I blink. “Wait, what?”
“Because that’s what you do, Poppy,” she continues, still angry. “You show the people who want to hurt you that the only reason you’re not in an insane asylum is that you’re functioning. Screws loose and all.”
Okay, angry Cami has officially entered the chat. Scary for Theresa.
Then Jonesy’s voice floats in through the doorway as he talks to one of the bikers. “Bridger Falls women are built different that’s for sure.”
I snort and look at Cami, who isn’t even paying attention to her audience. She’s lost in her thoughts, which are now alarming.
Cami straightens in her chair like she’s done throwing grenades for the moment. She glances at me and softens. “I used to be a strong and independent woman,” she says. “Until Jack.”
I raise an eyebrow because we both know damn well she’s still a strong, independent woman.
“Now I’d live in his pocket if I could. I love him so much,” she admits, with a dreamy look on her face.
I laugh at that because I know the feeling. It’s that feeling of loving someone so much. I get it.
Cami laughs. “And I know you’re the same with my brother. You both have been like that for as long as I can remember. I used to think it was weird until I had it with Jack.”
I nod.
“So, you understand that I’d do anything to protect that man and my family at all costs. And Theresa isn’t our family anymore.”
She rises to her feet, and I hug her. “It’s going to be okay.”
And standing there, in my messy office with bikers in my shop and my sister-in-law plotting emotional war crimes against her mother, I realize something settles in my chest.
Things aren’t perfect. They’ll probably never be easy, but now we at least know and can figure it out together.
Owen zooms past the shop doors again, laughing like the world hasn’t tried to take pieces out of him yet.
I watch him and think about chosen family. About how sometimes love means walking away instead of begging someone to change.
Cami heads for the door. “I love you, Pops.”
“I love you, too.”
“And Poppy?”
“Yeah.”
She grins. “She’s going to pay for this.”
“I’m legit scared for her.” I grimace.
She leaves like a storm, the same way she came in.
Jonesy watches her go, wiping his hands on a rag. “She’s intense.”
I smile but am legit worried for Theresa. “You have no idea.”
Ellie’s warm little body is tucked against my chest, her cheek pressed into my neck. Owen’s curled up on the other end of the couch, one sock missing, eyes glued to the TV. Some animated movie that has him sucked in.
The house smells like popcorn and clean laundry. Ollie’shoodie is draped over the arm of the couch, and I pretend that’s normal and not something that makes my chest ache. I miss him when he’s at the firehouse. We were lucky that he got to take time off, but now we’re trying to find a new normal. We FaceTimed earlier at dinner, and he said it had been a slow night. The guys gave him crap for saying that because they said if he says that, it gets busy. And he’s been quiet for a while, so it probably did.
My phone rings and Maggie’s name flashes across the screen.
“Hey, Maggie, what’s up?” I ask quietly, not to wake up Ellie.
