Page 69 of Truck Up
“Oh, I don’t know,” Chase continues. His tone sounds somewhat condescending. He rests his arms on the table as he leans closer to me. “Let’s recap, shall we? In the span of a few weeks, we find out you have a girlfriend.”
“You knew I was seeing someone,” I cut him off, and he growls. Chase fucking growls at me. He never does that.
“Yes, but I didn’t know who.” He continues without missing a beat. “And now I know why. A fucking Koch, Christian. Really?” He turns to Amelia and smiles. “No offense, Lia.”
She raises her hands and shakes her head. “None taken.”
He turns back to me with the same frustrated glare. “She’s pregnant! I never thought you’d have a kid before me. That’s for damn sure. And to top it all off, you have a secret cabin that you’ve owned for years. What the fuck, bro?”
I just stare at him because I don’t have a good answer. He’s right. I kept the cabin a secret way longer than I kept Amelia secret, and he’s hurt by that.
I could have told him, and he wouldn’t have told anyone else. I can trust my twin with my life, and I didn’t trust him with that.
“Sorry,” I say. It fixes nothing, and I doubt it will make Chase feel better, but it’s all I’ve got.
He waves me off as if my apology is meaningless. Then he shoves off the table and stands. “I need another beer,” he mumbles before he sulks toward the refrigerator.
“When do we get to see this cabin?” Liam asks. “If you need help with the renovations, I’ve got time.”
“Thanks,” I say, then take a long pull from my beer. “I’ve got the reno covered. Hired a crew to take care of it.”
“And you’ve got the money for that?” Liam asks.
I nod. “Been saving. I’ve had nothing else to spend my money on.”
I feel Liam’s gaze on me, but I don’t bother looking at him. There was a time when I spent every penny I made—and some I didn’t make—on drugs. I don’t know how many times he accused me of stealing money from the shop. I never admitted to it because it’s something I’m not proud of.
But for the past few years, I’ve lived as if I were close to being penniless. Living on the homestead, I need very little to maintain my life. My needs are simple and cheap.
My paycheck has gone into a high-yielding savings account, and I have a nominal amount of money automatically transferred to my checking account each paycheck.
I make a good salary from the garage, and the custom builds. Add in the handsome rate Edge pays me for each job I take on, and I’ve got quite the nest egg. I have more than enough in my savings to build Amelia whatever kind of house she wants.
“Are you at least going to tell us where it is?” Grams asks. “I need to know where my grandbaby is going to be living.”
I open my mouth to answer her, but Amelia beats me to it. “Of course. Tell me when you want to go out there, and I’ll gladly take you.”
Grams practically beams at her. “I’d like that.” Then she turns to me and frowns. “You lose her and I’ll kick your ass. You understand me?”
The kitchen fills with laughter. I drop my head and bang it a few times on the table.
I should have expected this. My family always welcomes everyone with open arms. Not even being a Koch is enough to make them reject Amelia.
I guess I should consider myself lucky. I’m going to need their support. As much as I hate to admit it or even think it, chances are high I’m going to fuck up a lot.
If left to my own devices, I’d lose Amelia and this baby.
My family will work hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Dinner tonight is an odd event.At least it’s odd for me. It’s been a rapid fire of questions—mostly about how Amelia and I got together—from my brothers.
Maybe my brothers are used to this kind of attention, but not me. I’ve never been asked so many questions in all my life. If I don’t answer, they turn to Amelia.
They’re taking advantage of her openness and people pleasing nature. I don’t like it.
They’re not doing it on purpose. I doubt they even know it’s happening. But I see it.
It’s not only her desire to make them happy or to fit in. She’s a caregiver by nature. Her need to take care of others often outweighs her own needs. It’s why she puts up with so much shit from her family. She’s sacrificed her own happiness for years just to make her family happy.