Avery Razorback MC Book 4

7

GEMMA'S POV:

I was at the bar, smiling, taking orders, and gave out drinks. I walked around the tables when people started to leave, wiping them down, cleaning them thoroughly. I didn't really get a chance to talk with any of the customers, but I could hear them cheering on the dancers.

I just walked towards the other end of the bar, took a long pull from my ice water, and leaned back to rest my feet. I had the morning off tomorrow. I would sleep in, take Monnie to school, and get to the store and stalk up on food.

I got my tips tonight, would cash my check in the morning, and I would definitely splurge on some chocolate. I wanted to make sure that we had enough lunch meet and things for Monica's lunch first.

I went around at last call, collecting glasses, and empty beers, and that was basically my first glimpse of Avery all night. He came strolling out of their office, and he made a beeline for the back room. It was a little disappointing, but I wasn't going to let it show.

I did my routine. I did all the usual cleaning, and when I walked into the back room and moved to sign out. One of the girls was telling a story so most were distracted, so I clocked out, moved to leave, and that was when I saw him leaning against the back door leading out back. I didn't make too much noise, but as soon as I pushed open the door, my name was shouted, as well as a loud Bye.

"Bye." I shouted back and waved before pushing on the door to leave. I walked towards the front door, then I was stopped short when I heard someone running behind me. I moved to the side to let them pass, and that was when I realized it was Avery. "Hi."

"Ride home?" He asked me and I blinked before opening my mouth to create an excuse, but he smiled, and it seemed he knew it.

"Sure." I let him grab at my arm and we walked out linked like kids and I couldn't help but get on the back of his bike like I had done it a thousand times. I held onto him as he drove down the street, my hands still exploring his chest. He took a corner quick and I pulled myself closer, my hands going up to his upper chest, and I felt something under my hand.

"You okay?" He asked and I moved to relax my arms as he slowed down.

"Just a hard turn I guess." I told him and he slowed to my house and I moved to get off quickly so he could drive off but he kicked his stand down, and turned off his bike and he straddled it and watched me. "What?"

"Not going to let me watch TV with you again?" He asked and I looked around, crossed my arms and thought about it for a second. 

"If you want to. I need to make a grocery list anyways." I told him knowing I did need to do that so I wouldn't just go right to bed.

He got off the bike, followed me down the walkway until we got to the front door. I unlocked it and smiled as I saw Felicity ready and waiting by the door. She said everything went well, and that she would see me tomorrow.

"Guess it's an easy night then." I looked back at Avery as I watched her walk home and I tried not to stare. His hands were up, holding onto the top of the doorway. He had muscles on top of muscles. It wasn't fair.

"I guess so." I told him and he backed up and let me pass him before he made sure to lock up.

"Are you going to sit with me?" He asked when I watched him sit down first, and I nibbled my lip.

"Sure." I grabbed my pen and paper from the fridge and walked over, pulling my feet up under me, I started to make the list. I wrote down basics like Milk and eggs, and oatmeal. I got that all down before realizing it was me being watched instead of the TV. "Are you hungry or something?" I asked and he smiled at me before shaking his head. "Then why are you staring at me?"

"I like how you write. It's nice." I looked down at my handwriting and realized that it was basically perfect cursive. It was one of the lasting things I have had since school. I used to do it for fun, now I just do it when I could.

"Thanks. I had lots of practice." I told him before getting back to it. I made some note about which things to look at the prices for and kept seeing that he was watching me and not the TV.

"So, I am guessing you're going to go shopping tomorrow?" He asked once I finished and put the list on the small coffee table.

"No, I just like to make lists and then go shopping without them a couple days later." I used my sarcasm, knowing most men hated that in a woman. If he kept flirting with me, I don't know where it would end up, but if we became friends... that would be better.

"You're funny." He laughed lightly, and I just shrugged.

"One of my many talents." I told him and moved to get up, getting myself something to drink. I went back to sit with him, curling my toes under myself again and watched the commercial.

"What other kind of talents do you have?" I laughed back at him and shook my head.

"I cook, and clean, and bake. I can dance, and I can live off basically no sleep." I smiled wide and he seemed a little taken back but gave me a soft smile back. "Now it's your turn. What are your talents?"

"Sniper, combat skills, sleeping anywhere I can. Though, like you, I don't sleep that much." He added and I just nodded back and looked away. "Are you going to let me teach you some defense moves in case someone tries to hurt you again?"

"Sure, I think I signed up for tomorrow. I have most of the morning off, I'll get my groceries, then head over and get some lessons from you." I told him and he looked over my face before tilting my head. "Now what?"

"What do you mean?" He asked with a laugh this time and I sighed.

"You keep looking at me like you want to say something but you're never really saying it." I challenged and he smiled.

"Well... I couldn't help but notice you ride the bus." He told me and I just nodded. "So, how do you get groceries?"

"I get them, and I bring them on the bus with me. I'll take my little cart tomorrow that helps me carry everything." I told him and nodded to it. It was tucked beside the wall and the fridge.

"You use that every time you go to the store?" He asked and I nodded. "You know you could get like an Uber or something?"

"Yeah if I wanted to pay more than I pay for the bus. I am trying to save up for a car you know." I told him. I was close, probably 300 away from a good down p*****t on an older car.

"Yeah? So, you have your license?" He asked and I paused.

"No."

"You've been driving before?" He asked and I gulped.

"No. Not really." I admitted and he smiled.

AVERY'S POV:

Perfect.

"Then how about a deal. Part of the training I will be giving you, driving will be one of them. And tomorrow I will bring my car here, take you to the grocery store, and when you're done, and everything is put away here, I will take you somewhere that you could drive around and then some training in the defensive part of it all." I told her and she started to chew on her lower lip and I was trying not to think about how adorable it was to see her think over something that was so easy to think about as a positive thing.

"Ok. We can do that." She told me and I smiled wide.

"Give me your phone?" I asked her and she moved to get up, her legs pushing her up since she liked to sit on them, and I watched her sort through her little purse before she brought it over to me. There wasn't a lock on it, which was weird, but at the same time she probably didn't need it.

I put in my number in and let her take her phone back. "When you wake up, or are getting ready to go, just text me and I will be here with my car."

"Thank you, Avery. It means a lot." She told me and I just nodded and looked towards the TV. I watched the infomercial and saw an egg-shaped thing going over the onion half and as the man slapped it, the onion was made into little tiny pieces.

"Now that would save me a lot of time." I laughed and she shifted her eyes at me before smiling and then looking at the TV.

"True. I hate cutting onions. Thankfully, Monica doesn't like them that much, so I use them only in things like soup and on burgers." I nodded along, and then had an idea. I smiled softly and waited for the right time to bring it up. There was going to be a party in a couple weeks, a party for Cami... and Monica was about her age.

"My niece doesn't like onions either. In fact, I think for her party coming up she has a strict no onion policy." I told her and she laughed and nodded.

"That's what it means to raise kids. Make sure their parties are perfect, and the nasty things are away from their favorite things." I nodded slowly and wondered if it was a good enough transition. But looking at her watch the next infomercial.

"You know... your little sister is about the same age as my niece, do you think she would like to go to the party?" She looked a little shocked but seemed to think about it. "It's going to be over winter break, a couple days before Christmas." I added and she seemed to think about it.

"Is it something she would need to bring a gift to? What would she bring to a party she doesn't know anyone at?" She asked and seemed to worry a bit and I just put my hand on her leg, and she calmed down slowly.

"It's a party for her to see her friends over the break. Not really a birthday party, but I am guessing her friends will bring over some gifts. I am not bringing anything, maybe just you and Monica." She looked shocked again. Did she not think she would come with us? Me?

"So, it's like a proper, adult and kid party?" She asked and I nodded slowly and sent her a smile. 

"Perfectly safe, my sister is s stickler for the rules, even more so than me. She's a bit OCD and a health nut since she's getting married soon and apparently, she has to watch her figure." I shrugged at the meaning of that. Seriously didn't get that. She had the dress fitting over and over, why not get it a bit bigger and then a week or two before the wedding get it mended.

"Is she your older or younger sister?" I looked at her and smiled softly.

"Older. I grew up without a mom around, so she kind of became my whole parenting committee." I told her and she seemed to be surprised. "My mom died before I could even know her face. Jackie kind of stepped up with making sure I was fed, and my clothes were clean, and that I knew how to be a proper gentleman. Our dad was in the Marines, so he was barely home. He would go out on deployments; we would have nannies before she cold cook on her own... then it was just us in the house for months at a time." I was pouring my f*****g heart out to her and when she leaned into me, and she tilted her head to my shoulder.

"My mom... well... she has this issue with drugs. I call it an addiction; she calls it a taste." She told me softly, and I waited to see what she would say next. I grabbed her hand from where it was resting in the crook of my arm. "She was always violent. As long as I could remember. She got sober when she had Monica. Only she knows who her father is. I don't even think she knew who my father is." She huffed a laugh before shrugging. "She took off after Monica's 3rd birthday, after I turned 18, and hasn't been back since. No calls, no messages, nothing." She added and I rubbed my thumb over her knuckles.

"So, you're the one taking care of her." I said and she nodded. "And making sure she has things she wants." I asked and she nodded.

"She's getting a new bike from Santa this year, I bought one online and still have to find time to put it together." I smirked and made a mental note to find a way to help her with that too. f**k, she keeps giving me ways to rack up brownie points.