Way Down We Go

Chapter 2: A helping hand

Chapter 2: A Helping Hand
Rhett's Point of View

Balancing two plates on one tray over my arm, I walked backwards out of the kitchen at Avenue Grill. I couldn't help by glance at the food on the plates and smile. Jax and Thomas were so predictable when it came to food here, I didn't even need to officially take their order. Two cheeseburgers. One with onion rings on the burger and the other with onion rings on the side and fries. Thomas always liked his food mashed together so he could eat it all at once while Jax liked to savor it and had a weird thing about his food touching. It amazed me how I still remembered all of these little bits of information growing up with them.

"Here ya go... your usual. Just the way you like it." I smiled genuinely, placing a plate in front of Jax and then Thomas.

"Thanks, darling." Jax smirked, digging in immediately.

"Can I get some—" Before Thomas could finish his sentence, I pulled the bottle of Tabasco sauce out of my black apron and sat it on the table next to his plate.

Thomas smirked and slumped back in his seat giving me a once over. Suddenly I felt a wave of butterflies take flight in my stomach just like I did when I was sixteen and he'd look at me. But it's been years since I've been home, and I really needed those butterflies to die already.

"Uh, you two gonna bang already and get it over with?" Jax blurted out causing me to wake my head bringing me back to the present.

I smacked the brim of Jax's hat down over his face. "Shut up, Teller. God." Blush crept up my neck and burned my cheeks as I whirled around and headed back behind the counter. "Fuck off, dude." I heard Thomas grumble behind me, making me smirk a little.

I grabbed a rag and started wiping down the empty counter next to Charlie. She seemed like a nice enough girl. I didn't know her well because we worked different shifts but I think we were going to get along okay. I didn't realize I was glancing at her until her eyes met mine. "I didn't mean to scare you away from the guys. They're just a lot to take in."

Charlie pursed her lips and glanced in the direction of their table and smiled. "I appreciate the warning; trust me I don't need that type of trouble right now." she glanced back at me. "How do you know them?"

I sighed, leaning my hip against the counter. The whole town knew them and knew me as well. "My father, is a member of their motorcycle club." I cleared my throat and kept cleaning the counter, straightening salt and pepper shakers as I talked. "We grew up together until my mom died in a motorcycle accident. After that my grams raised me and she and I kept our distance. I went to New York for art school and came back about a year ago when her health started to decline."

"That's really sweet and kind of you to come back and help her." Charlie stated.

"I kinda owed her." I shrugged blowing the compliment off. Grams was family. I'd do anything for her. She taught me everything my
Mother wasn't there to teach me. Tig was her son in law and she always feared something horrible would happen to her daughter and when it finally did, she had no problems taking me and getting me away from that life.

"I get the feeling you aren't close with your father?" Charlie prodded gently. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, giving me the sense that she really wanted to get to know me and wasn't just trying to be the next town gossip.

"Not really. Not anymore. He tries, but... our lifestyles don't really mesh well together."

Before Charlie could say more Thomas approached the counter. He sat down on a stool, his hulking frame intimidating to those around him who didn't know him. He flipped his hat, so it was on backwards. The words REAPER CREW were etched along the top now staring me in the face. He was handsome. He knew it too. Him and Jax were both gifted with good looks and charm.