... and Forever (Next Generation: Chaos Bleeds 1)

“You want me to drive you?”

“No, I want you to answer that call.”

Simon handed her the keys, and she took them with a smile. Getting dressed, she didn’t linger in the apartment. Instead, she made her way over to Lexie’s. Their last fashion line had sold out at the shop within a matter of hours. Not only by customers at the actual shop, but online purchases as well.

They had no choice but to close for a couple of days to restock and they’d rolled it out across their other stores as well.

“You okay?” Tabitha asked, entering the shop to see Lexie frowning over her cell phone.

“Me, yeah, just got a text from Devil. He’s going to be out of town for a couple of days.” Lexie sighed. “I probably sound like a petulant child, but I do hate it when he has to leave for days at a time.”

“I feel the same way with Simon.” As if on cue, her cell phone went. “Oh, it looks like I’m going to be alone with Nathan.”

“Do you want to come to my place?” Lexie asked. “Nathan will have someone to play with and we can have some fun.”

“I’d like that.”

“You sure? I just realized I’m way older than you.”

“Lexie, it’s fine. I want to hang out. You’re Simon’s mom.”

Lexie chuckled. “You know, I never thought you and Simon would last.”

“You didn’t? You mean because of what happened or…”

“Oh, I’m talking about you two being kids. You were both always so cute together. He’d ask about you and I’d get calls from Eva, you two were just so … into each other. Nothing would ever tear you both apart.” Lexie smiled. “Of course, I assumed it was a crush, but it never was. You two were meant for each other, I do see that now more than ever.”

“I do … love him. I don’t know if that helps. I do.”

“Tabitha, honey, I’m not judging his choice by dating you, far from it. I think it’s good. The two of you are so good together. I love the way you both are, always around each other. You have each other’s backs and for me, that is important.” Lexie stood up and ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m glad you decided to stay here. To be with us. To keep Simon here.”

“I decided this was my home. Simon’s my family. I do miss Fort Wills, but Devil told me once I was going to have to make a choice. I couldn’t wear two patches. I couldn’t be on the fence or moving from one town to another.” She put a hand to her chest, tears in her eyes. “So I picked Simon. I picked love. Does that make me sound weak?”

“I don’t think you’re weak. The choices you’ve had to make. They’re all scary. They try to test us all the time.”

Tabitha went to open her mouth to ask another question but stopped as the door opened and women entered.

Removing her jacket, she smiled at Lexie. For the next couple of hours, they didn’t get a chance to speak. They served customers until they had just enough time to close up, ring up the till, and head to the school to pick up their kids.

Elizabeth and Josh were off doing whatever it was they did, but Lexie’s other kids hadn’t left home yet. Nathan loved being around his aunts and uncles. After doing whatever homework was needed, they went off to play, while she stood in the kitchen with Lexie, preparing a lasagna, a lentil one.

“You didn’t have to do this for me,” Tabitha said.

“I don’t see why not. I like trying out new things. Besides, what will you eat?”

“The salad.”

“You’re a pregnant woman and need to eat.”

Tabitha chuckled.

“Tell me what you wanted to say back at the shop but didn’t get a chance to,” Lexie said.

“You noticed that?”

“I’m a mother of nearly a dozen kids. I know everything. A whole lot. Believe me, I know when someone is trying to tell me something or ask me but they’re nervous or interrupted. We’ve got all night.”

“You mentioned Devil handing over the club to Simon.”

“Yep, I did.”

“I never asked this before I handed my jacket over to my dad. Will my position in his son’s life change the way he feels?”

“How do you mean?”

“Will he pick someone else whose partner isn’t from another club?” she asked.

Lexie poured some lentils into a pot of water and turned the stove on.

“You think Devil’s going to punish Simon for loving you?”

“I don’t know. It’s probably crazy.”

“No, it’s not. Devil will only hand the club over to Simon when he believes his son is ready to deal with everything it entails. You won’t enter into the equation. However, if I know my husband like I think I do, then he has already made that kind of decision.”