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Chapter 608 Scarlett Strikes Back

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Jax knew Scarlett was avoiding him. Normally, she would have returned to her condo before leaving with him for the restaurant, but she'd called with an excuse about work saying she'd meet him and her father. The longer she delayed seeing him, the worse he was going to make it for her. She'd gone too damned far this time.

He and Decker had just been seated and started on chips, salsa and beer when she walked in.

"We got you an iced tea," her father said as Jax got out of the booth to let her slide in.

"Thanks."

Jax could feel her eyes on his face studying him, looking for a reaction. He wasn't about to give away anything. Over dinner, Decker updated him on the progress on his house.

"We've got the new master bedroom built. The bathroom is ready for its fixtures. We're going to need to get the kitchen cabinets repainted soon."

"I don't think I'm going to have time."

"I'll have one of the paint crew do it. In less than a month, your house is going to be ready if there aren't any delays in getting the countertops or flooring."

They finished dinner and were lingering over chips and salsa.

"I hope I don't encounter any strangeness when I move like I did this morning," Jax said looking at Scarlett who was doing her best to look innocent. He wasn't buying it.

"What kind of strangeness?" Dec asked.

"I had some trouble getting dressed," Jax confessed.

"You've been doing it since you were a few years old, I'd think you would have mastered it by now," Scarlett said sweetly.

"Uh-huh, I'd agree with you, but I had quite an unusual time this morning. Too bad you weren't there to help me."

"Sorry, had to go to work early."

"How did you have trouble getting dressed?" Dec asked puzzled.

"Well, it started when I tried to pull my T-shirt over my head and it wouldn't go."

"Maybe your head got bigger?" Scarlett suggested helpfully. "Or maybe you were trying to put your head through your sleeve."

"I never thought of that. Instead, I looked at the shirt and discovered some black stitching that narrowed the opening of my T-shirt. I cut them away with the scissors blade on my pocket knife."

"Good thinking," Scarlett said.

"I wonder how they got there," Decker asked looking at Scarlett.

"Maybe some freak laundry accident," she suggested.

"My problems didn't end there. Next I decide to put on my jeans and I damned near fell over."

Scarlett had taken a gulp of iced tea and had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from spraying the tea out as she stifled a laugh.

"Probably should have sat on the bed to put on your jeans," Scarlett said.

"I couldn't get my damned foot in the leg."

"Sounds like you had a hell of a time getting dressed," Decker observed.

"Strangely enough, I found a line of black stitching across the leg of my jeans a little below the ankle."

"I'm liking my laundry theory," Scarlett said.

"It got worse. I got my jeans on, looked down and one leg is shorter than the other."

Scarlett and Decker both broke into laughter at the image of Jax standing looking down to discover his pants are now unequal in length.

"What was the problem?" Dec asked.

"A new hem in that same black stitching."

"Well, somehow you managed to get dressed," Scarlett said sweetly.

"Oh, my ordeal wasn't over yet," Jax said sadly. "I sat down on the bed to put on my socks and the same damned thing happened. I couldn't get my foot into one of my socks."

"Let me guess," Decker said, "a line of black stitching."

"Yeah, can you imagine that?"

"I want dessert," Scarlett announced. "Churros with cinnamon ice cream. They all ordered the dessert Scarlett suggested. Decker left for the men's room.

"Now, I don't know what it is you think I did," Scarlett said, "but you can't accuse me of anything in front of my father."

"Are you afraid of getting into trouble with him?"

"Are you kidding? My father will always take my side. I'm worried about you."

"Worried about me now? What about when I was getting dressed this morning?"

"I had no reason to think you were in danger while you were getting dressed. You've managed to do it every day for years without getting hurt or killed. No, what I'm worried about is your reputation. You can't accuse me of doing anything to you because that would make you a rat. As a badass outlaw biker, you can't rat. It would destroy your reputation." Scarlett rubbed Jax's chest with her fingertips and smiled at him.

"You are protecting me?"

"Of course."

"Well, I am a badass outlaw biker and I would never rat, so you don't need to worry about that. Now what happens when we get home tonight is another matter."

"I think I know what happened to your clothes, Jax," Decker said returning to their booth.

"So do I," he said.

"You've heard about the roving band of prankster seamstresses too? I heard about them on the internet and didn't make the connection until now. They are roaming the country sabotaging people's clothes."

"I heard that too," Scarlett added. "They only attack men's clothes."

Scarlett left the table for the ladies' room.

"Now, I don't know what you think Scarlett did to you," Decker began.

"Think?" Jax asked incredulously.

"Scarlett never forgets and she's more creative. The stuff that girl thinks up can be scary as hell. Sometimes, you just have to let it go."

"Roving band of prankster seamstresses?"

"I'd swear to it in a court of law."

"I can't fault your loyalty."

"Whatever you think Scarlett may have done to you, you probably deserved it. She doesn't act without a good reason."

Scarlett returned just as their desserts arrived.

"You're still in trouble with me," Jax leaned down and whispered softly in Scarlett's ear.