Thyme For Magic (Book Three Of Sisters Of Mercy)

The Patience Of A Saint

"You're going to get me in so much trouble. What are you doing?"

Jessie grinned at Lucinda as she pulled the t-shirt over her head and grabbed the flannel shirt laying on the bed. "I called and made an appointment to look at the shop. Why would you get in trouble?"

Lucinda shook her head. "You know Chibs left strict instructions on what you were allowed to do, and that was, specifically, nothing. He's going to kill me if I let you leave the house alone. You just got out of the hospital yesterday, Jess. "

Jessie sighed and rolled her eyes as she carefully donned the flannel shirt, being careful with her side where she still had a few stitches. "Okay, fine. You can come along."

Lucinda sighed. "Juice is downstairs. How do you propose to get past him?"

Jessie winked at her as she slid her feet into her sandals. "I'm sure if you flirt with him enough, he'll pretend like he saw nothing. Honestly, it's a quick trip to Main Street then back home. We'll be back before anyone misses us."

Lucinda muttered under her breath as she followed Jessie down the stairs. They were almost to the door when they heard Juice speak up from the kitchen doorway.

"Uh, just where do you think you're going? Chibs said... "

Jessie elbowed Lucinda, who then smiled at Juice. "She has an appointment that she can't miss. I promise, we'll be back in a few minutes. Nobody else needs to know, right?"

Jessie smiled at the younger man. "Come on, Juice. Be a sport."

Juice stared at the two women for a moment before finally shaking his head. "Christ! Fine, but I'm going with you to make sure nothing happens."

He followed the two women out the front door, muttering to himself about beatings.

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"We'll get the paperwork under way this afternoon. It's going to be a pleasure to have you with us as a store owner, Ms. Marsden."

Jessie grinned and shook the offered hand as they walked toward the front door. "Thank you, Mr. Hale. I'm excited to get started."

He then said his goodbyes and went toward the back of the storefront to lock up as Jessie and Lucinda opened the front door. Jessie stopped cold in the doorway was she faced a wall of leather on the sidewalk.

Chibs was standing there, his arms crossed and a ferocious look on his face as he was flanked by an equally unsmiling Happy, Tig, and Juice. Jessie narrowed her eyes at the youngest man, making him swallow hard.

"You ratted me out? I'm surprised at you, Juice."

Juice snorted and shook his head. "Damn straight I did. I wasn't getting a beating because you can't follow directions. You can deal with your own old man."

Chibs took a step forward to bring him directly in front of her. He leaned down to make eye contact with the pint-sized woman in front of him. "Don' blame blame the lad. Ye knew ye weren' supposed to leave yer bed. Wha' 'ave ye got to say, mo aon?"

Jessie weighed her options and chose asking for forgiveness, in her own fashion. She shrugged and looked down at his boots before glancing back at him with a slight smile.

"I needed to secure this place for my shop. I promise that I was going right back to bed." She laid a hand on his arm and fluttered her eyelashes at him. "You're not really that angry at me, are you? It was necessary."

Chibs stared down at her for a moment before he cleared his throat as Happy cursed under his breath and Tig muttered something about being whipped already. Chibs nodded before sighing.

"Aye, I suppose not, but yer goin' right back to bed, darlin."

Jessie smiled and squeezed his arm as she nodded. "Yes sir, right now."

He nodded once before pointing at Lucinda's car. Jessie held her breath as she got in the car and they pulled away from the curb. Lucinda snorted as she shook her head.

"That was... I don't even know what the was but I wouldn't try to pull it again."

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Chibs and his brothers stood watching the car until it disappeared around a corner, then Happy turned to him with a glare.

"Man, she just walked right over you. You don't think she'll do that again tomorrow?"

Chibs chuckled to himself and shook his head. "No, I dinnae."

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The next morning, Jessie woke to a light knock on her bedroom door. When she told the person to come in, she was surprised to see Jax's mother, Gemma, walk in and shut the door. Gemma smiled and walked over to set her handbag on the dresser before sitting in the armchair by the window.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

Jessie gave her a small smile. "Uh, good morning Gemma."

Gemma grinned. "I guess you're wondering why I'm here, huh?" When Jessie nodded, Gemma chuckled. "Well, sweetheart, after yesterday, Chibs doesn't trust you to stay in bed, and he doesn't trust your sisters not to let you up, so I'm here."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "I don't really need a sitter."

Gemma chuckled. "Oh sweetheart, I'm not your sitter. I'm your jailer. You're going to do what you're supposed to if it kills both of us." She looked at her phone before looking back at Jessie. "So, what would you like for breakfast?"