2
The following morning Hailey woke to voices coming from the kitchen, and the smell of pancakes were on the air. She slipped out of bed and through on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a white camisole tank top. Her hair was in long waves down her back and she washed her face and brushed her teeth before leaving her bedroom.
The site in her kitchen was one she would have forever as she snapped a photo. All three of their head whipped around and Hailey started belly laughing with tears in her eyes. Maddie was perched on the counter eating chocolate chips wearing a tutu while Happy and Juice stood at the stove pushing and shoving each other. The two of them were each wearing one of her baking aprons and they had batter all over the place. "What are you guys doing?" She asked while shaking her head. "Making pancakes mommy! See?" Maddie said while pointing to the bowl of mix. "This dumbass is makin a mess of everything..." Happy rasped. "That's because you won't let me be the flipper!" Juice yelled back while shoving Happy. Happy went to push him back when Hailey intervened "Hey. Hey. Hey. No fighting in my house." She pushed both men apart. "Yeah! Mommy don't like fights!" Hailey looked to her daughter and gave her a warm smile "That's right baby. Now, I will finish breakfast. You three set the table." All three of them started the task, although two looked sad that they had been kicked out of the kitchen. "It's your fault!" "My fault!?" She heard from the other room. "Hey! No fighting!" Maddie yelled at the two bikers.
She finished the pancakes and brought the stack into the dining area. She place a couple on Haps plate and then on Juices plate and placed one on Maddie's. She then grabbed the whipped cream and strawberries and turned her daughters into a monkey. "Yayyyy monkey!" Maddie clapped her hands and dug into her food. Hailey saw the looks on both bikers faces and laughed, she turned theirs into animals as well and realized that they were nothing but large and scary looking children.
"Alright we need to head out. Gemma wants us to help set everything up so we'll catch ya soon." Happy spoke while gathering his things and heading to the door. "Sounds like a plan." She nodded. Both of them kissed her cheek before walking out. She watched them pull down the street and looked down at her phone.
"Good morning gorgeous. Looking forward to seeing you two today. Where do you wanna meet?"
"Morning handsome! Meet at my place around noon."
"I'll be there."
And she knew that he would be. Damon was a good guy. He always showed up when he said and called when promised. She had known him all her life, he lived in her town when she was younger and lived up the street from her. They ran into each other when she moved to Charming, but a couple days later is when she met Jax. She never pursued anything until about 7 months back. She had been in line for coffee and dropped her bag onto the ground, as she began to pick everything up she realized he was helping. She told him he didn't need to but he said he remembered her always being clumsy, that's when they started talking.
Jax had been in county serving a short sentence at the time and the two were not together in any way. She loved Damon. She loved knowing that he loved her and that she would never be his second choice, which is what she was to Jackson.
"Hey baby girl we need to get ready. What do you wanna wear?" She asked while entering her sons room. "Hmmmm... This!" Maddie said while holding up a white puffy dress with a pink ribbon around the waist and a pink bow in the back. Of course she wanted to wear that, always had to wear a dress. Hailey was putting Maddie's ribbon in her hair when the doorbell rang. "Who's that!?" Maddie jumped down from her bed excitedly and ran toward the door. She pushed the curtain aside and saw Damon standing there. Maddie jumped up and down while clapping her hands smiling. Hailey opened the door but before she could speak Maddie was jumping into Damon's arms and wrapped her tiny ones around the mans neck. "I missed you. You had work." Maddie said with a tilt of her head. "I know beautiful, but I had to put out fires!" Maddie's face always lit up when they talked about fire trucks and being a fireman. Damon stepped through the door and smirked "well hello there, long time no see." Hailey smiled and pulled him into a kiss. "Maybe if you didn't pull 48 hour shifts..." He laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist "someone's gotta do it Belle" he started calling her that after she made him watch Beauty and the Beast 100 times. "Yea mommy! Damon has to do fireman stuff and be heros." Maddie pointed a finger at her to make her point. Hailey ruffled her daughters curls and gave them each another kiss.
After Damon and Maddie opened the present Damon got her they wanted to use it for a few minutes. He got her a princess house for the backyard. He built it with his buddies at the station. He had delivered it a couple days ago but she managed to keep it from everyone's prying eyes by closing her shades and telling them she had a skunk problem. It was a large pink house with a little balcony and a garden outside, the roof opened with a hatch and on top was a tea party table. The second floor was the sleeping quarters and the bottom was where the dresses were kept along with the magic mirror, and the seven dwarves. It was really incredible and she couldn't believe he did that for her.
"Alright you two let's go!" They both made their way inside. "Mommy did you see!?" Maddie's voice was full of so much happiness it made Hailey's heart fill with joy. "I saw it baby! It's amazing! You ready for your party?" Maddie nodded her head frantically "uh huh!" She ran to Damon's truck while the two adults walked hand in hand. Hailey strapped Maddie in and closed the door. Damon opened the passenger door for her and she slid in, even after 7 months he still did all the little things. He got in the drivers seat and leaned over to kiss her. "Ready?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Hailey took a deep breath "I am." She laced their fingers together and the three of them were off to the garage for the princess's birthday bash.
They pulled up to the entrance and were stopped at the gate. Kip came up to the window and looked like he was about to faint. "Uh...uh.. What... What are you guys doing?" He stuttered while looking around the parking lot quickly. "Relax Kip..." Hailey started. "Relax!? I'm gonna get killed." Hailey unbuckled herself and leaned over Damon out the drivers window. "Kip. Open the gate." Kip nodded his head and did as she said.
All eyes were on the large white truck that was unknown to everyone. Jax had just walked out of the clubhouse to see what everyone had been looking at with wary eyes. "Who's that?" Jax asked out loud while starting to make his way over. He stopped short when he saw the passenger door open and a familiar set of legs in nude pumps slide down to the ground. Everyone let out a sigh when they saw that it was only Hailey, but that soon turned into everyone holding their breath when they saw the man walk to the side of the car holding Maddie's hand. Jax wasn't sure what he was seeing, first he saw Hailey, then he focused on Maddie, and then he finally focused his attention on the man next to them. Who the fuck was this?
"Daddy!" Maddie yelled while running towards her father. Everyone was still silent behind him, unsure of what to say about the situation. "Hey princess! I missed you!" Maddie giggled while Jax tickled her "I miss you more." Her little voice said. By this time Hailey had made her way over to them. Jax lifted his eyes to see her fingers laced with this guys. Just when he was about to ask the guy who the fuck he was and why he was around his daughter and his... Hailey.
"Damon this is Maddie's father Jackson, Jackson this is... my boyfriend, Damon." Jax locked eyes with her and felt his dark mask come across his face, and it seemed that Hailey did too. She took a step closer and placed her hand on his chest "Don't." He looked at her and his nostrils flaired. He took a good look at the man standing before him.
The guy was the same height as Jax, he had large muscles, dark hair, green eyes, and ink on his arms. He saw the fireman symbol on his forearm and realized he must have worked at Charming Fire Department. He didn't seem like a bad guy but he was pissed that he was meeting this guy at his daughters birthday party.
"Why don't you go see everybody baby." Jax said while putting Maddie down. She started running with a smile on her face toward the crowd of people who were less tense when they saw her coming. Maddie's feet stopped abruptly and she turned around running back to them. "Daddy? Later can you come see the princess house Damon made me!?" Maddie looked at her father with so much hope in her eyes "of course I will princess." Jax nodded his head and watched her run away.
He turned his attention to Hailey "We need to talk. In private." He states with slight aggression in his voice. Hailey nodded her head and turned to give Damon a small peck on the lips "You can go over. They won't bite." Damon smiled at her and nodded his head. Unknown to Hailey he shot Jax a warning glare "hurt her and I kill you". The two of them made their way into the office and closed the door.
"What the hell is that?" Jax spoke angrily while pointing to the lot. She looked over and saw that Damon was in conversation with some of the guys. "Jackson..." "Don't Jackson me right now, when the fuck were you planning on telling me you were seeing someone?!" Hailey could feel her anger rising, who did he think he was questioning her? "I don't have to tell you anything! You were in county when him and I got together and before you went inside we were no longer a couple, because you decided to replace me. I don't owe you an explanation for shit." She crossed her arms while he stalked over to her. "I never replaced you, I fucked up but..When it comes to my daughter, you damn well better tell me." Hailey scoffed and pushed him away from her "Your daughter!? Are you fucking kidding me? You are only her father when it's convenient for you. You only come around us when theres nothing else left. You choose those whores over your daughter and now that you see her around a man that wants to be there you get scared." She started to press her finger into his chest and could see his eyes become dark slits- the reaper was here. "You missed her birthday for a piece of ass and god I hope it was worth it. And as far as Maddie being 'your daughter' don't forget that you have no rights to her. So do not threaten me Jackson because.. You. Will. Lose."
With that she turned to walk away but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. Their bodies slammed together and only an inch separated them. "Hailey, I swear to everything I love that the next time you keep something like this from me I will not let the guy walk out of here. Whether you like it or not, I am Maddie's father, and you will always... be mine." Hailey tried to push him off of her but he grabbed a hold of her face and crashed his lips to hers. All thoughts left her mind, whenever Jackson kissed her caution was thrown to the wind, he pulled away, she opened her eyes and saw the steal blue orbs that she always got lost in "always." His voice was angry and tense.
He slicked his hair back and walked out the door, leaving Hailey speechless and angry in the office. She gathered her thoughts and rejoined the group. As she approached she realized the atmosphere was actually very pleasant and was happy Damon fit in so easily with them. She knew the guys were still wary of him, especially because of Jax's status in the club. She made eye contact with the blonde biker and challenged his stare while walking toward Damon who had excused himself from the conversations , when he was in front of her she couldn't help but smile. She did love him. She rose to her tip toes and latched her lips onto his, his fingers laced themselves through her hair and she felt him smile against her mouth. "Love you Belle." "Love you."
The rest of the party continued and Hailey and Damon were having a lot of fun. "Mommy! Damon! Can I stay with Daddy tonight? Pleeeease!" Maddie said with a pout of her lip that she knew Hailey was weak for. She looked toward Jax who was playing with Ellie and Kenny and nodded her head. "Of course you can baby. I just need to talk to Daddy first." Maddie ran off and spoke to Jax, who then made his way over. Hailey tucked a piece of hair behind her ear when he took a seat in front of her and Damon. Just when she was bout to speak Jax opened his mouth.
"So Damon you're a firefighter I hear?" Jax brought his beer to his lips and watched him closely. Damon nodded his head and placed his beer on the table "Yupp, joined a few years back." "Hmmm so what's that like?" Damon shrugged his shoulders "Its all I've ever wanted to do." "Ya know I heard that firefighters were big on street fights and shit like that." Damon was still for a moment before nodding again "yeah, the guys get bored and we like to let out some rage." "So you got anger issues or somethin?" Damon shook his head quickly "What? No, I didn't.." Jax raised him hand to silence him. "It's alright man I've been told I can get a little hot headed sometimes." Jax chuckled before continuing "Say... Why don't you two come by next Friday night... It's fight night." Damon nodded his head "I'm off next weekend so... I guess we'll be there." He said while throwing his a around Hailey's shoulder and pulling her close.
Hailey knew Jackson Teller and she didn't miss the look in his eyes. He wasn't inviting them to be friendly, he was inviting them as a challenge to Damon and to her. Hailey also knew that Damon was tough, she had heard stories of him in a couple of those street fights... but she knew that he had never been in the ring with a reaper... And Jackson Teller was a reaper that always collected.