CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE

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45 minutes later Jax and I are both showered, dressed and sitting on the couch watching TV when the doorbell rings. Jax gets to his feet and goes to collect the pizza from the kid at the door.

The stammered request for the amount on the docket has Jax almost laughing as he hands the poor kid two $20 notes and telling him to keep the change. I guess coming to the house of one of the Sons and him answering the door in nothing but loose jeans and a t-shirt embossed with SAMCRO across the front would be fairly intimidating, given that he sounded like he was barely 17 is even more impressive.

Jax comes back into the living room with the two boxes holding pizza and the bag with the garlic bread and fries "You hungry babe?"

I nod and pull a chip out of the top of the bag, stuffing it in my mouth "I'm starving."

I'd already cleared the table and tossed a cover over it so Jax sets the boxes down and flicks the lids open. The smell of cheese and garlic hits my nose making my stomach rumble loudly.

Jax looks over and lifts his eyebrows "Did that come from you?"

I nod and giggle leaning forward and pulling one of the slices of pizza, the base bending a little with the weight of all the toppings. "I told you, I'm starving."

The first bite of the slice in my hand is better than chocolate, one part of my brain tries to tell me it's better than sex but a glanced look at Jax has that part being pushed into corner with the promise of re-education at a later date. Jax sits down on the other end of the couch and looks between the two boxes "So what's on these? They look unusual."

I swallow and point at the one I pulled the slice out of "That one has cheese, ham, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, onions and peppers with a garlic sauce. The other one is chicken, cranberry and brie on half and the other half is cheese, tomato, peppers, bacon, basil and spinach."

Jax looks at the pizzas and with a sceptical eye lifts one of the bits with the sweet cranberries dotted over it. The expression on his face is almost comical when he takes the first bite. Chewing and swallowing he sets it down and gets to his feet "You know that's actually pretty good."

I'm a little confused as to where he's going till he comes back from the kitchen with a beer in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. Passing the water to me he sits back down and picks up his dinner again.

When we're finished between the two of us we barely got through 2/3s of one of the pizza, but both sides are gone, my love for garlic coming through in the four huge slices of garlic bread that I ate.

Leaning back into the couch I pat my stomach with a groan "I'm so full!"

Jax chuckles and pokes my side "I don't know where you put it all."

I shrug and look up at him through my eyelashes "I can work it all off later. But I do have to go start walking Doj again. I feel like I haven't seen him in forever."

Jax shrugs "I guess it's a bit hard to fit everything in, between the houses, the businesses, the trips away. You've been back 5 weeks and you've been to LA, San Francisco twice, brought a house and two commercial businesses, furnished a house, and appliances for a kitchen. I'm not surprised some things are slipping through the cracks, but if you want we'll go see him tomorrow."

I nod and lean against Jax's side, his arm dropping over my shoulder and resting on my elbow "I'd like that, he needs to start getting used to you and I'm sure Gem and Clay are having issues dealing with him and his misbehaviour."

Jax laughs "That's an understatement babe. Ma was complaining that the only time he listens is when someone has food in their hand. I think she'll be just as happy as we are when the house is done and he can come back to you."

I nod silently and absently rub my fingers over his arm "I do miss him; it's strange not having him around. He drives me nuts sometimes with the hair on my clothes and the almost obsessive sniffing he sometimes does but even that has been a part of my life for so long it's normal now."

"And we have to go see Clay tomorrow too." Jax points out as he starts flicking through the channels on the TV.

"I know baby, I have to find out how many people are going to this rally and then find accommodation for them all."

Jax lifts his hand from my elbow and uses his fingers to turn my head so I'm looking at him "You make sure that you work out what it's costing per patch and we will pay you for it, I'm not having my Old Lady become a bank roll for the club."

I nod through my giggles "I was going to anyway. I'm going to charge the whole lot to one card so that it's all booked and paid for but there's no way it's a free trip for anyone. I expect my money back off everyone who's going."

Jax looks stunned before he starts laughing "Do you mean me to babe?"

I shake my head "That really would be kinda pointless wouldn't it?"

Jax nods and leans down resting his chin on my shoulder "Does seem a little silly. What else do you have on your mammoth list of stuff to do tomorrow?"

I shrug "Nothing really, just Doj, Clay, Gary and Abel. But Abel's on my list every day."

Jax kisses the side of my neck softly "That's good Darlin', I can't believe he'll be home soon."

A shiver runs up my spine with the light caress of his lips against my neck "I know another four weeks and he'll be back. I wonder if the house will be done by then."

Jax shrugs as I yawn "Not sure, there's still a bit of work to be done before it's ready to move into."

"Yep, staircase to look at, paint, carpet, furniture to move in. And I still have to find someone to build me a kitchen around the appliance points. I guess Elliot can do that too." I belatedly remember that Jax had suggested talking to his mother about the kitchen and twist my head a little so I can look up at him again "Or I can talk to Gem about who she used."

Jax shakes his head "You'll probably get a better price from Oswald, but don't tell Ma I said that."

I nod through a round of giggles; both motions are interrupted by a second yawn. Jax moves a little so I lean forward while he gets up. "Come on sleepy. Time for bed."

I start to protest but Jax just lifts one eyebrow "Are you going to argue when you can barely keep your eyes open?"

I consider it for a second till I feel another yawn start, biting down on the urge I shake my head in acceptance "No arguing, I'm exhausted."

Jax stays in the lounge to clean up the pizza boxes, putting them in the fridge and tossing the garbage away before following me down to the bedroom where I've only barely managed to strip off the loose shirt of his that I'd stolen and turned into a dress before collapsing on my back on the bed. "I really don't know why I'm so tired."

Jax moves around the room slowly, dropping his jeans and shirt onto the dressing table to wear the following day "I think it might have something to do with the four hours travelling today, the emotions of wills, and adoption paperwork, the fact that I know you haven't slept well the last two nights." Jax pauses while he flicks off the light and comes over to the bed sliding in beside me and adjusting himself into a comfortable position on his side. "So go to sleep Sarah, there's a whole nother day tomorrow."

Wiggling further down the bed I move to rest my head on his outstretched arm yawning widely again I barely have time to whisper a quiet goodnight and love you before my eyes are closing.