“I wouldn’t agree to that anyway,” I said.
Mom shrugged a shoulder. “The other thing is that it gives you time to save money for a place here, though given that we help with your rent already, I guess we’d be helping with that too.”
I took a deep breath and debated saying nothing, but I knew better. “I won’t have to worry about finding a place here.”
Aunt Jackie smiled. “Of course not. By then, I’m sure Jasmine would be more than willing to room with you.”
“No, Rafferty offered for me to stay here.”
Mom’s head reared back, and I swore she paled. “Here. You’re going to move in with him?”
I hadn’t realized how much tension I held in my shoulders until they drooped with disappointment. “Yeah, and there’s no need to sound so judgey. We were best friends growing up until we weren’t, and now… we’re older and—”
“And not much wiser,” Mom muttered.
I widened my eyes. “Not only is that not fair, you know it isn’t true. Both of us recognize that we’ve matured, and for once the timing is right. I hate to break it to you, but until this accident, Raff planned to move to Memphis to get away from memories of me… no, ofus. There’s an entire stack of moving boxes just waiting to be folded into shape, but I know it’s always been him, and as he put it, he’s as much mine as I am his.”
Aunt Jackie leaned forward and leveled a calm look at me. “I believe you, sweetie. However, that isnotthe tune you were singing just a few months ago. The two of you avoided one another, and you didn’t want a biker in your life.”
I shook my head. “You’re right. To a degree. I didn’t want to say this in front of Mom, but if I hadn’t been wearing my seatbelt… Well, the doctor made it clear things could have been much worse. A near-death experience opens people’s eyes. Rafferty said the same thing - hearing that I was in an accident woke him up. Life’s too damned short to conform to what other people think I should do.”
Aunt Jackie lifted a finger and opened her mouth to speak, but I kept talking.
“I know what I said before. I did a bang-up job of convincing myself that I wanted to be free of the MC world. But that was the only way to be free of Raff. I tried that, and I failed. Epically.”
Mom’s eyes were full of patience. The same patience she always showed me. “Honey, that’s the thing, are you sure you’re good with the club? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve asked questions and Cal tells me it’s club business. I’d like to take that trite phrase and shatter it like a beer bottle, I’m so tired of hearing it.”
I couldn’t help but huff out a chuckle.
“What’s that for?” Mom asked.
I hesitated because I didn’t want to share too much. “Let’s just say I’ve heard my fair share of that phrase in the past week. Especially from Beast and Tundra.”
Mom nodded. “Okay…” She paused and bit her lip for a second. “Are you sure you can deal with that response from Rafferty in the months, and God willing, years to come?”
“Yes.”
Mom’s head twisted. “That was a little too fast, sweetheart.”
I shook my head. “No, because Raff already shared club business with me… but I’d appreciate it if you’d keep that to yourself.”
“My lips are sealed,” Aunt Jackie said.
Mom nodded.
“He told me he’d always share with me unless it would incriminate me. He didn’t have to share about the crap going on in Gainesville, but he did, so yeah, I can deal with him telling me it’s club business. He’s proven that he’ll share later, and that works for me.”
Aunt Jackie shot me a knowing stare. “Not all the brothers are the same… but they tend to have some similarities. Are you sure you can deal with the… What did you call it a few months ago? The overbearing protectiveness?”
I lowered my chin in a slow nod. “I think so. I mean, the way he’s being right now is because this situation is extreme. But, I don’t think he’s going to be overbearing once things get back to normal.”
Aunt Jackie smiled. “That’s true. Until you get pregnant.”
“Jackie!” Mom cried, giving her a playful shove.
Aunt Jackie laughed. “Hey, be happy Abby isn’t here. She’d be all about her getting knocked up, the sooner the better.”
I shook my head. “Are we going to lunch or what? I’m starving.”
