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  Elijah barked a laugh, then added on to the statement with less care for his words, knowing she needed the truth. “And by that, he means Dean was wasted and got into a fight with Ian and then passed out.”

  Jackie rolled her eyes, not exactly surprised to hear of his temper and drinking habits taking hold over him once again. “I don’t know what has gotten into him lately. He seems on edge all the time and is way grumpier than usual. It can’t just be the baby. He’s not around Ollie enough for that.”

  Mack shrugged, but couldn’t disagree with what she said. “Yeah, I see what you mean. Couldn’t tell you what’s going on in his head, though.”

  Glancing at her watch, Jackie let out a groan of frustration. “And now I’m officially late for my first day, wonderful.”

  “I’ll call Charlotte. She’s probably nearby with Logan anyways. I’m sure she won’t mind watching him for a while.” Elijah pulled his phone out, already dialing his wife’s number.

  “Oh no, I can’t ask her to do that,” Jackie replied, shaking her head. “I’ve been meaning to call her, but I’ve never even met her. It’d be so rude to ask her to watch my infant.”

  Elijah shrugged, cell phone to his ear as he waited for her to answer. “She won’t care. She loves babies.” He paused as she picked up on the other end, then turned away to speak with her.

  Mack smirked at the doubtful look on Jackie’s face, then tried to reassure her. “Relax, sweetheart. We’re one big family here. You know that. We help each other out. I’ll even volunteer to watch the little monster until Charlotte gets here.”

  Ending his call, Elijah grinned at her smugly. “She’ll be here in about half an hour, and she’s very excited to have a baby to play with.”

  “Fine,” Jackie said reluctantly, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. “But I’m paying her to watch him.”

  Mack snorted, knowing Elijah’s wife would never go for that. Elijah seemed to agree but smiled softly at Jackie nonetheless. “Yeah, good luck with that. Now go to work before you get fired.”

  19

  Jackie dashed into the diner, stopping momentarily as she entered as the heat hit her and immediately began to thaw her frozen limbs. She shivered, enjoying the warmth her gray coat couldn’t provide, then hurried behind the counter to the back office to put her stuff down.

  “Sorry I’m late, Elaine!” she shouted to the cook over the clang of metal pans emanating from the kitchen. “Tyler bailed on babysitting duty, and I had to figure out what to do with Oliver. Didn’t want him here on my first day back.” Jackie got no response, which was very unlike Elaine, so she finished tucking her coat into the shelf cubby and headed back out into the kitchen.

  Elaine was kneeled down next to a tall metal shelf, digging through pots and pans loudly as she muttered to herself. Her usually perfect hair was disheveled, and her face was set in an angry frown. Finding the square tray she seemed to be looking for, the older woman stood and turned, jumping slightly at seeing Jackie in her previously-empty space. “Oh, hello dear,” she said, her voice lacking its usual chipper happiness despite the small smile she forced.

  “Hi,” Jackie replied suspiciously, taking in her frayed appearance. “Everything okay?”

  “Well… no,” Elaine said, a sad expression covering her face. “Sandra’s idiot son Matthew stopped by earlier today to announce that they’ve decided to sell the diner.”

  Stunned by the unexpected news, Jackie tried to put a coherent sentence together. “What? I mean, why? She loves this place. She wouldn’t do that.”

  Elaine sighed in frustration and placed her hands on her hips. “Yes, well, I’m sure it was more Matthew’s idea than her’s. He seems to think this place is a total dump and not worth the energy. He’d probably rather take the money from selling the property and just go.”

  “But he can’t do that!” Jackie replied angrily, not able to believe the turn of events. “This place has been here for thirty years. It’s a fundamental local business in Macon. What about the history? What about all of the people who work and eat here? There has to be something we can do.”

  “I know, baby, it’s a tragedy. But he seemed pretty set on the idea. I’m sorry to give you bad news on your first day back. But the legal process of finding a buyer will take some time, so you’ll have a job for a few months, at least.”

  “Has anyone been to see Sandra? Maybe we can talk her out of it or come up with another solution.” Jackie was grasping at straws, hoping to think of some way to keep the place from closing down. It was an important establishment in the city not just to her, but to many people who had been eating here for decades.

  Elaine patted her on the shoulder sympathetically, knowing that the diner meant a lot to all of the people that worked here, but maybe her and Jackie most of all. “We can certainly try, dear. Always worth a shot.”

  Wrapping the older woman in a hug, Jackie sighed into her shoulder as she wrestled with the thoughts in her head. “It’s just not fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair. You know that,” Elaine responded kindly, always ready to dispense a few wise words to those in need. “But we do the best with what we’re given.”

  Jackie pulled back, determination showing brightly on her face. “We’re going to change her mind. That jerk is not going to close this place down so that he can make a few bucks.”

  With a sickly sweet grin and a spark in her eye, Elaine steered the woman towards the door to the dining room. “I always did admire your spunk, sweetheart. First, we get through the dinner rush. Then we’ll come up with a plan to save the diner.”

  The dinner rush came with a vengeance, reminding Jackie just how tough it was to be a waitress sometimes. But it also felt good, moving around and being busy and actually doing something. She just didn’t seem to have it in her to be a stay at home mom. There were only so many things to do with a two-month-old.

  It was in between the first and second wave of dinner patrons that Murphy and Dean sauntered in, baby in hand. Jackie set a few dirty plates onto the back counter, wiping her hands on the apron wrapped around her waist as they approached.

  A happy smile danced across Dean’s face as he adjusted Oliver’s position in the crook of his arm. “Can you give your mama a grin?” he asked playfully to the baby, who did as he was told as though he could actually understand the man. “Hey babe,” he said to her, leaning down to kiss her gently.

  Jackie was shocked, to say the least, at the complete change in behavior. It seemed as if a whole new Dean had walked through the door, excited to take on all of the challenges life threw at him. “Hey yourself,” she replied carefully, not sure what to think of the cheerful man in front of her. She glanced hesitantly at Murphy, a question in her eyes as he shrugged his shoulders at her.

  The pair sat down at the counter, Murphy grabbing a menu from the holder and flipping it open as though he was going to order something different than usual.

  “When did you pick up Ollie?” Jackie asked, trying not to sound too accusatory. “I was gonna grab him after work.”

  Dean gave a one-shouldered shrug, tossing her a grin in response. “I know, but Elijah told me that Tyler bailed on you, and Charlotte ended up with him last minute, so I figured I’d spare her from having him all night.” He shifted Oliver so that the baby was at a higher angle, able to watch everything going on around him. “We just stopped by to grab some dinner cause daddy doesn’t want to cook, and then we’re gonna go have a dudes’ night. Ain’t that right, little man?” Oliver seemed happy to hear this news, smiling up at the scruffy man holding him.

  Jackie once again looked over at Murphy, her eyes slightly wide as Dean’s behavior continued to get weirder. Catching her expression, Dean glanced between the two with a questioning look. “Why you lookin’ at me like I’ve got three heads?” he asked suspiciously, trying to figure out what he was missing.

  “It’s nothing,” she replied, avoiding eye contact as she wiped her hands on a nearby towel. “You just se
em very… happy.”

  He leveled her with an annoyed stare, cocking his head as he sighed. “I get yelled at when I don’t actively participate with my kid, and now I get questioned when I do. Am I not allowed to be excited to hang out with him?”

  “Of course you can,” Jackie said sympathetically with a soft smile, hating herself for doubting him when he was clearly trying. “I just wasn’t expecting it. You surprised me, but it’s a good surprise. I’m glad you want to spend time with him.”

  “Yeah,” Murphy grunted quietly, resting his forearms onto the counter and slouching over them. “I kinda thought you hated the kid.”

  Dean rolled his eyes as Jackie sent a stern look at Murphy for his blunt words, despite also sharing a similar sentiment. “I don’t hate him,” Dean replied defensively, glaring at his friend who simply shrugged, seemingly not bothered by the response to his statement. “I just don’t know what to do with him sometimes. But I think I’m getting the hang of it.”

  “You voluntarily picked him up and are willing to babysit him for several hours alone.” Jackie smiled affectionately at him, accepting that his happiness was a step in the right direction. “I think that’s definitely a good sign. Besides, the diaper bag is a good look on you.”

  That earned Jackie another glare, this one playful, as Dean shoved the offending bag under his stool a little bit further.

  “I’ll take a Macon burger, extra cheese,” Murphy said impatiently, just wanting to get some food after a long day of dealing with the increasingly bipolar Dean.

  “What a surprise,” Jackie replied sarcastically, snatching the menu from him and placing it back into the holder. “It wouldn’t kill you to try something else. You might even like it.”

  “I like the burger,” he said evenly, his expression not changing as he rested his head on his propped up hand.

  She sighed in defeat, shaking her head and writing the order on a ticket.

  “Make that two Macon burgers with extra cheese,” Dean said with a grin, handing her the menu.

  “You two are so typical.”

  20

  “So, what’s up with Dean?” Jackie asked, raising a brow as she stared at Nash.

  “What do you mean?”

  She rolled her eyes at his attempt to play dumb, moving so she loomed directly over him. “I mean, why is he acting like a moody fifteen-year-old girl? He hates me one day, loves me the next, disappears without a word the day after that. What’s his problem?”

  Nash shrugged from his position on the floor with Oliver, not wanting to reveal too much of his friend’s inner struggles and risk betraying his trust. “He’s working through some things,” was his only reply.

  “Working through some things? Has he recently discovered that he has multiple personalities? Cause that’s what I’m thinking.”

  Bouncing the baby’s play chair lightly with his hand, Nash was slow to respond. “There’s just a lot going on with the club and with the new baby. He’s got no outlet, so I think it’s getting bottled up, and he’s frustrated.”

  Jackie raised a brow, the explanation only working for half of the issue. “Okay, that explains the angry moods. But what about the manic, overly cheerfulness I’ve seen?”

  The question earned a shrug from the stocky man, his shoulders slow to drop back to their original position. Nash had also noticed the extreme moods of his friend as of late and was hoping it wasn’t for the reason he thought. “Your guess is as good as mine with that one. Maybe he really is happy when he’s not busy stressing out.”

  “Well, then there’s got to be something we can get him into as a way to let off some steam.”

  He was quiet for a second, then looked up at her from under his thick brows. “Yeah, I have an idea for that, but I don’t think you’re gonna like it.”

  Jackie stared at him, suspicion immediately covering her face. “Do I want to know? Maybe you just shouldn’t tell me? No, you should tell me. Otherwise, I’ll worry.”

  “Well, there’s this bar that hosts cage fights-”

  “Cage fighting?” she shouted, her hands flying to her hips in shock as she towered over him from his position on the floor. “Are you out of your fucking mind, Nash? We need him to blow off steam, not kill someone and get himself arrested!”

  Nash sighed as her voice reached a high pitch, piercing his eardrums as she expressed her concern. “Told you that you wouldn’t like it,” he mumbled in response. “If you’ve got any better ideas, feel free to share them. Don’t think he’ll go for knitting or a book club, though.”

  “What about like a recreational sports team, rugby or football, or something?”

  He stared at her knowingly, waiting for her to think the idea through. “So he can beat the crap out of someone when he’s not supposed to? That would be illegal. He’s better off getting into a cage with a guy that’s just as mad and letting them fight it out. That and he’s picked a fight with just about everyone at the clubhouse, and they’re getting fed up.”

  Her face softened, knowing as much as she hated the idea that it would be the perfect outlet for Dean’s frustrations. “Is cage fighting even legal?” she asked skeptically, not wanting him to get wrapped up in anything else on the wrong side of the law.

  “More or less. They make you sign a waiver, so nobody can press charges if Dean bashes their face in. Unless he kills someone, that’s still very illegal.”

  Jackie sighed, crossing her arms over her chest in defeat. “You’re gonna be with him the whole time, right? In case anything gets out of hand. I don’t want him to come home beat up and bloody.”

  Snorting, Nash smiled up at her and raised his brows. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that, sweetheart. He can certainly hold his own.”

  Jackie rolled her eyes and flopped onto the couch dramatically, staring at the ceiling as she leaned her head back against the cushion. “I just hope it helps. I need him to mellow out cause he’s a big ball of stress that I can’t deal with right now. Like there’s the baby, there’s the diner getting sold, I’m not gonna have a job. I don’t need his issues right now too.”

  “Well, not to stress you out further,” he replied, eyeing her carefully to judge her reaction. He had been debating on sharing the information with her but thought she should be aware in case things escalated. “The feds showed up at the clubhouse last week.” Jackie’s head popped up from the couch cushion, her eyes locking onto him as she waited for him to continue. “They were just fishing for details about the car thefts. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up here eventually.”

  Her head fell back to its original resting place with a soft thud as she let out a huge breath. “Well, fuck. Everything gets better and better.”

  Nash watched her sympathetically as Oliver began to get fussy in his rocker, likely reacting to his mother’s distress. The biker lifted the baby out of the carrier and cradled him to his chest before getting up from the floor and making his way to the couch. He sat next to Jackie, nudging her with his shoulder as she rolled her head to the left to look at him. “All you have to do is tell them you aren’t answering any questions without your lawyer,” he said quietly, trying not to alarm her while also giving her the facts. “They have no right to enter without a warrant, and you have the right to remain silent. Call one of us, and we’ll get someone to you.”

  “Yeah,” she replied quietly, zoning out in her head as she started to feel overwhelmed. “Think I might have an anxiety attack.”

  “Stop,” he demanded, his deep force penetrating her foggy brain. “No need to panic. You haven’t done anything wrong, and you’re not under investigation. We have a very good, very expensive lawyer that is an expert at keeping us out of jail. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  She looked up at him in exhaustion, a resigned look on her face.

  “That’s what people say right before shit hits the fan.”

  21

  “This is an interesting idea,” Dean said, sliding off his
bike and securing his helmet in the seat compartment.

  “This is an awesome idea!” Murphy responded as he bounced from foot to foot in excitement. “I can’t wait to bash some faces in.”

  “Dean is the only one bashing faces in.” Nash adjusted his navy blue leather jacket and led the group towards the dilapidated metal building labeled The Watering Hole. “We’re just here for moral support.”

  Murphy sighed, swinging his arms around dramatically as they walked towards the door, dodging intoxicated patrons outside that had started the party early. “Jeeze, dad, that’s not fair,” he said sarcastically.

  Cutting his eyes behind him at the energetic blonde, Nash shook his head in exasperation. “We need to be somewhat sober in case his drunk ass starts a fight outside of the ring.”

  “Oh Christ, I gotta be sober too?” Murphy exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air as he came to a stop. “This is already the worst fight night ever.”

  Nash grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him inside. “Let’s go, idiot.” Dean trudged behind them, part of him excited for the chance to let it out while the other part of him was knowing he’d regret the night.

  They entered the seedy bar, ears ringing immediately due to the sounds of drunken chatter and the roar of the crowd around the caged ring in the middle of the room. Bikers and fight enthusiasts from miles around flocked to the location for the entertainment it provided several times a week. It was no place for real martial artists, solely just for regular joes looking to brawl it out after a hard day’s work for the chance at some extra cash and a little street cred.

  The place itself was less than glamorous, with dim lighting and worn-down wooden tables and chairs. To the left was a large bar, lined with shelf after shelf of liquor and several beers on tap. Various tables and booths were scattered throughout the bar, but the cage seemed to be the main focal point. The clientele was not high class, mostly blue-collar workers that spent a majority of their paycheck on alcohol after work.