Hardy Read online

  “It’s lovely to meet you.” She shook his hand, and Hardy knew she needed to have some protection. Millie wasn’t even aware of the danger she could be in. Fort Wills was a protected town, but even then, someone passing through could cause damage.

  “And you, what’s your security on this place?”

  “I have a, erm, a camera thing in the back, and locks on the doors for when it’s closed.”

  “That it?”

  “Yeah, what can I get you, Hardy?”

  Some peace of mind that you’re protected in some way.

  “Rose and I are expecting.”

  “That is so fantastic. Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.” She leaned down and grabbed a couple of books. “I take it you want to order some things for the baby?”

  “That’s right. I don’t want Rose to find out. She’s a little superstitious.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.” She turned them around for him to look at. “I can get you cribs, rocking chairs, breast pumps. Does she know if she’s going to be breast feeding?”

  “I’ve not got a clue.”

  “It’ll be good for her to figure that out. There’s pushchairs, and here we’ve got baby seats.”

  On and on it went. Hardy looked through the book and spent over an hour talking through the best things to buy for his woman. He paid up front, and Millie said she’d got a place in the back to store them.

  “If you come back when they’re delivered, we can make sure everything is okay, and they’ve got all the right equipment,” Millie said.

  “You’re a doll, Millie.”

  “I’m just doing my job to make life far more enjoyable for everyone.” She gave him a wink, and took the books.

  He watched her make some notes on an order slip.

  “Can I ask you something?” he asked.

  Millie nodded. “Sure.”

  “I’ve, I mean, Rose and I, we’re not on the best terms right now.”

  “You cheated on her?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Baker seems to spend a lot of time around here.” She glanced around the shop. “He talks about you. Not club business, just that he’s worried about you and Rose.”

  He’d have to talk with Baker about using his own problems to help him talk with Millie.

  “I’ve not gotten him into trouble, have I?”

  “No. It’s nothing. Providing it’s not club business, he can talk about whatever he wants.” I’m still going to beat the shit out of him for using me.

  “Good. I don’t want to get him into trouble. He looks like he’s been in a lot of pain, suffered.”

  “He has. He lost his wife and unborn kid to a drink driver,” he said.

  “Damn, I’m so sorry.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “I knew he’d had a great loss, but I didn’t think it was that bad.”

  “Don’t worry. He’s part of the club, and he’s family.”

  “So, what did you want my advice on?”

  “Rose.”

  “What about her?” Millie asked.

  “I want to win her back.”

  “Have you cheated on her since the last time?” Millie placed her pen between the folds of the book.

  “No. I’ve not looked at another woman. I don’t want any other woman but her.”

  “Then I don’t see what the problem is,” Millie said. “You love her. There’s been no one else, and you’re making it up to her.”

  “I didn’t change,” Hardy said. He’d been paying a lot of attention even when she thought he wasn’t. “Rose changed for me, and I didn’t even tell her to stop what she was doing. She changed, I didn’t. I didn’t make the effort to change.”

  “Why not?”

  “I was too damn scared I’d lose her. I had Rose in my life, and I was just so happy to have her there. I didn’t want to lose her.”

  Millie nodded. “Then take the time to prove her that you can change. Be everything she ever wanted. Make her forget about the man she thought you were.”

  “How?”

  “By giving her everything she always wanted.” Millie smiled. “Can you remember what she wanted?”

  Hardy nodded. He remembered what she’d always wanted from him.

  Leaving the shop, he climbed on the back of his bike, and went toward his house. Well, it wasn’t his house anymore. It was Rose’s house.

  He knocked on the door, and Baker opened it. He was holding a grilled cheese sandwich.

  “You better stop talking about my troubles with Millie,” Hardy said, pointing at him.

  Baker went bright red. “Sorry. It just spilled out, and I didn’t have any control over it.”

  “What are you? A fucking woman?”

  “I panicked. She’s always quiet around me, and I’m not used to someone being quiet around me.”

  Hardy shook his head. “I’m just letting you know I’m cleaning the backyard up today.”

  “Rose is taking a nap.”

  “I’ll be quiet.”

  Hardy moved around the back of the house. He removed his leather cut, entering the garage. The garage was a mess, and he started to empty it out. He killed all the spiders he came across, and opened up the whole of the garage. By the time he was finished Rose would be able to enter the garage without fear. His woman was terrified of spiders.

  Once the garage was finished, he looked at the garden. The lawn was overgrown, the flower patches were covered in weeds, and the small walkway was lost in a jungle of grass. Baker came out to help him, getting stuck into the weeds, while Hardy started to mow the lawn. When he was done with the backyard he’d go to the front, and mow that one.

  He removed his shirt, and within the hour he was down to his jeans. Baker ended up the same way. Rose stood at the kitchen door, and Hardy turned off the mower, and stared at her.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “I noticed this garden needed cleaning up,” he said, wiping at his brow.

  She wore clothes that were at least three sizes too big for her frame. Her red hair was bound up on her head. She looked so damned sexy that she made Hardy ache for a chance to get his hands on her. It had been too long since he’d been inside her.

  “You’re doing gardening?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s happened, Hardy?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You don’t do yard work.”

  “I’m a changed man. You’re going to find that I do a lot of things you didn’t think I did.” He gave her a wink, and got started back on work.

  Once the grass box on the mower was filled with the cut grass, he turned the machine off, and started to put the cuttings in compost heap.

  “You’re wooing Rose,” Baker said when he made to pass him.

  Looking toward the kitchen door, he didn’t see Rose standing there.

  “Have you got a problem with that?”

  “No, no problem at all. I think it’ll be great if you two get back together. You both deserve it.”

  Hardy was thankful that he had his brothers on his side.

  Rose brought out some lemonade, and he took it, keeping her out to talk. He listened as she spoke about buying some roses to mix in with the flowers.

  “We’ll go and pick some up. Do you want to do that now?”

  “Yes, I’d like that. Are you coming, Baker?” Rose asked.

  “Nah, I’ll let you two go. Tell me where you want the roses, and I’ll dig up the holes.”

  Hardy finished up his mowing as Rose talked with Baker about where she wanted the bushes. When he finished the lawn, Rose was ready to leave. He cursed when he saw that he had his bike. “We can ride to the clubhouse first.”

  Rose nodded.

  He handed her a helmet, climbing onto his bike. Hardy found it hard to swallow past the ball of emotion clogging in his throat. It had been too long since he had her on the back of his bike. The only thing missing was his leather jacket on her.

  She wrapped her arms around his
waist, holding him.

  Taking his time, he rode toward the clubhouse. With Rose at his back, Hardy felt right. It was right to have her with him.

  They entered the clubhouse to find Angel and Lash herding the children toward their car. She had Tabitha and Miles with her, along with Anthony, Darcy, and Simon.

  “What’s going on?” Hardy asked, climbing off his bike.

  “I’m taking the kids home with me today. Eva and Tiny wanted a break, and Tate and Murphy have the new baby. I’m free,” Angel said.

  “I’m just dropping her off,” Lash said. “This evening we’ve got church. I’m calling it. Everyone knows, including the prospects.”

  “What about Rose?” he asked.

  “She can stay at the clubhouse, and one of the boys will drive her home.”

  Hardy nodded. He shook hands with Lash, then made his way toward his car.

  “What’s with church?” she asked.

  “I made an observation about Millie. She’s not very aware of the danger she puts herself in by being exposed.”

  “Why were you at Millie’s place?” Rose asked.

  “Making an order for one of the boys.” Hardy pulled out of the parking lot. This was the first time Rose had spent time with him without him having to coerce her. He wasn’t going to lose this chance.

  Chapter Three

  Rose watched Hardy lean forward grabbing the three different rose bushes she wanted. Red, white, and pink, they were her favorite. They walked around the garden store, and Rose couldn’t help but realize that this was the first time they’d been shopping together. They’d never even gone to the store for food.

  “What is it?” Hardy asked when she released a little chuckle.

  “Nothing.”

  “You can tell me.” He started pushing the trolley, and she followed him, walking side by side.

  “We’ve never shopped together.”

  “Nah, we’ve got to have done it before,” he said. “We’ve been together ten years.”

  “We’ve not. You always had something more to do. You’d give me some money, send me in. You wouldn’t shop with me.” She shrugged. It wasn’t something that bothered her. Rose was used to watching other couples shopping, and wishing Hardy would go with her. Again, like so many times before, she hadn’t said anything. Rose realized it was just as much her fault as Hardy’s. “Forget I said anything.”

  “Do you need to go to the grocery store?” Hardy asked.

  “I do.”

  “We’ll rectify that situation. We’ll go shopping after we’ve bought these roses. Is there anything else you want today?”

  She looked around the store and shook her head. “No. Getting the garden to actually look like a garden is more important.”

  They paid for the roses, and were back in the car minutes later. She watched Hardy as he drove to the store. This man she knew, and yet she didn’t.

  Waking up from her nap, she’d been shocked to find Hardy in her yard, mowing the lawn. He rarely did any yard work, and she’d been the one to keep the house looking good.

  Hardy parked near the store, and Rose climbed out. Her reflection caught her attention. She looked a mess, and the last thing she wanted to do was go shopping with Hardy, who looked good enough to eat.

  He took her hand, locking their fingers together.

  “Take me to the depths of hell,” he said.

  She chuckled, grabbing a trolley, and placing it in front of him. “You’ve been to the store before.”

  “Only on orders, Tiny’s orders.”

  “How are you handling the change in leadership?” she asked. They walked toward the fresh food section, and she started looking at the produce that was available.

  “It’s great. Lash was the best guy for the job.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I couldn’t look after The Skulls like Lash can. He’s the most stable out of all of us. He knows when to make the hard decisions.”

  “It must be all different for everyone. I mean, Tiny’s been the leader for so long,” she said, getting some fresh onions, peppers, and potatoes.

  “Tiny knows what he’s doing. He’d never leave the club in the wrong person’s hands, and he’s right.”

  “How’s everything with Alex now?”

  “We’re all guilty as fuck. Sunshine made us open our eyes, and we didn’t have a choice but to pay attention to what she’d brought us. It was fucking shit what we’d done.”

  She added in some celery and lettuce. This entire trip was surreal to her. She didn’t have a clue what to make of his presence.

  “At least you’ve learned from your mistakes.”

  “We have. The Skulls is changing. I just hope we’re all ready for this change.”

  “Do you think this change is going to be good or bad?” she asked.

  “We’ll find out. Lash is a good guy, and Tiny’s still playing his part. Only time will tell. Lash has a good reputation, and anyone who tries to take us on will be in for a big fucking surprise.”

  “The whole club is happy then?” Rose asked.

  “Yes. Lash is by far the best option out of all of us. He knows what he’s doing. I don’t want the club on my back.”

  They moved around an aisle, and Rose paused to watch him as he looked at the steaks on the counter. This Hardy she wasn’t used to.

  “What do you think of these steaks?” he asked, holding them up.

  “They look great.”

  “We can grill them up when we get back. Baker’s probably starving.”

  “I like that,” she said, thinking about the biker at her home, digging through the weeds. “We owe him for helping out.”

  “I can stick around, have a drink with you. Maybe we can pick up a movie for us all to watch?”

  Rose tilted her head to the side to watch him. “I like that idea.”

  Hardy picked up several steaks, and several more. “For your freezer.”

  “You’re planning on inviting yourself around for more steaks?” she asked.

  “Who else are you going to cook them for?”

  She gave him a smile, stepping up close. “There’s no one else, Hardy.”

  Arousal shot through her body, taking her completely by surprise.

  Walking past him, she started to look up and down the shelves filled with cans and cartons of different things.

  What is your problem?

  He’s your husband.

  Soon to be ex-husband.

  She rubbed at her chest from the sudden jolt of pain that rushed through her. Divorce had felt like the only option left open to her. Everywhere she looked were memories of what had happened between her and Hardy.

  Was there a chance they could come back from that?

  Rose wanted the chance to be with him again. The thought ran through her mind, shocking her.

  Glancing behind her, she saw Hardy was watching her. The heat in his gaze was undeniable. He wanted her, just like she wanted him. Licking her lips, she kept picking up general groceries that would keep her going for the next couple of days.

  Don’t send the divorce papers.

  Hardy had given her the divorce papers, and she’d been struggling with what to do with them ever since. It shouldn’t be difficult or hard, and yet that was exactly what it was. Hardy had taken over ten years of her life. He was the first man she’d ever been with. He was the first man she’d ever fallen in love with, and no one could change that no matter how much she wished they could.

  Ten years is a long time to waste.

  They made it around the store, and as they were queuing she asked Hardy how he handled it.

  “There was a point I was going to burst into flames. I think it was at the women’s products. Scary shit that stuff is.”

  “Yeah, I could never rely on you in a crisis.” And that was part of the problem. She was always there for him, getting him everything he needed. Hardy wouldn’t go to the store for her to get her sanitary towels during her monthly cycle. He
wasn’t there for her, and it had all added up until she couldn’t take it anymore.

  You never asked him.

  Rose paused as she remembered that she’d never even asked him.

  “I was a complete bastard to you, wasn’t I?”

  “We both made mistakes. I didn’t even ask you to do stuff for me. Let’s not talk about it.”

  They were being served, and they didn’t speak of it again. She packaged up their groceries, placing them back into the trolley. Hardy paid, and then they were walking back to the car. At the trunk of the car, Hardy grabbed her arm.

  “We need to talk about this crap, Rose. This is our problem, we don’t talk.”

  She stared into his eyes not knowing what to expect from him. The sincerity in his eyes made her realize he was speaking the truth.

  “What do you want to talk about?” she asked.

  “I fucked up. I was a total asshole to you, and I’m sorry.”

  “This doesn’t matter anymore. We can’t change what happened.”

  “But you won’t sleep next to me at nighttime. You’ve cut me out, and I don’t like it. I want to do better, Rose. I want to be better.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and she took a deep breath in an attempt to keep her emotions in check.

  “I can’t do this right now.”

  “We need to do this, Rose.”

  “Baker’s waiting for us back home. Let’s get the food loaded into the car. I’m hungry.”

  Hardy started at her for several seconds before clicking the lock open on the car. She opened the trunk, and started to load the groceries into the trunk of the car.

  Taking a seat in the passenger side, she waited for them to pull out of the car before turning to Hardy.

  “So, shopping? What do you think of it?”

  He rubbed his temple. “It’s fine, Rose.”

  “Not woman’s work?”

  The wince on his face had Rose sitting back.

  “I was just having a joke,” she said.

  “I know, Rose. I know you’re having a joke, and to anyone else it would be funny, but I was a fucking bastard to you. I mean, we didn’t go shopping until this moment. It’s fucking wrong of me, and I’m so sorry. I’m your old man, you’re my fucking old lady, and you should have been able to rely on me.”

  He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, and Rose tensed up. She wasn’t afraid, but she wasn’t used to Hardy having angry outbursts, either.