Filed to story: Reclaimed Book by Roxie Ray
Hawk grinned. “Yep. Now we know exactly how many shots it takes to get Striker dancing on the tables.”
“Mom, can I try shots?” Dylan asked.
“Oh my god.” I laughed. “No one’s doing any shots. Come on, help me clean up the kitchen.”
As if right on cue, Steph stepped into the house. He looked tired but handsome as ever in a grease-stained white tank top and paint-stained jeans. “Any chance of leftovers?” he asked.
“Dad!” Dylan rushed out of the kitchen, chores forgotten, and barreled into Steph.
Steph wrapped his arms around him, then ruffled his hair fondly. “Morning, kiddo. Don’t think you’re getting away with skipping the dishes.” He led Dylan into the kitchen, then grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in for a brief kiss. “Hey, you.”
“Hi. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just checking in on things at the shop.” I could tell from his tone that he wasn’t telling me everything, but I wasn’t going to press. Not right now, at least. “I’ve gotta get back, but I wanted to come by for lunch.”
“There’s plenty,” I said. “Cassidy even made her famous grits.”
Hawk and Dylan cleaned up the kitchen, while Cassidy, Striker, Steph, and I all sat around the table and caught up. For a moment, I could almost imagine we were a normal family, and that Steph had popped over between jobs at the garage,
Dylan was on summer break from school, and I had nothing more important than to ponder what I wanted to eat for dinner. No alcoholic mother trying to get back in touch with me, no psycho brother-in-law trying to kidnap me and my son. Just us. Together. With the rest of our lives laid out like a road in front of us.
Much sooner than I wanted, Steph headed back to work. Striker stuck around as security detail, but Hawk headed home to Mia and Bella. As the sun began to go down, Cassidy, Dylan, and I all headed to the clubhouse, with Striker and Tank as our security detail. Even though we were only going a short distance from Steph’s home to the clubhouse, the guys insisted on the security. And for that, I was grateful. After what had happened, it felt like Sean was lurking around every corner, and the woods surrounding us were a great hideout. The rational part of my mind knew the dragons would sense him, but I was anxious and on edge.
Being around the clan would boost my mood, though. It was early enough when we arrived that it was still quiet, with just a few members shooting pool.
Usually Striker worked the bar, but tonight, an unfamiliar older woman served the drinks. She was short and stocky, with broad shoulders and cropped silver hair. Her black tank top showed all the colorful tattoos snaking down her arms to her fingers. She was buff, too, and would’ve been intimidating if not for the enormous smile she greeted us with. “You must be Harley,” she called as we strode in. “And is this Dylan, the young man I’ve heard so much about?”
“That’s me,” I said, tilting my head. “I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
“Sure haven’t,” the woman said. “Come on, take a seat. I’m Tammy. I just got back from a big-ass road trip with my sister, so I missed your grand return. Heard all about it, though.”
“Oh, God,” I winced and rubbed the back of my neck. “Hope it wasn’t too bad.”
Tammy threw her head back and laughed, the sound loud and boisterous. “Not at all. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. You want a soda, Dylan?”
“Sure,” Dylan said, a little shyly.
At the back door, a dog started barking.
Tammy nodded toward the door. “I think one of your friends is here.”
“Zoey!” Dylan shouted. The German Shepherd puppy, now a hell of a lot bigger than she was when we first met her, started yipping and bouncing excitedly.
“We’re on babysitting duty right now,” Tammy said with a laugh. “Just the dog, though, not the actual baby. Hawk and Mia needed a date night.”
“Let’s go throw the frisbee with Zoey, shall we?” Tank said with a grin. Dylan grabbed the soda Tammy had set on the counter for him, then rushed outside with Striker right behind him. Striker went over to the pool table with the other clan members to give us some space, but his eyes were still glued to Cassidy. Tammy glanced at him, then at Cassidy, but didn’t say anything. I wondered if Tammy could pick up on Striker’s connection to her, too.
“This is my best friend, Cassidy,” I said as we slid into the seats at the bar. “You have any wine back there?”
“Love the tattoos,” Cassidy said.
“Love the hair,” Tammy said, gesturing to Cassidy’s bleached bangs. She pulled out a chilled bottle of white wine and poured us each a glass. “I’m glad you’re up here. I’m sure it isn’t easy dealing with this mess, Harley. I heard about what Sean did. He’s always been a real piece of shit, but I never thought he’d go that far.”
“I don’t think anyone did,” I said. “Cass came up here immediately. I didn’t realize how much I needed my best friend until she got here.”
“True, I’m the best,” Cassidy said, flipping her hair. “But seriously, of course I came. It was a terrifying phone call to get.”
“How are you doing now?” Tammy asked. “Sleeping all right? Feeling safe?”
“I think so.” I took a sip of my wine, then propped my chin in my hand. “It’s nerve-racking knowing Sean’s out there trying to get to me and Dylan, but this is the safest place I can be. So, I’m taking it one day at a time.”
“Smart girl,” Tammy said. “One day at a time will get you through your whole life.”
“Did you hear about the bitch Blakely?” Cassidy asked.
“Did I ever,” Tammy said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t surprised to hear that part. Blakely’s always been delusional, especially when it comes to Ace. Even when you weren’t around, she was jealous of you.” Tammy shook her head. “I’m glad you’re back in Lakeview. Ace needed you.” She glanced over her shoulder at the glass doors to the backyard, where Dylan was wrestling with Zoey. “Both of you.”
“I think we needed him, too,” I said. “Even if I wasn’t ready to admit that.”
“Tale as old as time,” Tammy said with a laugh. “I’ve got some prep to do before these rabble-rousers start coming in. You girls just shout if you need anything, okay?”
“Thanks,” Cassidy said. “This wine is fantastic.”
“Of course it is, I’m the wine buyer.” Tammy made her way to the other end of the bar to review the prep list.
“She’s nice,” Cassidy said.
“Mm-hmm,” I agreed, taking another sip of my wine.
“You okay?”
I sighed. “Yeah. Just tired. A lot going on, you know?”
“Come on, don’t bullshit a bullshitter. Your mom called you today, didn’t she?”
“Yeah. During breakfast. How’d you know?”
“You get a very specific annoyed look on your face when she calls,” Cassidy said.
I took another sip of my wine. “It’s just not fair, you know? I haven’t even told her about the kidnapping.”
“I’d honestly be shocked if you had.”
“It’s like… When I talk to someone like that”-I nodded toward Tammy, who was engrossed in doing inventory at the other end of the bar-“I can’t help but think, what if my mother was like that? What if she was someone who actually cared about what happened to me, and my feelings, and was interested in my life? It seems like such a low bar, but…”
“But she only cares about herself.” Cassidy squeezed my arm. “I know. It’s really not fair.”
“It’s like she trained me to be all closed-off, keep my feelings to myself. Every time I tried to connect with her, she always pushed me away.”
“If you never share how you feel, you can never be hurt, right?”
“I guess that’s the logic when you’re a kid,” I said. This was making my head hurt. “If I don’t care about this person, it won’t hurt when they leave.”
“Uh-huh.” Cassidy raised her eyebrows. “And is that logic showing up in any other parts of your life?”
