The Thunder Wolves MC - Stone (Book #7)

6

Stone

It wasn’t hard to get a routine set. It was so easy, actually, that even when my parole officer showed up out of the blue, it didn’t throw me off. I had even got it down by the end of my first month out. I was sure the year would fly by. And since I wasn’t allowed to work out of the clubs, strip clubs, my only option was to work out of the auto body shop. And even though I didn’t know nearly as much as the other guys, I was determined to help them as much as possible. The sooner we got through the cars and bikes for the day, the sooner those that were also working out of the strip clubs for extra cash could get out of there. Gears had even started showing me a few other things that I could help with that were simple enough jobs. So by around four in the afternoon on Thursday, we were done. All that was left was moving everything back outside and waiting for the owners to come and pick up their cars. After moving the last car, I worked on back out to the lot I headed in to clean up my area. Walking back into my space, I got to work picking everything up that I hadn’t put back away yet. As I worked, I noticed Gears and Jax disappear out the front as a car pulled into the lot. It wasn’t normal for them to head out, and to be honest, I was curious, but since no one else seemed concerned with the car that pulled up. I let it go and finished cleaning up. When I was done, Chains and Brute, who had been working with us today, followed me out front. Both of them fell in beside me as I walked a bit away from the building and lit a cigarette. “Stone, some of us are headed over to the diner for dinner tonight. Want to join us?” Shrugging, I nodded. Why not? I had been eating in for the last week and been good. Jax had even paid me yesterday for my work so far. Something he did every Wednesday, so I had some money in my pocket. Before I could open my mouth and answer verbally, our attention was pulled over to where Jax, Gears, and another guy was standing. “NO.” Jax had his arm around the guy's shoulder, and when he yelled, both Jax and Gears burst out laughing. Next to me, Chains and Brute both started laughing as well. The guy with Jax and Gears looked a bit like Jax, maybe a few years younger. He was also not as tall and sported a short beard on his face. 

I watched as the guy with Jax and Gears pushed Jax off him and said something else but much quieter than before, causing the two to laugh harder. Raising an eyebrow, I looked back to Chains and Brute. “Who is the guy with Jax and Gears?” He wasn’t a fellow brother, or at least he wasn’t wearing his cut, and I hadn’t met him yet. Also, he had arrived in the car a few minutes ago and not on a motorcycle. Clearing his throat, Chains got himself back under control before Brute did. “That would be Jax’s baby brother Dominic.” Nodding, I glanced back over to find Jax had his arm back around Dominic’s shoulder, and they were talking. He was cute. I would give him that. And if we were anywhere else, I may have even approached him, but we were here, and he was talking with his brother. So I turned my attention back to Chains and Brute and answered their original question. “I wouldn’t mind getting a bite to eat. What time did you all plan on heading over to the diner?” Both guys smiled, “In five.” I nodded. That would give me enough time to finish my cigarette. 

In total, there were maybe a dozen of us that pulled up at the diner and walked in. The only waitress there didn’t seem at all fazed when so many of us walked in. She was an older woman, maybe in her fifties. She simply smiled at us as she gathered menus. “Evening, boys.” A couple of the guys responded with a hello as we all sat down, taking up a couple of the booths. As we all took a seat, the waitress placed menus in front of each of us. Then just as quickly, she began to take everyone's orders. She seemed to know everyone’s name without looking at their cut, which told me this was so not the first time they all had been in here after work, and she was used to serving so many all at once. When she was done, she headed back to get our drinks. While we waited for our food, we all found something to talk about. I sat with Chains and Brute alone for a few minutes, then Jax and Gears came in, joining us. Gears sat down across from me while Jax pulled a chair up at the end of the table sitting next to me. “Stone, what are you doing this Saturday?” Gears asked, interrupting Brute, who had been telling me about a new bike he was looking at getting. Brute didn’t seem at all fazed by this. Everyone's eyes at the table landed on me, waiting for me to answer. Shrugging, I looked between Gears and Jax, who both looked the most interested in my plans. “I don’t really have any plans as of yet.” Both guys smiled widely. “Good, then you have no excuse not to come over and hang out. Maybe have some dinner.” Before I could answer, Chains held a hand up, pointing at Gears, “Wait, who's cooking? You or Clara?” Gears scoffed, “Me, of course. What kind of question is that?” Chains nodded at me. “In that case, make sure you show up with an appetite. You haven’t eaten until Gears here has made you a meal.” At this, every member in earshot agreed and soon was inviting themselves over to Gears’ place on Saturday. By the time all our food was delivered, plans had been set for just about all of us to go over to Gears place Saturday. 

Pulling up outside Gears' place, I was glad to see I wasn’t the first or last to show up. I was also glad his place was easy to find. Actually, I noticed the town was pretty easy to navigate even though it was a bigger town than I was used to. Parking my bike up in his driveway next to the others that were already there, I made my way up to the front door that was left open. Just inside, I could already see several of the others there. All of them greeting me as I climbed the stairs. “Stone, you made it.” Gears greeted me as I walked inside. “Come on in, make yourself at home. Help yourself to what ever you want to drink.” He motioned to various coolers he had set up along with pointing out the kitchen. 

It had been a long time since I had been to a club gathering like this, and I quickly realized how much I had missed it. No club business to attend to. Just brothers hanging out, their families if they had one spending time together. Only about half the guys that showed up had families of their own, and they had brought them. The kids all running around. The old ladies keeping an eye on the kids and making sure the guys all had drinks. The only difference from this time and all the other gatherings I had been at, the old ladies weren't the ones cooking. Gears was taking care of all the food prep and cooking. He wouldn’t let anyone near the food area until he was done. Not even his old lady who tried to help a couple of times before giving up and leaving him on his own. It was nice to see he wasn’t mean about kicking her out of the area, though. Each time she made her way over there, he would kiss her, turn her around, and tell her he was good. Even with only Gears cooking, it didn’t seem to take him long, and food was being put out for everyone. Which was by far the best food I had ever eaten, and I was pleasantly surprised. The guy could cook, and I made a mental note to never turn down a meal with him.

After eating, a few of the guys got a poker game going outside, and I joined them. I was good at poker and played a lot of it while locked up. Sitting down at the table, Jax and his brother, along with Gears and a couple of other guys, joined in. “Stone, this is my brother Dominic.” Jax motioned between the two of us. “Dom, this is Stone.” The both of us nodded our acknowledgments at each other as we picked up our cards that were being dealt. In no time at all, it became obvious the game was all an excuse made by the members there to introduce Dominic and me. I mean, they didn’t make it hard to figure out when they all quickly bowed out of the game, and all of a sudden had somewhere else they needed to be. Soon enough, Dominic and I were left at the table by ourselves. Shaking his head, he collected the cards. “They could have been a little more subtle.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “So it isn’t just my imagination. They are just that bad at being sneaky.” Laughing with me, he nodded. “They never have been. Always about as sneaky as a bull in a china shop.” The both of us laughed together for a few minutes. He was cute and funny, a dangerous combination.