“Seeing me so broken, it hit him that he could’ve lost me forever, and that didn’t sit well with him.He’d always regretted his reaction to finding out we’d had sex and wished he could take it back.It took me leaving for him to see we should be together.He said he tried coming after me once, but things were going on, and we never connected.He vowed he would get justice for me and that when I left the hospital, it was going to be as his old lady.And now we’re married and have Harper.”Her smile lit up her whole face as she gazed down at their daughter.
“Wow.What a crazy road you’ve traveled.”Sadie was amazed that she was able to talk about being abused.She didn’t doubt for a minute that Jackson got her justice.
“Exactly.”
Jane, seeing that Harper was waking up, reached over and took her from her mother, giving her lots and lots of kisses.
“How long do you think church will last?”Sadie asked.Today was her day off, and she really wanted to get a few things done and hopefully pencil in a nap before picking up Oliver.
“Who knows.Could be an hour.Could be several.”Jane had been an old lady longer than the rest of them, so she would know.“Why?”
“I was hoping to do some Christmas shopping today before Oliver gets out of school.”
“Oh!We were talking about shopping tomorrow.Do you want to come?”Calliope asked.
“I don’t know.I have to be at work tomorrow night.”
“What time do you go in?”Bellamy asked.
“Eight.”
“We’ll have plenty of time.We can head out around ten when the stores open and the kids are at school.I’ll ask Race if he or one of the guys can pick up Oliver after school.We can have a late lunch or early dinner before you go to work.”Bellamy had it all figured out.
“Are you sure?”What she really wanted to ask was whether or not Kylie was going.So far, she'd been successful in avoiding the other woman.It would feel weird and awkward; the woman had to hate her guts.
“Yes.It’ll be fine.One of the men, probably a prospect, will come with us as protection,” Bellamy replied.
“We need protection to go shopping?”Sadie wasn’t sure she wanted to go with them if that was the case.
“Probably not, but it’s a precaution that Race and the other brothers like to take when their old ladies are going out and about.Especially since I’m so pregnant.And then there’s Tinker.Until he's found and dealt with, I doubt any of us will go anywhere alone.”
Sadie didn’t like the sound of that.“If Race and the others are afraid of Tinker messing with you, it might be best if I don’t go with you.I seem to be a magnet for him.”
“Nonsense.We’re all going shopping tomorrow, and you’re coming, too.”Bellamy ended the discussion on that subject.She was quite the little bulldozer.
“I don’t need to go shopping.I ordered everything online this year.I’ll keep Harper while you go out, Calliope.”
“Thank you, Jane.That would be awesome.”
“Give me your number, Sadie, and I’ll text you when we’re headed to pick you up.”
They finished exchanging numbers when Jed came from the hall, the rest of the men following behind him.She wondered what they talked about and what decisions were made as he walked straight for her.His eyes bounced from her to the other old ladies and back.How he was able to ask her if everything was cool with just a look was impressive.She smiled and nodded her head that things were fine.It was subtle, but she watched as his shoulders seemed to relax.Had he been worried that they wouldn’t be nice to her?Or was he worried, given her history with motorcycle clubs, that she wouldn't be nice to them?
He came to a stop beside her, his hand on the back of her chair.“Are you ready to head out?"
“Yes.I'm ready to go.”He pulled her chair out, waited for her to rise, then said their goodbyes to the ladies and left.
On the ride back to her apartment, he asked, “How did things go with you and the old ladies?”
“Good.They invited me to go Christmas shopping with them tomorrow.”She chewed on her bottom lip as she stared out the front windshield.
“That’s cool.What time are you guys heading out?”He slowed as the stoplight turned from yellow to red.
“We’re planning for ten.Bellamy said she would text when they were headed my way.She also said that she would ask Race if he or one of the others could pick Oliver up from school tomorrow so we could have a late lunch or early dinner."
“I can do it.”Jed volunteered right away.
“What?”She shifted her gaze his way to gauge his sincerity.
