Hands All Over

Ch. 96 Keeping Secrets

Chloe studied Happy from where she sat in the passenger's seat of her car. He was coiled up like a spring, every muscle in his body tensed. Something had happened when he'd gone to talk to Angela. Something that had royally pissed him off. "You okay there, dude?" she ventured, already knowing she wasn't going to get anything from him.

"Fine," he muttered, rolling his shoulders.

"You mad at her or him?"

Happy raised an eyebrow and clenched his jaw as if contemplating how to answer her question. After a moment, he let out a long breath. "Her."

That was surprising to her. Happy didn't get mad at Angela often. Annoyed yes, but not mad. "If I ask why, you gonna tell me?"

"You askin' why?"

"Maybe."

He was quiet again which was usually a good sign, it meant he was thinking of a good way to tell her. A good way to explain without mentioning incriminating club information. She didn't mind; the less she knew about the club the better. He sighed, his shoulders relaxing a bit as he said, "She's keepin' shit from me."

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows in confusion; this wasn't anything new. They'd talked over and over again about the way she kept things from them, and he'd never gotten pissed about it. "And this is new because..."

" 's club shit. Shit she's got no right to keep from me."

"Let me guess, it's got something to do with Juice," she said on a sigh. At his surprised look, she shrugged. "I'm not a total idiot, Hap. She doesn't keep a lot from you. When she does, its all Juice-centric. She's protecting him."

Happy's jaw ticked again as he shook his head. "Whatever."

That was his way of ending the conversation, but Chloe wasn't ready to let it go. "She's not choosing him over you, y'know."

"Drop it, Braun," he muttered, a warning in his voice.

He rarely used her last name when he was addressing her which was a clear sign he was now pissed at her. "She loves you, Hap. That's an impossible choice. Don't make her do it by pushing her on this. She'll push you away to make it easier for herself," she told him. Happy didn't reply to that. He simply pulled the car into the driveway, got out, and headed towards his bike. Chloe got out of the car, leaning against the closed door, arms crossed over her chest. "You still with me, Lowman?"

Happy's dark eyes looked her over for a moment, considering. He beckoned her over with a jerk of his head and slowly she made her way down the drive. Leaning over, he gave her a quick kiss then started up his bike.

She took a step back, watching him ride away. Taking in a deep breath, she let it out on a long exhale. She'd never understand Happy Lowman.

---------------

Bones groaned as he let his head fall onto the top of Skeeter's desk where he was sitting. "Ugh this is so boring," he moaned. "Where are all the dead people?"

"Out living their lives," Angela replied on a laugh. Business was incredibly slow which worried her; when things were this slow, it usually meant something big was coming. She felt sick at the thought of it. "Is the morgue clean?"

"Spotless."

"Caskets dusted?"

"Check," he answered on a sigh, rubbing his hand over his head. "The paperwork is all done, the fridge is clean, the floors all mopped, surfaces disinfected. I literally did everything I could possibly think of...twice."

Angela stood, leaning over the stroller to check on Evie who looked incredibly cute with her little pink Reaper bow on her head. "C'mon, let's go get some lunch," she said before whistling to Rigor.