Page 45 of A New Era

“After the last couple of years of getting nowhere with Effie, I think this is perfect to refresh the lot of us.”

It’s exactly what I want to hear. Taking my father’s place was never just taking over Willow’s Peak. By the time I get the club to where I want it to be, every soul wearing the Lost Souls patch will know exactly what I’m about.

Chapter Twelve

Holly

Iclose Rayna’s workbooks and stack them into a neat pile.

“You go put your books away and we’ll drive into town with Grandma Alannah.”

While she takes her schoolbooks up to her room, I make sure I have my wallet and phone in my purse. When Leo first said he didn’t want Rayna going to public school, I thought home-schooling would be stressful. It turns out, Rayna is easy to school. She’s interested in learning all kinds of things and she remembers everything she learns.

She bounces down the stairs and I meet her by the front door.

“Ready?”

“Yep, yep, yep.”

We meet Alannah out front and take her car into town. With the extra brothers and their old ladies showing up early, we need more supplies, and being the president’s old lady, I offered to go with my future mother-in-law and help. Leo gave us an envelope thick with cash to get enough food, extra bedding and anything our guests will need while they’re in town. Alannah had boxes of extra blankets and sheets for times like these, but she found them covered in mould.

“They’ll be more old ladies showing up with the brothers, you okay?”

Orla, Wendy, and Beth seem nice, and they were gracious for the rooms we set up for them yesterday. Wendy is the chattiest, Orla content to just be but Beth was a little on the quiet side, and on occasion zoning out of the moment.

“I’m good. It’s nice to meet new people and like you say, they’re only here for the wedding and then they’ll leave.”

“If I can give you some advice, don’t forget you’re the top old lady so to speak. Everyone pretty much goes about their business, but it’ll be you who they go to if they have a problem or need help.”

“I’m pretty sure they’ll still go to you.”

From all the stories I’ve heard about Alannah, it’s always her kindness and generosity I hear most about. “Maybe some will, but over time, it’ll be you they seek out.”

I’m distracted by her words all afternoon. I don’t mind helping anyone out, but the thought of always dealing with new people is daunting. Shopping with Alannah takes longer than it would if I were on my own. She knows everyone and each time she runs into someone it’s at least a ten-minute conversation.

“It’s important to keep a good relationship with people in town. It doesn’t matter if we don’t have a good relationship with the police, it’s the town we need to not see us as a threat.” She told me.

I see her point and it makes sense. All my life people in town were comfortable living side by side with the club because they rarely came into town. Everyone had a good idea of what they were about, but no one knew for sure.

By the time I’ve finished packing the groceries away in the main house, it’s so quiet I assume I’m alone in the house so I jump when Beth is sitting on the couch in the living room as I walk by. She stares at the wall. It doesn’t take long for her sadness to weave around me. I know exactly what it is because it’s all too familiar to me. She doesn’t look like she wants to be disturbed but I can’t in all good consciousness just leave her without saying something.

“Are you okay?”

It takes a moment before the realisation of me being in the room hits her and she plasters on the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. Again, I know this because I’ve done it thousands of times.

“Of course,” she beams but her smile is too tight.

Something inside me still can’t walk out and leave her. So I ask her, “I was planning on opening a bottle of wine, do you want to join me?”

Her smile becomes genuine and there’s no hesitation when she walks over to my house with me.

“You have a lovely home,” she murmurs as I show her into the living area.

“Thank you. We haven’t been here long but it’s already home to us.”

In fact, I couldn’t imagine home being anywhere else. It was weird packing up the cabin and saying goodbye to the sanctuary that kept me safe after I was attacked. I know Leo thought of India as he packed the rest of her things away. It never bothered me having them around but when we began unpacking here, he put her things in the attic and a part of me was relieved. Leo said this was going to be our home and our fresh start and he stuck to his word.

I collect two glasses and a bottle of red wine from the kitchen and join her on the couch.

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