Home | Happy Lowman/OC (Book 1)

nineteen

When Victoria woke the next morning, Happy was beside her, laying on his stomach with his arms tucked beneath the pillow his head was resting on. She turned to her side, enjoying the sight of him so relaxed.

He was always so intense when he was awake, but when he was asleep, the lines of his face smoothed, and he appeared to be at peace. Whether or not he knew she liked to steal these quiet moments before he woke, she didn't know, so she cherished them while she still could. They never lasted long.

Happy was naturally an early riser and she was coming to learn that the club forced him out of bed most days even earlier. There was never an alarm. It was as if his internal clock just knew when it was time for business and his eyes would pop open and the creases of concern and focus would mold back into place a little bit at a time.

They'd been up for hours the night before after his confession about prison. She'd finally let loose and had a few drinks and even Happy had been playful, laughing and cracking jokes like he so rarely did when he was sober.

Jacquelyn was fully immersed in getting to know any and every one she could. One minute she'd be in Victoria's ear, telling her all about the person she'd just met and the next she'd be flitting around on Kozik's arm, introducing herself to friends of the club, being her usual, bubbly self. Victoria was content to sit at the bar with Happy, lost in their own world.

The way women looked at him was not lost on Victoria. She'd been getting looks from the moment they arrived. It was as if they couldn't believe there was a woman sitting next to him, that someone would dare to try and occupy his time and space. They'd look at her and then Happy, then back to her with wide eyes before moving on. Whether it was concern for her sake or jealousy, she couldn't be sure. Either way, she could feel the eyes burning holes in her back even through the haze of alcohol.

Happy started to wake up and as if by reflex alone, one of his hands slid across the sheets, searching her out. It found her wrist and he turned to his side to face her, dragging her in to wrap his arms around her shoulders. He buried his face in her hair, and they lay like that for a few quiet moments.

"Gotta get up," he finally said, squeezing her tight. His voice was low and gravely, still filled with sleep and the sound warmed her from the inside out.

"Five more minutes."

His chest vibrated in a chuckle. "Club waits for no one."

She looked up at him as he looked over at the clock. 7:47am.

Happy tried to move, but she held firm. "Are you sure you have to?"

He ran a hand up her body to cradle her chin, tipping her face up enough to see her face. His expression turned to the serious one she knew so well by now. "We've got a lot of shit to work out before the feds show up. It's gonna be a busy day. You should find Gemma, help her out around the clubhouse."

Her stomach dipped at the mention of the matriarch she'd met only briefly the night before. "I had the pleasure of meeting her last night. Briefly."

Happy chuckled. "She's a force, but she's good people."

"She's terrifying."

He kissed her forehead. "Yeah, she is, but she'll respect you more if you make the first move."

"That's easy for you to say because you're not the one doing it."

"You'll do great." He shifted to move, and she groaned, not wanting to let go. It was so warm beneath the covers. "I'm gonna hop in the shower."

Finally, she conceded and rolled onto her back, watching him climb out of bed and stretch, his colorful torso on display. He spared one glance back before disappearing into the bathroom.