CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile.

Exactly as predicted as soon as the cashier we speak to opens my bank details we're ushered through to the bank manager's office and he shows up within a few minutes brushing crumbs off his shirt. I stand and hold my hand out to shake his grimacing slightly with the feel of his sweaty flesh. I think all four of us are grateful that it only takes about 10 minutes to get the three bank cheques and all the paperwork loaded to put Jax's name beside mine on the accounts. Jax shakes his head when I ask if he wants a chequebook and picks out a plain silver card for access to the everyday account, the credit card will have to be posted out but I still carry my barely used one so neither of us are in a hurry to get it.

Seeing Jax sitting blankly in the office as he's staring at the card in his hand I smile politely at the other two men "Can we have a minute?"

They clear out and I turn to Jax "You okay baby?"

He nods slowly "I think so, I guess the whole money thing just hit and I realised this tiny piece of black plastic holds access to more money than I ever dreamed." He gets to his feet and pulls me to mine, pulling me close to his chest and looking down at me "I know it's not a nice place that it came from but it definitely gives the freedom for anything."

I smile at him "I hate that I have it, for obvious reasons, but with it we can do anything we want, buy anything we need or want but I think the best part of it all is that we have instant financial security for our lives, and our sons life."

Jax kisses me lightly on the forehead, his hands coming up to the side of my face where he just rests them for a few seconds before stepping backwards and grabbing my hand, pulling me out the door.

Saying goodbye to Patrick he walks off towards the hotel with a wave while we get back into my car and go hunting for food and coffee. The tiny coffee shop we end up in is perfect for how I'm feeling. It's brightly lit and every single thing on the menu is listed as having been made from produce found with a 100 mile radius. The woman who serves us tells us where there is a furniture store nearby that stocks almost anything that we could want and jotting the directions on a napkin she passes it over along with the enormously stuffed sandwiches we'd ordered.

After eating, half my sandwich being claimed by Opie while I was only 1/3 of the way through the first half, I wave politely and Jax drives towards the store we'd been told about. Sure enough the floor space of the store has to be at least the size of 4 football fields, but huge signs hanging from the ceiling separate it into particular areas.

I ask the guys to wait for a second and go to find one of the sales assistances, finding one who's carefully dusting off shelves I clear my throat and wait till he finishes and turns around before smiling "I'm furnishing a whole house, now I don't want any help picking things but I need to know a couple of things first."

He nods in a slightly bewildered way "Do you have stock numbers for the items or is the name of it better to bring when I'm done? Do you deliver to Charming? What will that delivery cost me given it's a 2 hour drive away? And when can it be delivered?"

The man in front of me must be barely out of his 20's and blinks a few times before regaining his equilibrium "Name and colour of what you want is best when ordering, yes we do deliver to Charming, the cost of delivery will depend on the amount of your order. Delivery can be within 24 hours if we have everything in stock and there are no issues with payments. Normally out of town deliveries are done on a Monday."

I smile again "Thanks, I'll come find you when we're done." Almost skipping back to Jax I rummage through my back and pull out the list of rooms in the house to buy furniture for that I'd scribbled in the car and open the notebook to a blank page.

"Right, I'm thinking that we should start at the back of this place and work our way forwards?" Donna slides her arm through mine and we head towards the sign showing us where all the gym equipment is.

While Donna and I had been picking out beds for the rooms she'd turned her head briefly and stopped what she was saying, crossing the aisle in an almost daze she'd run her fingers along a bed base and I'd grinned leaning to her ear "Do you want it?"

She nodded distractedly and before she could realise what I'd done I'd added it to the list of things to buy.

The cherry wood table I'd found for the dining table was amazing, going from a small one to seat 6 to a massive table for 24 was perfect.

Finding the same person I'd spoken to before we started the four of us wait quietly while he finishes with his co-worker before he turns to us and smiles "Find everything?"

I nod and flick the page I've been writing on around, the huge list of products makes his eyes widen in stunned disbelief. That Jax has reappeared behind me with a couple of wooden signs in his hands while Opie is still wandering around the store with Donna doesn't miss his gaze either.

He starts the process by getting the address for delivery and I look up at Jax "Will all this stuff fit in the garage with the appliances?"

Jax nods "Sure will babe. Juice got the alarm extended to cover it as well so it'll be fine in there."

Going through the process I feel Jax's cringe when we're told the total is over 50 thousand dollars but a quick squeeze of his side has him relaxing again. I kiss him on the cheek and step backwards "Will you pay for it baby, I wanna see what D's doing."

Jax pulls his wallet from his back pocket talking to the almost speechless salesman as I drift towards Donna where she's now standing at the end of the bed she wanted. Leaning my head on her shoulder I whisper "I'm trying to get Jax over his fear of spending money."

She giggles "How's that going?"

"Dunno. I left him to deal with paying for all the furniture. I'm getting your bed delivered to my place as well till yours is finished." Donna twitches a little under my head.

"My bed?" She asks looking a little confused.

I nod at the bed that still has her hand resting on the foot board "Yep."

She purses her lips but is distracted by Opie who joins us chuckling "Why the fuck is Jax muttering about Old Ladies with overspending issues?"

I laugh and shrug "Not sure, ask him. Are we ready to go?"

Opie nods and follows us as we walk back towards the front of the store where Jax is standing with a huge printout in his hand. He pushes it into my hand "53 thousand dollars!? You just spent 53 thousand dollars on furniture!"

I shake my head and point at the top line of the docket "I didn't. We did. And can I remind you it was you who picked all the additions to the car this morning that made it 140 grand."

Jax closes his eyes for a second and I come to the realisation that he hadn't been looking at the cost, the guy behind the counter whistles softly "What did you buy a tank?"

I giggle and shake my head "Nope, a SRT Viper."

We leave the store with the delivery promised for the following Friday afternoon as the chairs are on order and it's easier to deliver the whole lot at once then in two deliveries.

Pulling back onto the road with Opie behind the wheel this time, he jokingly asks if there's anywhere else we want to go and before I can open my mouth to say something Jax shakes his head "I think spending 200 thousand dollars in one day is quiet enough."

I giggle but don't say anything and Jax twists in his seat to look at me "What?"

My shoulders are shaking silently while I try and regain my composure, I'm faintly aware of Donna looking at me like I'm insane and leaning against the opposite door like she doesn't want to catch whatever it is I've got. Several minutes later I finally catch my breath "You may want to rethink how much we spent today."

Jax confused look doesn't fade. Sighing slightly I roll my eyes "We paid for two businesses and did a commission cheque today as well."

Jax swears softly "Okay, so what did we actually spend in less than 4 hours?"

I add the figures together quickly and shake my head "You really don't want to know."

Jax sighs and turns in his seat so he can look at me "If I didn't wanna know I wouldn't have asked."

"Just as well you're sitting down then I guess. Between the two businesses, the commission for Mandy, the car and the furniture are you really sure?"

Jax grimaces but nods, Donna's attention is now flicking between Jax and I like she's expecting some sort of massive overreaction and I'm half expecting it as well. "Roughly 1.4 million."

Donna's startled inhalation sets me into another round of giggles. Jax shrugs in an almost nonchalant way but the words that come out of his mouth shock me "Like Patrick said, just as well you can afford it."

I nod and lean over towards Donna "D, calm down before you hyperventilate. This is the only time I've gone into millions in one day and it's a little bit of a big deal for me too."

Donna grimaces but takes a few deep breaths "How much money have you spent since you got back?"

I shrug "I have no idea. I don't want to know. As long as I still have investments I'm fine, after all I have a man to look after me now don't I?" I giggle as Jax groans in the front seat, leaning forward and banging his head on the dashboard.

"Sorry Darlin' I don't think I make enough to handle your shoe addiction." Jax mutters as he sits back in his seat "You'll have to stop buyi..." Jax's voice fades off as he looks out the window of the car at a red light, straight into a car sales yard.

I tap Opie on the shoulder "Hey Ope, pull into the car park would ya?" Opie turns the wheel and pulls the car to a stop in one of the marked spaces while Jax's eyes are still fixed on whatever it was that drew his attention.

I open my door and then his catching his attention "What's up baby?" I ask softly, half of me already knowing the answer having spotted the huge black truck in the corner when I got out of the back seat.

Jax shakes his head to rid the cobwebs from his brain "I think we've spent quiet enough today, don't you?"

I roll my eyes "Jackson Nathaniel Teller, don't avoid the question. You want that truck don't you?"

Jax cocks an eyebrow "Yes, why am I being full named again?"

I giggle "Cause it got an answer. We'll go take it for a test drive. D, Ope you guys okay for us to vanish for a bit?"

Opie nods and turns the truck off, stepping out of the driver's seat "Sure, we'll just wait here."