“Knox,” King greeted him when he entered the room.
“King.” The men looked at each other guardedly.
Evie poured King his coffee as Knox repeated what he had told her about the break in.
Evie handed King his cup, meeting his worried eyes.
“There’s nothing else we can do?”
“No.”
“Is it safe for Lily to be at the church store?”
“I believe so. Brooke is smart; she’s not going to do anything that will cast suspicions on her,” Knox said grimly, setting down his cup. “I better be getting back to the office. Take care, Evie.”
“I will.” Evie walked him back to the door. When she returned to the kitchen, King was sitting at the table, looking thoughtful.
“You don’t seem upset.” he said.
“It was what I expected.” Evie sat down at the table. “I’m praying Brooke will be frightened she almost got caught.”
“If not?”
“She fucked up this time, whether she realizes it or not. I have every confidence that Shade will deal with Brooke.”
“The sooner the better.”
Evie gave a sarcastic laugh. “She has no idea of who she’s dealing with, King.”
He started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“I never thought I would see the day that I was actually glad Shade’s a cold-hearted bastard.”
Epilogue
As King flipped the sizzling burger, feeling like it was him on fire under the late summer sun, Shade walked up to him with a beer in his hand, giving it to him.
“Thanks.” King took a long drink of the cold beer.
“Want me to take over for a while?” Shade offered.
“Don’t even think about it. Evie doesn’t think I can do anything macho. This is me about to prove her wrong.”
“Grilling is macho?” Shade’s eyes took in his sweaty t-shirt.
“Isn’t it?” King asked, wiping the perspiration from his brow with a paper towel.
“You’re not going to feel very manly when you suffer a heat stroke.”
“Just keep the beers coming; the burgers are almost ready.”
The crowd had gathered in the backyard of the clubhouse for Beth and Razer’s sons’ baptisms. Many were waiting to be fed, already making their plates from the buffet the women had put together.
Thank Christ, he was able to finish cooking the last of the burgers. Then he sought the shade of one of the trees where tables had been set out.
Evie waved at him from across the yard, holding one of Beth’s sons while the other baby was in his father’s arms. He couldn’t tell which one Evie was holding from where he was sitting, but he was almost certain it was Noah. Evie would never admit it, but she had grown attached to the baby she had delivered.
Chance was smaller, but he was a fighter. He had been born blue. Beth had said her son was given another chance at life. King looked down at the wedding ring on his finger; the little boy wasn’t the only one who had been given a second chance.
He and Evie, with Lily and Shade, had a quiet ceremony in his backyard. Lucky performed the ceremony, and it was the most beautiful moment of his life.
Coming out of his reverie, he saw Lily coming out of her house, carrying a large book. When she saw him sitting under the tree, she walked over to the table.
“What are you doing sitting over here by yourself?”
“Taking a breather,” King admitted to his daughter.
Lily laughed, sitting at the table next to him and setting the book down in front of him. “I made this for you.”
“For me?” Surprised, King reached out, opening the scrapbook to find pictures of Lily at the age he had left her with Beth’s parents.
“I was eight here.”
“I know.” King turned the page, looking at several more pictures of Lily. In one, she was in church, another she was sitting beside Beth. There was even one of her playing with a doll.
King reached out a trembling hand, turning another page. On this one, she appeared to be slightly older; getting on the school bus, playing on the school playground, in a mermaid costume during a Halloween party.
“I was nine here,” Lily said, placing her hand over his. She turned the pages slowly, showing him her life one page at a time. The shadows and pain in her eyes were always there until she came to the next to the last page.
On that page, she had her wedding pictures, and nothing was in her eyes other than happiness.
“Lily…”
“I didn’t give you this book to show you what you’ve missed but to share with you what a wonderful life you gave me. Thank you.”
King could only nod. If he cried, all The Last Riders would see, as well as Evie. Macho men didn’t cry.