“Roni, I know you’re in there.” It was Rooster, and she was having serious déjà vu.
“Give me a sec,” she laughed. Throwing the door open, that laugh caught in her throat when she saw what he wore. “They did it?”
“They did.” He nodded as he picked her up and spun her around.
She squealed with delight and hung onto his shoulders as he spun them until they were both dizzy.
“I came right over to tell you and to give you this.” He pulled the property patch out of his pocket. “Please tell me that you want this, please tell me you want to spend the rest of your life with me and do all that domestic shit I told myself I would never do.”
“As long as you want babies, because I really do, and I want to try as soon as possible.” There, it was out and she wouldn’t be able to take it back—better to know how he felt before she got too deep into this that she couldn’t get out.
“I’m glad you said that because I want it all with you. All that stuff we never got to have before because people and circumstances came in between us. It’s not there anymore and I want everything.” He cupped her face in his hands. “Tell me you want everything too.”
She bit her lip. “I do,” she squealed. “Is this real?”
“It’s as real as it’s ever gonna get.” He leaned in, kissing her hard, kissing her deep, kissing her thoroughly. “I wanted to make sure you knew I was real,” he joked as he pulled away, both of them breathing hard.
He was right. This was as real as it was ever going to get.
Epilogue
In the last two months things had become routine with the Heaven Hill MC. Runs had started back, the girls hung out with one another, when the guys weren’t escorting Wet Wanda’s girls home or out on their respective runs, they hung at the clubhouse. Tonight though, as they celebrated their first cookout of the fall season, Rooster and Roni stood at the back of the property—orange and black balloons in hand.
They had done a lot of work with Doc Jones both together and separately. They’d realized quickly that while Rooster and Roni the couple needed to work on things, so did Rooster and Roni the individuals. Just because they knew they wanted to be together hadn’t made things easy at all—in fact, some days were hard, but they were working through them—together. Doc Jones had brought up on their last session that while they both said they had let go of the guilt of not having their child, they needed to figuratively let it go. Hence the balloons. They were releasing their grief into the sky.
“Okay, so you wanna go first or do you want me to?” Rooster asked as he stood next to her, clasping their free hands together.
“I think we should go at the same time,” she answered. “As we release it, we need to say what we want to and be done.”
He agreed and counted to three. Once he did, they let them go. Both shouting “I’m sorry” at the same time. At one time the guilt had been stifling, but they were working through it, realizing that they were victims of circumstance and a game played by a man who didn’t care about anyone but himself.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be the mother you deserved and I couldn’t be the strong person I am now. I will work the rest of my life to be that person, and I will use you as my example of what happens when I don’t stand up for myself. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of you. I love you and I always will.” It surprised Roni that she was able to say that without tears and without getting completely emotional, but it felt good, it finally felt right.
“I’m sorry that I wasn’t the type of man you needed for a father and that I couldn’t protect you.” Rooster moved behind Roni and clasped her around the waist. “But I promise to you I will protect your new brother or sister with my life. They will live knowing about you and they will know that they have an older sibling.”
She reached down, kissing his forearm. They’d found out the week before that they were expecting, something that had brought up all these feelings they both thought they were done with and over.
“You feel better?” He gripped her hand in his.
“I do,” she told him, exhaling deeply and looking at the group of family that had gathered. They’d graciously given them their privacy as they’d set the balloons off, but now Roni allowed herself to watch everyone.
Liam and Denise played with Tatum. Mandy and her friend Layla were giving Drew and Charity, who, bless her heart, was still hopelessly devoted to Drew, a hard time as they sat together at the picnic table. Jessica and B played beer pong with Jagger and Steele, but it was Tyler and Meredith that caught her eye. Adalynn was still with them, and growing like a weed. She squealed and ran away from Tyler as he chased her, hiding behind Meredith’s legs. Meredith reached down and picked her up, smiling at the little girl, blowing raspberries on her face. With the help of an attorney, the two of them were petitioning to adopt, but there were a lot of obstacles in their way. Hopefully in the end, things would work out the way they were supposed to.
“They look perfect with her, don’t they?” Rooster asked, walking them back towards the party.
“They do. I hope they get to keep her,” Roni whispered.
“Me too.”
Looking between the two of them, he noticed the ring that he’d placed on her left hand sparkled, even in the setting sun. He was thankful for his friends, his family, and for his second chance at love.
The End
Book 6.5
Rough Patch
Heaven Hill Book #6.5
A Novella
Laramie Briscoe
Summary
Jagger and Bianca
Mechanic and Teacher
Laid back and Fiery
Love isn’t easy. Sometimes it isn’t patient, sometimes it isn’t kind, but there’s one thing that will make you appreciate your significant other. The way they make you feel when you come though the other side of a rough patch.
Prologue
Freedom! Bianca Hawks, or B to her close friends, could taste it. It tasted of ice cream on long summer nights with friends and other members of the Heaven Hill MC and hot summer days sneaking away somewhere with her boyfriend, Jagger Stone. Glancing up at the clock, she mentally counted down the seconds until the bell would ring at 3:30. It was the starting pistol that would signal the freedom she so desperately craved.
The noise level in her classroom was deafening as her students counted down, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. As soon as they’d walked into the school that morning, they’d begun an hourly countdown, and she’d secretly counted down with them. There was something magical about the last day of school. Students passed onto another grade, and teachers were thankful they still had all their hair on their head.
“Five, four, three, two, one!” The screams were loud as were the goodbyes to her as the teenagers made their way out of her classroom.
She waved to a few of her favorites and then went around the room picking up the things she needed to take home. Only what she knew she would need immediately was added to her bag, anything bigger she could always come back for. The only reason she hadn’t left with the kids was because, as an adult, she was expected to have a little more control and not be so anxious for two months of sleeping in. Within fifteen minutes, she had everything she needed and turned off the lights in the room. Closing the door, she smiled happily to herself. She’d successfully survived her first year as a high school teacher, and her third year teaching was now in the books. A mental middle finger went up to everyone who’d ever told her she couldn’t do it. She had done it and done it well if her reports from the principal were any indication.
Now, though, it was time to go get her man. It was her mission to make sure he had as good a time this summer as she did. The last few weeks had been rocky for the two of them, and she knew they needed some relaxation, and if it were up to her, that would start right now.
Jagger Stone was pissed, hot, and done with this day. Walker’s Wheels, or “the shop” as most of them called it in pas
sing, was fucking busy and had been for at least two months. They could never seem to get caught up, no matter how hard they tried. They would send one car home with its owner and two more would show up in the lot. It wasn’t a bad problem to have, necessarily, but it irritated him when most of the people needing their cars worked were women who hung around the bay he was working in. He recognized them from various shows he’d given at Wet Wanda’s. He did his best to discourage them, but they always found out where he worked, and they always managed to make themselves a nuisance. They didn’t care that he was happily attached.
“The Jagger Stone fan club is here.” Tyler Blackfoot grinned as he walked over to the younger man, clapping him on the back. “How does B put up with that?”
B. The love of his life and the one who meant everything to him was not a “fan” of his so-called fan club. “She hates it, and doesn’t hesitate to tell me so, but I also hate hers.” He shrugged. “So it tends to even itself out. We’ve both kind of come to the conclusion that we can’t help what we did before we got together, but we can take preventative measures now. That’s why these ladies have no chance in hell.”
“Yeah, I can imagine loving a woman who used to work in a strip club is hard.” Tyler nodded. “Lots of men have seen a lot more than you want them to and probably don’t hesitate to tell you that.”
Jagger stopped turning the wrench he’d been using and stared open-mouthed at the VP of the club. “Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me, Blackfoot?”
“It’s the truth, ain’t it?” It wasn’t a question he asked, it was a statement of fact. Turning on his heel, he moved into the next bay to check on their resident computer expert, Travis Steele.
Huffing, Jagger threw his wrench down, feeling satisfied as it hit the concrete floor and bounced, causing a huge racket. He was tense, beyond tense. Because the shop had been so busy, and he had things going on at night now, he hadn’t been able to play music for going on two months, and it was about to kill him. Running a rag over his forehead to mop up some of the sweat, he realized that the only things he wanted were a cold beer, a cold shower, and the love of one very hot woman. The woman he wanted had just pulled into the lot, parked her Mustang, and was shaking her ass across the blacktop. One out of three wasn’t bad.
Chapter One
Bianca narrowed her eyes under her sunglasses as she caught sight of two women hanging around outside the bay Jagger was working in. She was used to this; he was a good-looking guy who had an amazing presence, whether it be on stage or off, but the women always got on her nerves. Thank the good Lord she’d decided to change into a tight tank top and a pair of cut-off blue jean shorts before leaving the school. She had pulled her hair up off her neck, hoping to entice her boyfriend’s lips when he saw her. Their moments lately had been rushed. It had been a few months since they’d been out on a date and at least three weeks since they’d been intimate—a new record for them. For one fleeting second, she wished she were also wearing a pair of killer high heels instead of the comfortable pair of flip flops she’d opted for. High heels would make her legs look a mile long, something that would boost her confidence against the two women leaning against the concrete structure. It wasn’t that they were exactly beautiful; anyone looking at them could tell they were easy, and as B had heard more than once, why buy the cow when they could get the milk for free?
Normally she was the epitome of self-assuredness when it came to her relationship, but lately she just didn’t feel it.
“Anybody seen my boyfriend?” she asked loudly as she strutted within hearing distance of the two women who were trying too hard. As she got closer, she put an extra sway in her hips and hooked her thumbs in the belt loops of her shorts, pulling them down further on her hipbones. Thanks to her old occupation, she knew women like this, and they were definitely up to no good. She was going to have to play a little dirty.
It was close to ninety degrees, and they were in full makeup and had enough hair spray in their hair to spontaneously combust. Eyeing them as she stepped into the shade of the bay, she pushed her sunglasses up over her head and gave them a look that said they were not welcome.
“Hey, sweet stuff.” Jagger sauntered out from behind the car he’d been working on and made his way over to her. He cut a glance over towards the women, who stood up straighter when they caught sight of him. There was a part of his personality that did like the attention, but he absolutely loved the woman at his side more than he’d ever love anything else he could have on the side. “Did you get everything done this afternoon or do me and some of the guys need to come help you move anything?” He had wanted to be there to pick her up at the end of the school day, but they had needed him at the shop, and he needed the extra cash. Unfortunately, sometimes his responsibilities came first.
She grinned up at him, gripping his shirt with her hand. He grasped her hand in his much larger one, and it took everything she had not to swoon at his feet. He knew every button she had. “Nah, I got it all, but I wouldn’t be opposed to spending the rest of the afternoon with you; clothing optional.” She winked, giving him a saucy smile.
He pulled her fully into his body, cupping her ass with his hands, pressing her against him. There was no mistaking the bulge that greeted her, and he felt her adjust her stance to accommodate him. He groaned, knowing he wanted to kick his own ass. It was hard, but he had to be strong, especially if he wanted to give her everything she deserved. Not wanting the two hangers-on to hear, he put his mouth next to her ear. “As much as I would love to come hang out with you, we’re swamped here. There’s no way I can leave.” His tone was apologetic, his face remorseful.
Bianca pulled back from him, almost as if he struck her. The words had been like a slap across the face. They hadn’t spent as much time together as they normally did the last few months because she had been busy with end-of-year things at school and he had been busy with club business. “But I’m free now.” She grinned up at him, trying to keep the plea out of her voice. “We can go whenever.”
Disappointing this woman wasn’t something that Jagger liked to do, but sometimes he had things that he had to attend to. “Then whenever will have to be in a few days.” He smacked her on the ass and turned to go back to the car he was working on. He hated to disappoint her, but he couldn’t stand to look at her when he did it. He hoped that, in the end, she would understand and forgive him—he was counting on it.
Rejection stung. Especially when the person who rejected you was the one person you had decided to give your heart to. “Yeah,” she waved, “sure.”
Walking past the two skanks was the most embarrassing thing she ever had to do. To save face, she put her sunglasses back on and turned so that she was looking back at Jagger. “See you at home, honey. Be sure and rest up. It’s gonna be a long night.”
That long night never happened.
“I don’t get it,” Bianca whined to Jessica and Meredith the next day. “Does he not want me anymore? We’ve never gone through a dry spell like this. Has the newness finally worn off? I figured it would be years before this happened. Am I not exciting anymore?”
Given the fact that all three of the ladies were having a hell of a week, they’d decided that lunch today would consist of margaritas at the local watering hole. None of them cared that it was noon; they needed each other, and damnit, when they needed each other, they were there.
“It’s too soon in your relationship to be having those kinds of issues,” Jessica told her friend, taking a drink of her strawberry concoction. “Are you sure there’s nothing else going on?”
“Well you’re the romance writer. Tell her what to do.” Meredith shoved the bowl of salsa back in the middle of the table as she dipped a chip in it. To her left sat her cell phone, with a picture of Tyler and Addie staring back at her. She slid her finger across it to check the time then grinned when she realized they still had a ways to go before the guys got off work.
“Yes, tell me all your secrets. It’s like a switch got
flipped, and I don’t know how to flip that switch back.” Bianca bit her bottom lip. “Do you think it’s me teaching?”
Meredith and Jessica exchanged a look that said she was reaching.
“I personally think you need to stop grasping at straws and ask the man in your life what the fuck is wrong, but that’s just me.” Meredith shrugged a shoulder.
Jessica shushed her. “If you want your man, B, take him.”
“That’s the thing, he comes home late, every night. Whatever Liam and Tyler have them doing is taking up a lot of Jagger’s time—or is my boyfriend the only one?” She was suddenly suspicious as the two women again exchanged a glance. This time that glance was troubled. “The rest of you aren’t seeing your men, are you?”
Both Jessica and Meredith shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
“Tyler’s gone late some nights, but normally he’s home before nine. It’s not too late.” She winced because she wasn’t sure how late Jagger was getting home or what he was doing for the club. Even yet, if he was even doing anything for the club; it sounded like something else was going on.
Bianca turned on the other woman. “What about Layne?”
“He’s been getting home later, but not overly so.”
A sinking feeling took over Bianca’s stomach, and she broke out into a cold sweat. Three nights the past week he’d gotten home close to midnight, and two nights the week before. Thinking back, she couldn’t remember a time in the past few months he’d been home before nine at night. She had assumed he was doing club business, but now she wasn’t so sure. She hadn’t paid much attention because she’d been so busy with the end of the school year, but now she wanted answers. “What’s he been doing that your guys aren’t doing?”
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