He holds his hand out to me, and I shake it out of respect for him and Coral. “You have my word, sir. I won’t let you down.”
“Good. Good.”
“I want to marry her.” It shot out of my mouth before I could stop it. Now wasn’t the right time, but I couldn’t help it. Don’t dad’s like to be asked for their daughter’s hand in marriage? Jack told me that once. He told me how he asked Taylor’s father if he could marry her. Makes the father know you respect him and his part in his daughter’s life. “I would like for your permission to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Pretty crazy, right? A biker asking his girl’s old man for her hand in marriage. I might not have been raised right, but Taylor taught me that manners cost nothing. Asking Coral’s dad for her hand in marriage was the right thing to do. Old-fashioned, but right.
He slaps his other hand over mine. “It really doesn’t matter what I say, son. If you want to ask her and she says yes, whether I like it or not, you’ll still marry her.”
“True. However, it would mean a great deal to me to have your permission.”
He looks me in the eye for a long moment. I almost think he’s going to take a swing at me. However, he smiles and nods his head. No verbal permission is given, but I don’t need it, that nod said it all.
Chapter Eighteen
Coral
I can’t believe how proud I am of my sister right now. She stood on that stage and gave her speech like a pro. She was valedictorian. We watched her with such pride in our hearts that I felt it seeping from all of us in the bucket load.
We spent a few moments talking with her friends. She’s planning to meet up with them as soon as dinner is over. She’ll be partying the night away, but I’m leaving in the morning, so this dinner is important to me because I won’t see her again for a couple of months.
It hurts, I don’t really want to leave so soon, extending our stay would be nice, but my mother still isn’t talking to me, so what would be the point? She hasn’t said one word since I arrived at her house. Even when me, Cindy, and my mother left the house to get in our cars, she didn’t say anything to me. She just made some snide comment about the car I hired for while I’m here. It’s black, and mom hates black. It’s a Volkswagen. She hates Volkswagen’s, they’re too big, to vile. Cindy just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Me? I said nothing and got in the car.
I guessed that my dad wanted to talk to Stryker alone. They seemed to take forever to come out of the house. I thought they might kill each other, but I didn’t move, I knew my dad needed to say his piece to the man I love. Don't all dad’s?
When they came out of the house, both had smiles on their faces. I was so shocked I couldn’t close my mouth for five minutes. When I asked Stryker what they talked about he told me that everything would be okay, my father is a good man, and he’s proud of me.
He didn’t go into anything, but I guessed the talk had done them both good. My dad has been great all day, talking to Stryker like they’re friends of old, much to my mother’s annoyance. She’s not going to give Stryker a chance, I just know it. She won’t even try for me, and that hurts so much.
“I’m so proud of you, Cindy.” I squeeze my sister’s hand from across the table. She smiles at me so wide. I do love my sister. She’s my best friend.
“Thank you. I’m proud of you, too, and it looks like dad is friends with your man.” She nods towards them. Stryker is sitting beside me, my dad on the opposite side of him in between my mom and sister. They’re rooted in conversation, laughing at whatever they’re talking about.
It makes my heart swell to see them getting on like this. All through dinner they talked like they’d known each other for years. They’ve become friends today, and that makes me so happy. My father is trying for me because he wants to see me happy.
Unlike my mother, who is staring at me like she wants to kill me. I’ve never seen her look at me like that before. Is she really so angry with me for bringing Stryker with me? For even being with him?
Apparently so.
A squeeze to my hand draws my eyes to my sister. “Don’t worry about her; she’ll come around.”
“Somehow, I can’t see it.” I smile slightly. My sister blows me an air kiss, making me laugh. Stryker kisses my cheek, making me smile shyly. It’s been a wonderful day. Stryker has been amazing to my family, and they’ve been just as good to him. Except for my mother, of course. “I’m just going to the bathroom,” I tell Stryker with a kiss to his lips.
After I’ve peed, I wash my hands while humming to myself happily. I’ve never felt this happy in my whole life. Being here with my family, with Stryker by my side, even though my mother is giving us a hard time, has been so special.
“I see he’s sweet talked your father.”
“Jesus Christ!” I spin on the spot. I didn’t even hear my mother come in. She startled me!
“Language!” Typical Mother. “I’m not happy about this, Coral.”
“I know you’re not, Mom. My intention wasn’t to upset you, but I love him.” I walk up to her and take her hands in mine, a smile on my face. My mother has soft hands for a woman of forty-six. People have told me once or twice how much I look like her. Cindy does too, but you can see a lot of my dad in Cindy.
I never wanted to hurt my mother with this. She might sound like a horror right now, but she’s a frightened mother. She still sees the little twelve-year-old girl who was hurt by a biker around her age. She was scared, sad, angry, didn’t know what to do for me. All she wanted to do was protect me, as a mother she felt like she failed me.
She didn’t fail me. She couldn’t have stopped it, no matter how many times she went over the, “What if I’d just done this?” But she can’t blame Stryker for what someone else did nine years ago. It’s not fair. She needs to learn to separate one from the other because I’m not leaving Stryker, not for anything. I want my mom in my life, and I don’t know what I’ll do if she walks away from me because of this.
“I love you, Mommy, I am so grateful for everything you’ve ever done for me. But I love Stryker. He makes me so happy, he keeps me safe, supports my dreams. He’s everything I have ever wanted. I know he’s not whom you wanted for me, but Mom, he’s not that monster. Please don’t tarnish him with the same brush. Please?”
My mother has tears in her eyes. She’s only ever wanted the best for me. I know that. “I don’t want to hurt you, Coral,” Her hand comes against my face, cupping my cheek gently. This is the mother I remember as a child, the sweet, gentle mother who always took care of me. “I love you so much. You’re my baby. I only want you to be happy.”
“I am happy, Mom. Mark makes me so happy.”
“Mark? That’s his real name?”
“Yes, but don’t tell him I told you.” We both laugh. She knows how it goes. She hugs me tightly, and I squeeze her to me. “I love you, too, Mom.”
“I know you do. Now, let’s get back out there to your man.”
My man. I like hearing that from my mother’s mouth.
When we get back to our table, Stryker is nowhere to be seen. I narrow my eyes at my smiling father and sister. What the hell is going on?
As my mother and I take our seats, I ask, “Where’s Stryker?”
“Right here.” I jump and giggle at the fact he startled me. He’s crouching down beside me, his hand in mine. He kisses my knuckles and smiles at me. He looks so handsome. He tried so hard to look nice for today. He didn’t dress like a biker. He’s wearing black trousers, a black button down shirt with the top two buttons open. His long hair is slicked back, and his face is cleanly shaven. He's perfect.
However, I don’t get why he’s crouched down beside me.
“What are you doing down there, you crazy man. Come sit back down.”
He shakes his head, and I narrow my eyes.
“There’s something I need to say. I’ve already spoken to your father,” He looks over at my dad, who winks at me. “I asked his per
mission to do this,”
“His permission?” My mother is as confused as I am.
“Shh.” My father takes her hand and winks at her.
I don’t think I like this very much, I’m beyond confused, and my sister is practically wetting herself with excitement.
“I know we’ve only been together a few short months, but they have been the best months of my life, Coral.”
“And mine,” I tell him honestly.
“You changed everything about me. You made me see that I am something,” I swallow back the emotion clogging my throat. I hate that Mark ever thought he was nothing. “You’re my best friend, my soulmate,” I smile at that. “I love you like I ain’t never loved another human being in my life.” I giggle. I’m nervous, but I love it when he tells me how much he loves me, because I know he means every word of it. “You’re the light in my life, Coral, and I never want to lose you. That’s why...”
My jaw drops to the damn floor as he reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out a small black box. Oh god, I think I’m going to pass out! This can’t be what I think it is. No. It can’t. Tank and Jett told me plenty how Stryker is a loner, will never settle down.
However, here he is, my hand still in his as he flips open the box to reveal the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. A silver band with a clear-cut diamond smack in the middle. It’s gorgeous, and I can feel the tears welling in my eyes.
When did he buy this ring?