“I’m the birthday boy, so I get to go first.” Rider laid a pink rose on the growing pile of red roses. “I bought my first collector Harley motorcycle for myself on my twenty-sixth birthday. I don’t want it. It’s yours.” He laid a keyring down in front of her. “Thank you, Killyama.”
Rider’s fa?ade as a ladies’ man was missing. What she saw instead was heart-felt gratitude. She bit her lip to keep it from trembling.
Shade came next. At first, he didn’t speak as he laid down the pink flower. When he did, Killyama placed her hand over Train’s on her lap, gripping it tightly.
He laid a pistol case down on the table. “I got this gun from my father for my sixteenth birthday. I was saving it for John. I don’t want it anymore. You can have it.”
Lucky went next, setting down a Bible, a bottle of tequila, and a pink rose. “My mother bought me this Bible for my fifteenth birthday. I carried it with me every day when I was in the service. I don’t want it anymore. The tequila, I got for my last birthday. I don’t want it, either. May God bless you, Killyama. Thank you.”
She blinked back the tears that were gathering in the corners of her eyes.
Razer went next, laying down another pink rose. “Beth bought me a booklet of gift certificates for a year of meals at King’s restaurant. I don’t want it anymore. Thank you.”
Knox laid down a pink rose and a DVD collection of Zombie Apocalypse. “When I saw The Last Riders belt buckle that Train got for his birthday, I wanted one, too, so Diamond ordered one for me. She gave it to me as an early birthday present, and we already watched the DVDs. I really don’t want them and the buckle was too small. She’s going to buy me another one, so I don’t want it anymore. It’s yours. And anytime you get tired of bounty hunting, let me know. I’ll hire you as a deputy. Thank you.”
Cash laid down his pink rose. “My grandfather gave me this fishing pole for my birthday,” he said as he looked over the pole still in his hands. “It was the last birthday I was able to celebrate with him. It’s yours. I don’t want it anymore. Thank you, Killyama.”
As Cash walked away, giving the fishing pole one last look where he had laid it in front of her, the tears started slipping down her cheeks.
Viper was next, but Train turned to her. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a necklace and placed it around her neck. “My mother wore this necklace every day of her life. She gave it to me for my birthday, the day before I entered the service, so I could keep a part of her while I was overseas. I don’t want it anymore. It’s yours.” The silver cross necklace sat snuggly in the curve of her throat. “Thank you, Killyama.”
Viper then laid down three pink roses. “One is from Train, one is from Gavin, and the last one is from me.” He looked up at the clubhouse as he told her, “Gavin and I bought this house when he decided this was where he wanted to build the factory. We split the property into different sections, giving some of the members a part of the land surrounding the club. Last year, I bought some land where I built my house.”
Viper laid down an envelope. “It’s not my birthday, but I asked Winter for her permission if I could gift it to you. She agreed. It’s on the other side of my house. We had planned to give it to Aisha when she grew up, but I’ve change my mind. We don’t want it anymore. It’s yours. I hope someday you and Train will build your home there.”
He continued, starting to look choked up, “It’s because of you that Winter and our daughter won’t have just my memories and photographs of Gavin. He’ll be here with us. Thank you, Killyama.” Viper’s voice broke. “Thank you.”
He strode away to where Winter was waiting with her arms open. Killyama had to look away when he buried his face in her hair.
She stared down at the massive pile of roses and gifts, whispering, “They don’t hate me.”
“No, they don’t hate you. They love you.”
“I won’t go that far,” she scoffed, unsuccessfully trying to relieve the emotional atmosphere. “But at least I don’t have to worry about them cutting my brake lines. I can’t keep these presents, though.” She cried harder. “Well, except for the tequila … and maybe Shade’s gun. John wouldn’t have liked it, anyway. He’s like Lily.”
“Killyama, you don’t have to give them back. We gave them to you to show you how much it means to us that we have Gavin back.”
She used a napkin to wipe her tears away. “If you’re sure, I can use the fishing pole when I go fishing with you and the guys.”
Train’s smile slipped. “The bothers don’t let women go with us on our fishing trips, but you and I can go.”
“Or the women can go on our own fishing trip, and you can stay behind.”
“Okay, I think the men can live with that.”
Mollified, she pushed the DVR collection to the side. “I can re-gift that to Sex Piston. Her birthday is next month.”
Willa brought them both a slice of the cake. “I made extra this time. The top three layers are for you to share with the Destructors. I’ll pack them up for you before I go to bed. They’ll be in the refrigerator for when you leave tomorrow.”