Moving On (Rolling Thunder #7) - P.J. Fiala Page 0,59

be that he and LuAnn were able to find a way to get the Rolling Thunder crew to accept that she's around. It could be that over time, more time, hearts would soften. Hate would fade. And a simple acceptance of he and LuAnn together would be had. But, that would take years. Many more years. And then there was what did he want?

He wanted the opportunity to design and build bikes. His very own custom bikes. Hadn't Dog instilled that in him? JT too? They were all together in the garage as Dog built his first bike, then his next one. He was right there when Dog opened Rolling Thunder. He'd put together more bikes from frame up than anyone he knew outside of JT. Then he and JT started messing around with designing them. Adding this piece and that and customers loved them. Then JT designed a bike on his own and took it to Sturgis and did well with it. He didn't come in first, but close enough that he got attention and the business grew from there. He wanted that. He wanted to ride down the highway and see a Chase Matthews design riding the road with him. It made his heart sing to think of that happening. To stop at an event where there were thousands of bikes and to see one of his designs, or more, parked along with the other great bikes out there. But that also would take years. Dog knew what made his business successful and he was hard pressed to change it much, and if he did, no matter Chase’s contributions to the designs, the credit would always go to the Head Designer, JT. Chase would never be Head Designer at Rolling Thunder. Couldn't blame Dog, but where did that leave him? He also liked thinking about a future with LuAnn. Maybe a kid or two. A dog would be nice. A family. He hadn't had his own family for a long time. His mom took off when he was young, and his dad was a drunk. There was a time when he thought he shouldn't have his own kids because he had bad genes. But, shit, he'd turned out pretty damned good. He'd pass that on and be there for his kids. Show them the right way to do things. Love them. That's all he really wanted in this whole life. He wanted to be loved.

LuAnn loved him. He loved her. He loved Dog and JT and Ryder, too, but he loved her more. It was simply that easy to say.

Pulling into the parking lot of the church, he saw Ryder walking across the parking lot with his tuxedo on a hangar slung over his shoulder. He looked happy. He was marrying the woman of his dreams. She'd helped him through some of his shyness and they were good together. He was happy for Ryder and Gunnar. But he wanted that for himself too. And, he wanted them to be happy for him.

Parking he stepped from the truck, opened the backdoor and pulled out the first box of flowers. Closing the door, he carried them into the church and down the steps to the classrooms where the girls were likely getting ready. Seeing Joci in the hall with Maddie he called to her.

"Hi Joci, where should I put the flowers?"

"Oh, hi Chase. How about we set them over here on the table by the counter."

She walked to the table and moved programs sitting in a stack. They had two hours before the ceremony. Maddie toddled over to them laughing and he couldn't help but smile at her. She was adorable.

"I have three more boxes." But, since he wanted to see Joci's face, he opened the box so she could see the gorgeous array of flowers.

"Oh, my heavens. Those are simply stunning." She exclaimed.

Her fingers gently brushed over some of the vibrant red and silver petals.

Molly came into the room and walked right up to them. "Oh my God. Those are simply fabulous. Oh, Chase, tell LuAnn these are just absolutely perfect."

She picked up one of the corsages and turned it slowly, to and fro, to see each of the delicate flowers tucked into the arrangement.

"I will. I'll go get the rest of them."

Each time he carried a box down the steps more of the women had arrived to look at the flowers. Dog's mom and sisters-in-law were all happily exclaiming about the beauty of the flowers and how much