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Sugar
Maddox took my hand before I got out of my car. “Are you really okay?”
I smiled softly. “I’m better.” It was partly true. I was still messed up about Art, but I’d gotten past the grief over Matt, my mom, and my brother from yesterday. I’d have more bad days. They usually came when I least expected it.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. Come on, Grandpa is waiting for us.” I pointed at the front window where my dad was peering out. We were having lunch with him. It was something we did once a month since Matt’s death.
“Okay.”
We got out of the car and went up to the house. The front door opened, and Sheriff Hendricks appeared with a suspicious expression.
“Hi, Dad.” I hugged him tightly.
“What’s going on?” He released me to hug Maddox. “You two looked like you were having a serious conversation.”
I eyed Maddox, hoping he would keep his mouth shut. “It was nothing, Dad.” I went inside.
Maddox followed me. “Yeah, nothing at all. What’s for lunch? I’m starved.”
My dad chuckled. “Eve, don’t you ever feed this boy?”
“He has a hollow leg, Dad,” I replied the same old line as always. I took my place at the dining table, the same spot I’d sat my whole life, and poured ice water into my glass.
We all laughed. It was good to be this way with my dad, fun-loving and silly.
The food was set out on the plastic table cloth covered in sunflowers. Nothing had changed inside my childhood home since my mom died. It was like she was still here, but off running errands and meeting her friends for lunch.
Dad was a workaholic though he’d deny it. It left him with zero time for romantic relationships. He’d told me once, a love like theirs only came around once in a lifetime, and he didn’t want to tarnish it.
I knew how he felt and had believed I could never love another, then Art had entered the picture. It wasn’t love at first sight,insta-lovelike it had been with Matt. My love for Art grew over time, and I loved him deeply. I didn’t think for a second being with him would tarnish what Matt and I had shared or the memories we had created together. They would live on in my heart as he would. But there was room for a million more experiences and passionate love with Art…ifwe were together.
“Eve, what kind of chips would you like?” My dad’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He held two bowls, one with barbeque chips and plain in the other.
“Plain, thank you.” I took the bowl and put a handful on my paper plate.
“Sub sandwiches are my favorite, Grandpa.” Maddox took a massive bite and groaned.
“It’s why I picked some up. Been a while since we had them.” He looked at me. “Macaroni salad?” He moved the store-bought container toward me. “So how ya both been? How’s Markey? Still in Arizona, I suppose.”
I chewed the chip in my mouth. “We’re doing good. Markey’s having a good time in the desert.” I was an awful daughter for not telling him about the probability of Jax being his grandson. I only wanted to avoid causing him more grief. It was better to wait for the paternity results. It could be a moot point if Justin was the father and not Johnny.
“Good, good all around.” He put a spoonful of salad in his mouth.
“What about you, Dad? Anything new?”
“Just work. I’ve been meaning to call Storm.” He wiped his hands on a napkin. “There’s some chatter about a possible meth house on the east side of town.”
“Where?” My heart slammed into my ribs as I stared at him for a long second. Nothing set me off faster than the word: meth.
Maddox put his sandwich down and paid close attention to the conversation. My boys knew how their uncle Johnny had died of a meth overdose. They also knew their dad and his club had cleaned up Bastion.
“Eastside. It’s concerning. We don’t need that crap in our town again. Nearly twenty years it’s been since your brother...” He lifted out of his chair, throwing his hand up, and went to put ice in his glass.
“Is it a new development, or have you known about it for a while?” The club had done everything possible to keep its territory free of drugs. It was the one thing Matt had his MC brothers promise to do after his death. Over the years, when new scumbags tried to set up shop, the Knights had run them out of the area quickly before they had a chance to get their operation running.
“Information has been trickling in for a couple of weeks. We haven’t gotten concrete evidence they’re up to no good. I thought I’d ask Storm to check with his connections.”
