Houdini || A Happy Lowman Love Story

47

"Heard from Bishop. Wants to patch a woman," Alvarez said as we stood in a circle talking.

"Every club should have one," I said, looking to the sky like I had better places to be. To be fair I did.

"Heard his club likes the chica blanca," he said.

I chuckled a bit at the name. "Coco and Angel did at least."

"Good men," he said. He held an envelope out to me and I opened it quickly realizing there was more than there should be.

I looked up at him. These men don't make mistakes.

"Next down payment," he said.

"Where?"

"Arizona," he said. I nodded and took a deep breath. "You leave tomorrow. Spend a week with them."

"What is this?" I asked softly looking between Jax and Alvarez. "Padrino, if you want a woman patch one. Jax, I'm not here to be pimped out on consulting shit."

I shoved the envelope into my pocket and returned to my bike. I started it up and sped off. Jax would chew me out for it but I wasn't someone he could pimp out like this. I finally stopped when I got to Bakersfield. I was sure Hap had been told to follow me but I sent him a text that I was at his Ma's anyways.

I went in and she greeted me with coffee and stories. She asked why I'd missed the weekend and I explained before having to break it to her I would be missing the next one for a work trip to Arizona.

About five minutes later Happy walked in. He was angry.

"Ma, give us a second," he said, taking my hand and pulling me out the back door of the house. Jax and Opie were standing there waiting.

"I'm sorry. I was pissed and I shouldn't have run out like that. I'll apologize to Alvarez," I said.

"You don't need to," Jax said. "He thought it was funny. That pissed me off more."

He was smoking and seemed almost relaxed but I knew him too well for that. He was angry with me.

"Why'd he find it funny?"

"Cause Jax had him believing you wanted this Consulting bullshit," Hap said. "So we can get hitched and you're safer than just being another brother."

"That's fucked man. You know I joined to just be another one of the brothers," I said. "And getting married doesn't change that."

"It's fine but I have the next three months booked for you," he said.

"What?" I asked, balling my fists. I was about three seconds from landing a hit to his face.

"The next three months you've got consulting jobs across the country."

"What the hell man?"

He looked at Happy like he was going to keep me calm.

"Houdini, we patched you because you have one skill. Use it or lose the patch," Jax said.

"That's bullshit too," I said. "I earned my patch. I'm keeping it whether I do this consulting shit or not. I'll do it. I won't be happy."

"That's fine. We've got ten charters counting on lessons on how to get in and out of anywhere."

"Ten Mayan charters?"

"This is the last one for Alvarez. Then we've got SOA charters."

"Great cause they'll love sharing a patch with a woman," I said.

"Kick their teeth in," he said. I rolled my eyes and turned my back to the men. I needed a fucking break from them all anyways. They were doing a mighty fine job of pissing me off recently.

"That's fine. I'm going to tell Ma we're engaged and then Hap is going to tell her I have three months of work shit so I can't start planning a wedding til then," I said. I took Happy's hand and walked back inside. We explained everything to her and she was upset that it would be a while before I saw her again but I promised her that if I was in the area I'd stop in. She agreed and before too long the four of us were headed back to Charming so I could pack a bag to leave for Arizona the next day. Unfortunately for me, my travel partner is now permanently Half-Sack. I think because I bitched Jax out for making me do this. I love Sack but three straight months with him might do me in.