Page 6 of Avy

I’d just shaken my head, wondering what on earth made some women behave this way. Her friends had been standing a little way away, looking bored. That would have never happened in our family.

Our women would have all piled into the fight if it was justified, not that we’d have hit on a man that wasn’t interested or clearly there with someone in the first place. I guess it took all to make the world go round.

Walking into the meeting room, we waited for Reaper to start the meeting once everyone was situated around the table. I’d emailed Skinny the financials earlier, and he’d set them up to show on the screen we had set up at the front of Church for just this reason. It made it easier for everyone to see what was happening in our individual businesses. The only one not involved in an MC business was Mum, but that was because she’d been working at the local estate agents since she was eighteen and didn’t see any reason to leave a job she loved.

Standing up when Reaper nodded at me to take over, I went through everything, including the marketing plans we’d put in place for each business. It was something I’d been trying to get started for a long time, and now that Bev was helping at the garage, we were seeing the results from all the businesses.

So far, all the businesses were doing well, very well, in fact. Hence the surprise and delighted shouts coming from everyone around the table when I told them what their cut of the profits would be this month.

It would only be getting better, especially with the addition of the campsite. It looked like it would be finished in time for peak camping season, and we’d started advertising for it already.Noni had been handling the bookings, but we’d sent out an advertisement for a camp manager and we were sifting through the CVs to find someone that would fit in with the rest of us. We were getting there, and I thought we’d have someone hired by the end of the month.

Once Reaper released us from the meeting, we all congregated at the bar for a quick drink before carrying on with whatever we had individually planned for the evening.

I plonked my butt on a bar stool and turned to my man, demanding, “Well, what’s the big secret?”

Hawk shook his head at me with a smile at my impatience before reaching into his pocket and pulling out an email and handing it to me. Skimming my eyes down the words, I realised I was looking at details for booking for a spa break for this Friday, my mum’s name and Noni’s were included on it.

“Oh, Hawk, this was the secret?”

He nodded, “Yep, and it’s been hard to keep that from you. We had to keep Noni away from you as much as we could because she warned us she wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. And, before you start worrying about the pub I’ve spoken to both Keith and Barry, they will run the pub just fine from Friday through to Monday.”

My brow wrinkled in confusion as I looked at the dates in my hand the booking showed Friday and Saturday. “Why until Monday?” I queried.

Hawk grinned at me and whispered in my ear, “Because I have plans for you the rest of the weekend as you’ll only be celebrating half my birthday with me on Saturday.”

I instantly felt guilty, “Oh, Hawk no, we can change the booking.”

Hawk pressed a finger to my lips, “Hush, I arranged this, remember. You work hard and while I know we said we wouldn’t bother with Valentine’s Day, I wanted to do something for you and I know that this is something you will enjoy, plus it works out for me, too. The brothers and I are going out to the O’Shea’s Saturday morning for some target practice. I promise it's all good,” he assured me.

“As long as you’re sure,” I confirmed again.

“I am,” he said pressing a kiss to my lips before continuing, “now go before your girl has an aneurism from trying to hold her excitement in.”

I laughed but slid off my chair and walked to where Noni was bouncing from foot to foot in excitement.

Laughing as she wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me tight, with a soft, “You’re a lucky girl, he’s a wonderful man. Hold on as tight as you can to him.”

I squeezed her tighter to me. I think I was the only one who realised that Noni wasn’t ever going to be over Rhett. I wished that she could let him go, but I also understood how hard it was for her. Choices had been made, and she’d not been consulted. It had hurt her badly, so badly that for a long time I wondered if we’d lose her. But she’d rallied, and while she wasn’t back to her normal self, I’d take this one over what she’d been like two years ago.

“I will, my beautiful sister, I promise I’ll hold on tight,” I promised, kissing her cheek and hugging her tighter. I didn’t let go until she finally pushed away and wiped a tear from her cheek. Before she turned and walked to the door and out of the clubhouse. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Bull watching her with a sad look in his eyes before his attention was drawn away by something Navy said.

Walking back to Hawk, I pushed under his arm and burrowed into his side, needing the contact. He didn’t stop the conversation he was having with Rogue about where he and Julia could go for the Easter Holidays, just made room for me and pulled me close.

CHAPTER 5

HAWK

Finishing up on my last client for the day, I cashed him out. Business was good and had really started to pick up. I knew before long I’d have to look for another artist to join me and I really needed a receptionist so that I wasn’t constantly being pulled away while I was with a client. Making a mental note to speak to Bella or Avy about getting an advert set up so I could advertise the positions.

I was exhausted but happy. Planning this wedding was hard work, but I knew that if I wanted us to move forward with our lives, I would have to step up. Avy didn’t have the time, and I understood that, so it was up to me to get us to where I wanted us to be.

The plus to all this planning was that I was able to spend time getting to know some of the best women other than my own mother I’d ever known. They were not only hard-working, but they were also hilarious when you got them all together. What had started out as just myself, Noni, Kate, and Maggie now included all the Crow women. I’d been worried that someone would let something slip, but so far no one had said anything.

Avy knew something was up and had been trying to get Noni alone all week, but we’d managed to keep them apart to make it easier on Noni. I knew that Avy and Noni were close but hadn’trealised just how close they were. They didn’t keep any secrets from each other. At all!!

I’d found this out one night when Noni had asked me out of the blue if having my dick pierced was worth the pain. The expression on my face had them both falling over with laughter.

“Babe, really?” I’d muttered at Avy, who’d just shrugged and replied, “I warned you; I don’t keep secrets from my sister.”

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