The Winter of Regrets (16 page)

Elena was enjoying talking to the intense biker with the amber eyes who seemed to hang on to her every word. He was very interested in her horses and asked her if she knew Deidra.

“I’ve met Dee at my farm when she’d come over with Willie. That’s Black Dog’s ol’ lady. They have the shop together, you know, W and D, Art by the Sea,” Elena said.

“Deidra is involved with a shop now? Hmm … she didn’t tell me, but we’ve not talked much lately. I hope now that I’m a widower that will change.” His hand stroked the top of her hand.

“I’m sorry to hear of your wife’s passing.” Elena wasn’t quite sure what to say to him.

Whiskey laughed a bit harshly. “I’m not. She wasn’t a nice woman, not like Deidra’s mother, my first wife. She was my angel. I named my baby daughter after her, Shanna. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with an infant and another girl.”

“Who takes care of your baby?” Elena wondered aloud.

“My niece Lacy-Jane is taking care of her and she will be at the wedding. Are you invited?” He pressed his thumb on the pulse of her wrist.

“Yes. I’ve been friends with Jack and his family for a very long time.” Elena’s voice quivered slightly as tingles ran through her body. “I can’t wait to see him settled down.”

Whiskey took a sip of the ice water next to his glass and Elena watched as his tongue traced the wetness across his lips.

“Are you going with anyone? If not, I’ll make sure my son-in-law seats us together.” His eyes were mesmerizing.

“I’m just going with Jersey and Joy. She and I jointly own the farm together.” She found herself telling this man all about herself.

Darko watched broodingly from a corner of the bar. He didn’t like this at all. It was going to be trouble and he needed Elena to go home. He walked into his office and looked for Jersey’s number. He did the only thing he could think to do and that was reach out to Jersey.

He tapped his boot waiting for someone to answer. “Jersey,” he said as soon as he heard his voice. “Elena’s in here and she’s talking to Whiskey. He showed up early.”

Jersey was confused. “What’s Elena doing at your bar? She was supposed to go see Thrash!”

“I heard she saw a chick all over him and decided to come here. Now, Whiskey’s eyeing her up. Gotta say, Elena seems to be enjoying herself though. Fuck, Thrash is gonna be pissed off. I don’t know how to get her outta here.”

“Darko, she’s twenty-eight years old. I can’t just come get her. Cut off her drinking soon as you can. The chick hasn’t been out of the house in a long time. It’s not like Joy can call the bar. Elena will know you called here.” Jersey was the voice of reason.

“Yeah, no shit. I thought maybe you had an idea because we don’t need Satan’s Attitude causing trouble between our clubs,” Darko reasoned.

“Elena isn’t going to ask him home for Christ’s sake. If you have to, pull her aside and hint that she doesn’t want a hangover or some shit. I don’t know what else to tell you. If I think of anything, I’ll call the bar,” said Jersey, then hung up.

When Darko returned to the bar, he saw Elena was giving her number to Whiskey and had her leather jacket on.

He grabbed Swiper, pulling him aside. “Follow Elena home. I don’t know how much she’s drank. Don’t let her know.” Darko was abrupt and Swiper just nodded and grabbed his leather up and headed outside.

Darko strode up to the couple. “Elena, you okay to drive?”

She looked startled, as if he’d jarred her out of some kind of dream. “I’m fine, Darko. I had a wonderful night and Whiskey is coming to see the horses tomorrow. We have a lunch date!”

Whiskey stood up and bent his head to touch her lips lightly. “Until tomorrow, lovely lady. Would you like me to escort you home?”

Elena shook her head and gave a sexy laugh. “No thanks. I’m sure Darko has Swiper escorting me home. I saw him head outside. I’m in good hands. I’ll see you around noon, Whiskey?”

“Yes, noon. Drive safely, darlin’.” He watched as Elena left the bar, then turned to Darko. “I didn’t know Jersey girls were so foxy and that one is very interesting.”

“She is,” Darko agreed quietly. “She’s like a sister to me, Whiskey. Her ol’ man was Hunter and Thorn is family to her. You know she has ties to my club and Bound for Hell,” he warned.

If Whiskey heard, Darko didn’t know, as the man went back to his drinking and talking to his brothers. At least Elena had gone home.
Tomorrow, someone else could run interference,
Darko thought tiredly.

J
ersey hung up the phone and looked at Joy, Thorn, and Tears.

“Seems Elena went to the tattoo shop and saw Thrash with a girl and headed out to Dirty Deeds. She met Whiskey of Satan’s Attitude and they seemed to hit it off. Darko was upset.” Jersey’s shoulders tensed as he looked at them.

Thorn frowned. “I’m sick of this shit. Hunter running shit from the grave. I heard how he gave Thrash his blessing to be with Elena.”

Tears ran her fingers through his hair. “Stop. Elena isn’t going to go with Thrash if that isn’t what she wants.”

“You don’t get it. None of you get it,” said Thorn. “My dad tried to tie everything up as neatly as he could. As long as he was happy with our lives, that’s all that fucking mattered!” He stomped out the door.

Jersey followed him. “Thorn, calm your ass,” he said. “I need to ask you something and I want your honest opinion. Hunter left a letter for Elena for me to give to her.”

“You want my opinion?” Thorn huffed. “Don’t give it to her, Jerz. She doesn’t want Thrash. He is up her ass and I don’t want her stuck with a man because my dad gave his fucking blessing. Burn the damn thing.” Thorn walked over to the side of the porch and spit.

Jersey was conflicted. He had the letter and knew Elena wondered why she didn’t get one, but he didn’t want to upset her. Hunter was out of line in trying to tie up all his loose ends.

“Do you think we should read it? If it doesn’t mention Thrash, I can give it to her. You know she was so hurt she didn’t get a letter.” He was trying to be reasonable.

The porch light showed the anger on Thorn’s face. “Give me the fucking letter and I’ll burn the damn thing myself. I heard how Hunter wants them together. Maybe Elena needs to find her own man and Hunter needs to stay buried. I see headlights; don’t wreck her first time out, Jerz.”  He stormed back into the house.

Jersey followed, thinking maybe Thorn was right. He’d see how Elena acted. If she was happy, he’d hold on to the letter for a while longer. Hunter hadn’t told him when to give Elena the letter after all.

Speaking of, she came inside with her eyes sparkling, appearing happier than any of them had seen her in a very long time.

“Did Rhiannon give you a hard time?” she inquired.

Joy laughed. “No. She was a perfect angel, although Thorn changed her. He insisted, said he doesn’t see what the big deal is, but Jersey gagged and had to go outside.”

Thorn shrugged his wide shoulders. “Elena, you look really happy. Did things go well with Thrash?”

“I never stopped in. Seems Thrash has his tat groupies hanging at the shop and on him. I could never settle down with him as long as he worked in that business. Plus, he was always such a player. I want a settling-down man … like Hunter.” She became serious all of a sudden. “I did meet Whiskey, Dee’s dad, and he’s coming to take me for lunch tomorrow. I better grab the baby and get home. I want to look good tomorrow.” She looked around at everyone and waited a moment. “Nobody’s going to tell me I’m making a mistake?”

Tears spoke up. “No, we all want you to be happy, Elena. If Thrash isn’t the one, then … he isn’t the one.”

Joy was frowning. “You never promised Thrash anything, did you Elena? No agreement to try to get together later, maybe?”

“Not really,” she answered. “And if there was even a tiny chance, it ended after what I saw tonight. I was in such a great mood until I saw him and that chick. I knew right then, it wouldn’t work out between us. He’s a good friend, like Jersey, and that’s it. I don’t know why he thinks he has feelings for me. I was with Hunter for so long that I’d feel like I was cheating on Hunter if I ever slept with him. I really had a great time tonight.”

She saw Thorn with his sister in his arms and thanked them for watching her. When they reached her truck, Elena got in and Thorn decided to take the ride home with her so he could hold Rhiannon.

Thorn took a break, then started to speak. “Elena, Hunter had Thrash give me a letter. I didn’t want to read the damn thing. It was filled with advice I didn’t need and maybe he meant well … but he’s dead. I think Hunter’s message to you was to go and live your life, which I’m proud you did tonight. I haven’t seen you in such a good mood in a long time.” Thorn spoke from his heart.

“What the hell is it with Hunter and these damn letters?” Elena sighed with exasperation. “He didn’t leave me one and … and it hurts. You’re telling me that his leaving me was his way of telling me to move on with my life, Thorn?”

Thorn didn’t miss a beat as he answered her firmly. “I think that is exactly what he wanted you to do. You looked really good tonight … and happy.”

“Thanks.” She smiled despite herself. “I really liked Whiskey. Of course he lives in Maryland, so I doubt much will come of it, but he is my date for the wedding. Me, on a date. Can you imagine?” She laughed softly, careful not to wake the baby.

As they pulled up in front of the house and Elena shut off the engine, Thorn had parting words of advice for her.

“Do what makes you happy,” he said. “Fuck Thrash and any of ‘em who try to tell you that you should be with him. Grab life and make yourself happy.” He kissed her cheek, then gave the baby to her. “Gimme your keys and I’ll get you inside.”

Taken by his advice, Elena handed her keys to him and watched as he opened the door for her.

“I love you, Thorn,” she told him. “You’re my rock now, my family. Another reason I couldn’t be with Thrash is Bound for Hell—not after some of the shit I’ve seen. Kima and Rabid, that was so sick. Now get back to Tears. I see her on the porch waiting for you.”

He kissed the baby and she watched Thorn take off to Tears. He always loved to run. Sometimes, she thought she saw a bit of Hunter in him. The best parts … and she was thankful for that.

Thorn wasn’t out of breath when he reached Tears and Jersey. Tears looked at him closely. He had a determined look on his face.

“She doesn’t want him,” he said to them. “She would’ve been settling and that isn’t my Elena. Nobody is gonna push her toward him. I’m going to straighten this out with Darko. Jersey, if you care about Elena, you’ll mind what I said. Let’s go, Tears. Thanks for inviting us over.”

He left Jersey and Joy wondering what he and Elena had talked about, but Jerz was smart. He began to clean up the living room and Joy, for once, kept her thoughts to herself.

E
lena got up at the crack of dawn, rarely did she get up this early anymore since they had Harry and Pete to feed the horses. She planned to clean the house until it was gleaming. She took her coffee to the window overlooking the paddocks and watched the horses.

Blowing on the fragrant brew, she thought back in time. It had been so long since she had butterflies in her stomach over a man. Hunter in the first years had given them to her and it had been wonderful. After a while, the butterflies stopped and they settled into a comfortable life together. She wanted more this time and she wanted a marriage and a man that wasn’t anything like Hunter had been. Whiskey was nothing like Hunter in looks and he had this presence about him that really appealed to her. In fact, she was like a moth drawn to his light.

As she sipped the coffee, she realized what it was. Whiskey, in the short time she had met him, made her feel alive and pretty again. His voice was sexy as sin and like music to her ears. It sucked that he lived in Maryland, though. She was a Jersey girl and she had her business here.

Sighing, she put the coffee mug into the sink and began to clean the house as quietly as she could so Rhiannon and Amy didn’t wake up.

She finally got her shower and was blow-drying her hair when Amy came into her room for a chat. Amy was working out well. She cared for Rhiannon and helped with the horses when needed. It was so good not to have Katri in the house.

“Elena? Can I come in to talk to you?” Amy asked.

Elena turned the blow-dryer off. “Of course. What’s up?”

“JJ has been coming around a lot. I wanted to make sure that it was okay with you. He asked me to go to the wedding with him if I can find someone to watch Rhiannon. My sister said she would watch her if that is alright.” Amy fiddled with her fingers.

“He can come around as long as he isn’t planning to take you away from us,” Elena joked. “I’d love to see you come to the wedding too, so tell your sister yes.”

“I don’t think my parents would approve of him. And I love living here, so no worries about that. I just wonder, does he tell other girls the same things he tells me?”

Elena took a moment to answer. “I don’t know. I’m a bit rusty at relationships, Amy. JJ is here quite a bit. He asked you to be his date for the wedding. Take things slowly and see how it goes, honey. Now I need to dry this hair. I can’t believe I’m going out to lunch.” She turned the dryer back on and began to dry her long black hair as Amy slipped from the room.

J
ersey and Joy were fixing a bit of fencing when Whiskey arrived to take Elena out for lunch. They watched as she laughed and smiled and held his hand. She showed off the horses and Jersey pulled Joy up to their house. He didn’t want to have to talk to Whiskey.

“Elena looks happier than I’ve ever seen her, even when Hunter was alive.” He had his eyes on the couple as Whiskey sat with Elena on her porch glider.

“I hope he leaves right after the wedding; Elena can’t be involved with that man. We own this place together. All it will do is make problems.” Joy replied with worry in her voice.

Jersey didn’t reply but wondered what Thrash was going to have to say about all of this. He watched as the couple left to go to lunch.