The Thunder Wolves MC - Jaylee (Book #1)

5. Jay

I spent a little time going through the mail that had piled up over the last week while talking with the funeral home over the phone about placing a notice of a funeral service for my parents. I hadn’t planned on having one, but my uncle said I had to have one, and he would drive in and be there with me. So I had it set for three days from now and the viewing for the night before for anyone that wanted to attend. Then, after the funeral, I had it set for both of them to be buried in some plots my father had purchased a few years ago. The funeral home would do everything there and would take care of everything for me. I told them it didn’t need to be anything over the top. If it were up to me, I would have them bury them and not do a service at all. But I was told I had to. I know they are my parents, and I should care more, but they hadn’t been in my life for nearly a decade, and well before then, I was treated like I was nothing. As I finished up the call, I put Duke’s food bowl down for him, and he came running in from outside. I moved to shut the door and heard the motorcycles before seeing them as two pulled out of the driveway next door. My mind instantly went to the boy who lived next door that last summer I lived in this house. He had driven a motorcycle as well, and I always found it hard for my mind not to wonder about him every time I heard one. While I was here, I thought I should look him up. But then again, what would I say to him? And who was to say he even wanted to see me? Would he even still be in the area?

I finished getting ready and headed over to the bar. I might as well start there. Since my decision there would affect people, I decided to take care of that first. Then I would move to the storage unit and then take care of the house. As I pulled into the parking lot, the two motorcycles I saw this morning were parked in the lot, along with a few other cars and trucks. Walking inside, I could see a couple of guys sitting at one of the tables eating and a guy sitting at the bar along with the bartender and a cook in the back. The bartender greeted me as I walked up to the bar, “What can I get for ya, sweetheart?” I smiled at him, “Please call me Jay. I never did like the name sweetheart.” I gave the man a sweet smile and watched his mouth drop slightly, “Your Jay?” I nodded, “Yes. I take it you were notified that I would be coming by?” He nodded, “Yes, I just thought when the guy said Jay, he was talking about a guy.” I let my smile grow slightly, “Sorry to disappoint, but if you don’t mind, I have a lot to go through.” He nodded again, “Oh yes, of course, right this way.” He led me into an office in the back with piles of papers stacked in every corner and spread across the desk. “Let me know if I can get you anything.” He said before leaving me to the mess.

I spent the next couple of hours organizing the office before finally sitting down and going over the most recent information. My father didn't believe in computers. If everything had been on the computer, I am unsure. I wouldn’t even know where to start. Although he was s**t at keeping records of everything, I guess it really didn't matter. It took me another couple of hours of deciphering his handwriting, and I still wasn't even halfway through everything. I was used to sitting hunched over for hours while working on someone's tattoo, but my eyes were not used to staring at chicken scratch for so long. Deciding to take a break, I stood up, stretching just as I would after working on a tattoo. Once I was done, I walked back out to the bar and asked if they could make me a cheeseburger and onion rings, and a glass of water. Gary, the bartender, said he would bring them into the office for me. I thanked him and headed back into the office, noticing more bikers had shown up and had gone quiet when I had come out of the office. But now that I was back inside, they went back to their talking and laughing, along with playing pool. I left the door open slightly so Gary wouldn't have to fight with it while his hands were full. Sitting back down, I grabbed a handful of the papers and leaned back in the chair. As I started looking over them, someone knocked on the door. Thinking it was Gary, I said come in without looking up.

The chair that sat on the other side of the desk moved as one of the bikers sat down across from me. Looking up from my papers, I met one of the most drool-worthy guys I have ever seen. Muscles in all the right spots, dark brown hair that went to his shoulders, dark, brooding eyes, a five o'clock shadow on his face, beautifully sun-darkened skin of a guy that spends a lot of time outside. We sat there and stared at each other for a long time. Gary brought me my order and helped snap me out of whatever trance this biker God had put me in. The longer I stared at him, the more I realized who he was. It was the boy from next door, Brandon. The guy I had drooled over for the whole summer before my senior year of high school. The boy that had gone to prison all because he stepped in saving me from my father. He was now sitting in front of me and was looking damn good. "Everything alright here, miss?" Gary asked, looking between Brandon and me as he set my food and drink down. I glanced at Gary briefly as I answered him, "Yes, thank you." Standing there, Gary hesitated a bit before he left but didn't close the door all the way.

Sitting up all the way in the chair, I set the papers that were still in my hand down and moved the basket of food between us. Not fully sure what to say, I took one of the onion rings and took a bit of it, now wishing I had ordered fries instead. Luckily though, the onion didn't all decide to come out of the batter all at once. By the time I finished the one onion ring, I was sure I would have to talk first. From the other side of the door, the bar had gone quiet as the two of us just stared at each other. I hadn't noticed the silence until one of the guys yelled from across the room, "What the f**k, Knuckles, cat got your tongue? You've been trying to hunt this chick down, and now that she's in front of you, you just sit there." Laughter erupted through the whole bar, and I couldn't help a small smile as he reached behind him, shutting the door and flipping off the guys as he did so. When he turned back around, I could see he was embarrassed. "You've been looking for me?" I said as I leaned back in my chair again. He ran his hand through his hair, "Well… Um...yeah...I mean, it was your letter that helped me get out early…. And I wanted to thank you…. If you hadn't done that, I would only just now be getting out." My smile fell, "you shouldn't have been there in the first place. I tried to stop it, but no one listened at the time. I'm glad my letter worked, though. Sorry, I didn't deliver it in person. I was in a bad place at the time and not fully ready to be in the same room as my father" He nodded, "I get that." I let the smile pull at my lips again, "To be honest, I am not sure I'm ready now." I set back up, taking another onion ring and motioning for him to help himself.

We sat in silence, eating my onion rings for a moment. "So, Knuckles?" I asked between bites, making him smile. "Yeah, the guys gave me the name while I was still in prison because of what happened." I smiled at him, "Because you beat the s**t out of my dad, they gave you a kick-ass name like Knuckles?" Chuckling, he nodded, "Yup….. So why Jay?" Sighing slightly, I shrugged my shoulders, "Because only the people in this town know me as Jaylee. And when I left here, I chose to leave the name here as well. So when my uncle came and got me, we put it to a vote with the guys and his regulars at his tattoo shop, and Jay won." I shrugged slightly, "and besides, it's great seeing girl's faces when they are expecting a guy, and I come strolling in dashing all their dreams of having a hot guy give them a tattoo."