Page 89 of Iron Heart
This last year has been all about me reclaiming this house as my own. Correction,ourown. Dante moved in officially six months ago. But realistically, he’s more or less been living here since the night I found him sitting on my front porch and he told me he was in love with me.
We have no plans to put up a picket fence, but we did knock out a wall between two of the five bedrooms to make a huge, luxurious master suite — complete with a king size bed with a top of the line mattress that Dante insisted on. “This thing is gonna get a lot of use,” Dante joked. “We better get a damn good one, because I plan to spend as much time as possible wearing it out.”
Dante and his club brothers also just built this new garage for our cars, and for his workshop. So far, it’s turning out to be a real man cave. It’s so nice that guys from the MC have already started coming over to hang out a lot on weekends. Dante complains about that part, but I know he doesn’t mean it. He loves the home we’re making for ourselves here as much as I do.
“Okay,” Jeremy nods. “Well, it sounds like you’re covered, then. Where is Dante, anyway?”
“He’s on a run with the Lords. Up in Cincinnati, I think.”
“Oh, I see. Sorry to miss him,” Jeremy murmurs, sounding almost relieved. He and Dante have gotten along the few times they’ve met, but I think Jeremy is still a little intimidated by him. “When does he get back?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, probably right around the time the sale is ending.”
“Well, that’s convenient,” Savannah jokes.
“Okay, well, if that’s all you need me to do, I’m gonna head out. I’ll come pick you up tomorrow, babe,” he says to Savannah, pulling her close and giving her a kiss.
“Thanks, Jeremy.” I give him a hug. “And thanks for lending your fiancée to me tonight!”
“Just don’t let her get into any trouble,” he winks at me.
“The only trouble we’re likely to get into is at the bottom of a Ben and Jerry’s container,” Savannah quips. That gets a laugh out of both of us.
Since Dante isout of town, Savannah is staying over for one last girls’ night together before she gets married. We pull out the old mattress from my bed, which is still in the hallway, and spend the evening camped out in the living room with a huge mound of pillows propped up around us. We pop popcorn, drink wine, and sit up watching rom-coms until we both fall asleep. It’s a perfect night with my best friend.
The next morning, Savannah helps me set up the garage sale and stays to hang out and chat with the other women until Jeremy comes to pick her up. The day passes quickly, and the garage sale is a success. And best of all, I have good friends around me that make it hurt a little less that I’m saying goodbye to a lot of the memories from my favorite aunt’s life.
Thank you, Aunt Jeanne,I tell her, hoping she’s somewhere out there.Thanks to you, I’m okay now.
Bailey, Laney, Bethany and I spend the day talking and laughing as we work the sale. Paisley and Addi — Bethany and Bailey’s little girls — run around my yard and get into mischief, as all little girls do. Because I knew they would be here today, I splurged and bought a plastic wading pool for them. They have a blast together splashing each other and “swimming” in it.
As we watch them laugh and play, Bailey pipes up. “So Tori, I notice your house haslotsof room for babies. That’s kind of exciting!”
“Oh, God, the gorgeous babies you’re gonna make with Dante,” Laney sighs. “I can only imagine.”
“Let’s just hope they aren’t as huge as he is. Can you imagine pushing one of those bruisers out of your hoo ha?” Bethany giggles.
“I’d make a great godmother. Just sayin’,” Bailey winks at me.
“Wow, you guys move fast. One thing at a time,” I laugh. “Though, I will admit, I sort of love the idea of starting a family with Dante. Funny, I never really thought I wanted kids before I met him. I think I’ve changed my mind.”
“Those babies will be beautiful,” Laney croons. “Just think, a little girl with Tori’s blond hair and Dante’s dark eyes? Amazing.”
“Laney, I think you might be more excited about the prospect of us having kids than I am!” I tease her.
“Well, I think I might have babies on the brain,” she admits. “Rourke and I are going to start trying.”
“Oh, my God, so exciting!” Bailey claps her hands. “Just think, Addi and Paisley will be old enough to babysit soon. I love this. The MC family needs more babies.”
When the sale ends, I’ve made close to eight-hundred dollars. As the ladies and I are putting the few things that didn’t sell back in the garage, Dante pulls up on his bike.
“Nice timing, D’Agostino,” Bailey calls to him. “You missed all the hard work.”
“That was the plan all along,” Dante shoots back with a grin. “How’d you do?”
“We’re rich,” I tell him, holding up the money envelope. “Seven-hundred ninety-four dollars.”
“Holy shit, no kidding we’re rich.” Dante strides up and catches me around the waist. “Wanna take me out for a swanky dinner tonight?”