Page 44 of Rex's Release

With Top driving, Rex turned around to look at her from the front passenger seat. “Hey. How was your day?”

“Busy, but good, besides the usual suspect. I’m used to it, though.”

He frowned. “Usual suspect?”

“The owner.”

Rex looked over at Top, who glanced at him, both looking like they were silently scheming, before he pulled out of the parking lot.

Jolene could see where that was going and no. “No,” she said firmly, pulling Rex’s attention back to her. “You will not do anything about the owner. Not a look. Not a word. Not atalk. No buying the clinic.”

It started with Ginger’s snort, but before long, they were all laughing, then Rex gave her a grin and a wink, and replied, “Yes, Ma’am.”

In the produce section of the big box grocery store, Jolene felt a little out of place. She didn’t know what they needed to get. After a few awkward moments, she pulled up her big girl panties and asked Ginger, “How can I help?”

Ginger looked at the long list in her hand. “Uh… we need a variety of berries — Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. Grab three to four containers of each.”

“You got it.” Jolene made a beeline for the berry section. She was stacking plastic containers in her hands when she saw Rex out of the corner of her eye.

“Niceberries,” he said with a grin.

Her gaze dropped to the two large cantaloupes in his hand. “Nicemelons.”

Top chuckled as he walked by with a bag of cucumbers.

Jolene raised a brow. “I don’t know why you’re laughing. That’s a nicesackyou got there.”

“Don’t comment on another man’s sack. That’s just rude,” Rex objected with mock offense.

She shrugged. “If you had a sack, I’d compliment it.” She winked and headed back to Ginger and her cart.

Halfway there, she felt Rex behind her before he whispered in her ear, “I’ll show you my sack later.”

“Promises. Promises.”

Ten minutes later, they were out of the produce and on to the main aisles of the store. Top stopped halfway down the aisle and held up a box of macaroni noodles. “Want somenoods?”

Rex took the box and grabbed two more before dropping them in the cart as he said, “The morenoods, the better.”

Ginger rolled her eyes, but crossed noodles off the list.

When they got to the next aisle, Rex grabbed a jar of relish and held it up. Looking into Jolene’s eyes, he expressed, “Irelishthis time with you.”

“Then follow my orders or,” Jolene reached over, grabbed a jar of pickles, and held it up, “you’ll end up in apickle.”

Ginger and Top started laughing as Jolene and Rex shared grins.

They chit-chatted about the family and Jolene’s favorite animal patients. Ginger asked about Jolene’s mom and how her recovery was coming along. Rex chimed in, and Jolene’s heart melted a bit when he offered to see if the Ol’ Ladies of the retired chapter members could check in on her. She pictured how her mother would react to a handful of biker babes showing up on her doorstep to help her. Truth be told, her mother would probably like that. It would up hercoolfactor in her community and with her friends.

As she told him that, Rex slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer as they walked.

Top grabbed five large boxes of cereal off the shelf and held them up. “Doc’s mom will beraisinthe roof with the Ol’ Ladies.” Then he dropped the boxes in the cart, topping it off. As the rest of them laughed, Top grinned. “I’m going to grab another cart.”

They kept walking as Top jogged away.

After filling two more carts, they headed for the front of the store. Top winked at Ginger. “Time to check you out.”

As they unloaded the carts onto two different belts, Jolene examined the trip. Maybe it was for Rex’s sake, but Top and Ginger seemed to go out of their way to make her feel like part of them. She appreciated it either way. The more time she spent around members of the Howlers and the Claws, Jolene realized that Rex hadn’t been exaggerating when he said they were just a big family. She liked that for him and for his daughter, and she could picture a world where she actually belonged there.

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