Nick: Black Tuxedos MC Page 6

  “Safe travels. I hate this time of year because the weather’s so iffy we can’t really ride.”

  “Tell me about it. I like my truck but prefer to be on my bike. Guess she’s parked for the winter now.”

  “We’ll see if Matt has time to go over all of them so they’ll be ready for spring.”

  “I’ll give him a hand when I get back.”

  “Ha, we’ll all probably end up in there,” Reese says.

  The trip home, which normally takes me an hour to make took closer to three due to the heavy snow falling. I finally pull into my parents’ driveway and let out a sigh of relief. “We made it, Bosco. Let’s go introduce you to everyone.” Walking into the house, I hear my mom hollering at the kids to grab more wood for the fireplace. “I’ll help, Bryce,” I tell my younger brother. Within minutes, we’ve got the back porch loaded down with logs and I’m walking into the kitchen to see my mom standing over the stove. “Hey, Mom,” I say, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

  “Hey, Nicky. Your dad is at the diner and might need a hand. We’re already on generator power here because our power went out and several of the girls couldn’t get in to work. Can you go help?”

  “I’m on it. Wait, what’s Amelia doing here? Where’s Shayla?” I ask, seeing the infant in the high chair.

  “Oh, I decided to give her a day off of being a mommy and went and got Amelia this morning. Good thing too, because I’m sure her power’s probably out but I haven’t had a chance to call.”

  “I’ll run over there later, I’m sure she’s fine. Gonna leave Bosco here if that’s okay. Let me go help Dad.”

  Once at the diner, I walk in and ask, “What do you need me to do?”

  “Can you grab the plow and do the parking lot here and at the truck stop? The generators are ensuring we still have lights and power to the pumps, but I want to make sure that folks can maneuver safely in the lot itself.”

  “Yeah, keys still hanging up?” I ask.

  “Same place as always.”

  * * *

  I spend the next forty-five minutes clearing both parking lots of the sheet of slush that’s making it treacherous and make a mental note to come back out in a few hours to clear it again. Checking at the truck stop, I see my grandma and say, “Don’t try to leave on your own. Either me or Dad will take you home.”

  “Not planning to leave, Nicky,” she tells me. “Most of my folks can’t get here, so it’s me until we run out of gas or someone else shows up.”

  “I’ll let Dad know and may be bouncing back and forth,” I reply. “Do you need anything now?”

  “Nope, fresh coffee was just put on and I’ve managed to get all the inventory unpacked and stocked. Just chilling now.”

  “Be careful, Grandma B,” I tell her, giving her a hug and a kiss.

  “I’m always careful,” she states. “Now go help your dad, I see more cars have pulled in.”

  Normally, my dad closes the diner around eleven at night but because the storm is driving people off the road and toward safety, he decided to stay open. Soon, all the rooms in the motel that’s attached are full of folks, and the diner has two families currently waiting out the storm. “Dad?” I ask, walking into the kitchen since for a few minutes, everyone has what they need. “Should we open the house out back? Don’t want anyone getting on the road in this shit.”

  My dad sighs before nodding. “Yeah. We keep it clean so it’s okay, I guess. I’ll deal with any flack from your mom later.”

  “Don’t think she’d want anyone out in this either,” I tell him. “Okay, we’ve got two families. House is big enough for them, right? I can take the plow and go down the driveway and they can follow me.”

  “That works. House is on a generator as well, so everything should work.”

  I nod and head back to the dining room and tell both families that they can follow behind me. At first, the men balk until I make it clear that traveling for the night is unlikely to happen. Then, looking at their sleepy children, they nod and slowly, following behind the plow, I lead them to the house my dad initially lived in years ago. I give the men a crash course on things and then leave, heading back to the diner.

  Once inside, I grab a cup of coffee and sit down, exhaustion setting in.

  Shayla

  When the power goes out, I’m grateful that Amelia is with Jaycie and warm. Layering up, I soon find out that with no power, the house gets colder and colder. I grab every blanket in the house and pile it on the bed before crawling beneath the warm cocoon with my phone and e-reader, praying that the power comes back on quickly before I freeze to death.

  8

  Nick

  “Nick! Nicky! Wake up,” Dad says, shaking my shoulders. “Have you heard from Shayla at all?”

  I open my eyes and look at the clock hanging over the back counter and see it’s close to four in the morning. The diner’s empty except for me and Dad and I reply, “No, I haven’t. Should we stay open?”

  “Until they close the interstate, which I’m pretty sure is about to happen. I don’t wanna shut the door because someone could be out there and need us.” And that’s one of the reasons I love my dad so much – he always puts others in front of himself. “Your mom is okay with the kids, but she asked about Shayla. You need to go check on her. Take the kerosene heaters I’ve got out back because I’m sure she’s lost power by now.” I’ve got the ones I brought from the clubhouse, but a few more couldn’t hurt, especially if she’s lost power.

  “How’s Grandma B?”

  “She’s good, Albert managed to make it in so she’s asleep back in our office right now. Let me make you a few thermoses with coffee, hot cocoa, and some soup.” I nod before standing and heading out to the storage area where I grab two kerosene heaters. I can’t believe I didn’t call her and guilt has me wanting to move fast. Seeing the battery-powered lanterns, I snag those as well. “Grab some kerosene from the truck stop, Nick,” my dad hollers out as I walk through and stack the items by the door. “And maybe some blankets too.”

  Nodding, I walk out into the swirling snow and crank my truck up, then load the stuff that was by the door before I walk over to the truck stop. Filling up three gas cans, I also grab fresh batteries and the last three blankets the truck stop has on hand, as well as various snack foods. When I go to pay Albert, the older man shakes his head no and says, “Your dad already called, he’s got this. You go on to see about your girl.”

  “Thanks, Albert,” I reply. “You and Grandma B stay safe.”

  “Not gonna leave her by herself. Your family saved my life all those years ago.”

  I head to my truck and hop inside. As I slowly make my way to Shayla’s, I keep trying to call with no success.

  * * *

  Pulling up to her house, I then back out and back into the driveway so I’m next to the steps. Seeing the house is dark, I get out and make my way to the door, grateful I thought to grab a shovel so I can clear the steps and porch. Then I unlock the door before hauling everything inside. Once inside with the door closed, I use my flashlight app on my phone and when I notice that I can see my breath inside the house, I cringe knowing that she hasn’t had power in hours. Long enough for the inside of the house to be so cold that my breath plumes out as I start up one of the heaters in the living room. Making my way through the house to her room, I silently pray that she’s okay.

  Seeing a mound of blankets on the bed, I quickly set up the second kerosene heater and one of the lanterns before I check the bed. “Shayla?” I whisper, reaching out to touch her. Cold, so fucking cold. My heart now beating a mile a minute, I move my hand to her throat and feel for her pulse. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I add the blankets I brought and then remove my shoes, coat, hat and gloves, knowing that body contact will help.

  Crawling into the bed, I pull her into my arms and gently shake her. Finally, after long minutes, her eyes open and she says, “S-s-so cold, Nick.” Her voice is slurred and I know she’s likely at one of the first s
tages of hypothermia. I mentally curse myself for not knowing how bad she really is, but then realize that the best thing I can do is try to slowly warm her up and get her to my folks as soon as possible.

  “Shh, I know, baby. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” I’m lightly rubbing her arms and trying to remember the basic first aid I learned years ago. “Can you sit up? I’ve got some hot cocoa.”

  She’s wobbly and I have to help, but I finally get her sitting up enough that I feel safe giving her the thermos cup filled with cocoa. “Slow, Shayla,” I caution.

  “S-s-should have g-g-gone with your mom,” she stammers.

  “You couldn’t have predicted this, sweetheart,” I murmur. “Now, c’mon and lay back down, you’re still half-frozen.”

  She snuggles down in my arms, not coherent enough to question why I’m in her house or in her bed.

  * * *

  Throughout the rest of the night and into mid-morning, I wake her up and give her either the soup or the cocoa until both thermoses are empty. At least the kerosene heater has helped warm the room. My biggest fear, when I first saw her, was that she wasn’t shivering. You got here in time, Nick. Focus on that fact and stop feeling guilty that you didn’t get here sooner. Now she’s sleeping and it’s an easy slumber, which allows me to drift into sleep myself, my arms and legs wrapped around her.

  Shayla

  I wake up and realize several things at once. First, something’s jumping on my bladder. Second, strong arms and legs are cocooning me and I’m warm and toasty for the first time in many hours. Third, a blinding white glare is coming through the slats in the blinds. When I try to get up, the arms tighten and I turn slightly, surprised to see Nick’s face. “Nick?” I whisper. “Nick, I have to get up.”

  “No, you don’t,” he mumbles, his eyes still closed.

  “Yes, I do, unless you want me to wet the bed.”

  His eyes pop open and he hurriedly gets out of bed before helping me up. “I can walk, Nick,” I say.

  “Let me help you, it’ll make my heart calm down. You were in bad shape when I got here, baby,” he replies as he carries me into the bathroom. Setting me on my feet, he tells me, “I’ll stand outside to give you privacy.”

  I roll my eyes at his back before taking care of business. Once done, I get myself cleaned up and then make my way to the door. Opening it, I’m unsurprised to see him standing there waiting. When he hears the door, he turns and picks me back up and carries me back to the bed. “Let me refill the kerosene,” he states, walking out the bedroom door. “You should see how much snow has fallen!” he yells out. “Holy shit, no clue how we’re going to make it back to my folks’ house.”

  He walks back into the room and carefully adds kerosene to the heater I see sitting there. Well, that explains why the room is so warm! “Why did you come here?” I ask.

  “Because it finally dawned on all of us that your power was likely out too and I remembered you didn’t have a fireplace. I’m sorry I didn’t remember sooner, baby. You were starting to get hypothermic.”

  “I don’t remember,” I murmur. “Before the power went out, I made sure I had filled the tubs and got the flashlights, then I dressed warm and crawled into bed to read.” He grins, pointing to my e-reader that is now sitting on my nightstand.

  “When I got here, the house was so cold I could see my breath,” he tells me, climbing back into the bed and pulling me into his arms. Definitely something I could get used to I think as I snuggle closer.

  “How much snow has fallen?” I ask.

  “A shit ton. More than what the weatherman was saying, that’s for damn sure. I can call my dad and see if he thinks his plow will make it this far, but we may be stuck here for a day or so.”

  “Well, I don’t want him risking himself for me. We’re safe and can always use the snow to keep the stuff in the fridge cold. I’ve got lunch meat and bread, so we won’t starve.”

  He gets out of bed and moves down the hallway. Curious, I follow him into the kitchen, where he’s pulling out the stuff for sandwiches. “Do you have a cooler?” he asks.

  “Hmm, let me think. No, Nick, I don’t have one, it wasn’t on my list.”

  “Then I’ll use your big pots and put this stuff in them and put it out on the porch to keep it cold. Do you want a sandwich?”

  “Yeah, but I can make them,” I tell him, moving around the kitchen and grabbing what I need. He gives me a look and I grin at him. I may have been in bad shape when he got here, but I feel pretty damn good now.

  “How much longer for the cast?” he asks, watching me work as he hunts for the biggest pans I own.

  “Four weeks, I think.” I’m feeling a bit shy around him now remembering how he felt wrapped around me. I didn’t really date, and I don’t count what Quentin did as a relationship, we were friends and roommates, so the feelings he’s bringing out in me are foreign.

  Once he has the stuff out on the porch, he calls his dad. I listen with half an ear as I set about pulling things out for soup and getting them ready to go on the stove. His eyebrow raises when he sees what I’m doing and I mouth the words, ‘gas stove’. When I first moved in, I wasn’t crazy about having to cook on gas as it cooks faster than electric but right now, I’m grateful because I don’t want what I’ve bought to go to waste. As it is, depending on how long the power’s out, I may still lose quite a bit of stuff. Better than your life, Shayla. Priorities, remember?

  “Alright, Dad said that the roads are pretty much impassable right now and for us to stay put. I think they’re all breathing easier knowing that we have enough kerosene to keep us warm and that we can cook.”

  “Did you ask how Amelia is?” Once again, I’m thankful I let her go with Jaycie. She’s so little, she might not have survived.

  “She’s having a blast. Mom dug out one of the kids’ snowsuits and they took her out for a few minutes after my brothers built a snowman. She’s being spoiled rotten right now. They’re texting me pictures they took so I’ll forward them to you once I get them, okay?”

  “I’m glad.” I can’t wait to see my girl all bundled up and knowing the little I do know of his family already, she’s probably living a spoiled princess life right now.

  “Hey now, I know you miss her, but, baby, if she had been here with you, it might not have ended as well.”

  “I know, Nick. I just miss her is all.”

  “How long does that have to cook?” he asks, looking in the soup pot.

  “I’ll put it on low to simmer.”

  “Do you want to sit in the living room? I’ll open the curtains and blinds so we can watch the snow.”

  I nod and grab our plates with our sandwiches and head into the living room. I have no clue why I’m nervous right now. Sitting on the couch, I wait until he sits down then hand him a plate. “Why are you acting jumpy?” he asks.

  In the middle of a bite, I don’t answer immediately, choosing to chew and swallow what I have in my mouth. “I don’t know, really. It makes no sense.” He nods but doesn’t say anything.

  “So, I brought Bosco with me but left him at my folks’ house.”

  “Oh! How is he working out so far?” I’m so glad he changed the subject!

  “Actually, really well. He responds to my commands and has started picking up on when I’m stressed. He even woke me up a few times when I was having nightmares.”

  “Smart dog. Did you…did you sleep okay here?” I honestly didn’t notice and figure I was in pretty bad shape not to sense anyone in the bed with me, let alone him.

  “Surprisingly yes,” he admits, a look of bemusement on his face.

  “Wonder how long the power will be out?”

  “You can call the number for the electric company and it’ll give you a rough estimate.”

  “Oh! I didn’t know I could do that.” There’s a lot I don’t know about living on my own. Even when he would ghost, Quentin handled all the stuff for the apartment since it was in his name. Feeling awkward, I stand t
o take our empty plates back to the kitchen, but he stops me with a hand on my wrist.

  “You okay? I can’t figure out what that look on your face means.”

  “There’s just so much I don’t know,” I whisper before I turn away and continue my task. Taking my time, I stir the soup as I think about all the things I didn’t do growing up. There’s no way a man that looks like him will put up with my ignorance for long.

  Feeling heat at my back, I tense until his arms wrap around me and he murmurs, “Shayla, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “Too much,” I admit.

  “Talk to me,” he commands, his voice husky.

  Taking a deep breath, I blurt it all out, figuring he wouldn’t ask if he didn’t want to know. “Nick, I grew up in foster care after my grams died. The last place I was at was a group home, with a lot of kids and little time to give us individual attention. There were no dates, no proms, nothing. I’m grateful that Mrs. Masters, the house mother, taught me how to cook and do some basic household things because otherwise, I’d be totally lost.”

  A look of comprehension crosses his face and he smiles at my words, confusing the hell out of me. “Why are you smiling?”

  “I’m looking forward to all the things I’m gonna teach you. Eventually.”

  9

  Nick

  Lacing my fingers with hers, I walk back into the living room and open the blinds before I head over to the recliner where I sit down and pull her into my lap. Grabbing the throw from behind me, I wrap it snugly around us both. She’s tense at first but slowly starts to settle in and I work to hide my grin at how she feels in my arms. Fucking heaven.

  “Remember those bags we said we needed to unpack?” I question. She turns to look up at me and nods. “Well, I figure it’s time to unpack one of mine. You mentioned that you didn’t date or do anything like that. I haven’t dated since high school.”