“I’m just glad she’s okay.” Jackson kissed my cheek. Then he looked up and met my mother’s stare. “Mrs. Lappis, it’s nice to see you again, but I do wish it were under different circumstances.”
“Nonsense, and call me Monica. You’ll have to come over one of these days so we can all sit down and talk.”
“I’d like that,” Jackson assured her.
“Son, we figured that you would need a ride home, right?” my father asked.
“As a matter of fact, we do.” He kissed Julien’s head once more.
“We can drop you both off.”
Jackson held onto me as we headed out to my parents’ car. The entire ride home, we were quiet, but he kept hold of my hand as Julien was between us.
I waited until my parents drove off before turning and following Jackson inside his home. “So, exactly what part of, ‘I don’t need drama’ didn’t you understand? Cause I hate to break it to you, but you just flipped the switch on my drama overload.”
“Shut up. I need to look at you. I need to see that you’re really okay.” Jackson’s voice broke as he pulled me into his arms and held Julien against his chest.
“Are you mad at me?”
“For what? Saving us all even if you had to shoot a crazy woman?”
“Yes, because of who she truly is,” I defended.
“You are kind of a badass.” Jackson quieted. “Truthfully, though, I look at you as someone who knows what she has to do and does it. I’m proud of you. What about me, will you ever forgive me? I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry.”
“How do you feel about me?” That was probably the most vulnerable question I had ever asked.
“I love you, I’m in love with you, and if you haven’t noticed, my son is kind of attached to you too.”
“Yeah. I sort of love both of you too, kind of strangely.”
Epilogue
Kat
“Are you ready?” Jackson asked as Julien sat on the couch and watched television, totally ignoring the rising stress in our home.
“Ready? Ready for our families to meet? You’re kidding, right? I don’t think anyone is ready to meet my loud and large family. You have two people coming, two, I have six. If someone told Christine there will be twenty or so, counting kids.”
Jackson’s complexion paled.
The doorbell rang, and Julien popped up. “I’ll get it.”
“No,” Jackson and I both said in unison.
“What have I told you about opening the door when you don’t know who it is?” Jackson asked.
“I do know; it’s Yiayia.” Julien pointed to the picture window, and I laughed.
One of these times, Jackson was going to end things with me, any day, yep any moment because he was tired of finding my mother peeking into the house when he wasn’t expecting her to be and likely seeing more than she bargained for because we’d sent Julien off for the night. It would serve her right but god, I’d never live it down.
“Fine, open it.” Jackson let Julien run to the door.
The noise erupted as soon as Julien turned the knob and then Julien was picked up and passed around for hugs, something he totally basked in.
“Is this where the party is?” an unfamiliar voice asked.
“Grandma, Grandpa!” Julien shouted as he wiggled free and ran to them.
“Mom, Dad, come on in, let me introduce you to everyone,” Jackson said, nervousness edging his voice.
I moved to stand on one side of him, my sisters were all gathered in front of Jackson.
“These are my parents—” Jackson was cut off.
“Hello, you must be Kat.” Jackson’s mom held out her hand to my sister.
“No, I’m Galena, Kat’s sister.”
“You’re Kat?” she asked Petra.
“Nope, that’s Kat.” Petra pointed over to me. I grinned and gave a half wave.
“Kat, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Dotty, and this is my husband Henry.” Ah, at least I know where Jackson got his middle name.
“It’s nice to meet you both. As you can tell, my family just arrived also. That’s my pop Gus, my mother Monica, you’ve met Galena and Petra. And those two are”—I pointed to Alyssa and Thalia—“my youngest sisters.”
“Wow, such a large family.” Dotty didn’t look impressed.
“Well, everyone sit and relax, I’ll get a big feast ready for us,” Mana instructed.
“Oh, we stopped at a grocery store just before we got here. I figured I would cook some Cajun for Jackson and Kat.”
Mana looked down at the single plastic bag in Henry’s hand. “That was very thoughtful of you, but you shouldn’t have worried! You haven’t gotten to spend much time with them, go, I’ll do all of this. Let me wait on you, you just enjoy.” Mana’s smile was bright. “I’ve got it, no worries. Girls, go get the bags,” Mana instructed, and like an army, my sisters did as commanded. When they returned, they each had two or three bags. “This is food for a feast. I hope you all like Greek.”
“No, neither Jackson nor Julien like it; they like my cooking.” Dotty grabbed hold of the bag from her husband and moved into the kitchen where Galena and the others were unpacking all the shit Mana had brought.
I glanced over at Jackson, but he was just standing there. I wanted to smack him.
“Julien, what’s your favorite thing Yiayia cooks for you?” my mother cooed.
“Everything, I like it all, especially the cookies.”
“Koulourakia,” Mana answered.
“And the macaroni,” Julien continued.
“Pastitsio.” My mother looked a tad too smug.
“Well, I brought stuff to make beignets and jambalaya,” Dotty said matter-of-factly. “I know you love those.”
I glanced over to Jackson, who was practically licking his lips. “I have a large kitchen, why don’t you both make your foods? We’ll be a diverse table. This way, Kat can also taste some Cajun food.”
Oh, hell no, I didn’t do spicy. I liked soft, mellow foods, things with lemon, and tzatziki.
“Absolutely, we will cook and you all can taste foods from different areas, it sounds yummy. Maybe Dotty will teach me some of her recipes.” Mana walked off, and I groaned.
“Let’s have a fun cook-off, wouldn’t that be a fabulous idea?” Dotty hurried her steps to keep up with Mana.
“No!” me and several others all shouted. We all then turned our gazes to Jackson, but he was oblivious. “What the fuck?” I whispered.
“You put them in there, that’s where knives are stored,” Pop whispered.
“Son, haven’t you ever heard the saying, too many cooks spoil the broth?” Henry asked.
“No, why?” Jackson was genuinely perplexed.
“I’ve failed you. How did I fail you?” Henry walked off, and my pop followed him. He was still holding a bag, and I didn’t have to ask to know that several small carboard carriers of Mythos Red, Pop’s favorite beer, were inside.
“You know, I have Italian on my side, I’ve always heard that Greek food was just like Italian,” Dotty said and then grabbed a pan.
“Nothing alike, Greek food is the original, we were before all of you.” Mana was borderline shouting. “We don’t mask our cooking with oregano and basil.”
“That sounds good,” Dotty said, as if talking to no one.
I sat on a barstool and watched as both of them prepped and got base stocks going. When Dotty thought no one was looking, she dipped a spoon into Mana’s broth. When Mana thought no one was looking, she tasted Dotty’s sauce, then made a sour face. She turned to me and mouthed, too salty, before she quickly ran over and peeled a potato before chopping it into chunks. I groaned and tried to catch her attention; she was ignoring me. She had taught me and my sisters that if you dropped a peeled potato into something over-salted while you are cooking, the potato will soak up the excess salt.
Squeezing my forehead, I was already trying to ward off the pending migraine. But from the corner of my eye, I saw Dotty
, and she had seen Mana.
I flinched at the sound of the pan crashing to the floor. “Oh, I’m sorry.” Dotty sounded so sincere. “I didn’t mean to knock that over. Maybe you’d like to wait until I’m done.”
“Oh, shit,” I muttered and caught the stares of my sisters. Thalia and Alyssa were doubled over laughing, Julien pretending to understand and laughing with them. But Galena and Petra were stunned.
“I’ll go in there.” Galena stood.
“No, you won’t, you’ll sit down. They are grown women and will handle it themselves,” Pop declared, holding up his beer to Henry, who toasted his agreement.
“Yiayia, do you have any cookies?” Julien raced into the kitchen.
“Yiayia? Like sisterhood?” Dotty questioned.
“No, Grandma, Yiayia is Kat’s mom, it’s grandma, right?” Julien asked.
“He’s calling you grandma?” I cringed, listening to the hurt in Dotty’s voice.
“Yes, and I love it.” Mana opened a container and pulled out two cookies. “Here you go. One for each hand.” She turned to Dotty. “Would you like one, they are very good.”
“No.”
I turned to Jackson because he had to have heard it, the little break in his mother’s voice. She was hurt that Julien called my mom Yiayia.
“Appetizers are ready, come munch!” my mother hollered. “We have tyropitas, they are filled with ooey gooey cheese. Tirokafteri, which is cheese dip, and pita bread.” Mana handed over a platter. “And these are Keftedakia, meatballs, for those who don’t know.” Mana stepped back. “Dotty, do you have your appetizers ready? I’ve saved room up here.”
I groaned. Really, Mother, did you have to hammer that last nail in?
“We don’t eat appetizers, we like to save room for the big meal.” Dotty’s eyes followed Mana’s as they watched Henry, Jackson, and Julien scarfing down food.
“So good, Monica,” Henry garbled with his mouth full.
Dotty turned, walked by Mana’s soup, and tossed in some sort of red Louisiana sauce seasoning before slamming pans around. Jackson tapped Julien on the shoulder and signaled for him to follow. He gripped my hand and led us outside and to his car.
“What are we doing?” I asked as Jackson buckled Julien into the back seat.
“We’re escaping that mad house, at least for a while. I thought it would go totally differently.” I raised one brow, because I had tried to warn him.
Jackson exited out the back of our neighborhood and onto Conroy Road. He drove west.
My phone rang at the same time Jackson’s did.
“The moms,” we both sighed.
“We’ll go back in a few minutes.” Jackson turned onto a long road that was overgrown by brush and then stopped at the edge of a beautiful lake.
“You ready, Julien?” Jackson asked. “You remember what to do?” Julien nodded like crazy. “Okay, let’s go.”
Julien unbuckled himself and met Jackson and me at the front of the car. We, Jackson holding on to my left hand and Julien holding on to my right, walked toward the beach a little bit before Jackson stopped.
It was like a scene from some romantic book when Jackson knelt on one knee and reached into his pocket to pull out a small box.
“Will you be my mommy?” Julien shouted.
“What?” I glanced between the boy and the man.
“Jules, I told you that you had to wait until after I asked my question.” Jackson laughed.
“Oops, sorry.” Julien moved over toward his dad.
“Kat, I’m in love with you, I’ve never felt this way before. Will you marry me, make us a family?”
Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Yes. Yes, I want us to be a family.”
“Okay, bud, your turn.” Jackson nudged Julien.
“Will you be my mommy?”
Kneeling to join Jackson and be at Julien’s level, I grabbed him into my arms. “Yes, a thousand times yes.”
____________
Adeline loves fast cars and faster men. Riley’s just the man. Find out why the Iron Badges are such good friends with the Iron Ladies in Adeline, Getting Even. Tap on the title to purchase or Read for FREE with your Kindle Unlimited membership.
Continue flipping the pages in this book for a sneak peek of Adeline, Getting Even and to find a list of all of my books including those included in Kindle Unlimited.
Coming Soon
Vivian, Midnight Call Girl - 06/02/2020
Vivian gets her book! Many of you have asked to read her story when you fell in love with the ladies of the Iron Orchids, so here she is. Tap on the title to preorder your copy today.
Binge Read Me
Read for FREE with Your Kindle Unlimited Membership
Suggested Reading Order
Original Iron Orchids, Books 1 through 6
Tap the links to find each title
Ariel, Always Enough - Book 1
Sophie, Almost Mine - Book 2
Katy, My Impact - Book 3
Leo, Kiss Often - Book 4
Stella, Until You - Book 5
Christine, The Stars - Book 6
Iron Orchids—Badges Series, Books 7 through 11
You met some of them in the Iron Orchids. Now these women motorcycle officers will ride into your heart.
Badges Prequel - Book 7
Sadie, Doctor Accident - Book 8
Bridget, Federal Protection - Book 9
Piper, Unlikely Outlaw - Book 10
Kat, Knight Watch - Book 11
Iron Ladies, Books 1 and 2
A whisper network of women. Women who help the wives of controlling men. You don’t want to cross these ladies.
Adeline, Getting Even - Book 1
Sunday, Sweet Vengeance - Book 2
Iron Horse, Books 1 through 3
The love stories of three sisters who struggle to run a cattle ranch and to prove the strongest cowboys can be a girl.
London, Is Falling - Book 1
Paris, In Love - Book 2
Holland, At War - Book 3
Box Set Madness
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Iron Orchids Collection
Tap the links to find each title
Iron Orchids, Box Set 1 - Ariel, Always Enough and Sophie, Almost Mine
Iron Orchids, Box Set 2 - Katy, My Impact and Leo, Kiss Often
Iron Orchids, Box Set 3 - Stella, Until You and Christine, The Stars
Iron Horse Collection
Iron Horse Box Set - London, Is Falling, Paris, In Love and Holland, At War
Sneak Peek—Adeline, Getting Even
Book 1, Iron Ladies
Chapter 1 - Adeline
The screeching sound of the tires as the V8 American muscle car pulled into a parking space in one fell swoop was one of Adeline Morgan’s favorite sounds in the world. The only thing better than that was shopping.
She sat in her seat a few minutes and let the song, which was playing far too loudly, finish before she cut the engine. The abrupt absence of the rumble and music in the afternoon air hit Adeline like a shiver of anxiety. There was a comfort in all things car and speed, but she was late, so she forced herself not to crank the engine again.
Adeline pushed the solid steel door open and slid from her seat before straightening her black bodycon dress, which clung to her curvy figure. Then she slipped her four-inch black leather heels back on—one did not drive a muscle car with heels on—and grabbed the bags from the passenger seat.
The Iron Ladies office took up the majority of the fourth floor of one of the many tall buildings in downtown Orlando, and it was more of a home to her than her actual house was. The main office, like other rooms in the company, stood immaculate, with white walls and floor-to-ceiling windows that revealed a large view of the city.
Adeline walked past the desks that sat in an open floor plan and into the boardroom. A large oil painting of giant handcuffs hung on the opposite wall, and in the center of the room was a large mahogany tabl
e. Around said table were some unhappy faces. Well, all except Melanie, she was pacing the room.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Melanie stopped pacing long enough to glare at Adeline. “Really? The client’s been waiting nearly an hour.”
Adeline shrugged and had a shit-eating grin on her face as she fell into her seat next to Sunday before setting her bags onto the table in front of her. “Sorry, my lunch break lasted longer than usual.”
“Told you so,” Sunday said, a little too happy.
Adeline winked at Sunday. “No one knows me better than you do.”
“Depends what truck stop we go to, I’m sure there’s a few bathrooms that have poetry written in your honor and we could learn a thing or two.” Olivia reached into her pocket, pulled out some money, and handed it over to Sunday, obviously having lost a bet. Sunday grinned triumphantly, tossed Adeline half the take, and turned back to her laptop.
Adeline flipped Olivia off and laughed, knowing full well that Olivia’s harsh barb was only a joke.
“Well, now that we’re finally all here, can we interview the client already?” Melanie asked, glaring between the two of them.
“Fine by me,” Sunday said, clearly not really paying attention, she was too absorbed in her computer.
“Who’s the client anyway?” Adeline asked.
“Some lady.” Sunday never lifted her eyes from her laptop screen.
Adeline rolled her eyes. “You think? I was assuming that we were still Iron Ladies and not men. But, then again, maybe you all voted to change that while I was out.”
Kat, Knight Watch (Iron Orchids Book 11) Page 13
