CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile. (Still not trying to write Chibs as he speaks...I can't do it!)

Jax and Happy share a long look "I rang Chibs to come check Cam's nose to make sure you didn't break it." Hap tells me with a nod at Chibs so steps over and looks at Cam's face under the light.

"It's all good. You're gonna have one heck of a shiner but it ain't broken." Chibs says pressing lightly on either side of her nose.

Cam glares over his shoulder at Jax and Happy "I could have told you it wasn't broken. Did anyone ask me?" Shaking her head she brushes past everyone and pulls a beer from the sink of ice. "S, you want a drink?"

"Not right now. I'll talk to Hap then I will." Cam giggles, popping the top of the bottle and walking outside.

Happy lifts his eyebrow and gestures towards the backdoor "What's up Cupcake?"

Sitting down on one of the chairs in the garden I gesture towards the other one "Cam and I had a talk and I need to fill you in."

Happy sits down and looks at me "What?"

"I told Cam about Adriana." I look at him as his face twitches through several emotions before it completely blanks.

"You did what?" Hap's eyes are dark pools that would scare me if I didn't know him as well as I do.

"I told Cam about Adriana." I repeat. "She needed to know Hap." Leaning forward so my elbows are on my knees I reach across the gap, grabbing his hand. Happy tries to pull his hand out of my grip but I tighten my fingers. "Don't do that. You need to listen to what I'm gonna say." Happy relaxes minutely, his eyes glued to mine.

Passing him the beer I'd snagged as we walked through the laundry I wait as he pops it open and drinks a couple of mouthfuls "I told Cam that you were married. I didn't tell her how long for. She does know it was 10 years ago. She knows that Adriana was murdered in a shooting on her way back from Lodi, I left all other details out, those are for you to fill in."

Happy shakes his head at me "I'm not telling her shit about that."

I twitch my head to the side "If that's how you feel that's fine." Taking a deep breath I bite my lip ring briefly before swallowing my sudden bought of nerves "You can be pissed at me all you want but she did deserve to know. She also told me she offered to help with your Mom's medications, and that someone finally managed to talk sense into that woman and get her to agree to move here. If you want I'll talk to Mandy Monday about finding a place?"

Hap nods, his eyes pulling back to mine "Why do you think she needed to know about Adriana?"

"She needs to know about you if she's going to get involved with you." It's almost funny the way his eyes widen, his mouth opening to start protesting "Don't argue with me, she spouted a whole load of bullshit about you guys not being a 'thing' I am not going to believe it any more coming from you than I did when it came from her. You can fool yourselves as much as you like."

Waiting while his frown settles down I smile at him slightly "Do you want to know why I know there's something going on?" Hap lifts one shoulder and I lean back into the chair. "You took her to meet your Mom. You let her mark your skin. You've had her in your bed more than twice, something which hasn't happened since your wife. You keep looking to make sure she's okay. Your feet are aimed towards her in case she needs something in a hurry, or if my dog does something you're not sure of." I poke my tongue out at him when he relaxes into the seat, lifting his ankle onto his knee.

He taps his knuckles on his beer bottle and almost glares at me "Whatever you think you've worked out cupcake, you're wrong. There is nothing goin' on with me and Cam."

I lift my eyebrows, pushing him as far as I am willing to with my final sentence "If you say so Hap. I'll let you and her fuck each-others brains out and when you catch up with what I already know I'll just sit back and say I told you so."

Happy stands up and leans over my chair, his hands landing on the armrests beside me. "There is nothing going on."

I barely manage a surprised squeak before Cam is at my side, stepping between us, her hand on his chest pushing him backwards "Are you trying to scare the fuck outta her? Are you the only one who didn't hear that shit before? Fuck sakes Hap, go inside and calm the fuck down."

Spinning on her heel she crouches down in front of me "You okay S?"

I nod, my eyes still fixed on Happy, the expression on his face looks like a combination of shock, anger, disbelief and the need to cause pain. Lifting my eyebrow at him he shakes his head and turns around "Cupcake, you and I are not done."

Rolling my eyes I nod, looking down at Cam I grab her hand "I'm okay. Can you go make me a coffee please?"

Cam stands up slowly, her gaze darting between Happy and myself until I nod "Really, I'm fine. He didn't mean to scare me, and he knows not to do it again."

Cam growls as she turns around and starts towards the door "Damn straight, he upsets you again and he'll have to deal with a very fucked off me. Then I'll tell Jax and let him have what's left." Stopping just the other side of him her back is tense when she whispers not quiet softly enough "Be gentle with her. She says she's fine but she's lying."

Biting down on one of my lip rings I wait until Cam's stepping into the backdoor and Happy sits back down. "I am okay."

Happy shakes his head "And you think I'm full of shit. If you're fine then I'm a 90 year old woman."

Laughing at him I cock my head to the side "You know, I can picture you in a floral ankle length dress. She knows by the way."

Happy lifts his head and looks at me again "Knows what?"

"About Craig. About the club. The guns. You name it and I think she either knows or is almost certain."

"How?" Happy gets to his feet and starts pacing in front of me. Donna sticks her head out the door calling out for the kids and asking if we're okay. At my nod she retreats back into the kitchen, the twins running across the yard, Doj on their heels.

"The same way I learnt what I know. She shut up, listened and put all the pieces together. She doesn't know details about any of it cause I'm not stupid, and I don't have a death wish, but she knows Craig is no longer breathing."

Happy chuckles, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up and I look up at him "Remind me never to fuck you off."

Happy sits back down "Too late. You shouldn't have told her about Adriana."

I sigh deeply "Hap, she had a right to know and that's all I'm going to say. Anything else is for you to sort out between yourselves. But the real reason I wanted to talk to you. I want you to come to New York with us next month."

"Why? You'll have Jax, Ope and Juice." Happy really does sound confused and I consider which parts of my reasons to give him.

"Yes I will have them there. But I would feel better if you were there to. Jax doesn't know what it actually will be like."

Happy frowns "I'll talk to Clay about it. But you have to do three things for me."

I nod slowly "Okay."

"First, give up on me and Cam. There's nothing there other than two consenting adults enjoying themselves." I nod, completely disagreeing with his words but letting it go, for now. "Tell Jax what it's going to be like so he's prepared for whatever it is that you think will happen." I nod again; I'd planned on that anyway. "And the last thing that you have to do is make me some more of those coffee cupcakes, they were good." Happy grins at me and I feel slightly better that while he's still irritated he no longer looks like he wants to bury me.

Nodding at him I get up and hug him quickly "Of course I'll do some baking for you. It'll probably be the last lot I'll have a chance to do with the reception, trial, move, Sturgis, picking up my new car and seeing the social worker."

"What social worker?" Happy's voice is low when he asks.

"Ahh fuck, I wasn't going to tell anyone, Jax and I were trying to keep it a secret. We have a social worker coming towards the end of the month for an at home visit before they grant my adoption of Abel."

Happy smiles at me "And you don't want anyone to know?" I nod and he nods once "Consider it forgotten."

"What's forgotten?" I say with a giggle.

"Exactly. Now, go make sure Cam hasn't told your Old Man to kill me, I kinda like breathing."