Thanks everyone. I'm shocked by the reaction I've gotten.
Thanks to my lovely beta Kateriina Sofia
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The next morning, Charlie woke up to the sound of her children arguing.
"Sis! Get out of the bathroom you've been in there half an hour. I have to get ready for school!"Carson hollered through the bathroom door.
"Carson, just use my bathroom baby." Charlie called, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She heard Azalia open the door and a smack as the teen hit her brother.
"AZALIA! You're already on my shit list, don't make it worse." Charlie hollered sleepily. Carson trotted into her room.
"Thanks mom. The creature in there is taking forever." Carson said, kissing Charlie on the cheek.
"Be nice. She's your sister." She said, shooing him to the bathroom and climbing out of bed. "What time is it?"
"7:30." Carson cheerily called from the bathroom. Charlie's eyes went wide, "Really?"
Charlie darted around the room, trying to find clothes that were remotely presentable. Carson walked out of the bathroom, watching his mom run around like a chicken with her head cut off.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Trying to at least look halfway decent before taking you kids to school this morning, now go get some breakfast." Charlie said locating the shirt she was looking for. Quickly changing clothes, she walked out of her room and down the hall to the kid's bathroom.
"Hurry up, Z. You're gonna be late for school." She said, pounding on the door. She heard the blow dryer start up. Sighing she walked downstairs and hung a left, finding the kitchen. Carson was sitting at the island, pouring Fruity Pebbles© into a bowl.
"Coffee's ready, mom." Carson said, taking a bite. She heard his feet swinging and kicking the underside of the counter. Charlie dumped two packets of hot chocolate in a mug and stirred the coffee in. She turned and sat on a stool. Azalia walked into the kitchen, stonily ignoring her mother. Carson finished his cereal and took his bowl to the sink, bumping Azalia on the way. She smacked him upside the head.
"Azalia. Keep it up." Charlie said sipping her coffee. "You're already grounded for four months and you have no phone. Wanna make it worse?" Azalia glared at her while Carson snickered.
The teenager grabbed pop tarts out of the cupboard. Shoving them in the toaster, she turned to her mother.
"I hate you. Why can't you just leave me alone?" she snapped. Charlie chuckled.
"You love me. Get over it. Carson, time check." The over tired woman said.
"7:50." He replied.
"Backpacks. Let's move." Charlie said, pouring her coffee into a travel mug. The three trooped through the living room picking up backpacks and purses along the way.
She dropped Carson off first. Azalia still refuse to speak to her mother, who just smirked and lit a cigarette.
"You just don't get it do you?" Charlie said. "You can be mad all you want but that doesn't change the fact that you screwed up. When you have a kid you'll understand that sometimes being a bitch is necessary."
Azalia said nothing staring out the passenger window as they continued towards the high school. Charlie took a drag off her smoke, and slowed to a stop at a red light. The two heard the rumble of a motorcycle and turned to look. A single rider was coming up the driver's side. Judging by the leather, it was one of the Sons. Charlie looked a little closer and realized it was the Son Jax had introduced her to, Happy. He stopped and looked over at her. She smiled a little and raised a hand in greeting, him returning the gesture.
Azalia watched a little surprised. Mom never shows interest in guys, not since Jesse. Wonder what this guy has to catch her eye. The light turned green and Happy took off, gunning the engine. Charlie chuckled and took off herself, taking a right and pulling into the high school. Azalia jumped out and stormed off without even saying goodbye to her mother. Charlie sighed.
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Happy rode through Charming on his way back to Teller-Morrow. Pulling up to a stop light, he looked over and saw the crazy redhead from the day before, Charlie. She smiled softly at him and waved at him. He raised a hand in greeting and took off at the green light, gunning his engine. Glancing back he saw her laugh and smirked.
The garage was busy when he arrived, Clay already barking orders out to the guys. He parked his bike and walked over to the garage. Chibs greeted him by handing him a wrench with a short "we're shorthanded, geht ta work. Clay's orders."
Sighing, Happy took his cut off and walked over to the nearest bike on a jack to start working. He heard a cage pull up but didn't turn to look.
"Chibsy! How are you darling?" A female's voice called out as a car door slammed. Chibs left Happy to the bike and greeted the woman. Happy turned to see the red head.
"Hap! Come meet Charlie." Chibs called. Happy set the wrench down and walked out of the garage.
"We've met." Charlie said. Happy continued his slow walk up to the pair.
"Whehn?" Chibs asked.
"Yesterday." Hap said. Charlie paused, his deep raspy voice sending a shiver down her spine.
"Well why didn't you say so Charlie girl?" Chibs asked, watching her closely.
"You didn't ask. Did anyone get a chance to check out my dumbass daughter's truck?" She asked, still watching Happy through her sunglasses.
"No. I'll go look now." Happy rasped out. He left Chibs and Charlie standing there.
"You don't want any of that darlin'." Chibs said. Charlie laughed.
"I know the score. No guy here wants a girl like me. Too much baggage and all that shit. I'm not looking for a man Chibsy, you know that. Even if I did my terrors would get rid of any guy without a problem." Charlie said, a sad smile crossing her face. Chibs hugged her.
"Darlin' I only meant dat Happy doesn't exactly stick around. He comes and goes as he pleases or as the club wishes." He said, squeezing her tightly before releasing her. "I've got ta geht back to work; Gemma's in the clubhouse if you want ta go see her."
"Alright." Charlie said, heading that direction.
As she entered the clubhouse, the smell of the place assaulted her. Her distain must have shown on her face because Gemma laughed.
"Beer, cigarettes, and pussy not your favorite smell sweetheart?" She said. Charlie went over and hugged her before sitting down at the bar.
"Hell no, but it's tolerable I suppose. Must have been a party recently, am I right?" Charlie asked pulling her cigarettes out of her purse.
"Yeah Friday night like always. You should come sometime. Get out of the house and away from the kids. Be a nice break." Gemma said, waving smoke out of her face. "Do you have to smoke those damn menthols?"
"Don't diss my bitch cigarettes. I can't stand the full flavored and lately this is all that stands between my kids and death." Charlie said inhaling deeply. Gemma chuckled.
"Rough morning?"
"What makes you say that?" Charlie said, watching the biker queen.
"Baby as cute as those sweatpants are, they are not your usual look." Gemma replied, snagging the ashtray from the far end of the bar.
"Yeah woke up late this morning. I don't have to work 'til noon so I figured what the hell. Not looking to impress anyone." Charlie said, looking down at herself. Jogging pants, tennis shoes, and a tank top didn't look bad though Gemma was right, not her usual look.
"What are you doing here this early anyway?" The queen asked.
"Checking to see if anyone got to look at the truck last night." Charlie replied purposely blowing smoke in Gemma's face, which earned her a dirty look.
"Charlie." A raspy voice called from the doorway. Charlie and Gemma turned to see Happy gesturing for Charlie to follow him.
"How bad is it?" Charlie said as she hopped off the stool. Happy shook his head and Charlie sighed.
"Great. Better go Gem. I'll see you later." She said.
"Bye hun." Gemma said dismissively. Charlie followed Happy out to where the truck was.
"You have a couple problems all fixable, but not cheap." He said.
"Ballpark it for me." Charlie said, obviously not thrilled.
"Bout a grand." Happy replied. Charlie sighed.
"Fan-fucking-tastic." She took the last drag off her cigarette before violently throwing it to ground and stomping on it.
"At least it'll be fixed." He said, watching her reactions. He saw her shiver a little, that caught his attention.
"Guess I better grab her shit 'cause you guy's'll have this for a while. I can't afford to pay it all at once." She said walking around to the driver's door. He heard her mumbling and walked to the now open driver's door. He opened his mouth to say something but was distracted rather quickly. Charlie was bent over the seat pulling random crap off the passenger floorboard and the sight of her ass caught him off guard. Damn he thought she has a fine ass and tits to match. He continued watching her as she pulled a bag out of the bed of the truck and unceremoniously shoved everything into it.
"Well thanks Happy. Give me a call when it's done. I'll see what I can figure out to pay ya'll." She said, reaching out to shake his hand. Happy took it surprised. She walked back to the clubhouse and he went to the garage. Chibs approached him.
"Brother, dat is noht your normal woman. She's noht a crow eater. Noht one man here has touched her for a reason. Tread lightly." The Scots said, severely watching the Nomad. Happy just stared at him. Chibs sighed as he walked back to the sedan he was working on.
Charlie walked into the clubhouse to see a Son had joined Gemma at the bar. Judging from the hair, it was Bobby. Charlie grinned and went over and hugged him.
"How ya doin' darlin'?" Bobby asked returning the hug. Charlie released him and sat down on the stool next to his. She just stared blankly at him.
"I hate teenagers." She said, blankly. Gemma and Bobby chuckled.
"I told you sweetie, normal seventeen year old." Gemma told her. Charlie just sighed and pulled her phone out of the purse.
"Shit I gotta run. Good seeing you two. Call me when the truck is ready." She said, picking up her purse. She kissed Bobby on the cheek and gave Gemma a hug before walking out the door.
"She's got a thing for Hap." Gemma said to Bobby, smirking slightly. Bobby went wide-eyed.
"You shittin' me?" He asked. She shook her head.
"Fortunately I'm not. She caught a look at him yesterday and I thought she was going to need a fan to cool her off. I'm not sure what to make of it." The queen said, gauging the secretary's reaction.
"Shit, Hap wouldn't know how to treat a woman like her. She's fragile." He said pouring himself a drink. Gemma took the bottle away.
"Jesus Christ Bobby, it's not even nine in the morning." She said.
"So?" He asked. "Where's Clay?"
"In the office. I haven't decided if I'm ready to go over there just yet. Make him suffer a little. Helps him appreciate me." Gemma said with a smirk. Bobby just chuckled.
Happy was working diligently on the Honda Shadow someone had brought in. He had cringed when Clay had hollered for him to work on it but obeyed his president. Someone had laid this bike over a few times, and it needed help. Clay came over to check the progress on it. Happy gave him a rundown before pausing.
"What's up with the red head?" He asked, Clay's eyebrows rising.
"Charlie?" Clay replied. "Depends on what you mean."
"Well, it's not normal for me to get warned off a bitch." Happy said, watching his president. Clay sighed.
"How old do you think she is?" The MC president asked, watching his killer.
Happy was surprised, he hadn't expected that. Pondering that he opened his mouth to say,
"Thirty five thirty six. Though she looks younger. But she's got a teenager." He said warily.
"Thirty and her oldest is seventeen." Clay said. Happy's face went blank. How the hell, she was, shit, thirteen when she had her first kid. What the fuck?
Clay watched Happy process what he had just heard. "Blow your mind, don't it?" The older man said. Happy just looked at him.
"Charlie's been hurt Hap. She's not a crow eater. If anything she's not MC material. She's the kinda girl you take out on cheesy dates and spend time with her kids and you don't jump into bed with her right of the bat either." Clay said before walking away, leaving the killer to his thoughts.
Happy just went back to work, thinking on what Clay had said. He soon got lost in the work, but snapped out of his trance when he heard a voice call for him. He looked over to see Charlie in the bay door. She smiled at him.
"Just wanted to say thanks again for taking a look at the truck. Takes some of the headache away knowing right away." Charlie said, running her fingers through her hair. Happy watched as her hair fell back to her waist.
"No big deal." He rasped back. He saw the shiver in her body before she smiled briefly and walked away and climbed in her Escape.
Charlie smiled as she pulled out of the lot. God he is fucking sexy. All tattooed muscle and that sexy voice and the eyes you could just drown in. Mmm! A frown replaced the smile. Too bad he'd never be interested in me.