Page 5 of Holly's Christmas Biker

Once upon a time, I thought I’d met the woman who would be mine for the rest of my life. Turns out, she was just a patch chaser who was better skilled at hiding that fact. While she didn’t sour me off of relationships per se, I’ve been far more cautious since then.

The common room is somewhat quiet, although I see several prospects cleaning up from the party that was raging when I got back. Neesie is behind the bar washing glasses, and I can see Opal bent over the beer cooler, so figure she’s probably restocking what was used the night before. Judging from the cases that are stacked up, which have even my brows raised, it was a significant amount.

Shaking my head, I walk toward the back and into the kitchen, my nose letting me know there’s a fresh pot of coffee calling my name. “You want some breakfast, Rebel?” Jacki, one of the other club girls, asks as I pour myself a mug.

“Yeah, Jacki, thanks,” I respond, sitting at the long table. “Looks like while I was away y’all did some playing, huh?”

She giggles and nods. “Not everyone was here, though. I think Ash and Data were at the bar last night, but it got a little bit crazy.”

“At least there are no bras dangling from the ceiling fans this time,” I mutter, taking the plate of food she hands me.

She laughs full out then before saying, “I think the prospects got them down already. I just know I have laundry going. Like I said, it got a bit wild. There was a strip poker game going on, strip pool, and I think a game of shots as well. It’s kind of a blur.”

Shaking my head, I grab the pepper from the middle of the table for my eggs, then my eyes widen when I see I have pancakes as well. “Trying to fatten me up or something?”

Jacki bursts out laughing as she sets the syrup in front of me. “Don’t think that’d be possible, not unless you wanna be someone’s Santa this year, Rebel.”

Shrugging, I doctor my meal then start eating before I remember I had one more question. “You or one of the other girls got time to do some laundry for me?”

“I’ll get it taken care of, Rebel,” Jacki says. “The others are still nursing their hangovers and we don’t want what happened to Data’s clothes that one time to happen to yours.”

I shake my head, remembering when all of his white t-shirts ended up pink because Neesie wasn’t paying attention. It was the last time he allowed her to do his laundry, too. “Appreciate that, gotta go make sure the guys handle what I brought in with care.”

I take my plate to the sink and rinse it off before sliding it into the dishwasher, despite Jacki’s mock glare. My momma raised me to take care of my dishes and not depend on a woman to do it for me.

“Thanks for the help, Jacki,” I tell her as I head out to the common room.

“No problem!”

After spending a few hours at the salvage yard, I decide to call it a day and head over to the store so I can replenish the shit I need that I keep stocked in my room. Mostly snacks since the fuckers I live with know everything in the kitchen is fair game and if they’ve had a night smoking their favorite blunt, they can and will decimate anything even remotely sweet. Learned that lesson a long time ago. Snickering, I grab a cart then start moving up and down the aisles.

I’m finally in the produce section so I can get some fresh fruit when I hear the unmistakable sound of a child giggling. Glancing over, I see two little girls sitting in a double-cart thing they now make, and a woman who must be their mom making faces at them with small pumpkins in her hands. The little girls have strawberry blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail, likely to keep their curls in check if the wisps around their faces is any indication. I can’t see the woman’s face, but the rear view is nothing to sneer at, that’s for damn sure. She’s got a heart-shaped ass with grippable hips, legs that seem to go on forever even though from here I can tell she’s not very tall, a narrow waist and hair the same color as her girls.

I’m close enough I can hear one of them say, “Mama, you’re being silly!”

“Of course, Mina, because shopping with the two of you is a lot of fun. Right, Ruby?” For some reason unbeknownst to me, I payattention to their names and memorize who’s who. Internally, something is telling me that this information will come in handy. I never question my gut; it’s never steered me wrong before.

“Uh huh,” the other little girl says. “Hey, mister, do you have your pumpkin yet?” she asks, looking right at me, which causes her mom to turn in my direction.

Startlingly clear blue eyes widen as she stares up at me, her pink, plump lips slightly open. “Ruby, it’s not nice to yell out to other people,” she gently chides, her gaze never leaving mine.

“Well, do you?” Ruby persists.

“Uh, no, I don’t,” I finally reply once I’m sure I can be coherent.

“Why not?” Mina asks, joining in the conversation. I see their mom roll her eyes, her lips tilting up and recognize that her daughters likely lead her on a merry chase with their unabashed friendliness.

“Did you know, after Halloween comes Thanksgiving?” Ruby questions. “And then, Christmas!”

I chuckle, because now, their mom is trying hard not to laugh at her rambunctious daughters. “I don’t have a pumpkin since I don’t have any children to carve them with,” I admit. “And I bet both of you are excited about Christmas, huh?”

Mina nods then says, “Santa’s already watching so we’re being good for Grammy and Pappy when Mama works.”

“It’s always good to behave, even if Santa isn’t watching,” I tell her.

“We do,” Ruby insists. “Right, Mama?” she asks, looking up at her mother and seeking her approval.

“You both do the best you can,” she replies.

---