Gravel's Road (10 page)

“I haven’t talked to my mom in over a year since she tried to sleep with Mark.”

“What the fuck?” Gravel exclaimed, almost knocking over his coffee.

“Yeah. Mom has changed quite a bit from the last time you saw her. She is a high functioning alcoholic and all around man-eater,” Marley said.

I looked at Gravel, gauging his reaction to this news. He had shock written all over his face. “I don’t believe it.”

“Yeah, well, believe it,” Marley said. The waitress rushed over with our plates, setting them down in front of us and rushed off to seat the large group that had just walked in.

“What did your mom say when you left?” I asked. I grabbed the jelly and started smearing it all over my toast. Gravel pushed his towards me, and I spread jelly all over his.

“She told me I was a fool for running to you. She said you were just going to let me down like you did before.”

“That’s bullshit!” Gravel yelled, slamming his fist down on the table. The woman sitting behind Marley gasped and looked over her shoulder at us. I gave her a finger wave and acted like Gravel hadn’t scared the living shit out of me.

“I know. Why do you think I’m here? Mom left you, not the other way around. We can’t change what happened,” Marley reasoned, trying to calm down Gravel.

“So do you think these people are going to try anything more or with you leaving this will be over?” I asked, pushing Gravel’s toast back towards him.

“I seriously have no idea. I have tried to tell his family over and over that I want nothing that Mark left me, but they don’t believe me. My leaving will hopefully show them that I am serious, and they will leave me alone,” Marley said, cutting into her eggs and mixing them with her hash browns.

“Well, I’ll put one of the prospects on you until we figure what the hell is going on and if they are going to try to fuck with you anymore. Did they blackball you in your last job, to where you can’t get a reference?”

“No, my boss just had no choice but to get rid of me. They were spreading rumors and hurting his business and the only way to fix it, was to let me go. He said he would give me an excellent reference.”

“There’s a new beauty shop over on Ridgeland. I think it’s called Curl Up and Dye,” I said.

“Nice. I love the name. I’ll have to head over that way after we look for a place for me to stay.” Marley smiled. I think that was the first real smile I had seen on her face. I could tell the whole situation with her fiancée’s family was weighing on her.

“Well, eat up and then we can head over to the house by Ethel’s. That one is going to be your best bet,” Gravel said, shoveling in a bit of egg and hash brown. I looked at his plate, seeing he had mixed his eggs and hash browns the same way that Marley had.

I smirked, like father like daughter.

We finished our breakfast with Gravel and I trying to give Marley the quick rundown of Rockton.

Gravel shoved his chair back when the waitress had dropped the check on the table and headed to the bathroom, but not before he grabbed the check before Marley, or I could pay.

“He’s different with you,” Marley said, repeating what she had told me yesterday.

“I guess he is. He said he’s ready to settle down,” I confessed, feeling like I could talk to Marley about this.

“It’s about time. It only took him what, fifty-seven years?” Marley laughed.

“I just hope he means it. I don’t want to change him; I just want to be a part of his life. I know the club is a big part of who he is. I don’t want him to think that he can’t be a part of it if he is with me,” I said, finally. I had never spoken those words out loud. I was afraid Gravel would pick the club over myself, even though I would never make him choose.

“You mean a lot to him, Ethel. I really don’t think you have anything to worry about.” Marley said, reaching across the table and squeezing my hand.

I felt foolish, being fifty-eight years old and looking for reassurance from the daughter of the man I was dating. “Thanks, sweetheart,’ I said as I saw Gravel at the cash register paying the bill. I grabbed my purse sitting next to me and hooked it over my shoulder. ‘Let’s head out and see if we can’t find you a place to live.”

Marley and I both stood up and made out way over to Gravel.

“Ready?” He asked, shoving his wallet into his back pocket.

“Yup. Let’s go find me a place, and then we can go furniture shopping. All I basically brought with me was clothes,” Marley said, walking out the door.

Gravel grabbed my arm, stopping me. “We’re not going shopping with her, are we?” he asked, looking terrified.

“How about I drop you off at the clubhouse after we look at the house, and then I’ll pick you up after we’re done?” I suggested, knowing that shopping all afternoon was not Gravel’s idea of a good time.

“You drop me off, and then you call me when you get home and I can ride my bike back to your house. The doc told me I could gradually start riding again.” He laced his fingers through mine and pulled me out the door.

“You really think you are ready to be riding?” I asked, worried that Gravel would hurt himself.

“I’ll be fine, darlin’. Plus, I want you on the back of my bike so I can take you to see my property I have. We could make a day of it.” Marley was standing next to my car, looking at her phone, punching buttons.

I had a little flutter go through me at the idea of being on the back of Gravel’s bike. “Lo told me you have some property around here. He said it was on a lake.”

“Yup. I’ll bring my bike home tonight and see how I feel after riding it, and then maybe we can head up there in the next week. I’m sure we are going to have a lot going on with Marley moving here and getting her situated,” Gravel said, opening up my door.

“I’m worried about her,” I whispered, standing face to face with Gravel. I leaned into him, my hands braced on his chest.

We both glanced over at her. She still had her head bent over her phone, her blonde hair cascading around her. “Me too, darlin’. I’m afraid what happened to her in California isn’t over yet.”

“I think you might be right. Who are you going to have stay with her? Turtle?” I asked.

“Probably. I’ll have to run it past Lo, but I doubt he’ll have a problem with it.”

I leaned up on my tiptoes; my mouth inches away from Gravel. “You really are a sweet man, when you want to be.” I smiled. I leaned in, pressing my lips against his. He growled and threaded his fingers through my hair. He deepened the kiss, and I grabbed his arms.

“Keep that sweet shit to yourself,” he growled, ripping his lips from mine.

I smirked, knowing he secretly likes the fact I thought he was sweet. “Aye aye, captain.” I mocked, saluting him.

Gravel shook his head and laughed. I smiled, turned to get in the car and Gravel slapped my ass, surprising the hell out of me.

“Tell me how sweet that is,” he said, winking at me and headed to the other side of the car.

I glanced over at Marley, who had finally looked up from her phone and had seen what Gravel had just done to me.

“Men,” I laughed, shrugging my shoulder.

She threw her head back laughing and slipped into the back seat.

I got in the car, a huge smile on my face and we headed off to what was hopefully going to be Marley’s new place.

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Chapter 13

Gravel

I watched Ethel’s car disappear down the road and shook my head.

After going to the little bungalow by Ethel’s that Marley fell in love with, we signed the papers right away. We then headed over to Curl Up and Dye where Ethel and Marley gabbed with the chick who owned the place for over an hour. I swear to god I was going to lose my fucking mind if I had to listen to Marley and Ethel gush over how ‘retro’ the place was.

Thankfully, Ethel got the hint that we needed to get the fuck out of there after I walked out. I leaned against the car that was parked directly in front of the big store front window and crossed my arms, looking in at them.

Gwen, the owner of the shop, had just opened six months ago and was looking for more stylist. She hired Marley on the spot and told her she could start tomorrow.

After we had left the salon, I told Ethel I was going to go to the clubhouse, and her and Marley could go shopping for furniture. There was no way in hell I was going to go through that torture.

“Holy hell! You’re back!” Hammer yelled as he walked over from one of the shops open bay doors.

“Yeah, thought I’d help out where I can until Ethel and Marley get done shopping,” I grunted.

“So you and Ethel, huh?” Hammer said, bumping me with his shoulder.

I swear to God Hammer was dropped on his head as a baby. “Yeah, me and Ethel.”

“She is smoking hot for being old,” Hammer said, a shit eating grin on his face.

“She isn’t old,” I protested.

“I’d totally do her if I had the chance.” Hammer laughed, elbowing me in the side this time.

Yup, definitely dropped on his head as a baby. “You might want to choose your next words very carefully when you talk about Ethel, who is my ol’ lady and also your president's mother,” I growled, glaring at Hammer.

“I didn't mean anything by it!’ Hammer exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender. ‘I was just trying to pay her a compliment.”

“Yeah, well, the next time you pay someone a compliment, leave sleeping with them out of it.” I shot off at him.

I shook my head at him as he ran his fingers through his hair and looked everywhere but at me. “Go back to work, Hammer,” I ordered.

He looked at me relieved that he could leave and ran back to the garage.

“Not even back ten minutes and you already got Hammer running for the hills,” King said, walking out of the front office.

I turned around to look at him and saw Slider and Rigid follow out behind him.

“Hammer was dropped on his head as a baby; I fucking swear to god he was,” I replied.

All three of them nodded their heads, knowing exactly what I was talking about.

“Where’s Ma and Marley?” King asked, grabbing a towel out of his back pocket and wiped his hands.

“Headed to get furniture for Marley’s new place. I spent a fucking hour at the god damn beauty salon today when Marley was looking for a job. I told Ethel just to shoot me and shove me in the trunk if she was going to make me go shopping with them.”

“Did I hear shopping?” Meg called as she walked out the clubhouse door.

“You think you could hold the door next time instead of letting it slam in my face?” Cyn sassed as she walked out the door ten seconds later.

“Sorry. I heard someone say shopping, and I got excited.” Meg explained as she clapped her hands together excitedly.

“Ok, you’re forgiven only because shopping might be involved,” Cyn said as she walked over to Rigid and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Meg walked right past King and right up to me. “Who’s shopping?”

“Ethel and Marley,” I said.

“And they didn’t invite us?” Meg asked, looking crestfallen.

“They both thought you would still be at that college thing with Remy,” I explained. Ethel had thought of calling Meg, but she didn’t know if she would be busy or not.

“Well, I’m not. Lo, give me the keys to my truck,” Meg demanded, holding her hand out to him, wiggling her fingers at him.

“That’s how it’s going to be, huh?” King asked, eyeing Meg up and down.

“I’ll make it up to you later. Promise. The stores close at nine, so I’ll be home by nine thirty at the latest. Promise,” Meg pleaded.

“I call bullshit. Fucking Walmart is open twenty-four fucking hours, and you could be gone for days,” King said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Bah, I can’t stay away from you for that long, you know that,” Meg replied, laying it on thick and batting her eyelashes at King. Man, Meg was a fucking trip.

We all had smiles plastered to our faces, watching Meg trying to play King.

“Nine thirty, and if your ass isn’t home, I’m coming to look for you,” King threatened.

“Thank you,” Meg said, leaning up and placing a kiss on his cheek. She reached in his pocket, snagged the keys out and made a run for her truck.

“Get in the truck, loser! We’re going shopping!” Meg shouted as she threw open her newly fixed door and jumped in.

“I think I’m the loser she’s referring to,” Cyn said as she looked around at us who had confused looks on our faces wondering who the hell Meg was talking to.

“Why the hell did she call you a loser?” Rigid asked.

“It’s from a movie. If you don’t keep up with Meg’s weird references, you’ll get left behind.” Cyn pressed a kiss to Rigid’s cheek and pulled away to leave.

“Not so fast,” Rigid said, tugging her back in his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and laid one on her.

“Jesus Christ,’ Slider said, turning his back to them. ‘Fucking sickening all of you. Fucking ol’ ladies roaming all over the clubhouse now,” Slider grumped, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Jealous?” Cyn said, as she placed one more kiss on Rigid’s lips and walked off to join Meg.

“Fuck me, she’s amazing,” Rigid said with a big fucking grin plastered on his face.

“Pussy whipped, both of you,” Slider said as he walked into the clubhouse, shaking his head.

“You find out why Marley is here?” King asked as we watched the girls drive away.

“Yeah, pretty fucked up reason, too,” I replied.

“She in trouble?” Rigid asked.

“Not sure. She thinks with her moving here, nothing will happen, but I don’t think she is right.”

“We need to have someone with her? Rigid and I just sent our women to hang out with her, and so is Ma,” King said, concerned he just sent Meg into trouble.

“It probably wouldn’t hurt,” I said, glad that King thought someone should be with Marley too.

“I’ll put Turtle on it. I’ll text Meg asking where she is, and then I’ll send Turtle to keep an eye on them,” King said, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he called for Turtle.

“Shit, we got enough shit going on with the Assassins right now. Hopefully, this shit with Marley pans out to be nothing.” Rigid said.

“I hope you’re right,” I agreed, wondering what the hell could happen next.

Whatever it was, I just hoped Marley and Ethel were safe.

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