Page 10 of Crewe (Nelson’s Honkytonk Saloon & Bar #3)

Chapter Ten

C rewe loaded the next bag into the car along with everything Vivi, Ellie, and Ry thought they needed.

It was like playing Tetris to fit everything in all the vehicles.

They were going to Mistletoe Canyon for a little over a week.

Vivi had needed to add in a full weekend so they wouldn’t miss anything.

If the place was so popular, he was curious how the resort had been available to have enough room for the Saint’s Outlaws MC, Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC, and all the Nelson clan.

This resort must be massive. And to add an evening wedding for Justice and his woman.

Vivi and Ellie seemed to have this network of people they were coordinating with.

He packed his chef knives along with a couple other special items. Vivi had mentioned some of the rooms had small kitchens in them.

He'd have to thank his sisters-in-law. Ry, Freya, and Wyatt were riding with him, as was Ezra. Thank goodness it was only the Nelsons caravaning together. This many vehicles together made him a little nervous. Crewe would be freaking out if the Bluff Creek families were on the road with them too.

Crewe loved having the kids and Ry with him, but he longed for Ry on the back of his bike.

Whiskey and Hennessy had their families in their cars.

Burt, Peck, and Bill were being driven by Dillon.

Quinton, McClure, Gaines, Schaefer, and Halligan were riding their bikes.

Vivi had assured him that she’d arranged for rental bikes for their time there if all the guys wanted to go on a ride.

Mistletoe Canyon had an MC, and one of their businesses was rental motorcycles.

A whistle had him turning to Whiskey and Vivi.

“Okay, let’s get on the road. The bikers are going ahead so we don’t slow them down,” Vivi said, pointedly staring at Halligan.

“So sue me. I like to go fast,” Halligan said.

“Well, I for one don’t want to bail you out of jail because you’re going forty miles over the speed limit and then smart off to the officer who pulls you over,” Burt said.

“Oh, I paid you back, Dad. Besides, I did let him catch me. Otherwise, he’d still be chasing me,” Halligan quipped.

Crewe shook his head. If they didn’t stop this, Halligan would be overexplaining what he did for the next thirty minutes.

“Let’s load up before the bullshit gets any deeper out here,” Whiskey said, motioning everyone to get a move on.

Crewe opened the passenger door for Ry. The puzzled look on her face had him hiding a smirk. Yep, she might be a little confused trying to figure him out, but this trip was a chance for him to make what he wanted from her clear. Crystal clear.

He made sure all the kids were in their booster seats and that their seatbelts were fastened. Then he grabbed the snacks he’d made for the car ride. He handed everyone a bag and a drink.

“Hey, why do they get snacks and we don’t?” Schaefer called.

Crewe turned to his family. “Check your saddlebags,” Crewe replied and got in the driver’s seat, starting the car before Schaefer could reply.

Crewe was anxious to get on the road, get to Mistletoe Canyon, and figure out how to let Ry see what he wanted.

Her heated glances a couple times in the bar kitchen gave him hope that she felt the same way but was holding back for some reason.

“Oh, yummy, is this your special trail mix?” Freya asked around a mouthful of food.

“Manners,” Ry chastised.

“Sorry,” Freya said.

“Yep, it has all sorts of yummy things but also some protein, so it should keep you full. Now, if anyone needs the bathroom, don’t wait until it’s urgent. Tell me when you first think so, and I’ll find someplace,” Crewe said.

“But I like peeing outside,” Wyatt whined.

“Me too,” Ezra agreed.

Ry chuckled and shook her head. “Well, let’s try not to do that this trip.”

“Why don’t you pick the music,” Crewe offered. He laughed out loud when Ry paired her phone and Christmas music came out of the speakers.

“Well, it’s September. We have to get in the mood,” Ry said, taking a sip of the drink he’d made her. Her lips on the cup had his mind going places it shouldn’t when they would be in the car for the hours it would take. And with kids in the car.

“True. Let’s go see Mistletoe Canyon and Père Noel,” Crewe said, then followed the bikes out of the parking lot.

Ry listened to the kids chatter in the car while Crewe drove.

He hadn’t even blinked when she put Christmas music on the radio.

In fact, she needed to pinch herself because it must be a dream.

She was riding in a car with Crewe, her kids, and Ezra going on vacation.

It felt too much like her wildest daydreams of them as a family doing family things.

The hours in the car had passed quickly, even though they’d had to make numerous stops since Freya had a small bladder and kept getting drinks at every stop.

Crewe hadn’t been irritated or annoyed with the delay.

He’d just found them a good place and waited in the hall with Wyatt and Ezra for the girls to come out after he and the boys were done.

At the last stop, which had been in Colorado, Crewe had bought the kids rocks and a case to keep them in.

He told them his dad had bought him one, and he’d loved collecting pretty rocks from different places.

The travel place they’d stopped at had pet rocks.

Ry hadn’t seen any since her youth, but she enjoyed seeing the joy on her kids’ faces as they chose their rocks.

Freya chose one decorated with pink and purple polka dots and eyes that had lashes.

Wyatt had chosen one that had big eyes and a large red nose on it.

Wyatt had started watching football with the guys and had decided the Kansas City Chiefs were his team.

He asked about painting dots on it in red and gold for the team.

Crewe had said he was sure he could make that happen.

Each thing he did made her want to take a chance, but then all her insecurities would start yelling in her head, and she’d overthink her options.

Crewe’s phone rang as they passed the Welcome to Mistletoe Canyon sign. He answered it through the car. She appreciated him not holding his phone and talking while driving. She’d seen too many accidents on the main highway running through Dodge City from inattentive drivers.

“Hey, Vivi, what’s up?” Crewe asked .

“I just spoke to the resort. They’ll still have room for us tonight, but they are having to juggle a couple of rooms around due to a water line break.

They’re paying for us to have supper at the Mistletoe Canyon Bar & Grill, along with having Père Noel stop by to see the kids.

She also said the bikes are ready for anyone who was renting.

They could be picked up after supper if anyone wanted to go on a night ride,” Vivi said.

“Okay, directions?” Crewe asked.

“We’re driving in on one of the main roads. She said when we see Mistletoe Canyon Search & Rescue, across the street is the parking for the Bar and Grill. Oh, I see it. You can’t miss it. See you soon,” Vivi said, hanging up.

“Okay! Who is ready for some food and a special visit from Père Noel?” Crewe asked.

“Me! I want to tell him my list,” Freya said.

“Me, too,” Wyatt said.