Page 66 of Elling & Jackie

"Who says that?"

Peer muttered, "Some doctor in one of the books Coco has at the house."

He remembered the home his parents gave him. The family dinners. Cross country skiing in the mountains. Summer vacations at the Halvorsen cabin. Most of his memories focused on the time after his parents were gone and he was raised within the Slag clubhouse.

If that's how he'd raise kids, it was probably better if he didn't have kids.

Elling stepped through the door, holding on tighter to Tyr who wiggled in excitement. "He knows where he's going."

"Because the servers spoil him." Peer stopped outside the kitchen. "Burger?"

"Nei. See if Peach will make me a white meal."

While Peer put the order in with Peach at the grill, he walked into the bar. Instantly, the women surrounded him. Coco leaned into him, kissing Tyr's chubby cheek. Monica flanked his other side, running her hand over the kid's head, smoothing down the errant tow-head strands.

Heather pressed against his back, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Peek a boo."

Tyr squealed trying to climb over Elling's shoulder. Brage's woman, Dinah, not to be left out of the fun, waved from behind the counter, calling Tyr's name.

The poor kid was hyped up. He knew when he had a good thing going on.

Coco held out her arms. "I'll take him."

He passed Tyr over and slid out from the circle of women and took a stool at the bar. Coco took the kid into the breakroom and away from the customers. For a single Dad, Peer was slowly getting his life back, and from Elling's view, his MC brother was blessed. He wasn't alone. He had a child. A woman helping him, and a club supporting him

Elling rubbed his hands over his face. His eyes were tired from staring at the computer screen for the last eight hours. Jacqueline's face came to him, and he opened his eyes. He needed to give up on wishing he could see her.

"Order's up," shouted Peach from the kitchen.

Peer put a plate with potato and fish cake in front of him and slid over a mug of beer. He lifted the chilled glass to his mouth and drank half the amount. While he ate, he listened to the conversations around him.

Dinah held up her side of debating about the weather with a customer. Monica served the guys at the pool table, and Heather rubbed Elling's back every time she passed him on the way to hang an order on the spinning wheel in the kitchen window.

His personal space grew smaller. He looked to his left and found Marcus sitting two stools down from him.

"Taking a break?" Marcus lifted his finger at Peer at the end of the bar.

He nodded and finished chewing. "It's going to be a long night."

If he could stay focused, it'd make the job go faster. As it was, he had no idea how long he'd spent staring at a picture of Jacqueline.

"Need me to do anything for you while you're shut up in the room?" Marcus took the drink Peer set in front of him. "Not much else going on tonight."

"I'm good." He forked a piece of potato in his mouth and washed it down with the beer. "Got my Harley tuned up earlier. The women washed my clothes. My life is simple."

Marcus lifted his glass in agreement. "It'll be nice when we have time to head North."

He couldn't find anything he had in common in Marcus's comment. He understood Marcus only allowed himself to enjoy the women in the Seattle Chapter of Slag, but tonight, his future to enjoy any other woman besides Jacqueline looked dim.

He only wanted her. As soon as her family contacted her, she'd never want—

"Fuck," he muttered, pushing off the stool. "I need to get out of here. Let Roar know, I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"What about research?"

"Don't worry. It'll get finished."

Marcus swiveled on the stool. "Need another rider?"

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