Gramps chuckled. “Didn’t want to be rude, leaving my own party.”
“It’s your wedding night—I think we all understand,” Eagle said dryly.
“You sure you’re okay staying the night?” Gramps asked Bull.
“Of course.”
“Mario’s got dance practice early in the morning. He likes to be early so he can gossip with everyone. You’ll need to leave by eight, and wake him up by seven. He takes forever to get ready. Shit, better make that six thirty, because he’s gonna be a bear since it’s so late. He’ll need the extra thirty minutes to lie in bed and moan about how early it is. I’ve got his protein shake all made and in the fridge—”
“Gramps?” Bull interrupted.
“What?”
“Take your wife to the hotel, would ya? Skylar and I got this.”
Shaking his head and chuckling a little at himself, Gramps nodded. “Yeah, right. Thanks. It’s just that this is the first night we’ve been away from him in a very long time.”
“Go,” Smoke said. “We’ll help clean up here.”
“I’ve got a cleaning service coming tomorrow, so don’t worry too much about things,” Gramps said. Then he gave his friends a chin lift, kissed baby Alessa, who was sound asleep in Eagle’s arms, and headed for Cassidy.
She looked up as he approached, and he didn’t miss the flush on her cheeks.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
She nodded eagerly and stood without hesitation. Gramps mentally shook his head. He’d been giving her time to talk to the others, but it looked like she was just as anxious to leave as he was. She wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into him.
Gramps whistled for Mario, and he came running over. He hugged his mom and Gramps and listened patiently as Cassidy told him to be good for Bull and Skylar. She was about to start in on tomorrow’s schedule, but Gramps pulled her toward the house. “Time to go,” he said firmly.
“Have fun!” Mario said, then turned to go back to where he’d left Sandra dancing on the lawn.
When they were on their way to the hotel, Gramps held Cassidy’s hand tightly in his own. “So, Mrs. Zanardi, was it everything you wanted?”
“Yes. But even if we went to the courthouse and had a quickie wedding, it still would’ve been. Because I’m finally yours, and you’re mine. That’s all I ever wanted. Everything else—the party, our friends being there—was all icing on the cake.”
“I love you. So much,” Gramps told her.
“I love you too,” Cassidy said. Then she chuckled.
“What?” Gramps asked.
“I was just remembering how nervous I used to be to make love with you when Mario was in the house.”
“We’ve kinda gotten over that, huh?” Gramps said with a smile.
“Yeah, but I’m looking forward to tonight. To not being quiet.”
The smile she shot him was carnal, and Gramps shifted in his seat. His cock was hard, and he couldn’t wait to sink into her gorgeous, welcoming body. He pressed a little harder on the accelerator.
When she giggled, Gramps couldn’t help but be thankful they were here. So many things could’ve gone differently in their life journeys. Even changing one thing might’ve guaranteed they never would’ve met up again. He made a mental vow right then and there to never take his wife for granted and to do everything in his power to hear that giggle every day for the rest of his life.
Five years later
Bull smiled up at his wife as she walked across the stage to accept her award. She’d been nominated as Teacher of the Year for her school district and had won. Then she’d been in the running for the same award, but for the entire state of Indiana. And she’d just learned she’d won that too.
The last five years had been hectic, but Bull couldn’t remember ever being happier. Skylar loved teaching, and even though it was tough at times, his wife would never want to do anything else.
One of the best things about tonight’s ceremony was that Sandra Archer was presenting the award. She was in middle school now, but she and Skylar were as tight as ever. They’d forged a bond that would never be broken when they’d relied on each other after being kidnapped.
Sandra’s dad, Shawn, was still working at Silverstone, and had gotten married the year before to an absolutely drop-dead-gorgeous Sudanese woman named Khoudia. She had the darkest, most stunning skin Bull had ever seen; she literally seemed to glow. She and Shawn had met when he’d been hired to cater an exclusive event being held at the historic Tinker House in downtown Indianapolis. Apparently, he’d overheard one of the guests making a racist comment and called him out on it. He and Khoudia had started talking, and it turned out she’d just moved to the area with her son and was trying to find a good school for him.
Shawn had recommended Eastlake, and that was that. Sandra got along famously with her new brother, and now they both hung out at Silverstone Towing all the time. She was turning into quite the lovely young woman herself, and Bull could only laugh when Shawn bitched about all the hours she spent texting and talking to boys from her school.
Tonight, Sandra was wearing a dress that made her look older than her eleven years. She was even wearing a pair of one-inch heels, which she’d practiced walking in for at least two weeks, afraid she would fall on her face and embarrass herself at the ceremony.
Bull’s eyes went back to his gorgeous wife. She’d spent the day at the salon with Taylor, Molly, and Cassidy. Her auburn hair cascaded down her back in lush curls. She wore more makeup than normal, and while Bull appreciated the striking look, he honestly preferred her natural beauty. She had on an emerald-green dress that matched her eyes perfectly. It was cut low in the front and back, making him want to slip his hand beneath the fabric to touch her warm, silky skin.
He’d kept his hands to himself thus far, but he knew the second he got her back to their bedroom, all bets were off. He might not even make it that long. Images of shoving the dress over her hips and bending her over their couch and taking her from behind flashed through his mind.
He blinked the image away, concentrating on Skylar as she smiled at the crowd from behind the podium. She held the trophy in hands that shook and took a deep breath.
Bull smiled, encouraging her as she began to speak.
“Thank you very much—I’m overwhelmed by this honor,” Skylar said. “When I first got into teaching, I was frequently asked why I chose to work at Eastlake. Everyone told me how miserable I would be, how poor the area was, how the financial support from the district was extremely lacking. My answer to them was that I wanted to work in a school where I was truly needed. Where I would be appreciated. Where I could make a difference. The children who attend Eastlake are just as smart as those who attend the most expensive private schools—they just need someone to believe in them. Teachers who are willing to look past their families’ bank accounts and do what they were hired to do . . . teach.
“Our children are the future. They’ll be the ones to come up with the cure for cancer, they’ll be the leaders in our government, they’ll be the men and women who show up at your house when your septic system has exploded and sewage is shooting out of your toilet.”