Part 17 (2/2)

Then Sebastian's voice interrupted. ”That's okay, Mr. Roberts. I got it. I'm gonna go check on Baylee anyway.”

My mother turned and smiled at me. ”I know that he doesn't yell at his future mother-in-law for a beer. I know he cares a lot about you. When he showed up today, with his son in tow, and explained what happened to you last night, I fell in love with him. He's won your daddy over pretty good too. Just gonna take him some time to get used to the whole motorcycle club thing he has going on. It'd help if we knew just a little more about it.”

I snorted. ”To be honest, I don't know much.” Eyeing the door warily to make sure Sebastian wasn't quite there yet, I whispered to my mother. ”I don't think he does anything bad. He told me they made legitimate money in the eyes of the law. So I trust him.”

”Okay. We'll talk more about this when we're alone. Are you ready to eat? Have you been sleeping a long time?”

”Eighteen hours.” Sebastian's deep voice called from the entrance to the back deck.

I jumped and turned around, feeling guilty about discussing Sebastian so openly in his own home. Then immediately regretted turning due to the agony shooting through my ribs.

I couldn't even appreciate how hot he looked in his black jeans, black s.h.i.+rt, and black hat. Normally the sight would have made me flush in excitement. Now I was clammy in discomfort.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I willed the shards of pain away.

Then the next best thing happened as Sebastian's warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me close. ”Did you take your meds yet?” He asked quietly, rubbing his bristly beard against my head.

”No. I don't know where they are.” I admitted softly.

”By the coffee pot. Why don't you go take a seat and I'll bring them to you?” He offered.

”Lunch's almost ready anyway. This is a good time to get everyone seated; I'll bring out the food shortly.” My mother ordered, before going back to the gravy she'd been stirring.

I eyed the table that was covered with paper work from both the station and the MC, and wanted to laugh at the thought that my mother wanted to have dinner at that very table.

”Uhh, Sebastian...you're going to have to move your office to the actual office for now.” I teased him as I took a seat.

He snorted at the idea, walked to the coffee pot to grab my coffee, the medications, and a roll before coming back to me. He offered me all but the roll, stuffed half of it in his mouth, and then started gathering up papers.

I helped on my own side, gathering the closest papers and piling them into a small pile.

One such paper caught my eye, and I was a little bewildered as to why the club would need a list of the businesses in Benton.

I made a mental note to ask him later, because my mom was following behind Sebastian as he cleaned, placing down place mats in his wake.

”My mom likes a pretty table.” I told Sebastian, as he finally made his way to my side with two piles of papers in his hands.

”I can see that.” He laughed as he gathered my piles into his own and left the room.

I watched his a.s.s as he disappeared down the hallway. I hadn't been aware that I'd sighed until my mom laughed.

Looking up, I raised my eyes in question. ”What?”

”Your dad and I were like that once. I was a little street urchin from the wrong side of the track, and he was the Sheriff's son who was so straight-laced that I never even thought I had a chance. Then he saved me, one night, from a couple of boys who wanted me to help them break into a pharmacy. They wanted to shove me in through the drop box, if you can believe it.” she explained as I started setting forks down on the placemats.

I didn't have the heart to tell my mother that I'd already heard this story eighteen thousand times. Instead, I let her continue without interrupting, picturing the way my mother would look trying to be shoved into a drop box. Now, my mother had the padding that most mothers had; but, back then, she could totally pa.s.s for supermodel thin.

My mom was on the shorter side at 5'4, but before she had Luke, my mother had a smoking body. Mom liked to attribute it to life on the streets and not getting enough meals; dad liked to say it was in the genes. I had to agree that it was, indeed, the genes, because I had the same muscular build as my mother. Although a lot of my metabolism had to do with my demanding job, and the fact that my ADHD meds made me not want to eat.

”Your daddy caught them while they were trying to shove me in. I was kicking and screaming, and your daddy swooped in like a knight in s.h.i.+ning armor, with his s.h.i.+ny gold badge and hauled those boys to the county jail. I, of course, ran and tried my hardest to stay out of trouble, but he found me that next week, and we became friends.” She smiled wistfully.

”Your momma wouldn't put out until I married her. She tricked me.” My dad called from the doorway, making me look up and smile.

I just sighed as I waited for the inevitable argument to ensue, and it did, like clockwork.

”Do they always do this?” Sebastian asked as he came to a stop by my side.

I nodded grimly. ”All the freaking time. Do you know how traumatizing it is to hear your parents fight constantly, and then go have s.e.x? I knew exactly what they were doing the minute they left the room. It's so gross.”

Sebastian snorted. ”At least you don't walk in on your old man having s.e.x with a woman that's thirty years his junior.”

I gagged. ”What?”

Sebastian nodded sagely. ”Yeah, it's been known to happen.

”That's...” I started. ”Just wrong.”

He snorted. ”Tell me about it.”

Just then, a very wet Katy, a muddy Johnny, and an exasperated Luke came walking in the back door. ”Stop, boy. Don't move.” Luke yelled, as Johnny tried to take off across the kitchen.

He stopped immediately, and pouted, arms crossing over his chest, and glared at Luke with the best of his ability.

”Johnny, don't act like that. You know better. Why are you covered in mud?” Sebastian questioned as he stood and walked to the laundry room that was off the kitchen.

He came back moments later with two towels. He tossed one to Luke and wrapped the other around his son before hauling him to his bathroom; most likely to hosed him down.

”Go to the room you changed in earlier and get changed, sweet pea. Grammy has some food ready for us to eat. Don't take too long or I'm gonna eat yours.” Luke instructed Katy.

”What were they doing?” My mom asked as she set a bowl of steaming mashed potatoes down on the table.

Luke, dad, and I watched in hunger as she went back for the chicken, and then followed shortly after that with the green beans and rolls.

”Oh, man. I haven't had a home cooked meal like this in forever.” Luke groaned, taking a seat, but waited patiently for his child to get back before he started.

My dad walked behind me, kissed my head, and took the seat at the opposite side of Luke, leaving the head of the table for Sebastian and my mother, as was custom in our family.

”Me neither,” I agreed, sneaking a roll from the bowl and shoving three quarters of it into my mouth.

”Did you just take a roll?” Katy asked as she plopped down beside Luke.

”No.” I said around a mouth full of roll.

”Grammy, she's eating before everybody's sat down!” Katy squealed.

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