Hawk, Colt, and Raider stood in the middle of the bar looking around the place like they had never seen it before. We’d rebuilt the place to look almost exactly like the old bar, the one our father had built with his bare hands. There were a few changes here and there that had been a necessity rather than something we’d actually wanted. It looked good, a bar anyone would be proud of, but it didn’t have the heart and soul that our father’s bar had once had.
At least not yet. The heart and soul would come with time. With sweat and blood and happy memories that we would all make here with our MC.
Tonight, however, it didn’t look like anything we’d ever seen before. Not in this bar or our father’s. I’d pulled rank and conned all three of my brothers into helping me. We weren’t going to open it to the public tonight because I had something special planned. Flick was going to get her hearts and flowers.
“It looks like cupid threw up in here,” Raider grumbled as he swatted at one of the heart-shaped balloons that took up most of the room.
He’d emptied three of the small helium tanks from blowing up all the balloons, tied pink and white string to each one, and even crinkled the damn ribbons the way Gracie had shown him when she’d come in to check on our progress on her lunch hour. The way my brother was looking at the room right then, I feared he would break out in a rash at any time. He was allergic to romantic shit, and I didn’t think it could get more romantic than the bar right then.
Roses and tulips were in various glasses, vases, and even a few beer bottles around the room. Pink and white rose petals were scattered on the floor that led straight to a huge heart that was nothing but red rose petals. In the middle of that stupid heart were at least twenty pillows spread over a thick blanket. No lights were on in the bar; instead, the place was dimly lit up with at least two thousand tea lights and scented candles that Gracie had assured me would make Flick putty in my hands.
“If this shit works, let me know.” Colt fingered one of the strings attached to a pink heart-shaped balloon. “I might do the same with Kelli.”
“I don’t see Kelli wanting this kind of girly shit,” Raider speculated to Colt. “I figured her for the type of girl who would want chains and whips instead of hearts and flowers.”
Colt grinned. “You’re not wrong, but this might be fun to try too.”
“You’re both idiots,” Hawk growled. Pulling his keys out of his pocket, he headed for the door. “I’m headed home. Good luck, brother.”
I nodded after him, still not sure if I should be jealous of my own brother or not. Since we’d gotten Gracie back, Hawk had changed toward Flick. He didn’t growl at her like he had when she’d first gotten home. They seemed close again, friends.
They’d both better hope it was just friendship. I wouldn’t hesitate to kill my own brother if he dared to take Flick away from me…
Fuck.
I knew that was just stupid jealousy talking. Anyone with eyes in their head could see that Hawk adored Gracie. He worshiped the ground she walked on. The way he’d taken care of her when she’d been so sick in the hospital, the tears he hadn’t been ashamed to let fall as he’d feared she wouldn’t get better. Hawk loved Gracie in a way I’d never seen a man love his female before.
I should probably be taking pointers off him, but there was no way in hell I was going to ask him for advice on how to get Flick to love me again.
Gracie had been my second choice because I knew she wouldn’t laugh her ass off at me or give me hell over wanting something I probably didn’t deserve.
“We’re out too,” Colt called as he and Raider headed for the door. “See you tomorrow, brother. Hope you get what you want tonight.”
I didn’t know if he was being sarcastic or serious so I didn’t answer him. Knowing my brothers, it could have been either one.
Taking one last look around the bar, I blew out a nervous breath and went out to the parking lot to wait on Flick. It was nearly seven and I knew she would get there soon. Nervousness churned in my stomach, made my palms sweat and my heart pound. Had I ever wanted anything more than this night to go right?
Yes.
Her.
I’d always wanted her this much, but was too much of a pussy to put myself out there for her.
That would change tonight, though. It was time I showed her that she meant more to me than anything or anyone. Fuck, I was scared out of my mind.
The sound of a powerful engine caught my attention and I lifted my head to find Flick pulling Raven’s SRT8 Challenger into the parking lot. Since Raven had had Max, she’d been driving around a black Tahoe and rarely drove the car. It wasn’t big enough for both kids and everything else she might need to ha
ul around so the car had been basically parked in the garage.
Turning the engine off, Flick got out, frowning as she walked toward me. “What’s going on? Why isn’t there anyone else here? It’s Thursday. I figured the place would be crowded.”
I caught her around the waist and pulled her against me, stopping her words with a slow, gentle kiss that had my body aching for her. I kissed her long and slow, loving the way her body trembled as she melted against me. When I lifted my head more than a minute later, she was breathless and her eyes were full of the need I knew only I could make her burn with.
“I love you, Flick.”
Something flashed in her eyes, something I hadn’t seen in them in a long, long time. When she didn’t say anything, but lowered her eyes, I didn’t feel the usual burn of loss and hurt in my stomach. Not after seeing her eyes. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Flick still loved me. Knowing that made me feel like I could conquer the world.
Her blue eyes dropped to the ground and I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Let’s go inside. We have the whole place to ourselves tonight.”