White Lies

Chapter 7

"There's a wrap party tonight." Ima announced as she left the clubhouse lot.

Tig had just gotten back to TM, after getting rid of Parker, and already he felt the urge to tell Happy what had happened. She was adamant though, forceful even, and he promised they'd talk before she told Happy what happened and that was for everyone's safety.

"I'm gonna be late." Happy explained over the phone to Rory. "Got some shit to handle over here, not an all-nighter but late."

"Oh." Clear disappointment but Happy pressed on.

"Sorry, tell Ems I'll see her in the morning."

"Yeah," Rory chuckled sadly. "I will. No bedtime Facetime?"

"Nah, prolly not."

"Okay, we'll talk later. Bye."

There were no pleas from her regarding his safety and no proclamation of her love just dead air before she hung up. Happy nodded, accepting it, and turned his 'family' phone off before putting it in his locker.

-

Pulsating music and flashing lights used to disorient them all at first, years and years ago, but the guys and the Cara Cara stars were more than comfortable in that environment. For some it made their reality feel much less than that, Opie and Jax sat back in the corner talking eyeing the room, and to them they were simply watching the party rather than participating.

"Hey," the newest of Luann's girl danced over toward Happy and Tig. Although the greeting for meant for both men, her eyes were locked on Happy with a playful smile curling her lips. "I'm Jenna."

"Tig," he said, slipping closer. "This is Happy."

"Hi Happy." She giggled, flicking the end of his toothpick and forcing herself closer and closer. "You know, I could use a guy's perspective on a few things for my first real movie. Think you could help?" Her long, French manicured acrylic nails tapped on his wedding band as she lifted his arm over her shoulders. It was the least work he ever had to do, he hadn't even spoken a word, and Happy was more than fine with giving her some pointers, so to speak.

Checking the time as Happy sauntered away Tig groaned and shook his head on his way to his bike. If Rory wanted to talk, he'd listen and try to clear whatever issues she had in a way that worked for Happy. He was torn, personally, by the cheating. He had been in that position, cheating on an old lady, but not the one he truly loved. She slid down miles of highway; maybe cheating would have been the better, less painful option, for both of them if their relationship was so destined to end.

"Hey," Rory handed him a beer the moment he stepped in the house. "Emma's sleeping."

"Does that mean keep it down?" He grinned and took a seat on the couch. "You really added your chick touch, I miss the naked women on the wall."

"Well that makes one of us." She laughed and joined him with her own beer. "Thanks for this. I have very few people to talk to and no one that actually knows Happy, you know?"

"I get it. I can clear some shit up for you. What are you thinking?"

Embarrassed, she smiled and rolled her eyes. "I was having these weird fears, I felt he was cheating, and when I brought it up to Parker he didn't dismiss it like I hoped. He kind of, made it worse, then he told me he'd talk to him, pick his brain well that went fucking south really fast. It ended up with us fighting and because we were being stupid, Emma fell and smashed up her face."

Snatching her phone from the coffee table, Rory showed Tig a picture of the child's injury. "Ah shit, poor kid."

"Anyway," she sighed and tossed the phone down, "It all cumulated today in Parker's truck. Thank you for that by the way, I was so shocked I didn't know what to do. I went nuts on him and he kept pushing the Happy cheating thing and then suddenly he was in love with me and he kissed me. I still can't make sense of it."

"Happy isn't cheating." Even though Tig didn't know for sure Happy was, at that very moment, pounding away on Jenna he knew about the purple haired woman from Indian Hills. It didn't bother him too much to lie to Rory, Tig knew Happy was far from emotionally attached to any of those girls and he was dealing with his own internal issues no matter how selfish it was in the female's eyes.

"Really?" She was lying to herself. Rory knew Tig would never out Happy.

"He loves you, it's fucking scary, but he does. There's nothing going on."

Rory beamed and nodded. "I'm such an idiot. Thanks, Tig. I know this was probably weird but it means a shit ton to me."

"Don't worry about it, Ror, no problem."

-

"You know the girls told me you were scary but that was fucking incredible." Jenna said, out of breath, as Happy pulled out of her and quickly began to redress. "Hey, where are you going?"

Pulling a face, annoyed by her before they'd even started the act, Happy shook his head. "Getting a beer."

"Can you get me one?"

"No." He said flatly. Crawling on her knees to the end of the bed Jenna attempted to kiss Happy. "Outta my face," he spat, swatting her away. "This ain't shit."