Chapter One #2
The military had a code to be followed. Some of his men had been tortured, and Pat had no choice but to reel his shit in, but that had been hard to do. With every fiber of his being telling him to slaughter, he didn’t. He followed the fucking rules.
Pulling out of the memory, he took a long drink.
It was easy to allow him to let the club think he was messed up by the shit he had seen. And it was true—war zones were not for the faint of heart. But it didn’t mess with him in the way they thought.
Running fingers through his hair, he thought often about getting it cut, but something always held him back.
“You sure finished that carrot cake,” Ava said, coming back around.
“What can I say, it’s delicious.”
That smile. “I’ll let Lauren know you like it.”
“Why doesn’t she ever come out?” he asked.
Ava glanced toward the door that led to the back. “She’s shy.”
“She owns this place, makes amazing cakes, and she is shy?”
“You got it. It’s why you have to put up with me.” Ava sighed.
“It’s not hard to like you.”
Again, with that freaking smile.
“Well, Pat, you keep talking like that, and I am going to start thinking you might be flirting with me.”
“Would that be a problem?”
“I don’t know. I’ll let you know if I develop one.” With that, she winked at him, and then got back to serving more customers.
****
“T ell Lauren I will have her babies for her whenever she wants them,” Violet said.
Ava couldn’t help but laugh. Every single time she brought baked goods to her mother’s store, there was always an offer of having babies or marrying Lauren.
“I’m sure she would love that,” Ava said.
“I’m serious. All she has to do is pick the sperm, the time, the place, and I’m there. She does not have to ruin her figure for kids, I will do that for her.”
She thought it was sweet that her sister would offer such a thing.
However, sometimes she wondered about her.
Violet was not one who seemed to enjoy children, at least not the thought of having them herself.
Each time they would see movies or reality shows that showed giving birth, Violet always responded with, “Never.” Herself, on the other hand, she loved the thought of having children and a larger family someday.
“Will you stop?” Their mother, Hazel, came around the back carrying a large roll of white fabric. “This is why Lauren rarely stops by. You know how skittish she is with compliments.”
“Nah, she stopped coming because you somehow managed to convince her she needed to make herself a quilt. She left with a couple of hundred dollars’ worth of kit.
” Violet licked the chocolate fudge icing from her fingers and gave out another moan.
“Fuck me, that is good. Why hasn’t Lauren stopped by? ”
Ava shrugged. “Not sure. You know what she’s like. Especially when she has leftovers for you guys.” She was one of the few people Ava knew who didn’t like compliments. Now, if there was no leftover cake or baked goods, Lauren would have come with her.
Hazel sighed. “I don’t know why she can’t take a compliment. It is so ... sad.”
“I know, but I guess she doesn’t like the attention, and this way, you get to enjoy the food, and she feels more comfortable. So, what do you need help with today?”
“We don’t need help,” Hazel said.
“Violet called. She said you had a sale and orders went through the roof.” She turned toward her sister. “Or were you lying?”
“Nope, not lying. Ever since Mom listened to me, and we branched to online selling, things around here have been pretty sweet. Haven’t they, Mom?”
There was an essence of gloating to Violet.
Hazel rolled her eyes. She snorted. “How many times do you want me to tell you I am happy to have followed your suggestion?”
“Every single time I can convince you to say it.” Violet shrugged.
“There is a whole sewing community out there. They might not be local, but we can always find a way to reach them, and we did. The last year has proven that, seeing as you can now afford to pay me, and also, we’re not up to our eyeballs in debt. ”
This was good news.
“Fine. Fine. Do you want me to get on my knees and thank you?” Hazel asked.
“Hell, no, I expect to be Employee of the Month.” Violet put a hand on her hip and thrust out her chest. “Because that is exactly what I am.”
“Fine, fine, fine. We will get you a badge.”
Ava couldn’t help but laugh as she cut herself a slice of cake and took a bite.
The shop struggling was one of the reasons she had sourced an income elsewhere.
Owning a fabric store was always her mother’s wish, and when their dad gave it to her over ten years ago, it started out small.
Slowly, she built it until they had no choice but to move from the garage at home to a larger store, which their dad got for her.
However, after her father’s death, the mounting bills, the cost of fabrics, shipping, imports, and everything associated with running a business, she knew her mother considered closing shop.
The only problem was, this was one of the last anniversary gifts he gave Hazel before he died.
The building was fully paid for and was part of the gift.
He gave her the means to have a flourishing business, and everything else was left to her mother.
Now, them taking the business into the online world seemed to help.
Ava would have loved to work for her mother, and until she was eighteen, she did work here. Only, she wanted to get her own place and give her mother some space—unlike Violet who was more than happy to stay at home.
She found work elsewhere in the hope that if they ever did get into trouble, she’d be able to help them out. Her job paid really well.
“Speaking of jobs, how is yours going?” Hazel asked.
“It’s going really well. Business at The Late-Night Coffee Shop is great.”
Hazel smiled. “I am so pleased. You know, when you told me about it, I thought it was a crazy idea to have a late-night coffee shop.”
Ava shrugged. “Not going to lie, I did as well, but Lauren was onto something. It would seem time for coffee and cake is never too late.”
“Do you get any assholes?” Violet asked. “That late at night, you must get a whole bunch of assholes?”
Ava laughed. “No, we don’t. There are some difficult customers, but then, who doesn’t have them? Most of the time, it’s good. People are there because they just want to relax and that is what Lauren has tapped into. It’s a place to relax, have cake, and just ... breathe.”
“Guys can be assholes who just want to relax,” Violet said.
“Yeah, well, it is all good. Anyway, seeing as I’m here now, you may as well put me to good use,” she said.
She had already taken her bag and jacket out to the back.
Hazel glared at Violet, but it was one of those fake, loving glares that mothers give.
“Come on, Mom, we could do with her help, and she brought cake. There is no way you can turn away free help and free food.”
“Excuse me, I expect a payment of buttons when I’m done,” Ava said.
“And some buttons,” Violet added.
Hazel laughed. “Fine. Fine. Get to work. I don’t want to hear any more nonsense out of you two.”
Before she or Violet could complain, the bell on the door rang, letting them know a customer had entered, and it was time to start packaging orders.
Ava happened to love preparing the fabric or haberdashery items, lovingly adding a card, wrapping it neatly, and then sticking the address on the envelope or box. It was this loving touch that added to the experience of buying from a small business.
The time flew by, and customers kept coming. Most of them were local, but there were also a few from out of town that came to see the fabric store in Carnage.
Just after two, their mother went to the diner to grab them some burgers, and Violet put the sign up to let people know they would be back within half an hour.
“You’re going to be tired tonight,” Violet said.
She wrinkled her nose. “Nah, I’ll be all right.”
“Seriously, you’re not feeling tired from working a late-night job?”
“It’s fine. You know I always like to keep busy.” She shrugged. “Besides, I have to be exhausted, otherwise I just don’t sleep. You know what it’s like.” Since their father died, Ava struggled to sleep.
During her teen years, it would worry their mother. She hated the thought of Ava being up late on her own, and would often attempt to stay awake with her. It got to the stage that she would fake going to sleep, and either read or study.
After a while, her mother started to figure out that she needed to be tired out, which is why she worked late and woke early. She was an early riser, just like her dad.
She missed her dad. With him not being in the house, it was odd, but it was like she felt alone.
That lonely feeling was what kept her up.
This was why she moved out as quickly as she could.
Not because she hated her mother. She loved her mother and sister.
They had fast become a fierce threesome, always bound together, fighting their grief.
She didn’t want to worry her mother. Her apartment wasn’t much, just a small place she called home, and if the nights were a problem, she didn’t mention it. That was why she lived away from home.
“Yeah, I know. I worry about you,” Violet said.
“Don’t.”
“I can’t help it. You’re my little sister and I love you. Of course I worry. Also, when do you think Mom will be ready to move on?” Violet asked.
This had her lifting her head. “What do you mean?”
“Well, she’s only forty-nine years old. Dad has been gone ten years. Don’t you think we should encourage her to start dating?”
“I never really thought about her dating.” She frowned and pursed her lips. “What do you think?”
“That Dad would have wanted her to move on and be happy. You know what he was like.”
“So, what? Do you want to arrange a date?” Ava asked.
“I don’t know, but maybe we could tell her it is time for her to start dating, and she doesn’t need to worry about her daughters and what they think.”
Ava looked up from her order toward her sister. “Wait, hold up. You think Mom’s not dating because of us?”
“It’s possible.”
She didn’t like that. For some odd reason, she couldn’t help but think about Pat.
Not as a date for her mother, no, she didn’t like the thought of that.
She liked Pat. When he first started coming to the coffee shop, she had been nervous.
His leather cut had unnerved her, and although she had grown up with the Chaos and Carnage MC around town, suddenly at work, it felt different.
Only, there was no trouble. No more MC arrived. Just Pat. He wasn’t looking for trouble, he was looking for some peace and quiet, coffee, and cake. She loved serving him, loved talking with him.
“What do you think of the Chaos and Carnage MC?” Ava asked, looking toward Violet.
Her sister shrugged. “I don’t think anything of them, to be honest. I know Mom goes to the garage they own, and they own the bar as well. There are a few other places they run, but I’m not sure which. Why?”
“No reason.” She spoke way too fast.
“Okay, you must think I’m an idiot, because you don’t go asking about anyone or anything, and now you do. What gives?”
Ava sighed. “It’s nothing. One of the guys comes into the coffee shop.”
“Which one?”
“Pat. I don’t know his last name.”
“No one knows his last name, I don’t think. He’s the ex-military guy. Scary as fuck, and I don’t think he talks.”
“He does ... talk,” Ava said.
Violet stared at her, and she tried not to blush, but it was impossible, especially as she thought about Pat and his soft-spoken voice, which also seemed a bit gruff.
“Have you got a thing for Pat?” Violet asked.
She didn’t have to answer, because their mother returned with their burgers, and Violet was too hungry to keep questioning her.