Chapter Eleven #2
“Justice, let's shut down the bakery, and we can load up and start for your grandmother’s,” Sunny said.
Justice looked a little green. “Um, I can’t go back right now.
Besides, someone will need to stay here and run your bakery.
” Sunny wanted to insist, but she also knew that Justice was right.
She did need someone to run her place, especially if they were going to be gone for a while.
“All right, I appreciate that, Justice.” Sunny hugged her and started going over everything that she would need for a couple of weeks.
Tag and Piper promised to check in on Justice to make sure she had everything she needed.
Everything seemed to be working out, and Aaron was grateful that Sunny was on board.
The sooner he got his family out of town, the sooner he would be able to breathe again.
He just hoped that his former captain would slip up sooner rather than later because he had already spent enough time away from home.
They pulled onto Justice’s grandmother’s property just before sundown.
They spent the rest of the afternoon packing up Aaron’s pickup truck, mostly with baby stuff, while their friends helped and kept watch.
Sawyer even pulled in a few of his officers to stand guard while they loaded their belongings into Aaron’s truck and left town, their tails between their legs.
At least that’s what it felt like. Sunny hated that they were running, effectively being forced out of their home like cowards.
It went against all her instincts not to stay and fight, but if Aaron was correct, this guy Reid had a vendetta and was crazy enough to hurt all of them.
She wouldn’t put Sadie in harm’s way, so they were running.
Aaron seemed to sense her uneasiness, pulling her hand into his.
“It won’t be forever, Sunny. We just need to lie low for a few days and give Sawyer some time to figure this all out. If it is Reid who’s after us, he’ll fuck up at some point and we’ll get him.”
Sunny sighed, “Language, Aaron. Even though Sadie is sleeping, she can still hear what you are saying. I know that it is only for a little while; I just hate that one crazy person is dictating where and how we live our lives. We just had a baby. I should still be resting, and we should be at our home, enjoying all the cute little things that she is learning to do daily. You know, like normal new parents.”
“Honey, nothing about us being parents has been normal. Hell, I didn’t even know that I was a parent until about a month ago.
I think we are both doing a great job considering all the curve balls we’ve been thrown.
” Aaron squeezed her hand and smiled at her, but it didn’t help her mood.
“I just wish we didn’t have to run. Leaving our town and all our friends and family feels wrong.
” Sunny looked out her window, taking in the scenery.
The mountains dotted the landscape and were covered with evergreens; some were even still snowcapped.
In the valley, little outbuildings were starting to pop up, telling her that they were starting to get close to the ranch’s main house.
She couldn’t wait to meet Justice’s grandmother, Norma Jeane Hobbs.
Justice shared a few stories about her grandma while she helped them pack, and they reminded Sunny of her grandmother, Bea.
They both seemed like amazing, strong women, and Sunny only hoped that she could raise Sadie to be half the woman her Grandma Bea was.
She looked to the back seat where her daughter was snuggled into her car seat, sleeping.
Most of the trip was a quiet one. They stopped along the side of the road once so that she could feed Sadie, but the baby slept the rest of the trip.
“She’s going to want to eat again, soon. I hope we are almost there.” Sunny turned back around in her seat.
“I think that’s Mrs. Hobbs’s house, up there.” Aaron pointed to a huge log cabin that was much larger than the little cabins that dotted the valley. It had to be the main house.
“Wow, it’s gorgeous,” Sunny whispered.
“Let’s meet Justice’s grandma, and then we can get settled. I’ll unload the truck while you visit with Mrs. Hobbs and feed Sadie.” Sunny nodded. It was time to stop pouting and deal with reality, even if it wasn’t what she had in mind.
Travis watched as a group of Aaron’s friends helped them load up his truck.
So, they were going to run? Well, all right.
He liked a good game of cat and mouse as long as he was the cat.
He made sure to stay out of sight; all the cops standing guard made him a little nervous.
He didn’t plan on Aaron having a cop as a friend.
Hell, when Aaron joined the company, he was just a kid who liked to get into trouble.
The military made him a little wild, like he had his wings clipped by the Air Force, but his feathers grew back in, and he wanted to fly.
Aaron was always the first to join a bar fight, and half the time, he would cause them.
He didn’t count on his old friend settling down and making friends with the local law enforcement.
Of course, five years and a devastating forest fire changed them both.
He wasn’t the same man that Aaron knew, either.
The old Travis would have never let his wife and kids walk away from him.
Old Travis would have forgiven Aaron for leaving him on that mountain to die.
But new Travis remembered what it felt like having his flesh burn.
New Travis missed his family every single day, even though they wanted nothing to do with him.
Yeah, they both changed. He wanted to laugh at the sight of Aaron’s panicked face as he searched the garage, worried that something might happen to his new little family.
It was a shame that he was going to have to kill a pretty, innocent woman and her baby just because she was stupid enough to get involved with Aaron, but that was the way it had to be.
His old buddy needed to feel the same pain that he felt.
Losing the woman that he so obviously loved and his kid was only the first half of the plan.
The second part was his favorite. That was where his old friend would feel firsthand what fire could do to a body.
And the best part was, Aaron wouldn’t even know what hit him.
Travis planned on Aaron running and taking his family someplace “safe”.
But Aaron didn’t understand that there wasn’t anywhere they could hide that Travis wouldn’t find them.
The whole fire in Aaron’s parking garage earlier was just a ruse.
While most of the town’s fire department and sheriff’s office were dealing with the mess that he created, he snuck back to the station and put a tracker on Aaron’s truck.
He knew exactly where they were running to, and in a few days, he would follow.
He wanted them to get a false sense of security, really let their guards down, and then he would find them and set their world ablaze.
He sank back into the shadows and waited them out.
Sooner or later, the cat would catch the mouse.
It always did—that was the way the game was played.
Sunny instantly fell in love with Justice’s grandmother.
Norma Jeane was a tough old bird, full of grit and funny as hell.
But as soon as Norma took one look at Sadie, she melted like a spring snowstorm.
Sunny even teared up at the thought of her grandmother being the same way around her baby girl.
Bea would have loved her great-granddaughter, and it made Sunny sad to think that she wasn’t around to be a part of Sadie’s life.
“Aw, honey. You have a touch of the baby blues.” Norma Jeane wrapped her arm around Sunny and led her into the main room. “It’s completely normal, all new moms get them. For some, they go away fast. But for others, they linger for a bit.” Norma Jeane guided Sunny to the sofa and sat her down.
“Well, I think mine are getting better, but I really can’t tell. I’ve never been a crier, but since I found out I was pregnant, I haven’t stopped crying.” Norma laughed.
“Yep, happens to the best of us. Babies soften us, that is, until they turn into teenagers, then we toughen right up. Those teen years are rough. They either shape into fine young adults or total assholes. Take it from me, I’m an expert on the subject.
I have five children, and one turned out to be the mayor.
He’s also the one who turned out to be an asshole.
” Norma Jeane shook her head as if she was disgusted.
“Yes, Justice said that she is on the outs with her dad. In fact, until today, I had no idea that she was lying to me about who she was. She gave me a fake name when I hired her. But the Mayor has been looking for her, I saw it on the news.”
Norma Jeane nodded, taking the baby from Sunny.
“She is so precious. I love a new baby, so much potential. Don’t let this one go to waste.
You put everything that you have into raising her right.
” Sadie squirmed and stretched in Norma’s arms, causing the woman to bark out a laugh.
The baby startled and then settled and closed her eyes.
“My son is trouble, and Justice was smart for getting out from under his thumb. After her mama died, he just seemed lost. I didn’t figure on him being this far gone, though.
Anyway, it’s a story for Justice to share with you.
I’m just happy that she’s safe. When she called and told me about where she landed and you taking her in and giving her work, well, I thanked the good Lord that she stumbled across you. ” Sunny shook her head.
“No, I’m the lucky one. Justice came into my life when I needed someone the most. She took over all the hard jobs that I couldn’t do while pregnant.
I owe her everything, and now I’m so happy to have her as my friend.
She has a job as long as she wants one and a friend for life.
” Dammit, she was crying again. She wiped away her tears and apologized for being such a sap.
“Well, when my granddaughter told me that you were in trouble and needed a place to land, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
You and that handsome guy of yours and this precious little girl are welcome here as long as you’d like.
” Sunny couldn’t help herself; she threw her arms around Norma’s neck and squeezed her.
“Thank you, Mrs. Hobbs. I can’t tell you what that means to all of us,” Sunny whispered.
“Nonsense, and call me Norma Jeane. We’re family now, Sunny.
All right, you take your sappy little ass and this beautiful baby back down to cabin five.
Tell Aaron that I’ve stocked the kitchen and that you all have food enough for a week in there.
” Sunny pulled Norma in for another quick hug and took Sadie.
“I’ll see you all tomorrow after you’ve gotten some rest.” Sunny nodded and smiled.
She waved as she headed out to the cabin that she and Aaron were going to call home for a few days.
Now that she had met Norma Jeane, the idea of being away from home and friends felt a little less daunting.
Justice’s grandmother felt like family, and that was just what Sunny needed right now.
Well, that and Aaron. He smiled at her as she rounded the corner to their secluded little cabin.
“It’s beautiful,” she gushed. “It’s just like a little hunting cabin in the woods.” Aaron pulled her into his arms, careful not to crush Sadie between them.
“I was thinking that it is pretty romantic back here.” He bobbed his eyebrows, causing Sunny to giggle.
“Yeah, well, according to my doctor, I have one more week until any ‘romance’ can happen.” She used her free hand to do a single air quote, and Aaron chuckled.
“Let’s get Sadie settled, and then we can negotiate the romance factor of this cabin.
” Aaron swatted her ass, causing her to yelp and laugh.
“As long as I can get you naked in my bed and hold you all night long, I’d call that a win, baby.
” Yeah, maybe this little trip wasn’t all that bad an idea after all.