Chapter 20
Ollie
Wondering Why by The Red Clay Strays
Ifind Jack out at the ranch just as the sun starts dropping. He’s leaning against the fence when I pull up, arms crossed, jaw tight like he already knows this isn’t a casual visit.
“You look like hell,” he says. “I thought the honeymoon period was supposed to make you glow and shit.”
“I thought so, too,” I tell him, shutting the truck door harder than I need to. “We need to talk.”
That gets his attention. He straightens. “What’s going on?”
I scrub a hand over my face. “Poppy went to the biker compound and confronted them about her dad.”
It’s been a few days now and I still can’t get over her doing that. I’ve been so worried.
Jack blows out a slow breath, eyes dropping to his boots. “Shit.”
“I didn’t know until after,” I say quickly. “She didn’t tell me. She went alone.”
Jack’s head snaps up. “She did what?”
“I know,” I say, sharply. “Her dad wasn’t there. They told her he’s been kicked out of the club with a bunch of others. So, whoever Sully’s running with isn’t affiliated with them anymore.”
He shakes his head once, like he’s trying to reset his brain. “I’ve heard they’re overhauling that club. Cleaning house. Got away from drugs and trafficking. Still doesn’t make them safe. I don’t trust ‘em.”
“The guy running it goes by Grave,” I say. “Real name’s Silas Knox. Supposedly, his dad ran the club. His lieutenant is a guy named Jonesy. I’ve been doing some digging to find out what we’re dealing with since she went there, and we’re now on their radar.”
Jack’s expression tightens. “Yeah. I know who Grave is.”
“I don’t like this.” I crack my knuckles, feeling all sorts of emotion. Overwhelm, nervousness, anger that she did that.
“They call him Grave because he’s not afraid to take it to the grave,” Jack says. “And Poppy confronted him?”
I nod and add dryly. “With a tire iron.”
Jack’s eyes widen. He actually looks rattled. “Jesus, Ollie.”
“I know,” I snap. “I’m terrified about the deal she made with them.”
Jack frowns. “Hold up. What deal?”
“I don’t know,” I say, my stomach already sinking as the words leave my mouth. “She said we’re under club protection now.”
Jack goes still. Then he shakes his head slowly. “That’s bad, dude.”
My chest tightens. “I know.”
“Clubs don’t do that without wanting something in return,” he says. “There’s always a hook.”
My stomach drops hard. Worse than it was with Sully making threats. Worse than the CPS meetings.
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “This feels worse than worrying about Sully.”
Jack thinks for a second, then nods. “We could go talk to them. I know some people who could set it up. Neutral ground.”
“I don’t know,” I say, pacing now. “Maybe. We need to know what we’re dealing with first. What if this messes things up with CPS? What if it makes things look worse instead of better?”
Jack nods slowly. “Yeah. You’re right. Gotta lay low, man.”
I stop pacing and look at him. “I just want my family safe. And I don’t like not knowing who thinks they’ve got a claim on them.”
Jack meets my eyes, serious now. “Then we move smart. No panic. No big moves. We watch. We listen. And if we have to step in, we do it the right way.”
I nod, even though every instinct in me wants to kick down doors and demand answers.
Jack claps a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll handle it. But we do it clean. We’re not doing things the way our fathers did.”
I take a breath, slow and steady, and nod again.
Because whatever Grave thinks he bought, he didn’t buy her.
That’s my family. Mine.
By the time I get back to town, I’m calmer.
We’re in a good place now, and I’ll be damned if someone is going to try to take that from us.
But I’m still so mad at her for doing that.
I pull up, park in the back, and head upstairs first, checking in on Owen.
I unlock the door, and he’s got his headphones on, working on homework at the table, his head bobbing to his music.
He looks up and grins. “Hey, Ollie.”
I smile. “Hey, bud. Is she down in the shop?”
“Yeah, her and Cami are down there. It’s her night to do the shop thing. She didn’t get her work done this week.”
Yeah, your sister was off threatening bikers, but I don’t tell him that. I just nod.
“All right, get your homework done and we’ll figure out dinner when I come back up,” I say, heading to the entrance of the shop. I hear voices and listen at the top of the stairs.
Cami sounds mad, and that can’t be good. I look down, expecting to see bikers, but it’s Randy Garvin, looking like a giant turd, his arms crossed, throwing a fit.
I don’t like that guy. I’ve seen him be rude in The Black Dog. And honestly, my sister’s wrath directed at this guy might make me feel a little better after the day I’ve had.
He stomps in, boots loud on the concrete. “This thing’s still making a noise,” he says. “I told you last time it wasn’t fixed right.”
Poppy keeps her voice even. “Garvin, I replaced what was failing. What you’re describing now is a different issue.”
“Well, it needs to be fixed right now,” he says, leaning an elbow on the counter as he owns it. “Seems like you should just fix it for free since I had to come back again.”
I step closer, just enough to see her face. She looks irritated.
“I can take another look,” she says. “But there are no discounts.”
Garvin snorts. “Figures. Guess customer service isn’t your strong suit. Your dad would be so disappointed in you.”
Poppy shrugs. “Probably. I’m pretty unimpressed with how he turned out, too.”
That’s when I notice Cami leaning against the tool chest near the bay door, arms crossed, expression flat and unimpressed.
She’s been watching, clocking everything.
She already doesn’t like Garvin. He’s banned from Steamy Sips, her coffee trailer, for being rude.
He’s known around town for being entitled and a selfish jerk.
Garvin turns slightly and notices her for the first time. “What’s your problem?” he asks. “Oh yeah, you’re the one who makes shit coffee.”
Cami pushes off the chair and walks up beside Poppy, close but casual. Protective without making a show of it.
“I was just wondering,” Cami says, voice calm as hell, “if it ever bothers you that the greatest thing you’ll do with your life is to exist as a warning to women.”
Garvin blinks. “What?”
“He’s so stupid,” Cami says to Poppy as she shakes her head.
“What did you call me?” he asks again, trying to intimidate her, and I laugh quietly because my sister is about to eviscerate him. And I can’t wait to watch. He has it coming.
Cami tilts her head. “I called you stupid. I’m sorry. I just assumed you already knew.”
Poppy sucks in a breath, trying not to laugh. I don’t even try to hide my smile.
Garvin’s face goes red. “You can’t talk to me like that.”
Poppy doesn’t raise her voice or step back. “You’re done here. Get out. You can add this place to the list of places you’re already banned from. At some point, you might want to move to another town.”
He looks at Poppy as if she expects her to fix this, to smooth it over like she always does. She doesn’t. She stands a little straighter instead.
“Don’t come back,” Poppy says.
I sidle up behind the counter then, just enough to be seen. Garvin clocks me and hesitates. He mutters something under his breath and turns for the door. The bell jingles when he leaves.
Cami smirks at Poppy. “Anytime you want me on standby, I’m happy to ruin a man’s day.”
Poppy laughs, soft but real as she shuts the hood to the car she’s working on.
I don’t even think about it. I cross the shop in three long strides, slide a hand to her waist, and lean in.
“Hey, baby,” I murmur before I kiss her.
It’s soft and grounding and just for us. The kind of kiss that says I’m here and I’ve got you without needing to spell it out. I pull back slowly, my forehead brushing hers, and I can feel the last of the tension bleed out of her body.
Cami scoots back on a stool to give us space, grinning like she’s proud of herself. “Hey, Ollie. You missed me trying to make Garvin cry.”
Poppy snorts, her hands landing on my chest like she needs to make sure I’m real. “It was beautiful,” she says. “Truly inspirational.”
“I heard some of it,” I say, my thumb brushing her hip. “Sounded like you had it handled.”
Cami shrugs. “I like to give back to the community.”
Poppy laughs then, real and full, and it hits me straight in the chest God, I love that sound. The way she finally looks relaxed in her own space again. But I look closer and think maybe this isn’t what she wants. The shop feels more like a means to an end now.
I dip my head closer to her ear. “You okay?”
She nods. “Yeah. I am now.”
Good.
I press another quick kiss to her temple and keep my hand right where it is, solid and obvious. Let anyone watching understand exactly where I stand.
Because if Garvin or anyone else gets confused again, I’m more than happy to clear it up. Including that motorcycle club.
The Black Dog is loud with good music and laughter tonight. Owen studies the menu like it’s an official contract, eyes wide, finger tracing every option.
“Get whatever you want,” I tell him.
“Yeah,” Poppy adds, smiling. “Whatever you want. Or we could go home and I could make a Crock Pot dinner.”
“No.” Owen rolls his eyes at her comment. “For real? Even a milkshake?”
“Even a milkshake,” I say, laughing at the Crock Pot honorable mention. I love her dinners. But I think Owen got a little sick of them on repeat. I’m making sure we have balance. I make dinners, too, and we go out sometimes.
I look at our table, we’re here as our first official dinner out as a family. It’s a celebration. I reach over and slide my hand over Poppy’s. Her eyes meet mine. She feels it, too.
Owen grins like he just unlocked a cheat code. “Okay, then I want a burger, fries, and a milkshake.”
“Dream big,” I tell him.
He laughs, waving to Walker across the room. “Can I pick a song?”
Poppy nods, watches him with that soft, stunned look she gets when life is behaving for once. I catch her eye, and she smiles back, like she’s filing this moment away, too.
We put our orders in, and Owen takes his time picking out music on the retro jukebox in the corner.
Momma Mary brings over a tray of complimentary appetizers and gives each of us a hug. “Congratulations, newlyweds.”
“Thank you, Momma Mary,” I tell her, patting her back. “Thank you for the goodies.”
Cami and Jack are holding hands, and she leans in and whispers something and kisses him. I love seeing them happy.
Walker taps his glass a few minutes later, the sound cutting through the noise. Violet steps in beside him, fingers laced together, her other hand resting over her stomach.
“So,” Walker says, grinning, “we figured it was time to make this official and tell our family.”
Violet beams. “We’re having a baby.”
The place erupts. Chairs scrape back, people cheer, and someone whistles.
Cami gasps and launches herself at Walker, laughing and crying at the same time.
Jack pulls them both into a hug, looking like he might burst with pride.
Cami already knew but that doesn’t make this any less exciting.
I love this new chapter of life for them.
Maggie hugs Walker, patting him on the back, wiping her eyes. “I’m so happy for you both.”
Owen sneaks up to the bar, having Cash, the bar manager, refill his soda, and dancing to the music, happy alongside everyone else.
I glance at Poppy, and she’s glowing, eyes bright. Good things. Real things. It feels like the universe finally cut us some slack. Things are going to settle down finally, and we’re going to have the good times. We made it through the bullshit, and life is good.
For a minute, everything feels easy. No drama, just us celebrating happy things with our friends. The good life.