Page 29

Epilogue

Locks stood beside his son as Benji checked over his bike one last time. Sometimes Locks wondered how he’d been so blessed to have this life. In the time he and Hope had been together, so much had changed with the MC.

Locks’ dream of helping each child in the MC build their own dirt bike had been met with so much interest that he’d had to build a new place for them and enlist help.

But Benji, although he loved his dirt bike, had fallen in love with BMX racing. One of Locks’ brothers in the Cider Creek Chapter had been injured and had wanted a job where he could hide in a shop for a while.

He’d started crafting BMX bikes, and Benji had been entranced from the first time they visited.

“You’ve got this. You’ve trained. Do your best, and it will all work out,” Locks said.

Before he could say anything, Beth stepped close and hugged Benji, whose cheeks pinkened because, although girls were something he was starting to be interested in, he thought having one of his sisters hug him in public was embarrassing.

“I’ll be cheering for you, and remember my promise,” Beth said.

Benji nodded, “If I finish in the top five, you’ll give me the option of no public hugs for six months.”

Beth nodded and then walked off with her husband after he wished Benji good luck.

“Number 671, Benji Franks, lane one,” the caller said over the sound system.

Locks patted Benji’s shoulder. “Ride fast, ride safe.”

Benji nodded and headed to the area he was called to, and Locks headed toward the stands. Hope was standing in front of her seat, craning to see where Benji was. It was her routine. Once she heard his number, she stood until she saw him take his place.

Then they’d hold hands while he raced. BMX racing could be dangerous because of crashes, and even the best jackets, gloves, and helmet didn’t protect completely. Benji had broken his arm the first year he competed when another rider deliberately ran into him.

He stood at the edge of their row, looking at all their family gathered for Benji. His daughters had welcomed Benji, and anyone from the outside would never know they were a blended family, and it was exactly how Locks liked it.

All his girls were happy with their husbands, and his life was complete having Hope by his side. He made his way to his seat and sat beside her, dropping a kiss on her lips.

He’d kissed her lips when he sat down at Benji’s first race, and his woman was a tad superstitious, so they had a routine. He helped Benji get ready, joined her in his seat, making sure to kiss her as he sat down, and then he let her crush his hand in her grip as Benji made the first circuit of the track.

The race started, and Locks’ stomach took a nosedive. Despite how many times he’d watched Benji race, he still worried a little. Just like he worried about his girls every time they left on a job.

Benji took the lead and held it for the rest of the race. The other riders looked like they were in slow motion compared to Benji. When he crossed the finish line in first place, Locks was on his feet, whistling and yelling for his boy. He lifted Hope against him.

“Thank you for giving me another chance. You’ve given me everything,” he said.

She smiled and nodded. “Well, it would be cruel to label you with the title of nitwit forever.”

The End

Thank you so much for reading Two Weddings. Just in case you've fallen in love with Bluff Creek, I've included a sneak peek of the next book Flick. If you love an age gap, later in life, best friends to lovers mc romance, you don't want to miss this.

Chapter One

Danny “Flick” Adams sipped his beer, leaning back against the Bluff Creek Brotherhood MC’s clubhouse bar. One of his best friends, Cannon had finally officially made his woman his forever and was celebrating with their friends and family. Everything should be perfect but his female best friend was hurting.

Beth Franks had dated who Flick considered a gaslighting abusing ass who Flick had wished he could get rid of forever. Unfortunately, Beth had been okay with Bluff Creek just sending him on his way. Beth’s dad, Locks, one of the Originals, hadn’t let anyone else get much in because Deputy Kerwin was a pile of sniveling, crying man when Locks was done.

Flick couldn’t figure out what his best friend had seen in the man. Sure, he’d been persistent but Flick had never trusted the man. Flick had wanted to tell her what his thoughts were about Kerwin but Beth had been so excited to be dating someone. He figured it had come from just wanting someone because all her sisters had been falling for men and wanting to be with someone.

Flick could understand that because sometimes he was lonely too as the guys in the MC found the woman that made their lives complete. Until he’d come to Bluff Creek, he’d never seen that at all. In fact, he’d never seen how a husband was supposed to act until he’d come to the MC. What if he wasn’t the man someone needed?

Flick had grown up as the youngest of three brothers. He could understand being the youngest and always having to work to try to be different. As the youngest, he was compared to his older brothers in sports grades and how they acted. Fortunately his middle brother was a prankster. When Flick had entered high school, the teachers had worried he’d be like his brother but Flick had toed the line. He’d been a teacher favorite because his brother had set the bar so low.

Beth was the surveillance guru of Franks and Daughters Bail Bonds and was phenomenal at her job. She was also fun to be around. They’d bonded and become friends over their love of movies and TV shows and being the youngest sibling. They texted a lot when they were working. He’d share the dumbest things people needed an EMT for and she’d share some of the stupid reasons people said they missed their court date. In their jobs, they dealt with the best and worst of people.

The party had been going on for a while. Flick was planning on a ride after the bride and groom left. He’d worked back-to-back shifts to make sure he wasn’t on call for emergency services during the wedding and he needed some alone time. Beth got that about him too. They both liked being around people but also needed that time where there was quiet. Beth was a talker like he was but she seemed to know when he needed quiet, just like he knew that about her. He couldn’t ask for a better best friend.

He wasn’t sure how to help his friend but tonight, maybe he should see if she wanted to go on a ride with him. She could ride behind him if she didn’t want to ride her own motorcycle. The rush of the wind and the relaxation of the road was a great time to relax and just let his thoughts go.

Bear clapped him on the shoulder. “You looking forward to the weekend off?”

Flick turned and smiled. “Yes. I love providing emergency services to our county but a double shift is long. How’s the diner doing?”

“Diner is doing great. I’m almost afraid to say it because then something will blow up. I might need to add more staff because we’re getting so many weekend riders dropping in. I’ve upped a couple of our food orders due to the increase. The kids are fantastic and we finally have a routine with them. Joey is ten months old and growing so quickly. Phoebe is a crack up and her questions challenge me every day. David is growing and seeing them so happy after how they came to us is fantastic. I’m looking forward to the holidays with them this year. Last year was such a blur. This year, I want to enjoy. And thank goodness, Beth kicked Kerwin to the curb. I fudging hated seeing that guy every Sunday.” Bear said.

Flick chuckled. It was good to know he wasn’t the only one that had hated the waste of space.

“Yep. He gave me indigestion every friggin’ week,” Flick said.

Bear laughed. “Remi’s rubbing off on us. That and the kid shaving the swear jar.”

Flick nodded. He hadn’t been someone who swore a lot because his first partner on the ambulance had been very professional. He coached Flic kon how to take care of people while helping them not be so scared. Flick had followed his advice. He worked on helping people while calming them down.

“You two look like you’re planning something. Am I going to like it?” Winnie asked, sliding her arm around her husband’s waist. Bear leaned close and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“We were just basking in the joy of never, ever having to deal with that disgusting deputy.” Bear said.

“I know. I wish Beth hadn’t gone through it though,” Winnie said.

Flick glanced around the room looking for her. He finally saw her walking back in the room holding Phoebe’s hand. He wondered what they’d been doing. Her teaching Phoebe surveillance and allowing Phoebe to use her listening equipment had caused quite the ruckus. When Beth had asked Locks when he’d taken her on her first surveillance job, everyone had quieted down because the Franks girls had all learned surveillance and how to handle guns from a very early age. Bear had been appalled but Winnie had shrugged her shoulders.

“Me too. But I’m a firm believer that sometimes we go through something because there’s something better later. Look at how we all ended up here. I grieve for those that were lost but Bear found you, Winnie, because he came here full time. If we all weren’t fed up with our jobs and the problems in the department, we might still be working in the city,” Flick said.

Winnie grinned. “My man is pretty great. I just want all my sisters as happy as I am.”

Flick nodded. “One more down then and one more to go. It will happen for her when the time is right.”

His brothers were dropping like flies and finding their one. Flick was content with how his life was. He had a fantastic best friend along with so many incredible brothers in the brotherhood. He friggin’ loved his job and helping out with the bail bonds secret charity fed that part of him who needed to be the hero for others.

Winnie and Bear wandered off. Flick sat around snacking and waiting until the happy couple said their goodbyes. He walked over to Beth where she was sitting with Meg, Regina and Stella.

“I think I want to get in a late evening ride to Lake Coldwater. Anybody up for a ride?” he asked.

Regina shook her head. “I would but we’re babysitting tonight.”

Beth stood up. “I’m up for it. I need to go home, feed the dogs and let them out. Then I’d be ready to go.”

“Cool. Would an hour work?” Flick asked.

“Perfect,” Beth said.

“You riding with me or riding your own? I’m good with either,” Flick asked.

“With you. I’m a little tired and not sure I have enough brain cells to keep from being distracted,” Beth said.

Flick nodded. “You got it. I’ll swing by your house in about an hour.”

Beth waved goodbye and left. Flick decided since he had some extra time, he’d clean up the area a little. He grabbed a trash bag and started filling it with empty beer bottles, plates and plastic glasses. Twist joined him to help along with Dex. In no time, they had the front of the clubhouse picked up. Flick knew some MCs had the prospects doing that but they currently didn’t have any.. They were doing better but still needed to add to their numbers.

He headed to his room in the clubhouse. He walked to his door and unlocked it. The majority of the time, he left it open. He didn’t care if they needed to use his room when he was on a shift but with the wedding, there had been townspeople he didn’t know well enough to feel comfortable leaving his door unlocked.

He grabbed a sweatshirt to slip on under his cut along with some clear glasses. He grabbed a small brain bucket. If the ladies of the MC saw him with it instead of a full helmet, he’d hear about it, especially after Cannon’s crash. But sometimes, he wanted the wind in his face and not have everything covered by a helmet. As an EMT, he rarely let himself not wear a helmet at all. Between Cannon’s wreck and a couple where they didn’t wear a helmet, he fought with his need for no helmet and his brain reminding him he didn’t want to be like the guys he’d tried to help. He was an adult and could do what he wanted but man, sometimes those women he respected could really make him feel guilty. They reminded him of his mom. She’d been gone for about ten years. He and Beth had each lost their moms to cancer and shared the crappy anniversary of both of them coming up on ten years His mom had been his biggest cheerleader growing up. Even though she worked like crazy to provide for them, she always found time to tell her boys how much she loved them.

Which reminded him, he needed to check in with his brothers. His oldest brother Brody was forty-nine and was going to be retiring from the Army next year. His middle brother Gunner was forty-seven and was in Colorado. Flick at forty-five was the youngest. Usually his oldest brother Brody did check in calls with both of them but Flick hadn’t heard from him in a month at least.

Flick had served eight years in the Army before getting out. As a combat medic specialist, his training had transitioned to civilian life easily. He had returned to the States and gone to paramedic school to become an advanced EMT. He’d been hired on quickly and gotten to know Cannon, Bear and War at the police department because they ended up at the same scenes.

He headed out to his baby. He had a nineteen-ninety-nine Harley Davidson Road King in Laser Red. It was the first item he’d bought for himself when he got out of the Army and accepted his first job after paramedic school. He’d bought it used from a biker who had moved on to a trike to take his wife on trips. Flick had considered buying another bike but he lived simply. He saved money because after watching his mom scrimp for years, he always wanted to have enough to take care of emergencies. If he didn’t live in the clubhouse and had his own home, he knew he’d be a little bit of a prepper. There were too many times growing up that they were waiting until his mom’s next paycheck and had to make the small amount of food last.

He started Cherry. His baby besides giving a fantastic ride had got him out of many a sticky situation with overzealous women. He could always say no honey, I’ve got to go meet Cherry. His oldest brother had suggested this trick when Flick had complained how some women wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Flick knew he was handsome because of how women treated him but he didn’t see someone handsome when he looked in the mirror. He saw a guy who had black hair, a short beard and blue eyes that his brothers had teased him looked like a girl. He didn’t realize until his butthead older brothers had teased him that eyes could depict sex. His skin tone was a medium tan color from his mother. He’d inherited her thick black hair from her. His eyes were from his father but it had been so long that it was hard to remember what his dad looked like. His dad had died in an accident when Flick was eight.

Flick quickly navigated over to Beth’s house, using the keypad to open the gates installed by the bail bonds on that part of the compound. Flick despised the reasons they’d needed to add more gates but he was more than happy with the safety the gates provided.

He pulled up in front of Beth’s house and shut off his motorcycle. He’d need to say hi to Beth’s babies before they left. He didn’t want to hear Lilly’s howling that sounded like a car alarm if she didn’t get her way. He knocked then walked in.