She whispered, “I do.”
Chapter 24
Blake pulled into the gas station in Crystal Creek. “I’ll just be a minute, sweetheart.” He left her in the truck and stepped out to pump the gas.
It took some fast talking to get Gillian to agree to go to Wolf Ranch with him for Gabe’s bachelor party/Ella’s bachelorette party. Ella already had a bash with her girlfriends in New York, but Gabe, who just wanted to get the deed done, hadn’t wanted a party. Instead, they’d planned a quiet evening at home with just the brothers and the women in their lives. Caleb and Summer flew in yesterday and were staying with Blake’s mom and dad. Summer was five months into her pregnancy. Blake couldn’t wait to see her. Dane was helping out, staying at Wolf Ranch to oversee things while Gabe and Ella went on their honeymoon after the wedding tomorrow.
Blake knew that Gillian didn’t want to interfere in the family occasion. He wished she believed with her whole heart that she was part of his family. He loved her. He wanted to marry her. But she still held part of herself back. It had to do with her seeing her dead father and whatever happened when he’d been away in Nevada. She’d never said what happened between her and Ken, but something had. Every time he tried to coax her to tell him what it was, she shut him down and said she handled it. Well, as far as he could tell, the only way she was handling it was by avoiding the asshole. Fine by him. Still, Blake kept Ken busy and as far away from Gillian as he could.
Lost in thought, he didn’t understand why Gillian had her back pressed to the driver’s side door.
Gillian waited for Blake, her hands in her lap, nervous about being with all his brothers and Ella and Summer. She’d never been good in social situations. Spending a night with Blake’s family seemed too close to their being something more serious than boyfriend and girlfriend. Of course it was. She knew it was. But this made it real. Which in her warped mind meant all this good could be taken away and she’d be right back where she used to be—miserable.
Plus, she was still embarrassed about the scene she made when she met Gabe. She didn’t want something like that to happen again. They’d think her crazy and warn Blake away from her.
The rumble of a motorcycle engine drew her attention as the rider pulled into a parking spot by the gas station store entrance. She absently watched him stand and pull off his helmet. The sun lit his blonde hair to a golden gleam. He turned and looked at her, but didn’t move. Her gaze met his hazel eyes and held. The world fell away. His eyes narrowed. She swore she heard her father’s hysterical laugh. The one he couldn’t stop the night she shot him.
The man walked toward her, and everything inside her wanted to run. She couldn’t go out her door. He’d be on her in a second. She scooted across the seat and tried to make herself as small as possible against the other door.
The man stood two feet from the door and called, “Gillian.”
“Blake,” she screamed.
He came out of nowhere and slammed both hands into the man’s chest. Her father, but not. How did he know her name?
“Who the fuck are you? And what the hell do you want with my girlfriend?” Blake demanded, his words laced with steel. He stood between the man and the truck. Tensed to do battle, no way Blake let him anywhere near her.
“Most people I know call me Lumpy.”
“What the hell kind of name is that?”
“Ask her. She gave it to me when she was four. Ever since then, the biker gang I belonged to called me by that name.”
Gillian slid over to her side of the truck and stared out the open window. “Uncle Lumpy,” she whispered.
“Hey, baby girl. You look good. Even more beautiful than I thought you’d be.”
“Uncle?” Blake asked.
“Toby Tucker. Ron’s older brother. I came back to town about a month before you arrived, baby girl. Got a call from the San Francisco coroner’s office about Ron’s death and taking care of his body.”
“You live here now?” Blake asked.
“Dad died of liver failure near ten years ago. Meanest son of a bitch you ever met. I’m not saying it’s an excuse for the way your father and I turned out, but it’s an explanation. Bad men like us aren’t born, we’re made. You took care of your father. Jail and God took care of changing me. I’ve been living a good, clean, free life going on five years. I quit my old friends and went to mechanic’s school. I work. I keep my nose clean. I’ve been sober going on eight years. Mom passed this last summer. I came back to sort out the family home.
“I tracked you down through the doctors, police, and social worker. Found out about your brother. Cute kid. I meant to go and get you, but they said you were coming here. I’m sorry I scared you those times you saw me. I was just trying to keep an eye on you. Make sure you’re settled. Happy. Being treated well.” Uncle Lumpy eyed Blake up and down. “So, you like this one?”