Avery Razorback MC Book 4

13

AVERY's POV:

Shit happened so fast. I got breakfast for my girl and Monica on my way back to her place the morning after the party. I took her for lunch after she passed her test on the first try. We went to lunch, I had dinner at her place after I secretly put together a kid’s bike, and then I went home. Giving her space and time to hang out with her little sister so I wasn't always there.

I got everything for my new niece wrapped and ready, something for my sister, and my girl. I even had the chance to pick something up for Monica. Something small, but I hoped it would be cool for her to play with Cami at the party on Christmas.

I went over to my sisters in the morning, loving the attention from Cami as she climbed in my lap, and I made sure to send a Merry Christmas to Gemma and Monica and told her I would be by at 10 to come and get them. I had muffins and cookies left over from the party, sneaking some to Cami she stuffed her face with me.

I enjoyed my time with my sister who was fussing over how to get all her things over to the club and I watched Lucien just sit back and wait for her to calm down. Apparently, he has learned to just let her fuss and help her when she needs it. I had learned that when I was 10. But he was new, so I didn't tease him that much.

"By the way... what time are you going to get that girl of yours?" I looked up to my sister, she was in the middle of carrying something out to their jeep and she kept her eyes on me until I answered.

"I told her 10, so about half an hour." I told her and she nodded and looked me up and down. "What?"

"You occupied her the whole night; I didn't really get a chance to know her."

"Jackie you asked her every personal question I could think of." I told her and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah I got to know what she does but not what she wants to do. Is she going to go back to school? Is she planning on opening her own business? Does she have dreams? What does she like about you? Does she make enough money?"

"Jackie!" I called out when she started to walk away. This was ridiculous. She was not going to interrogate her like I was back in high school.

"What? Like I said I just want to know her a bit more." She smiled wide at me, blinking innocently.

"Don't even think about asking her all that. We're dating, having fun. I like her, and she likes me. Do not scare her away, she is-"

"Is what?" She asked when she heard me cut myself off.

"Important." I told her and she looked over my face, before coming closer. "Don't Jackie."

"Don't what? I said I want to know her-"

"This isn't fair. I didn't do this s**t with Lucien, I gave him a chance and let him, and I bond over s**t we had in common. I like Lucien don't get me wrong, but I would not do this s**t to someone you were dating. If you chose to leave him tomorrow and went out and found yourself a sugar daddy that is 70 years old, I wouldn't interrogate him. It's enough Jackie. I'm not a kid and I know what I want." I told her and while she narrowed her eyes, I heard a laugh behind me, and I knew Lucien had been eavesdropping.

"You're my baby brother Avery-"

"I am not a baby. If you keep treating me like one, then we're going to start having problems." I told her honestly and she let her mouth drop open in shock.

"Avery-"

"I am leaving now. If I see you interrogating her Jackie it will be a problem. She's nice, she takes care of her little sister. She works two jobs. Let it go." I told her and she huffed and rolled her eyes and I saw Lucien peak in.

"Avery stop telling me what to do." She challenged and I sighed and stopped walking before facing her.

"Then stop treating me like I am 16." She looked away, shaking her head and I walked away from her and headed to my car. I got in, making sure I had everything before driving away. I got outside of Gemma's house and as soon as I got close to her door, I could smell something sweet, and hear her and her sister laughing like they were on some TV show and playing it up. I listened to them for a moment as they seemed to calm down, and then I knocked.

"Coming!" I heard my girl and I smiled and waited against the doorframe for her to open the door. "Hey. I thought you said 10, you're like a half hour early." She told me as she unlocked the chain and let me in.

"I could not stand... to be away from you any longer." I winked and she smiled but shook her head as if she couldn't believe it. "Besides, I am here... bringing presents." I hollered, bring my hands around to show her a small bag for her, and a medium sized one for Monica.

"You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to, and that is what matters."

"I didn't get you anything." She admitted and I shrugged. I didn't want anything. Just a nice time tonight, if that was in the cards.

"I will take whatever that delicious smell is." I told her and she smiled before leaning up to kiss me. I looked over to Monica when she told me what it was, but I didn't fully understand it. "Ok, take me through it, what is it?"

"It's a caramel apple pie with brown sugar." She told me, her little legs were bouncing and the way she seemed excited about it, I had to admit I really wanted to try it too.

"Is that what is for breakfast?" I asked and looked up at Gemma to see her shaking her head. "What's it for?" Oh, please don't tell me she made something for the party. Jackie would lose her s**t if she thought someone was trying to do a potluck without asking her about it.

"The party... I figured since we're having dinner there and probably dessert, I would take what Monica and I have usually... was I not supposed to do that?" She looked worried, and I wanted to tell her that it was in no way her fault, and I should have warned her, but with the way Jackie was pissing me off lately, it would do some good to see her steam over something she can't control.

"My sister has baked a lot of things for today, I wish you didn't go through the trouble. Honestly, but it's not something you shouldn't have done if you really wanted to. As it is... I was really wishing it was breakfast." I told her and she smiled and leaned in, kissing me quickly and I saw her set down her present.

"Can I open it?" I looked down at Monica and saw her just sitting with the present in her lap.

"Of course. It's Christmas. I see you got a couple of cool things. Nice bike do you like it?" I asked her and she nodded, before tossing my unopened present to the side, she showed me that she had the new bike, a cool slime kit, a couple new dolls, and that she had a new dress too.

"And what did Santa bring you?" She asked me and I smiled.

"Well... he brought me a cool new wallet, and a nice outfit. I didn't get a chance to wash them yet so I will wear them another day." I told her and she nodded slowly before looking at her dress.

"Does that mean I have to wait for my dress to be washed to wear it today?" She looked up at Gemma and I wondered what was going to happen, I didn't mean to cause an issue.

"I think Santa already washed it. There are no tags or washing instructions. Santa made it so it has to be clean already." Just as my girl stopped talking there was an alarm going off and she smiled before heading to the oven. I smiled at Monica and walked with her and saw her put her present on their little kitchen table.

"Not going to open it?" I asked as she went and got her oven mitts on before opening the door. I was hit with a hot wave but the smell that came with it was amazing.

"I will. Just want to sit down doing it. I did wash that dress already, inside out just to keep all the glitter from attaching to the machine." She told me and I wondered why she felt the need to tell me that.

"Wow!" I turned when I heard Monica and saw that she had finally opened my present which was a big container of friendship and beads to make her own bracelets. "There's so many options." She looked up, her face huge and happy and I smiled back. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I figured you and Cami can have some fun with that today if you want to bring it, that way you're not bored at the party." I told her and she went off on a whole other scale that was a certain happy tone.

"That's sweet of you, to get her something so big." I heard Gemma and I turned to see her kind of melting with her hands clutched together to her chest.

"Easy pick for a girl who likes girly things. I walked into a store, went into the toy aisle and saw that." I winked at her and she smiled before looking at Monica who was already flipping it around and looking at all the different beads.

"Thank you." I leaned down, giving her a kiss and humming.

"Don't thank me. I like seeing people happy... and you two are kind of like my people now." I told her and she smiled at me. "Which means I want you to open your present now." I told her and she rolled her eyes but kept her smile as she reached for it behind me.

I leaned against the wall as she opened the bag, took out the movie wrapped in the paper I had left over, and she ripped it so neatly I had to laugh a little bit. She looked up at me as she pulled the movie case out, and when she looked down the look on her face was priceless.

GEMMA'S POV:

I looked at the double movie combo of Drop Dead Fred and Shag. Both of which had Phoebe Cates in them, and I just saw the DVD symbol at the top that was on basically every DVD we had. I don't know how he found it, but I knew it probably took him forever.

"Where-"

"I was hoping that you would like it." He smiled and I couldn't stop myself from wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tight.

"Thank you so much." I pulled back and kissed his lips, over and over again until I pulled back and flipped it over.

"No thanks needed." He kissed my cheek before going to sit down as I went to put the DVD in my room. I tossed it on my bed and realized I still had to do a bit more to get ready. And I had to get Monica ready.

"Let's get ready honey." I called for her and went into her room, she brought her dress, skipping in and I put out her black shoes and white tights. "Do you need help, or do you think you can handle it?" I asked and she was already rolling the tights up for herself.

"You can get ready too." She told me and I smiled, kissed her head and headed into my room. I had a nice red dress laid out, I had gotten it around my graduation from high school a couple years ago, like most of my dresses and I slipped on a slip to make sure static would keep the tight skirt end down no matter what today.

I got dressed, walked out of my room and into the bathroom as I heard Avery on the phone now. I heard a couple words like brother and see you when you get back and semper fi... and I let him have his private Christmas phone calls.

I did my make-up; my drug store products didn't get much use, but they did the trick when I needed it. I made sure to do a nude lip, a nice wing eyeliner, and subtle blush. I wanted to look pretty but not over the top.

I was done with my makeup and plugging in my curling iron when Monica came out perfectly dressed. "How do you want your hair today?"

"Can we do braids to my neck and then let it down?" She asked and at first, I didn't get it until she showed me with her hands that she wanted French braids to the end of her scalp and then just ponytails to finish them off instead of a whole braid.

I did her hair, making sure the little pieces were either tucked in or looking artful on purpose. All her baby hairs framed her face and made her look beautiful. I finished and told her to go and see if Avery wanted anything but to be quiet if he was on the phone again. I did my hair in a high bun and did the short hairs I had in a short curl before spraying it all down too.

It was just a quarter after 10 when I finished up and I moved in to wrap everything up and make sure it was good to transport to the club. I made sure to get Monica strapped in next to her present, that we had a coat for her and myself before I got in the front with him.

He leaned over, kissing me softly and I heard Monica giggle behind me. "You both look very beautiful. You did when I got here. Next time I hope you don't feel the need to get all dressed up." He winked at me and I looked around as he started the car.

He got out when we pulled into a long-gated driveway. I saw a dozen bikes, a couple cars, and when I went for the door, he was already opening the trunk for the pie and the present he bought Monica. I opened the hatch for her to get out and she grabbed my hand and looked around.

"We're going to behave, be nice, and mindful. When we see Noelle, Tara and Jackie we will say-"

"Thank you for inviting us." She finished for me and I smiled at her before looking around. "Do you think they have a TV?"

"I would guess so. We'll see. Looks like it's going to be a party. If you get scared or lost just ask someone to take you to Avery." I squeezed her hand as he shut the trunk and I turned to see him looking at me.

"Did you ask me something?" He asked and I knew he had just heard me say his name.

"No... just telling her if she gets lost to ask to see you." I told him and he nodded before walking closer. I followed him in, and as soon as we got in the door, he set down the present and leaned over a bit to take Monica's other hand.

"Hey!" I heard someone shout right away and I saw a man go right in to give Avery a type of handshake, he told them it was good to be here, wished him a Merry Christmas before moving on with us and we walked right through the pool tables, and bar, and we got to the back yard sort of and that was where we saw Cami, with Jackie and Noelle while Lucien and Ryan were around a barrel of what looked like a frying turkey. All dressed in jeans and sweaters... no dresses and makeup anywhere but on me.

"Oh, look who has come finally. You left us at 9 something, it's almost 11." Jackie bit into him right away and I saw Avery shake his head slowly. "Took your time getting ready." She looked me up and down, and while the last time we met I thought she liked me, today... I would almost swear she was praying for my downfall. Or at least the end of Avery and I's relationship.

"Can I play with Cami?" I looked down at Monica and she had a huge smile on her face, not knowing the little inner turmoil I was now going through, I just nodded at her.

"Cami knows where she can play, go on." Jackie waved at Cami and I let Monica run off and be happy for the day and I looked at Avery before looking around. I didn't know a single person here, and Noelle looked happy staying in her seat next to Jackie's claimed seat.

I stayed quiet for a long time, hours at least, and when we had dinner I made sure I was one of the last to serve myself even though Avery had already gotten Monica and Cami and himself food I made the excuse to go to the bathroom before going to the end of the line. He had saved me a seat, though before I sat down, I could hear Jackie say that I was going to be able to pull one up if I really wanted to.

If I was under any mistake about how she felt about me, it vanished when I heard her talking to Noelle about why she was acting like she was. Apparently, she thinks I am making Avery tell her off about how she treats him. Which was a surprise to me because I didn't hear Avery say anything bad about her at all. Not once since I knew she was his sister.

I kept it inside until we got back home, an empty tray of pie that Jackie also made a snide comment about before we left, and I was hoping to hide in a hole and not have to come out for the next couple of 'parties' he would be going to.

I guess Monica had fun, but my 'party' was just me sitting there in silence when I could have been having fun at home.

When it came to him staying over, I told him that I didn't want to wake him up so early since I had the opening shift at the diner tomorrow, he would be able to sleep in at his place, so I bit my lip, smiled, thanked him a couple times for the bike, and the presents, and for the party invitation. I lied and told him I had fun, and when he turned to leave, I shut and locked the door quickly before hightailing it to my room.

I got myself ready for bed before getting Monica ready, and I read her a bedtime story. I slept bad that night, tossing and turning... wondering if Jackie was enough to break up whatever Avery and I had just started.