She shuffles closer and I do my damnedest to not attack her with a hug. I love to hug and I’m always hugging my friends, but I’m careful hugging the DRMC women because for some reasonthey’re all teeny tiny compared to my 5'10 height. And also one of my boobs is about the size of Joy’s head and Switch would not be happy if I suffocated the woman before he got to love on her.
“Hi Joy!” Jazz jumps up to give Joy a gentle squeeze, they had met even before Switch brought her back to the compound to keep her safe. Now she lives in the guest house at his place in town. He’s the only brother who lives part time at the clubhouse, but that makes sense with him on call in town all the time.
“So, ah, I got a message to meet you all here? Is everything OK? I didn’t do anything wrong did I?” she fidgets a little before smoothing her skirt with her trembling hand.
“Oh sweetheart, come here and take a seat by us two old men,” Mad Dog coos gently, holding out his hand to a bar stool between him and Pops. Pops pats it gently and helps her get up onto it then checks that she’s comfortable.
I don’t know if Joy knows this yet, but she’s about to be protected for life by these two men with hearts bigger than Texas.
“Joy, you have done nothing wrong. In fact, it was me who did something wrong. I didn't invite you to our Galentine’s celebration. According to the internet it’s a time for gals to get together with their friends to appreciate each other. We’re going to appreciate you and each of us even if sometimes I don’t like some of you due to habits you may have that irritate me because I’m a sensitive woman,” Chewy finishes to Joy’s wide eyed stare.
“I bet she’s talking about me,” Blanche says proudly. “She hates when I wear that one perfume.”
“I thought it was pointed at me,” Remy joins in. “Apparently I smack my lips when I’m hacking something tricky.”
“She hates when I crack my knuckles,” Nat muses.
“And when I flick my hair,” Vi adds, flicking her long, dark hair over her shoulder.
Chewy rolls her eyes before pointing at me, “Too loud,” moves her finger to Ana, “Can’t always understand your accent-” to Lovely, “Too nice,” to Jazz, “Too colorful. Actually that’s a tie with Mira-”
“Aw, thanks Chewy!” I clap.
She ignores me then points to Kaia, “Always fussin,” then to Pops, “Doesn’t always let me do what I want,” then to Mad Dog, “Doesn’t give enough hugs. Are you all satisfied? You all have traits that annoy me and in time, you will too, Joy. And I would like to find out what that is so will you come to my Galentine’s celebration in two days and get to know us so I can find something that irritates me about you?”
Joy looks around the room, her gaze bouncing from one Ol Lady to the next before landing back on Chewy. “Um, I guess?”
We all whoop and holler and I even see a little smile on Joy’s face as she ducks her head. Yeah, she’s one of us, she just doesn't know it yet.
Switch
“I need the Love Pres, The Vice Love Pres or Rider. Anyone know where they are?” I ask from the common room doorway.
Niko jumps like I’ve just scared the shit out of him, but the kid needs to get used to that fact. I’ve always been loud. Ever since I was a kid I’ve been loud, but a lot of that comes from being the youngest and the only boy in a family of six kids. I’ve had to fight to have my voice heard and sometimes I forget that I probably don’t need to use my full outside voice all the time.
“No clue but get in line. We’re all waiting for at least one of those sneaky bastards to turn up.” Fox says from his seat on Nitro’s lap.
“Who’s ‘we’?”
“Me and Nitro, Gus and Tav, Marx, probably Rhodie, Tank and Judge too. Oh, and Sasha.”
I do a double take at the large suited blonde man in the recliner, having forgotten his request for help with Valentine’s Day. “So, everyone then?” I ask, brow raised.
Fox nods. “Everyone except Wire, Savage and Jules.”
“We’re not idiots.” Jules replies with a bored look on his face.
“Well, shit.” I run a hand down my face and decide to take a seat. “So, are we taking numbers or -?”
“You can take a number. We’ve been waiting for at least one of them since this morning,” Nitro growls.
“We started off looking for Rider, but it’s been hours and now we’ll take what we can get.”
I take a seat, lean my head on the back of the couch, and close my eyes. It was a rough night last night, weather was shitty, the ER was run ragged after a three vehicle collision and my mind was on Joy and Kit in my guest house hoping that the rain and thunder didn’t scare them too much.
“Why do you need them, anyway?” Tank asks, stomping in from the kitchen, Judge following close behind.
I hesitate to answer. It’s not because I’m unsure about my feelings. I'm very sure about what I feel for Joy. I’m just not sure how my brothers will view it. Her piece of shit husband has only recently been confirmed deceased. When I broke the news to Joy I expected an outpouring of emotion. What I got was nothing more than a simple nod. She confuses me in so many ways, and I want to just wrap her in my arms and protect her from everything bad in the world, but I know that I have to tread easy, go slow.
