when I come get you in two weeks." He buried his face in the crook of my neck, his stubble tickling my skin.

"What are you talking about?" I crinkled my nose.

"The brothers have officially asked to meet you, so the club is hosting a family picnic, two weeks from this Sunday."

"Are you asking me to come or telling me?" I brought my hand up to rub his forearm.

"You'll be begging me to come, and I'll enjoy every minute of making you squirm." He kissed the side of my forehead as he tightened his arms around me. "Mama, I am asking if you'll come to the family picnic." I must not have answered quick enough because he quickly followed up with. "They know how we met, and they just want to see the woman who's captivated their president."

"With pretty words like that, how could I say no?"

He called it a family picnic, but it would be a family interrogation.

***

It'd be a miracle if I didn't throw up. I wanted to, but I didn't think it would make me feel better. This wasn't morning sickness. This wasn't even food related. I was nauseous over a family picnic.

I'd been to plenty over the years, and I'd even planned a few, but I couldn't shake the nerves. My mind kept shouting that I was walking into an interrogation, no matter how many times I repeated the words "family picnic. "

I didn't blame the club. They wanted to make sure that I was good enough for their president. However, there was a little voice that berated me for having too much baggage to saddle him with. It would just be selfish not to let him go.

It was constant, but I put my big girl panties on and got to business. I enlisted Aunt Elizabeth to help me. I told her I was nervous and that I wanted to make a good impression.

She laughed at me and said, "Grace, you know a way to a man's heart is through his stomach." We made four coolers worth of salads, lasagna, anything that would go over well.

It was four in the morning, and I hadn't been able to sleep. To top it off, as soon as I got comfortable, the heartburn kicked in like a bitch. This kid was trying to kill me.

Sabre had told me he didn't want me on the road by myself, but I figured it was so early, I could get a head start. It only made sense to meet them somewhere on the road instead of roaming around the pool house, counting the minutes until their arrival. I texted, telling him I was going to pack the car and then make my way to the highway.

I was an hour into the journey when my cell phone rang. It had automatically connected to the Bluetooth in my car, and I hit the button on my steering wheel to answer. I wasn't expecting the growl that came down the line.

"I am not happy with you, mama." Sabre growled again into the phone.

"I told you I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd make the trip quicker." It sounded reasonable to me, so I wasn't sure why he was so upset.

"I don't care. Your ass should have been home until we got there."

"Too late now," I replied, disappointed at how this trip was turning out already. He meant well, but so had I. What a way to start our three days together.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"About an hour in, right outside of Bentley. "

"It's too late now, but don't stop. There's a roadside diner at Exit 154. Should be about an hour and a half from you. I know the owners, and your ass better be there when I get there."

I was angry with myself for not following his instructions. I was angry at him for thinking that I couldn't do this. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I was just angry and didn't feel like responding to him.

"Mama, you know your safety is my priority. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. It was the whole reason we made these plans, and I expected you to follow those instructions."

"I don't like you right now." I frowned at the radio, showing his connected call.

"Mama."

"No," I cut him off. "I am feeling good. I have no complications, and I spent all day yesterday making food because I am not good enough for you. You don't get to be angry when I am the one who has to make a good first impression. I'll just turn around and go home."

"Your ass better be at that diner," he repeated, and I hung up on him.

I fumed all the way to the diner. I fumed as I sat in the parking lot, waiting for my detail squad. When I heard the loud symphony of bikes, that was when I realized why I was angry. Sabre honestly cared about whether or not I was alright. It had nothing to do with what I looked like or that I had cooked for today. He had cared only about me. Matt wouldn't have given two shits as long as everything was perfect. I didn't know there was a difference…until I had calmed down.

I watched in the rear-view mirror as they pulled into the parking lot in formation. I recognized Sabre at the head of the pack instantly. Pretty and Wreck were behind him, and two brothers I didn't know were behind them.

The four of them backed into a spot behind me, and Sabre pulled in behind my SUV. I thought I was calm until I saw him pull off his helmet and rub a hand through his hair. My anger flared all over again. He didn't have the right to look that good .

He sat his helmet on his seat and made his way to my window. I looked straight ahead, avoiding eye contact.

"Mama, open the door," he said loud enough so that I was the only one to hear him.

I didn't want to cause a scene in front of the brothers that I didn't know. I unlocked the door but still sat facing forward.

He opened the door and squatted down, reaching for my hands in my lap. I didn't move.

"Mama, it took me the drive here to realize what's going on. I am not Matt. I'll never be that fuck face." He rubbed my hands between his.

I didn't know how to apologize for my behavior. On the one hand, I shouldn't have to. I was an adult, and I had left my home early to be helpful. On the other, the comparison would never be fair.

He rubbed his thumb against my cheek. "I don't care what you wear. You could have had your pajamas on. I'd still think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

I finally shifted to look at him. I didn't know how to make this better, and tears leaked from my eyes.

"Hey, it's alright," he spoke tenderly. "It's just a speed bump. We're going to have those every now and again."

I swung my legs out of the car and sat sideways in the driver's seat. "Stand up," I said and waited for him to move.

When he did, I threw myself into his arms. Burying my face into the flannel underneath his leather club cut, I tried to think of what to say. I'm sorry didn't seem good enough. I held him tight to me, and when I lifted my head to speak, he looked down at me.

"I know," he said.

"You don't know shit." I was still feeling feisty.

"Potty mouth," he said as he kissed me. "I like it."

"Thank you," I whispered against his lips .

"It's alright, mama. I am not going anywhere, and neither are you."

"Can you guys just fuck already? I can't handle all this sexual tension."

I buried my head again into Sabre's chest, and he held me just as tightly. We were trying to ignore Pretty. He must have opened my passenger door because suddenly, there was a high-pitched squeal.

"You made potato salad!"