“They smell so damn good, Wren,” Zach says as he moves closer and looks over my shoulder.
“When you mention the marinade, are you talkin’ about the one Mrs.Smythe told us about?”Tristan asks me as I look over my shoulder at him.
“The one and only.I used her exact recipe and they’ve been soaking all morning long.I can’t wait to taste it so I can see if it’s as good as I remember.There’s also burgers and hot dogs for anyone who doesn’t want the rest of the meat.I made stuffed shells as well.I was going to make garlic bread, but I didn’t see anything to use,” I tell my foster brothers as they stare at me in shock.
“Did you do all that on your own?”Zach questions me as he turns me to face him.
“I did.I’ve cleaned the kitchen, the common room, and I was going to restock the bar but I didn’t get that far.I made cookies, brownies, and fudge also.The brownies and fudge have to be baked still, but I was waiting until I got the cleaning done so I could pay attention to them.Oh, and I made salads too.I plan on preparing baked potatoes with the huge bag I found in the pantry.I don’t want them to go bad.I’ll split it in half so there’s baked and roasted potatoes.Will that be enough food for everyone?”I ask them as I look between Tristan and Zach.
“That’s more than enough food, Shortcake,” Tristan says, slipping and calling me an old nickname.“I can’t believe none of the girls fuckin’ helped you.Diamond must have said somethin’ to them.What I want to know is what was said to you by her and why you broke her nose.”
“She said it was about time I learn my place and started doing my job.I called her out on being lazy and not doing her job.That’s when she questioned who I was to talk to her like that.I said I was above her since I was a guest here.I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I went with it.I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds while you were all gone,” I tell them as they start laughing.
“She made the first move?”Zach questions me as I look at him and nod in response.“You’ll be good.We’ll explain what happened when the guys get back and they won’t be pissed at you.I have a feelin’ the girls are gonna be in trouble though.All of them.”
“Let’s get to work.Wren, you can rest.You’ve done more than enough while we were gone,” Tristan says and I shake my head because I’m not done yet.
“I’ve still got stuff to do.I have to bake all the desserts and reheat the shells so I can add the cheese.I want to check on the meat and salads as well.Hopefully everything can be done by the time everyone gets back so I can disappear.I mean I know the desserts won’t be ready, but I can hide in here while you put the food wherever it goes durin’ a wake,” I tell them as I head for the refrigerator to pull out the batter.
“Wren, you’ve got to be in pain.I can see it in the way you walk.You’re wincin’ and tryin’ not to.Rest,” Zach orders me as I look at him and shake my head.“Yeah, I know you’re stubborn as fuck and won’t rest until you’re done with everythin’.You’re pushin’ yourself too damn much and it’s only gonna set you back.”
“I’ll be careful.I just want to get this done.Then I’ll lay down.Maybe one of you can put the cream on my back after I take a shower,” I tell them as I turn on the oven and grab the cookie sheets and cake pans for the brownies.
“You know we’ll always do what we can to help you.If that means rubbin’ the cream on your back, we’ll get it taken care of,” Tristan says as he goes out to check on the grills while Zach heads out to the bar.
I start to load everything into the ovens to bake.When the first batch is in, I pull the ribs from the crockpots and prepare them for the grill.Tristan makes his way back inside and together we carry everything out so he can get everything cooking.I help Zach bring the clean glasses to the bar from the kitchen.With every move I make, the muscle spasms get worse, but I ignore them the best I can.I’m not used to dealing with this amount of pain for hours on end, but I’m not about to take anything that could hurt the baby.I’ll take it easy once everything is done here.Fury and the rest of the guys won’t allow me to do anything else for the rest of the night if they have their way.Hopefully they don’t find out what’s going on because I’m not sure if I can handle their anger on a day like today.Hopefully we won’t have to find out.
Chapter Fourteen
Judge
RAZER’S FUNERAL WASsomber and exactly as I expected it to be.Fury gave a eulogy and had to stop several times.Millie spent the entire time sobbing while holding her children close.They were upset, but I can tell they don’t fully understand what’s going on.It’s too soon for the young kids to realize they’ll never see their dad again.He won’t be able to watch them grow up, teach his son how to be a man, make sure his daughter doesn’t choose an asshole who will break her heart, and be there for every single one of their milestones and events.Those two children are going to miss out on having one of the best men I’ve ever met in their corner full of support and encouragement.Demolition stood away from everyone and kept his head down.I could see his shoulders shaking and knew he was crying for the loss of his youngest son.Vulture stood close to the grave and didn’t look away from the casket holding his nephew one time.I know he carries the guilt of Razer’s death on his shoulders because he brought Greyson into the club.These three men are among the strongest I know and they’re crumbling.We all need to be here for them moving forward.
Now, we’re just arriving back to the clubhouse and I can’t wait to get inside.I want to see Wren and make sure she’s okay.The Rebels aren’t allowed to go to the funeral so they were left here with Wren.If one of them did a single thing to her, I’ll kick them out without any hesitation or a vote.I don’t give a fuck.The smells filling the air are unlike anything I’ve ever had the pleasure of smelling before.My stomach growls in hunger and mouth waters as I park my bike and shut the engine off.Climbing off, I leave my helmet on the seat and head in the clubhouse as everyone else parks and makes their way inside.
The second I open the door, Diamond is in my face.