The relief on her face was clear as fucking day. He only hoped they were successful and it didn’t turn to be a clusterfuck.
“Before we leave, can we get some food and take it out to the guys?”
Dodge nodded. “Yeah. I’ll check with Trip about givin’ them access to the kitchen, the bar, the showers and the rest inside.”
“Will he let them stay in the bunkhouse, instead?”
“Don’t know, baby, but I can ask.” That might be a tall order when it came to Trip.
“Be convincing.”
His lips twitched at her demand. “Got it. Head to the bus and get warm. Be back in a bit.”
Maybe the prez would let the guys share the bunkroom with Scar, Castle and Bones now that Dozer and Woody had moved into their own rooms. At least until they hit the road again.
If it was up to Dodge, and most likely Sig, when they hit the road again, it would be without their lead singer.
However, that wasn’t the issue they needed to deal with first. They needed to get her daughter back. He couldn’t imagine Syn would want to travel in a damn half-broken-down bus with her nine-year-old. Maya needed to go to school and have a stable home.
She also needed to bond with her real mother again.
Syn had been hardly scraping by. Having a kid with her would make her nomad lifestyle even tougher.
She really needed to put down roots. At least for Maya. And there was no better place for that to happen than right in Manning Grove. Hell, right on this very fucking farm.
As he headed toward the farmhouse, he took a quick glance over his shoulder to see she had reached the bus and was already climbing inside.
It was crazy how hard it was for him to walk away from her at that moment, even though he knew he’d see her again soon.
How a petite powerhouse, with a smoky voice that had sucked him in and refused to spit him back out, so quickly turned his life upside down and made him question the future he thought he’d already figured out.
If he was honest with himself, he wasn’t hating the prospect of Syn being a permanent fixture in his life. As he strode through the snow, he realized, if he looked hard enough, lately he’d actually been hating all the nameless, faceless pussy that came in and out of his bed like one of those rotating doors.
Life was goddamn strange. He wouldn’t deny the intense pull he had toward Syn or pretend it didn’t exist.
Fuck no, he planned to ride it out and see where it took them.
That meant he also needed to pull Sig aside and tell Syn’s brother his intentions. That might take a little more convincing than it had with Syn herself. But he was up for that challenge, too.
He’d make damn sure that was one challenge he wouldn’t lose.
Chapter Twenty
As the snow piled up, they got back to his place before the roads became impassable. In fact, a few times it got a little hairy.
The town kept Main Street as clear as possible but after salting the roads, they usually waited to plow the back roads and side streets once the storm was over. Especially when storms blew in as fast as the current one. And the alleys? They were the last to be cleared every damn time. Luckily, with his Power Wagon’s four-wheel-drive and knobby tires, his beast got through most shit.
Micah and Dozer had actually shut the bar down early because of the treacherous conditions. Nobody but a couple of diehard regulars who lived within walking distance had remained. Everyone else who drove to drink was smart enough to leave before having to be kicked out.
After walking in the rear door, he automatically went to double-check the front entrance to make sure it was locked. Then he took Syn upstairs with the duffle bag he told her to pack with whatever necessities she’d need for the next two days.
If the snow didn’t let up soon, he had a feeling they’d be holed up at Crazy Pete’s for at least a day or so. If he had to be stuck at the bar, he wasn’t going to bitch about being stuck there with Syn.
The first thing he did was strip her down, get them both into the shower and show her the kind of care he’d give her after their “lessons.” He did this by washing not only her hair, but every inch of her body. Afterward, he wrapped her in a towel and dried her off before doing the same for himself.
If she gave herself to him, he would do whatever was needed to show his appreciation of that gift. Including spoiling her.
To be completely upfront, he told her he would expect certain things from her, but in turn, she could expect the same from him. Surprisingly, she seemed to be okay with the terms he laid out.