Page 39 of Glacier

“What brought this on?” he asked.

“Fucked if I know.” Lawless grinned. “I’m not the only one like this. Most of the brothers are hung over as fuck. Things got a little wild after you all left. We haven’t partied like that for a fucking long time. If I had to guess, it’s because of Glacier and Juju. The brothers were celebrating even though it’s not official yet.”

Lurch grunted and nodded.

I was confused. “What’s not official?”

“Glacier making you his Ol’ Lady,” Lawless yawned loudly, then grinned as I pushed the coffee mug towards him. “Been a long time since we had a woman take care of us, sweetheart. Not since my mom and Shoe’s Ol’ Lady were around. They’re going to love you.”

I didn’t know anything about Lawless’s parents, and I had no idea who Shoes or his Ol’ Lady were.

“They’re travelling. They retired from club life about ten years ago when the club started earning,” Lurch explained, noticing my confusion. “They were the last of the old guard. Harris was VP, and Shoes was Sergeant at Arms. Glacier bought them each an RV, and they took off to see all fifty states. They come back for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, then take off again somewhere sunny for winter.”

“Where do they stay?” I looked around because only three houses had been built.

“In town,” Lawless replied. “They’ve got houses there. Mom and Sally, she’s Shoe’s Ol’ Lady. Hey” he belly laughs. “Say that fast. Sally she’s Shoes’.”

He continued to mutter it under his breath. I smiled and shook my head at him. At least he was funny when he was drunk, rather than violent.

Turning my attention back to Lurch, I asked, “The club is happy with me being Glacier’s Ol’ Lady?”

“Ecstatic.” Lurch smirked. “The way you handled Barb and Jen? Showed everyone exactly what you’re made of. You’re strong, you don’t take shit, and you can handle yourself just fine. You put the club and your man first. Then you were strong enough to share your history in front of everyone so a broken girl would know she wasn’t alone… that she could be strong, too. You didn’t talk down to Rita or Harriet, even when you could have. Yeah, Juju… they were happy. I’d go as far as to say they were proud.”

I hadn’t realised what I’d done would mean so much to the brotherhood.

“You’re the perfect First Lady,” Lurch said, tossing the dregs of his coffee over the rail before turning to look at me. “I hope you’re planning on staying.”

“I am,” I replied softly.

Lawless snored loudly.

I laughed, and Lurch shook his head.

“I’ve got a few things to do at home before I can make the move here, but Glacier and I will sort it out.”

Lurch hummed under his breath. I’d heard him do that a few times in the short time I’d known him and realised he did it when he was thinking. I let him be, enjoying the company even though Lawless was snoring like a freight train.

Lurch scratched his cheek and lifted a brow. “You know… there’s an empty shop next to the hardware store. Might make a good feed store if you and your family are thinking about expanding. Heard the hardware store’s up for sale, too.”

I raised my eyebrows. “No shit? Huh, I hadn't thought about that, but it has merit.”

I mulled it over as I thought about the cost of opening another store. It was possible, but there was no way we’d swing buying the hardware store.

“We could probably do the feed store depending on rent, but we wouldn’t be able to afford the hardware store,” I admitted.

“Figured you’d say that,” Lurch murmured. “I’ll buy the hardware store if you run it alongside the feed store. No rent on that because we already own it. Bought it years ago, but had no idea what to do with it. Maintained it, but that’s about it. There are apartments above each shop.”

Excitement bubbled through me, but I tamped it down. “I need to speak to my family and Glacier before I make any plans, but I’d like to see the shops. Today, if possible.”

“I can make that happen.” Lurch straightened as Glacier appeared in the doorway, clad only in jeans.

He yawned and scratched his chest. His eyes darted from a shirtless Lurch leaning against the rail, empty coffee cup dangling from one finger to me wrapped in a blanket, to Lawless’s drunk ass passed out snoring in the other chair.

He shook his head and stepped over Law’s sprawled legs. When he reached me, he scooped me up and settled in the chair with me on his lap, burying his face in my neck.

“Why is everyone up at the ass-crack of dawn on a Sunday?” he grumbled, pressing a kiss to my neck. “And what do you need to ask me?”

I kissed his cheek and snuggled further into his embrace, resting my head on his shoulder.