Page 58 of Wild Card
“Where did he go?” he asks, suddenly looking panicked.
“He left.” Earl stands up from the back pew. “I’d have left too if I was him.” I can see that whatever the guy’s done has pissed him off.
“I’m on it.” Hack gets up, excusing himself as he starts making his way down the pew to get out and chase after him, and I can see that Grizz wants to do the same, but instead, he turns his focus to me.
“I promise, I had no idea. I asked your mom when she first showed up in town, but she assured me you weren’t mine.”
“So why now? How did you?—”
“We can get into all of that when we’re alone. But right now, as your father, I have to stop you from doin’ this.” He grips my hand tighter in his, and from the corner of my eye, I see Ash lose all the hope from his face.
“Of all the people to be her father, it had to be you.” He looks to Grizz and shakes his head.
“Of all the guys to fall for my daughter, it had to beyou,” Grizz growls back in frustration.
“Kinda pissin’ all over my romantic gesture here, VP,” Ash smirks, and although I can see it pisses Grizz off, he doesn’t say anything, just looks back to me and smiles.
“You wanna get outta here, do some talkin’?” he asks, making his voice much softer.
“More than anything.” I laugh, feeling all the weight from my chest suddenly lift.
“You can’t leave.” Brett stands up and snatches my arm out of Ash’s. "Remember what we know, Ruby,” he whispers tight against my ear, and as I pull away, Ash throws a punch of his own that sends him right back to the floor again.
“Enough! This has gone far enough. This wedding is taking place.” Mayor Porter looks determined as he tries to drag his son up from the floor, and when Grizz lets go of me and starts making his way toward them, he looks over his shoulder to Ash.
“Take my girl back to the club,” he orders.
“You meanourgirl.” Ash winks back at him. “I gotcha, Pops.” He winks, and when it looks as though Grizz is gonna swing that punch for him instead, I quickly take his hand and rush him the hell out of there.
“Do you ever take anything seriously?” I stop to catch my breath when we get to his bike, looking back at the doors and still trying to register all that's happened in the last ten minutes.
“I meant what I said in there,” Ash says with one hell of aseriouslook on his face when I turn back to face him. “I love you. You don’t have to say it back, you don’t even have to feel half the same way as I do. I just couldn’t let you be unhapp–”
“I love you, too.” I quickly snatch his face in my hands and kiss him, and when he raises my feet off the ground and wraps me back up in his strong arms, I pray that this isn’t a dream.
“I gotta be honest though, darlin’, I really don’t think your dad likes me.” Ash pulls away with that handsome smile on his face, and I laugh out loud and slap his chest.
“You two can work on it, just get me the hell outta here.” I hitch up my dress and let him help me onto the back of his bike.
Ash has poured me a scotch and got me settled at the clubhouse before Grizz returns. His boots tap loudly on the wood floor as he marches straight to the bar, picks up the bottle, then knocks it straight back.
“Taint, call in the boys for an emergency meetin’,” he orders, getting some confused looks from the other members.
“Where's Byron?” Moby asks, lifting his feet down from where they're resting on the table and straightening up like he can sense something's not right.
“Byron’s skipped town; he ain’t your president anymore.I am.” He says that last part like he’s unsure of it, and when I see the look on everyone's faces, I know something real serious must have happened.
“Says who?” Moby laughs like he ain’t buying it.
“Says Jameson. Where do you assholes think I’ve been these past few days? Now, call in the others and give us some privacy here.” Grabbing the bottle, he brings it with him to the table where me and Ash are sitting, and waits for everyone to leave.
“Are you serious about this guy?” he asks me sternly, and if I wasn’t so shocked, I’d remind him of who he’s talking to. He can’t, after twenty-five years of being absent, start talking like he’s my dad.
“That's none of your business,” I tell him, letting him see that I'm offended.
“Listen, sweetheart, I ain’t ever done this before and I can tell you now, that I ain’t gonna be very good at it. Not to start with, anyway,” he admits, looking almost embarrassed. “Just bear with me and answer the question.”
“Yes, I’m serious about him.” I take Ash’s hand and watch the proud smile form on his face as he looks toward his new president.
