Page 4 of Sam’s Forever (Crow MC 2nd Generation)

CASH she’s also grinning a little manically and is gripping a large cream-coloured envelope.

“Hi, babe, what are you doing here?” I ask. As far as I was aware, she and Stacey would be going to the salon today for mani-pedis.

Stacey pushes her from behind, “Jesus, woman, would you stop hovering in the doorway and get in there so we can see what you’ve been sent?”

“Fuck’s sake. Okay, nosy.” Lizzie slaps at the woman behind her.

Maestro and I are laughing. These two keep us on our toes.

It makes me happy that Lizzie and Stacey get on like a house on fire.

My wife hadn’t had that ever. Even though they’d known each other over twenty years, Stacey had kept away from the clubhouse because of her fuckhead ex.

Now that Stacey and Maestro are together, it makes everything so much easier, and our lives are much richer for having her in them.

Lizzie comes right to me and settles on my lap. Maestro pushes his chair away from his desk, making room for Stacey. Once our ladies are settled, well, as settled as Lizzie can get, she’s fairly vibrating with whatever it is that she has to tell us.

Now I’m curious. It’s not often I see her like this. “What’s going on, babe?”

“Look,” she holds up a thick envelope with the Crow Manor address on the back.

“I’m confused,” I tell her, not sure why this envelope has her all excited. “It’s not the first time we’ve had mail from there. Mum and Thor are back home in the UK.”

“I think it’s wedding invitations,” she whispers excitedly.

“Babe,” I caution. Lizzie was convinced that we’d get invited to Sam’s wedding; I wasn’t so sure.

It’s not as if he owed it to us. I know he speaks to Lizzie and our kids on the regular, and he has a good relationship with my mum, but he and I hardly speak.

Even when he was staying here those six months, we’d spoken, but it had all been generic.

I’d wanted to offer comfort when he’d had his heart broken but didn’t feel like I had that right.

My feelings for Sam are so fucking complicated.

I love him but don’t know him, and I don’t know how to go about getting to know him.

I know I’d let him and Abby down. I’d had good reasons, and I don’t blame him for resenting me. I resented me for what I’d done, but it had been to keep him and Abby safe. He has a good stepdad who loves him and had stepped up when I didn’t.

I’m sure it doesn’t help that I’m close to my half-brother, Alec, who is Sam’s best friend. But with Alec, I don’t feel guilty, whereas with Sam, I’m drowning in it.

“Hush, Cash,” Lizzie grumbles. “I know Sam. And his Old Lady is lovely. She’s perfect for him. Of course, they’d invite you. You need to have more faith in him.”

Wincing at her comment, ‘Well, that hurt,’ I think as she rips open the envelope. Maestro catches my eye and shakes his head at Lizzie’s offhand comment. He knows the guilt that I feel about Sam; his advice has been to take him out, get him drunk, and have it out. Yeah, I’m not taking that advice.

I’m brought back to the moment by Lizzie shouting, “Yes,” and waving her hands in the air. She looks at the writing on the one envelope and tosses it across the desk to Maestro and Stacey, “That one’s for you.”

Stacey picks it up, looking surprised, but opens it up and takes out a thick cream-coloured invite. Lizzie’s torn into ours and quickly grabs a piece of paper that flutters out. She scans it before handing it to me with a smile.

Hi Lizzie and Cash,

Ally and I would love it if you and the kids can make it to our wedding. We have accommodations for all of you, as well as Maestro and Stacey. Let us know your arrival date, and we’ll pick you up unless you’re going to have Coal or someone from the Queens Wraiths pick you up.

Let me know, you have my number.

Love, Sam.

“We’re going,” Lizzie informs me with a serious look.

“Yeah, babe, we are,” I agree.

“And you’re going to sit down with your son and make it right, or at least clear the air,” Lizzie orders me.

“Okay,” I agree.

“Mmm,” she narrows her eyes at me. “That was way too easy.” But she lets me off the hook and turns towards Maestro and Stacey. “Are you going to go?”

Maestro looks up at Stacey, who nods excitedly, “We’ll go, on one condition.” He continues when Lizzie starts to clap again, “On the condition that the brothers all agree and Red and Emily will look after the kids for us.”

“Okay,” Lizzie agrees. “I’m going to look at flights for all of us so that we have an idea. Let me know if you two are going to come with. We’ll have to take the kids out of school, but that’s a worry for another day.”

Lizzie hops off my lap, whirls around, and kisses me quickly before standing up, saying excitedly, “We’re going to the UK. I can’t wait. I’m going to let Sam and Ally know. Love you, see you later,” she calls out and is gone.

Shaking my head, I watch as Stacey gets up more sedately, turning to kiss Maestro before she follows Lizzie out the door.

“Fuck,” I hiss, tilting my head to look at the ceiling, “my eldest kid is getting married. Do you know how old that makes me feel?”

Maestro laughs and teases, “You’ll be a grandpa before you know it.”

“Fuck you, man,” I give him the finger, laughing with him. “Don’t put that juju out there. I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

When our laughter dies down, Maestro says, “You going to clear the air with him before he gets married?”

“Yeah,” I sigh, wiping a hand down my face, then scraping my hair back off my face. “Yeah. I will.”

“Good,” Maestro says. “Let’s get the brothers in and let them know. We’ve got time, but it’s always good to be prepared. Maybe instead of expecting Lizzie to tell him you’re coming, you should send him a message congratulating him and telling him you’ll be there.”

Holding up my phone, I show him. “Already ahead of you, brother,” I tell him.

Me – Congratulations to you and Ally on your wedding, Sam. The invite arrived today. Lizzie, the kids, and I’ll be there. Lizzie is booking the tickets as I type. Maestro and Stacey will confirm once we have things sorted with the brothers and Poppy. Looking forward to seeing you.

Sam – Thanks for the quick answer. I’ll let Ally and Bren know. They’re in charge of the lists, and we’ll get rooms booked for you and the kids.

Me – Perfect, let me know if you need anything.

Sam – We’re good, thanks.

I sigh; of course, he wouldn’t need my help. He was a self-sufficient adult.

Sam – Appreciate the offer, though.

At that last sentence, I’m left a little lighter.

Going into my messages, I find Reaper’s contacts.

Me – Hey, man, just got the invite to the wedding. Lizzie is stoked and is booking tickets. We’d like to do something for Sam and Ally. Do you know if they’ve got a honeymoon planned?

Reaper – No fucking clue, but I’ll find out for you from Ally’s sister. Why?

Me – Lizzie and I’d like to pay for it.

Reaper – Gotcha, leave it with me.

Me – Appreciate it.

Feeling better that if they didn’t, I’d be contributing a little to his wedding, I get up when Maestro says, “Let’s go, brother, before your Old Lady says fuck it and books us all on flights, no matter if the brothers agree or not.”

“She’s your sister,” I remind him. “It’s not my fault you, Chains, and Red spoilt her.”

“This is true,” Maestro grinned, “but you were the sucker that married her.”

Laughing, I follow him because he’s right; I did marry her, and not a day goes by that I regret it. Not for a single minute. There’s a lot I regret in my life, but Lizzie isn’t one of them.