Chapter Fifty Nine

Daryl and Merle stood back, admiring the car that they had just got done waxing. It was a powder blue sixty eight Impala. They both studied it with a critical eye. "You think we shoulda looked for a newer car?" Daryl asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Merle scoffed. "Fuck that. I hate new cars."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Well, it ain't for you, dumb ass. We built that Plymouth because we knew that's what Piper wanted. It's what she's always wanted. Sophia might be one of those kids that are into new shit. We shoulda just asked her."

Merle sighed and wiped his rag over the fender. "Are you crazy? Damon's dragged that girl to every car show in Georgia. If she ain't a fan by now then there's something wrong with her."

Daryl scowled. "There ain't nothin' wrong with a teenage girl wantin' a new car."

"There is something wrong with a man that frets this goddamn much over it. She's gonna love it. It's a goddamn car. Why you got your panties in a wad?"

Daryl ignored him but then Merle shot an elbow into his ribs. He looked up and shrugged. "I don't know. The kid's had a rough way to go, man."

Merle's cocky look dried up and then he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. But that shits over now. You're gonna spoil her and then she's gonna end up bein' a dick all the time."

Daryl tipped back his beer and shook his head. "That kid ain't got it in her to be a dick."

"You really do give a fuck, don't you?" Merle asked, watching him closely. "Gettin' all paternal and shit. What the hell has that woman done to you, baby brother?" He grinned.

Daryl didn't reply. What could he say? Merle was right. In a short time every goddamn thing about him had changed. Well, not changed but shifted. He was still him. He was just a different version of himself. A better one. He had other people that he had to think about instead of just himself. His actions had a ripple affect. He had to think a lot about what he was going to say or do in any given situation. It was hard, sure, but worth it. He hadn't had any ambition to do anything with himself before all this fell into his lap. He was drifting from fight to fight, from one woman to the next, and going no where.

"Lookin' good, boys."

They both looked up as Buck strolled forward and Daryl had to do a double take when he saw who he was walking with. His heart sank.

"What the fuck is she doin' here?" Daryl barked.

Buck's brows shot up but Andrea just laughed. "I was invited, thank you very much. It isn't like I haven't been a part of this family in some form or fashion for the past ten years. How are you?"

Daryl felt relief wash over him and he ran a hand through his hair. "Damn. Sorry. Been good."

She smiled. "I can see that. Congratulations, by the way. And I owe you an apology."

He frowned. "For what?"

"You told me that you were getting yourself together. That you hadn't planned on getting into anymore trouble and I basically mocked you. When Buck told me about... everything, I felt bad. You didn't deserve that."

He nodded, shifting on his feet.

"You've always had the potential to be a good man. I'm glad you finally saw it in yourself."

Merle snickered and Andrea shot him a look. Buck eyed him and finally the grin faded from his face and he busied himself with picking at a callous on his hand.

"So," Buck said suddenly. "We bout ready to get this show on the road?"

Daryl nodded. "Kids here?"

Buck shook his head. "I figured we could park the girls cars with the rest of them. They'll blend in pretty well." Daryl opened his mouth to say something but Carol chose that moment to walk in. She was wearing that dress that she had worn the second time she had came to visit him in his cell. His mind instantly took him back there. He was sure that this time she was wearing underwear but the possibility of finding out later after they snuck away from the crowd had him grinning like a dumb shit.

She didn't bother hiding anymore. There was really no point. Everyone already knew and even if they didn't, they would be able to tell just by looking at her, baggy tee shirt or not. She wasn't huge or anything but there was no question that there was definitely something brewing in there. Her long legs were tone, her waist slim, so the roundness there low on her belly was a dead giveaway. Not to mention her breasts, that had fit fine in the dress the first time he'd seen her wear it, were showing off a lot more cleavage. He was more an ass man but he was enjoying the less than subtle changes.

When she looked up she beamed at him, her wide eyes shining mischievously. She had been out with June all afternoon. It had only been a few hours but it felt like more. God, when the fuck had he turned into such a sappy bastard?

"My God, would you look at that," Andrea said quietly.

He looked at her sharply. Goddamned if he hadn't forgot that there was even anybody else in the room. Andrea was staring at him, her eyes bugging out. Merle chuckled again but it was less mocking this time. Daryl knew Merle couldn't make fun of him for that because all three of the them were in love with Carol in one way or another.

His eyes slid back over to Carol but she wasn't looking at him now. She was giving Andrea a look that he hadn't seen before, her eyes raking over her and narrowing slightly. "Hi, I'm Carol." She held out her hand and Andrea took it, still looking like someone had smacked her.

"You have no idea how glad I am to meet you. This was completely unexpected," Andrea said, shaking her hand briskly.

Carol frowned. "Excuse me?"

Andrea gestured towards her. "You're absolutely lovely!" She grinned and looked between Daryl and Carol, her large eyes dancing. "You are nothing like I expected. Nothing at all."

Carol gave him a curious look before her eyes went back to Andrea. She smiled uncertainly. Buck and Merle were laughing behind them. "Um... thank you. I think."

Andrea shook her head. "I'm sorry. Really, I am but when I heard about you I had this image in my head of what you would be like and it definitely wasn't this."

Carol looked like she wasn't sure if she should be offended. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Andrea shook her head. "I've known Daryl here for a long time, and usually when we meet it's under less than ideal circumstances. When I heard that he had finally given up some of those old habits and actually settled down with one specific woman, I had this horrible vision of some sort of... bimbo in my head. Certainly not," she gestured with her hand, "This!"

Daryl understood now and he grimaced. "Give me some fucking credit, Andrea, Jesus."

She put her hands on her hips. "Oh, I plan on it. I'm beyond impressed. How on earth did you land a respectable woman?"

Carol actually giggled. Giggled like a goddamn school girl as he scowled down at the blonde.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

Andrea shrugged. "No offense, really, but I honestly expected a chain smoking bar whore to walk through the door. Halter top, daisy dukes, three inch roots showing through. Oh give me a break, Dixon!"

Carol looked as delighted as Merle and Buck. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?" He grumbled.

Merle threw his arm over Carol's shoulder then. "Yep, we're mighty damn proud of the boy for snaggin' such a classy lady. No more tossin' his hot dog down any drafty hallways, huh little brother?"

Carol's face turned pink as she elbowed him but Andrea just looked confused. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothin'," Daryl growled, grabbing Carol's hand and pulling her towards the door. "You can all go fuck yourselves now," he called over his shoulder.

"It was very nice meeting you, Andrea. Thank you for coming!" Carol called over her shoulder as he dragged her away.

"Bunch of assholes," he grumbled as he led her out the door.

Daryl," she said, stopping in her tracks and pulling him back.

He looked down at her and knew what she was going to say. "Later."

She sighed and gave him a look that said she thought that was a bad idea. "That's a bad idea," she said, not surprising him. "We should tell them now."

He shook his head. Two days after he had asked her if she had wanted to get married, they had walked into the court house and done just that. The secretary had been a witness. Not one member of their family had been there. And they were gonna be pissed.

"I cant even wear my ring," she muttered sadly.

The rings were actually burning a hole through his pocket at the moment. "They're just gonna bitch about it. June's gonna wanna have a big dumb ass weddin' where the two of us have to stand there on display like a couple lab rats with a hundred and fifty bikers trying to pretend like they give two shits whether we're married or not. The only thing it means is that we finally get a tax break for all the fuckin' we do. Frilly fuckin' dumb bullshit. No, we can just wait."

She raised a brow at him. "That isn't all it means and you know it."

He sighed. "Later."

She gave him a look but then kissed him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Do you really think they'll be that upset?"

He rested his hands on her hips and met her eyes. "Yeah. It's gonna be a mess."

"Do you wish we would have just forgotten about it?"

He shook his head quickly. "Fuck no."

She grinned. "Well, at least there's that. So, Andrea thinks I'm lovely."

He snorted. "That damn woman gets on my nerves. I hate having to deal with her. I swear Buck only invited her here to get under my damn skin."

"Have her and Merle ever dated or anything?" She asked, a small frown forming between her eyes.

He laughed at that. "That woman wouldn't date a Dixon. Why?"

"Are you sure? There was something there. It wasn't obvious or anything, just kind of the way Merle seemed to look at her." She shook her head. "No, it wasn't that. More like the way Merle avoided looking at her at all. She's attractive. Usually when he's around women that looks like that he turns on the charm. I've seen it happen a bunch of times. And when she looked at him there was something in her eyes. I can't explain it."

Daryl glanced back. "You sure?"

She nodded. "I am. I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't so obvious. Obvious to me anyhow."

Daryl grinned. "I'll be damned. This is fucking perfect. For once I can torment his ass over something."

She groaned. "Not today, Daryl. This is suppose to be a good day. No fighting with your brother."

He nodded absently, thinking of different ways to poke at his brother.