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When I exited my house, I stopped dead still.
I was used to dressing up around my family. Nice slacks, nice blouse, makeup…all the things that would help me look presentable when the frequent candid camera shots would inevitably happen. However, I didn’t bother telling Kro anything about dressing up. I figured an orc like him who was both a president for the Berserkers MC and a part-time hired bodyguard could wear whatever he pleased to a last minute invite to a family dinner.
I was not expecting this.
Kro wore a pair of dark denim jeans that covered black leather boots. A black button down collared shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair, which was normally braided into thick sections and tied back, had been re-styled so that the top section was pulled back into a bun and secured by a silver knotwork hair clip. The rest of his silvery white hair he left to flow past his shoulders.
“What in the hell is this outfit?” I blurted out.
He looked down, dumbfounded. “I asked Dean what would be appropriate. Is it not all right?”
“Not all right? You’re gorgeous! What the hell?”
“I’m sorry?” he said.
I looked at my watch. I desperately wanted to change. Maybe put more makeup on. Scratch that, if I did, then the aunties would say something. Best to just go with what I have.
“Don’t be. It’s my fault anyway. I knew I should have gotten that ridiculously expensive dress from that boutique.” Then I replayed all the things I said to him. “Uh, I apologize for yelling about how gorgeous you were. I didn’t mean to be offensive.”
He laughed, a bit of spring in the dead of winter. “I’m not offended in the slightest. I think it’s nice to tell someone they’re gorgeous. You’re beautiful, by the way. I meant to say that first, but then, you know, the yelling happened.”
I snorted. “Yeah, get used to random emotional outbursts. My family does that too.”
“I know about that. I can place your bag in the back?”
It was then that I realized what vehicle was behind him. “Good lord, is that a Rolls Royce SUV?”
Kro gestured to the car as if he hadn’t seen it before. “I suppose it is.”
“You don’t know?”
“Well, I see that it says Rolls Royce. It’s not that I bought it though. It was gifted to me by the Banach clan for services rendered. I figured it would be more comfortable for the ride than the bike.”
“You got that right,” I said. I could only imagine what my parents would do if they saw me driving up on the bike. “I would hate for you to ruin it in an accident or something.”
“As I don’t intend to get into a car accident, I think we will be fine,” he said. “Don’t worry so much. I drive this thing around town, get groceries and pick supplies for the rest of the crew, and I manage that unscathed.”
He helps me up onto my seat, patting my head.
“Well, thank you again for driving. If you ever need to leave or want to cut out early, just tell me, and we can go.”
“I’m here for you, Plum. Besides, being a companion for the night eating holiday food and talking with family sounds less a hardship and more a treat. Buckle up, please.”
“Oh yeah.” I absently buckle myself in while pulling up the directions on my phone. I plug it into the car dashboard. When we rolled out toward the highway and out of the city limits, passing the border guards, I blinked at the bright sunshine.
Kro already had his sunglasses on, and I rifled through my purse for mine. Except, I’d wanted to check out my makeup. I pulled down the visor and inspected my face.
“Is something wrong?” Kro asked.
“Just checking to make sure my eyeliner was even,” I said. My makeup was as good as I could get it. If I put any more on now I would risk messing it up. “So I know I’m being dramatic about dinner, but you have to believe me that my family can be a little much, you know? Yeah I love them but it’s always about ‘when are you gonna do this?’ or ‘when are you gonna do that?’ Like it gets old after a while. It’s like what I’m doing now is just a stop gap until I can get married. That’s when life will really begin for me. What if I like what I’m doing now?”
“Have you told your family that?”
I scoffed. “No! Why would I do that?”
“So they might know your mind?”
I turned toward him in my seat. He looked at ease driving. What it would be like to have even an ounce of his confidence. “Look. My aunts just want to gossip. My cousins don’t care. And my parents are kind of flaky. Like it’s like talking to a wall.”
