Winter let out a sigh of relief at his departure, deciding to find Viper. Seeing him sitting at a table with Ton, big plates of food in front of them, she decided to fix herself a plate of food before sitting down.
“Did you two get enough food?” Winter teased as she took the chair next to Ton, pulling it out.
“Ton, Viper, I would like you to meet my Aunt Shay.” Mrs. Langley sat down next to Ton, placing her plate on the table.
Winter took the other chair sitting down next to Viper.
Eating her food, she watched as Ton and her Aunt began to talk. Her shy aunt was slowly drawn out of her shell by the gregarious man. Winter smiled, pleased, catching herself when Viper gave her a speculative look. Winter tried to appear innocent, but didn’t think she had succeeded.
The music started as Razer and Beth moved out onto the dance floor that had been placed down in the grass. Winter watched as they glided across the small floor.
“Want to dance?” Viper asked.
“Yes, I do,” Winter said, getting to her feet immediately. Viper held her close as they danced. The reception lasted several hours, in which they were dodging Beth’s biker women friends, who after loud protestations from Beth, promised to leave Bliss alone. They then turned their attention to Shade and Pastor Dean. Winter noticed Beth didn’t rescue them.
The Sheriff stopped by their table once to tell them that Jake’s charges had been reduced after Winter visited his office to explain how her memory had returned and that it wasn’t Jake who had assaulted her. He didn’t ask many questions, drawing only enough answers in order to get the charges dropped. Jake still had to face arson charges, but at least it wasn’t on Winter’s conscience that he was serving time for a crime he hadn’t committed. As Winter had left the Sheriff’s office, she had passed the empty deputy’s desk. The Sheriff didn’t blink an eye when he told her Deputy Moore had disappeared after an argument with his father.
They decided to leave not long after Razer and Beth left for the airport, going to Vegas for their honeymoon. Winter and Viper said their goodbyes to everyone before giving her Aunt Shay, who was still sitting with Ton, a quick hug.
The parking lot was filled with flowers petals and ribbons that she was sure Pastor Dean wouldn’t be happy cleaning. Driving out of the church parking lot, Winter could barely hear his voice with her helmet on and the rushing wind.
“Feel up to a moonlight run before going back to the clubhouse?”
Her head fell to his back, her arms tightened, holding him closer.
“Always, Viper.”
Chapter 22
Winter strode angrily towards the kitchen. It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t going to take a punishment that wasn’t her fault. She fumed angrily to herself. It was Rider’s freaking fault she was in trouble anyway, throwing away another one of her baskets from the dollar bin that she had purchased for the hundredth time. It wasn’t her fault she had lost her temper and after taking the basket out of the trash, she had banged it against the offending member.
Everyone kept stealing the damn things, using them to organize their crap and leaving her damn seeds unorganized. She always somehow managed to draw them as punishment. Well not today. Last time she had noticed that everyone else’s papers had been folded multiple times while hers was smooth. They had conspired against her so that she was always the one drawing the hated punishment. Not freaking today.
Winter stood against the wall. She didn’t have time for this, she needed to balance Riverview’s budget. The school board had given her the job without telling her the school had been given the shaft where funding was concerned. That crap was going to change too she thought. Viper didn’t know it yet, but he was going to be making a large donation, she thought in revenge.
“Evie.” Evie moved to take her slip of paper before sitting back down.
“Bliss.” Winter rolled her eyes at that one.
“Rider.” Winter could barely restrain herself from flipping him off.
“Pretty girl.” She didn’t try to hide her resentment as she went to the hated red punishment bag, dipping her hand inside. Her finger couldn’t find any slips of papers in the bag, instead brushing a small box. Pulling it out, she held the small box in her hand before opening it. Inside lay an emerald engagement ring.
“Will you marry me, pretty girl?” Viper asked as The Last Riders waited for her answer.
Winter flung herself into his arms to the loud cheers inside the room.
“Yes, I’ll marry you,” Winter answered staring up into his eyes.
Viper gave her a teasing grin. “I’m you’re punishment,” he said with the red cloth bag still in his hand.