The bar seemed darker than usual as the prospect moved the boxes of liquor from where Mark had stacked them next to the door to the store room and put them away. It was routine now, Jerry came before opening five days a week and helped with all the little things that had been made difficult or impossible while on a crutch.
There wasn't an exact schedule due to Jerry still being, for all intents and purposes, property of the club. The club was more than happy to let me put Jerry to work around the bar, only calling him away sporadically and I knew better than to interfere when they did. Kozik had joked one night that having Jerry working at the bar kept him out from under their feet during the day. Jerry was far from a good mechanic, spending more time asking questions and doing menial tasks than doing real work around the shop.
Jerry was a nice guy that I truly couldn't see making it far with the club. I got the impression that Happy and Kozik felt the same with the few interactions I had seen between them. Jerry was young, barely out of high school and soft spoken. He wasn't very intimidating in any aspect of his appearance and overall didn't fit in with the image of a biker, let alone an outlaw biker that would more than likely end up spending time in prison if he did manage to get patched in. He seemed to be star struck with the thought though, wanting desperately to fit the stereotype and stuck on how 'cool' it would be to become an official member of the club.
In a way I pitied him. I could see just how badly he wanted to be in the life, wanted to be a part of the club, but couldn't see him actually achieving it. I had tried to pay him for his help, but he'd seemed almost offended at the idea. He told me that if I really wanted to pay for the help then I should give the money to the club. I had to admire that about him, he had the brotherhood mentality if nothing else, though I found he wasn't so opposed to being paid in alcohol and sent him back to the clubhouse once a week with his pick of liquor.
While Jerry was finishing up with putting the bottles away I was taking down the chairs from the tables. I was half way across the room when the bar phone started ringing. I sighed as I started my way back across the room, Jerry probably couldn't hear the phone from the back and it was likely whoever was on the other end wanted me anyway. I gimped as quickly as I could since I didn't bring my crutches down with me this morning. Happy would likely grumbled if he knew, but I didn't much care when he wasn't around to catch me.
"The Crossed-Eyed Cricket." I answered, slightly out of breath when I finally got behind the bar.
"Where's the prospect?" Happy demanded shortly.
"Well hello to you, too." I snarked as I leaned against the bar.
"He's in the back, putting shit away. Can I take a message or do you need me to get him for you?" Happy grumbled with someone on the other end.
"Tell him we'll be there in five."
"Can you make it ten? It'll take me at least three just to get back there." I asked, even though I knew while I was asking that the answer was more than likely to be 'no'.
"Well then you better hurry and we both know you'd be faster if you used your crutch." The phone clicked before I could respond and I pulled the phone away from my ear to scowl at the receiver in my hand.
"Asshole." I grumbled as I slammed the phone back on the hook.
"Who's an asshole." Jerry asked as he came out of the back hallway.
"Happy. They're going to be here in five minutes. Can you do me a favor and grab my crutch from the top of the stairs?" I asked and Jerry smirked before disappearing back down the back hallway, he was gone only a minute before coming back with my crutch in hand. Jerry was more than aware that Happy and Kozik weren't impressed with my disregard for doctor's orders, but I'd sworn him to secrecy the first day he'd walked in and found me without my crutch. He wouldn't say a thing to the guys as long as they didn't directly ask, he refused to lie to them and I could respect that.
"Anything else you need me to do before I run out?" Jerry asked as he pulled his gloves from the pocket of his jeans.
"Nope. Ride safe, Jerry." I said and he rolled his eyes.
"When are you going to start calling me Streak?" He asked as he pulled out his pack of smokes.
"The same day my hair turns pink." I replied and Jerry laughed. Jerry slipped out the door and I picked up my bag and keys before heading out myself. I was locking the door when I heard the bikes coming up the street. Jerry's bike was running and he looked ready to take off, but instead of just driving by the two bikes slowed down and pulled into the parking lot. Happy smirked as he took in the crutch under my arm and looked to Jerry.
"I see you found your crutch." Kozik yelled over the noise of the bikes with a large grin and I flipped him off.
"Doc says I should only need it for another week or two. What are you two and my sister going to do with all your spare time when you're not harping at me about my crutch?" I asked as I balanced on my good leg to readjust the crutch that was pressing on the blister it had created under my arm. Kozik and Jerry laughed while Happy shook his head.
"I can think of a few things." Happy replied and I rolled my eyes at the smirk that came over his features that sent Kozik and Jerry into more laughter.
"Of course you can." I snarked with a smirk of my own.
"Ride safe, boys!" I called and gave them a wave as they revved their engines and then the bikes took off down the street. I smiled as I watched the bikes disappear down the road and started for my car. I had some errands to run while I didn't have the help available. I needed to drop off the last week's earnings at the bank, go to the hardware store and was in desperate need of some groceries.
The bank was a simple stop and so was the hardware store, but by the time I got the grocery store it was early afternoon and there were far more people inside than you would expect for a Tuesday. Grocery shopping was a pain in the ass on a good day, but with so many people crowded into the aisles it was twice as hard as I fought with the cart and my crutch. I sighed as I finally made it to the back corner of the store where they kept the bread. Maybe I should have taken Iris up on her offer to come down over the weekend with some groceries. She knew why I didn't and she respected that, but sometimes being independent wasn't worth the energy. I was almost to the check out when my cart bumped into the person in front of me.
"God damn it. I'm so sorry." I said as the older woman turned around with a glare. She eyed me from head to toe before turning around completely.
"You're Jade, aren't you?" I looked at the woman with a start and stuttered.
"Ah, yes, yes I am. And you are?" I asked, hating the feeling of this woman knowing who I am, but not having a clue as to who she was.
"I'm Barbara. I'm Brick's old lady." I nodded and I could practically feel the light bulb go off over my head.
"Nice to meet you, Barbara." She smiled.
"I was sorry to hear about your Uncle Al. Brick always spoke fondly of him, though I've heard that the guys are much more fond of you." Barbara gave me a coy smile and I chuckled.
"Well I hope so, a couple of them sure like my bar stools." Barbara laughed.
"I think it's a little more than that honey." I kept the smile in place while tilting my head a little.
"Happy isn't one to just hang around. The fact he's sticking around suggests he's got his eye on something more than the booze." I hummed.
"It's been great talking to you Barbara, but I gotta head out." I said.
"I'm sure I'll be seeing you around, Jade. Don't be a stranger." I continued to smile as I walked around her and toward the checkout. The check out was busy, each lane having at least three carts in it. I picked the one closest to the exit which seemed to be a mistake as the teenager running the register seemed to be in no hurry as he continued to obnoxiously blow bubbles with his chewing gum. By the time I was exiting the store I was more than ready to head back to the bar and kick back with a beer for the afternoon.
I quickly loaded up the groceries into the car and climbed in. Twisting the key I was surprised when the engine didn't turn over. I tried again and heard a clicking noise instead of the usual groan of the car starting. I tried a couple more times only to receive the same results. I growled as I dropped my head against the steering wheel. I let out a heavy sigh before fighting with my crutch and climbing back out of the car and popping the hood, silently praying that whatever the issue was that it'd be something obvious that I could fix to get the hell out of this parking lot.
Throwing up the hood I propped it open and leaned in to look closer. There was no smoke or steam to suggest that something had overheated, I couldn't even feel residual heat from the drive over. I looked over the battery and the cables were attached as they should be and glancing over the rest of the parts in the mass of black I saw nothing that I could identify as why the car wouldn't start, not that I knew much.
I silently cursed my luck as I desperately looked one more time, but whatever the issue was it wasn't something I knew how to recognize as broken or knew how to fix. With a deep sigh I angrily knocked the prop down and allowed the hood to slam shut with my frustration. I didn't want to go inside and I knew whoever I got a hold of to tow and fix my car was going to rake me over the coals with the cost. The upkeep on the car had gone by the wayside with my uncle's passing and I'm sure the mechanic that would be fixing my car would have a field day.
"Something wrong, hun?" I heard behind me and turned to see Barbara with her empty cart.
"Car won't start. Gotta head back inside to call for a tow." I explained with a shrug. Her face brightened a bit and she smiled.
"Don't worry about it, hun. I'll just call one of the boys and have them come scoop it up for you." I forced a smile to my lips and thanked Barbara though I truly wanted to cringe. There was sure to be a huge bill and a favor included with the cost and I hated the thought of owing the club. Barbara pulled out her cellphone and barked a couple orders into the phone before snapping it shut and giving me another bright smile.
"Lorca will be here in a couple minutes. I'll see you around, dear." She said cheerily and I thanked her again as she continued on her way to return the empty cart and got in her car to leave. I popped the trunk of my car and took a seat on the lip of the trunk to wait for the tow truck and to give my under arm a reprieve from the crutch.
"Only one more week." I whispered to myself as I leaned it against the car and lazily watched the cars driving in and out of the parking lot. My ass was starting to get tired from sitting on the lip of the trunk when the tow truck finally pulled in. I sighed and hoisted myself onto my feet as the tow truck pulled up in front of me. The guy that climbed out of the cab was massive, the embodiment of the term 'burly biker' if I'd ever seen it, but that image was fractured the second he locked eyes on me and a bright smile lit up his face.
"You must be, Jade. You can call me, Lorca." His voice was nothing like I was expecting. I had been expecting a deep timbre that fit with the biker image in my mind, but his voice was actually bordering on being high pitched.
"Thanks for coming, Lorca. Wish our meeting was under nicer circumstances." I said with a smile before glaring at my car. He chuckled before circling around to the front bumper.
"Mind popping the hood for me?" He asked and I nodded as I reached inside. He didn't bother propping the hood up, just held it high enough that the sun lit up the inner workings of the car. I could see his eyes moving over the different parts of the car before he sighed and closed the hood.
"Well it's nothing obvious, definitely going to have to take her back to the garage to take a deeper look." Lorca said as he looked back to me.
"I figured." I sighed.
"I'll help you into the truck and then I'll hook up your car." I wanted to argue that I didn't need the help but seeing how tall the truck was and factoring in my bad leg I knew I'd need it. I let out another sigh as Lorca walked ahead of me and opened the passenger's door. I held on to the door for balance while Lorca stashed my crutch in the back of the truck before politely offering his hand. I took it and hopped closer to the side of the truck, reaching up to grab the small handle on the dashboard. I pulled myself up at the same time Lorca wrapped an arm around my waist to get me into the passenger's seat. The action was just barely awkward and I was thankful for that, especially since he could have easily gotten handsy if he'd wanted to.
"Thank you." I said and Lorca nodded with a smile as he shut the door before walking around and hopping in the driver's side. He drove around the parking lot to the front of my car and got out to hook it up.
Lorca didn't say anything for most of the ride. We were almost back to the garage before he spoke. He shifted in his seat so that he could look at me and the road and cleared his throat to pull my attention away from the window. I raised a brow as Lorca seemed to decide what to ask.
"Hap and Koz seem to really like you." He stated and I smirked.
"I like to think so. They seem to come by far too often to hate me." I joked and Lorca chuckled.
"Sorry, I guess I'm just curious. Hap and Koz have been very tight lipped about you." Lorca said and I hummed with a shrug.
"Not sure why. Got nothing to hide." I said and Lorca nodded though he was still eyeing me. He pulled into the garage lot and parked the truck by the bay doors before hopping out of the truck and coming around to help me out. Lorca grabbed my crutch before pulling open the door and helping me out of the truck and pointing over to a couple of chairs that were sitting against the nearby wall.
"Have a seat while I go find the prospect. He'll drive you home." Lorca went to move away but I stopped him.
"You don't need to do that, Lorca. Let someone look over the car first. If it's something that they can fix in a couple hours, I'll hang around and if not then I'll call a cab." I waved off as I took a seat.
"No need for a cab. I'll have Donut look at it right now." Lorca said and walked away before I could argue anymore. I rolled my eyes and took a seat in one of the chairs under the overhang outside, from here you could see the people coming and going from the lot. There were plenty of people walking around, only one or two wearing kuttes as they went between the back door and the neatly lined row of bikes on the far end of the lot. I idly watched the people milling around and settled in for the wait.