Fly By Night | Sons of Anarchy Fanfiction | Jax Teller x OC

Chapter Eight

Allie pulled into T-M's parking lot and turned off her car's engine, giving herself a moment to steel herself for this. Every time she pulled into this parking lot, her heart rate ticked up a notch, her palms got a little bit sweaty, and she always felt like she had to do a deodorant check before leaving her car just to make sure her sweat wasn't literally visible.

Part of her wondered if this was ever going to change. Maybe, with time, it would get easier, but for now, this parking lot, and the clubhouse that loomed beyond it, still stirred up more anxiety in her than she was willing to admit.

A loud knock rapped on her driver's side door, and she looked up to find Gemma bent down a little, waving to her with a good-natured grin.

"Hey there," Gemma greeted her as Allie slid out of her car and set her feet onto the pavement. "Didn't know you were visitin' us again so soon."

"Hi Gemma," Allie offered her a smile in return. "I've got a few business things to go over with Jax."

"Ah," Gemma nodded knowingly before hitching a hand to her hip. "He know you're here already, then?"

"I texted him before I left my office, so he's expecting me."

Gemma nodded again, an unfathomable expression on her face, and then her lips spread apart a little too much like the Grinch. "You know, I'm really glad I ran into you here. I'm plannin' a family dinner tonight, and I think it would be really great if you came."

Allie's mouth snapped open to reply, but Gemma cut her off.

"I think you should come. You know, get to know everyone a little better - you work for the club now and you were family even before that. I'd say you should bring your dad too, but I think we all know how that would turn out if him and Piney got in the same room together. But, that being said...you should come, Allie."

Oh shit. How was she supposed to say no? There was no excuse in the world that Gemma would actually accept. But seriously, she'd only been officially employed by the club for two days, and they were already pulling her in even deeper. Yesterday, after a long phone call with Opie, the club's intel officer had shown up and installed security cameras around her house. He'd even linked the cameras to an app on her phone so she could literally see who was at her front door without having to go near it. She got that. She really did. And, after some serious resistance on her part, she could understand why Opie thought those precautions were necessary, in light of what had happened the last time he paid her a visit.

But now...this was starting to become too much too soon. Still, how in God's name could she say no? The woman would never let her live it down, and if she did say no, Allie wasn't sure that she wouldn't wither under Gemma's hard glare anyway. And from a certain point of view, Gemma kind of had a point. Allie was working for the club now - maybe that meant there'd be certain obligations that went with it she hadn't considered. Still...how was she supposed to tell Gemma no?

So, Allie swallowed hard and shot Gemma a weak smile. "Anything I can bring?"

Gemma grinned brightly and batted out a hand. "Nah. I've got everything covered already. We're havin' an old fashioned barbecue and I got all the fixin's and everything all ready to go. All you need to bring is yourself, okay?"

She must've seen something in Allie's smile that gave her pause because she leaned in to murmur, "Jax and his wife are officially on the outs now, in case you were wondering if you'd see her there. I know things were a little awkward the last time you were here, but you don't have to worry about that tonight, if that's the thing holdin' you back."

"Yeah," Allie offered slowly, unsure of how much she should say about that particular topic. "Jax might've mentioned something about that earlier today."