Mea Culpa

Chapter 27

•A Few Weeks Later•

"Look at Mr. American Dream over here." Angel laughed, teasing Coco instead of a more customary greeting. "Place looks, great man."

"Letti and Roxy did it," he said proudly. "I just moved the heavy shit," he added with a laugh.

Coco and Angel hugged quickly before they both reached for a beer from the ice tub on the patio. They stood quietly and watched the others arriving, Mateo playing in the yard with friends from daycare but the mood was dampened when Happy pulled into the driveway.

"You really gonna let him stay here the whole time?" Angel asked, his bottle resting on his lips as he watched Happy, Tig, and Chibs remove their helmets.

"She wants to watch him," Coco explained. "Can't drink or smoke, gotta watch how much shit he's eating. Rox wants to be sure he's not sneaking anything."

"And you're cool with it?" Angel asked his original question differently to see if he'd get a real answer.

Coco hesitated. "I hate it but it's for the kid. Can't be that selfish," he grumbled.

"You're a good man," Angel said sympathetically as Happy approached, "Better than me."

"Hey," Happy grumbled as he approached Angel and Coco with the others behind him.

"Hey man," Angel said quickly moving to greet the other Sons. "Welcome to the goddamn desert," he joked.

"Aye," Chibs laughed. "Women as dry as the air down here?"

"Fuck no," Angel said devilishly as he led Chibs and Tig away. "There's nothing here for you but we can head back to the clubhouse after this and you can find out for yourself."

"Guess she told you?" Happy said to Coco.

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't match," Coco said.

Happy nodded. "So what's this party for?"

"Ain't for you," Coco said quickly. "Housewarming and Mateo's birthday."

"Shit, I forgot his birthday," Happy admitted.

"Doesn't matter, you won't be here for the next one," Coco said. "We're cool but I don't like this."

"I don't like it, or you," Happy said matching Coco's frustrated tone.

"Two things we agree on," Coco said.

"Guys," Roxy sang in an overly cheerful voice, "You both look like you're about to pull your guns. Can you chill?"

"Lo Siento," Coco crooned into her ear. Hooking his arm around her waist he pulled her close. "We're working on it, Mami."

"Hi Happy," she said, her body pressed against Coco. "How was the ride?"

"Dusty," he complained.

"You get used to it," she shrugged. "Do you want anything?" She offered. "Figured tonight can be your last hurrah for drinking and smoking."

"Alright," he said eagerly. "See ya tomorrow," Happy laughed.

"Have fun," she said gesturing for him to leave.

"Fuck," Coco grumbled as soon as they were alone. "I hate him."

"Why?" She asked nuzzling his neck.

"He still thinks you're his," Coco told her. "Thinks he's letting you be with me."

"Bullshit," she snapped. "He doesn't and he knows he's not. I was with him for a lot of fucked up reasons."