All Roads Lead to Charming || j.t. [2]

Chapter 4: It's a Boy!

Clay threw his wrench down in frustration. His hands were bothering him more than usual and the pain was making the simple task of turning a nut seem like some medieval torture technique. With his best mechanics out on a run and Lowell backed up until next Tuesday, Clay had no choice but to make the effort and pitch in. He pulled a dirty rag out of the pocket of his work pants and gingerly wiped down his hands. As grateful as he was for the honest work, and lately there had been plenty, Clay was getting too old for this shit. Lowell was just going to have to find a way to fit the Altima into his schedule today. Finishing work on the piston really shouldn't take up that much more of his time anyway and T-M was already half a day late on the job.

On his way to search for Lowell, Clay passed the office and did a double-take. Expecting to see Gemma working on the inventory order, he was surprised to find Jessie instead. With her elbow on the desk and her hand on her forehead, Jessie was leaning over a catalog spread out before her, scribbling numbers onto an order form.

"You still remember how to work on an engine?" Clay called out, leaning against the doorjamb.

Jessie looked up and smiled at her dad, lighting up the dingy room and her father's heart. Then she opened her mouth. "Just like riding a biker." She teased with a cheeky grin.

Shaking his head, Clay suppressed a chuckle. "Get your ass over here!" He said with mock gruffness, heading back into the garage. Quickly glancing at the clock on the wall, Jessie jumped up from her seat and followed Clay into the garage, picking up the wrench on the ground next to the Altima.

"What am I looking at?" She asked, peering under the hood.

"Piston rings. Check the seal, but first—" Clay started, but Jessie finished.

"Loosen the bolts on the sliding piston, I know." She leaned into the engine and went to work, forgetting that she was wearing a new top. Clay watched as her hands made quick work of the nuts.

"Where's Gemma?" He asked, holding the sliding piston she had loosened as Jessie worked her hand into the space it had occupied and pulled out one of the rings.

"She asked me to cover for her while she went to St. Thomas for a follow-up with her doctor." Jessie replied, turning the ring over in her hand. "This popped out way too fast, by the way. I think it needs replacing."

"Yeah, that's what I figured." He grabbed the ring from Jessie. Concerned, Clay continued, "I hope Gemma doesn't think she can nag her doctor into removing the cast. It's only been ten days. That shit needs to stay on for six to eight weeks."

"Well, she did say she was getting tired of the heavy cast. If anyone can nag anybody into doing anything that would be Gemma, but between you, me and this wrench, I got the feeling she was just looking for an excuse to give us some alone time." Jessie replied.

Jessie recalled Gemma's comment as she pulled out of the lot. It's time you took the old bull by the horns, sweetie. Putting off coming clean about Jax isn't going to get any easier.

Clay quirked a questioning eyebrow at Jessie. "She thinks you've been avoiding a certain subject." She advised.

"What subject?" Clay asked defensively.

Jessie finally decided to bring up the elephant in the room. "Two words, starts with Jax, ends with Teller."

"I've got news for you, baby girl, I gave up trying to figure out that relationship a long time ago. Besides, with him in prison, it's not as if I have to worry about the two of you." Clay's eyes narrowed. "Or do I?"

Shit, why do I feel like a teenage girl about to confess to her daddy she's been hooking up with the local bad boy?

"Would Jax and I being together again really be so bad, Dad?" Jessie asked, the annoyance clear in her voice as she turned her attention back to the piston rings.