Gemma watches her daughter in law prep some food for the family dinner.
Noelle has been her usual self; nothing seems out of the ordinary. Noelle is dressed in her casual clothes of skin tight jeans and a fitted t-shirt. Her blonde hair is up in a high ballerina bun and of course she is rocking her signature red lips. Despite the simplicity of the outfit, Noelle pulls it off as if she is walking a runway.
However no one has Gemma's eyes. Despite the outfit and her overall demeanor she knows Noelle is bothered by a recent arrival in Charming.
Everyone knew about Jax and Tara's toxic relationship. Gemma had to bail the two of them out of lockup lots of times for incidents of public intoxication or indecent exposure. Now, Gemma understood how love could make someone crazy, she did. She understood teenage hormones as well. And she would prefer her son went through a hormone fueled infatuation while he was still a young teenager before he became a patch.
Despite all of that, it didn't erase the fact what Jax and Tara had was unhealthy.
Even more so when Noelle came into the picture when they were in high school, Gemma still remembers the day her son had handed her a note from his teachers saying that due to his low grades he was being assigned a tutor.
Sadly, Gemma didn't give a shit one way or another. She and Clay had already let Jax have the option of dropping out to get his GED as he had plans just to start Prospecting when he turned 18. Besides, the topic was in science and considering Tara had big plans on becoming a surgeon, he could've gone to her for help.
Yet what shocked Gemma was that instead of blowing off his tutor, he had attended every session much to the irritation of Tara. Gemma remembers how in a fit of a teenage rage Tara had unloaded to her about the busty blonde cheerleader with wavy hair and red lipstick. How she just knew that Noelle and Jax possibly had something. Gemma called horse shit on that considering her son wasn't stupid. If he was getting ass, he would make sure it was outside of Charming or he and Tara were on one of their numerous breaks to fool around. But at the time, Gemma knew that Noelle Harper was a beautiful girl. A beautiful girl with tan skin and model legs, blonde hair always styled in lose curls. And of course, her pouty lips were always painted red.
She could see why Tara would be jealous. Tara was a soft classic beauty with dark features, but pale skin. Noelle was her opposite.
She thinks that's why Jax and Noelle work as a couple today.
And despite her and Noelle's rocky beginning, she always liked her. After all, Noelle stuck around. She found a balance that worked for her and Jax. She never pulled Jax in 10 directions.
It wasn't as if Gemma didn't like Tara. She honestly fully supported the girl wanted to becoming some high end surgeon. She just didn't forgive the girl for hurting her baby. Gemma knew the relationship wasn't going to last, but she still didn't like seeing her baby boy all tore up. She felt Tara could've handled the split better than she did. After all, she had decided to become Jax's Old Lady and take on those responsibilities.
Gemma washes her hands at her sink and dries them off with a towel as she approaches her daughter in law, "I hear the Good Doctor is back in town."
"She's a surgeon actually," Noelle replies without missing a beat.
The corner of Gemma's lips tug up, "You okay with her being AJ's doctor."
"She's not his doctor." Noelle tells her. "She's Dr. Namid's assist."
"And why exactly is AJ going back for observations?"
Noelle sighs and turns to look at her. "Can you ask what you really want to ask?"
"I just want to know how you feel about her being back."
"Do you think I should be feeling anything?" Noelle asks her.
Gemma shakes her head. "No, baby, I just want to make sure you know that."
...
Jax is sitting outside watching Noah and Kenny play against their sisters in corn hole while AJ, of course, is scorekeeper. Tig and Happy have a bet against Piney and Bobby that the boys will win. So far, Jax thinks his daughter and niece are going to win.
He is sipping on his beer watching as Noah and Kenny bicker over their aim when Opie comes and joins him.
"I heard an old flame is back in town." Opie says to him.
Jax rolls his eyes as he sighs. Somehow it had spread rapidly about Tara being back in town. He was confused on how she had been in town for a couple weeks apparently before AJ's appointment that she was able to keep it under wraps.
He didn't see the big deal. Tara was back. That was that. He didn't see the need to linger on it or dissect why. His only surprise about it was that she cared enough about her dad to return.
"Nothing to say?" Opie eggs.
"Not really." Jax says truthfully. "I'm glad she's doing good in her life. She achieved her dream."
Jax is happy for Tara. He knows he wasn't supportive of her when they were teens. Truthfully, he didn't know how to be supportive of her. He could laugh as he thought college and Tara leaving for it was a scary thing to him when barely two years later he would enter fatherhood, which was terrifying on it's own.
However, with everyone making a fuss about his ex-girlfriend, he knows someone is bothered by her appearance. "I know Noelle is bothered by it." He reveals to Opie.
"Can you blame her?"
"She shouldn't be." Jax says. Jax wouldn't risk what he has for what he had. Even then Tara and he were just high school boyfriend and girlfriend. When he thinks about those years with her, he feels embarrassed at how crazy they were.
"Jax, you should've seen how you and Tara were from our perspective." Opie says.
"It was first love bullshit," Jax replies.
"Yeah, crazy first love bullshit you still were moping over when you began messing around with Noelle." Opie points out.
"I haven't thought about Tara since she left."
"You tell Noelle that?"
"I didn't think I had too."
...
After coming back from his mom's family dinner and wrangles his youngest into bed, Jax stands in the doorway of his bedroom as he watches Noelle comb her wet hair.
She's in one of her skimpy bathrobes and skin still pink from the shower. With her face free from makeup, he knows that without a doubt, Noelle is the most beautiful woman in all of Charming – in the fucking world.
"You're beautiful, Noelle." He tells her.
Noelle looks at him through her vanity mirror and gives him a bashful smile as she places down her comb and turns to face him. "So what do you want?" She teases.
Jax removes himself from the doorway and shuts the door before he makes his way over to Noelle and pulls her up. "I can't just tell my wife she's beautiful."
"You don't need to butter me up to get some ass."
Jax raises his eyebrow at that. "And here I was trying to sound like a romantic husband."
"I was never one for fairytales."
Jax smiles before he places both of his hands on her face and gives her a deep kiss. She kisses back gently, her hand sneaking up his neck into his growing hair. He thinks he could kiss Noelle all day. No other girl had ever been able to reduce him to nothing through a kiss alone except his wife. And it wasn't just the years together that attributed to learning their bodies in a way no one else ever could.
Since they shared their first kiss in the Public Library where she was secretly helping him study for his GED. It was in the Shakespeare aisle and he remembers the tight jeans she was wearing with an oversized plaid shirt over a crop top. He had been chasing her relentlessly. She never gave into his flirtations. Only would rolls her eyes and smile before bringing him back on task. But he had decided he had enough and after watching her flirt with the library aid every week, he needed to make his move. He remembers thinking that Noelle was going to slap him as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, but instead she responded back gently at first before she nipped his lip and he found himself pushing her back against the rack.
And now it's still the same rush of feelings as he walks backwards and sits on the edge of the bed as Noelle straddles him.
Her kiss becomes more insistent as she slips them under his shirt and runs her hands along his spinal column. He hands cups her buttocks and squeezes them as he pulls her forward earning a gasp from her.
He tugs down her robe and it catches on her arms leaving them trapped behind her.
His hands cup her breasts and with one hand he reaches behind her and tugs on the robe which causes her back to arch as it tightens on her arms.
He presses a kiss between her breasts on the head of his crow before he nips and plays with her breasts. He settles on one as he draws out the nipple and slides his tongue over her skin.
He can feel through his jeans how wet and hot she is. And he knows she is desperate for release – for friction as she tries to rub against him.
"Let me touch you," she whispers as he kisses across her shoulders and neck.
He pulls her down for a kiss as he unties her robe and lets it fall freely from her body.
With her hands free, she roams his body. She lifts up his shirt and throws it across the room. She begins kissing him along his neck as she works to undo his belt and jeans. His hand slides between her legs and he groans as he feels her wetness. He lifts her up as he shimmies his jeans and boxers down and he has barely sat down when he feels Noelle's hands take him and guides him as she lowers herself down on him.
"Jax," she hisses as she fully descends on him.
He kisses her roughly as she grounds into his him and rotates her hips.
He gasps as she begins to move up and down.
He slides down from his upright position and reclines on the bed. Noelle follows him as she kisses his neck and chest, licks pattern in his skin, and ravishes his nipples as he did hers making him squirm as he continues to move inside her.
Using her own power and his chest as leverage, Noelle sits up completely as she moves up and down. He bucks his hips up to meet hers. His hands grasp her breasts before running over her hips.
"Touch yourself, Noe."
She looks down at him with those fucking hooded eyes that look as dark as sapphires. He watches as she gives him a filthy smirk and her hands tweak her nipples before they trail down to where they are joined and begins rubbing her sensitive nub.
Jax bites his lip as she begins gasping and moaning at her insistent touches.
"I'm so close," she pants as she begins losing her rhythm.
Soon, she is arching her back, "Fuck, Jackson." Her head lolls on her shoulders as pleasure crashed her body.
Jax accelerates as his grip becomes tighter.
He closes his eyes as he tries not to unravel from Noelle's waves washing over him. He feels her stop for a moment before she begins to grind down on him. His eyes snap open as she rotates her hips and soon it's his own back that is arching as he grunts under the assault. He begins to thrust furiously as she gives him back control before his body shudders as he gives in.
He pulls her down as he presses a deep kiss to her lips and holds her. He runs his fingers along her back as she rests her head on his chest – heartbeat.
"I love you, Noe." He tells her.
He knows that he should breach Tara being back in Charming, but he can't. He thinks he doesn't want to acknowledge that somehow the ghost of Tara has invaded his home.
Noelle turns her head up and those sapphire lust fueled eyes has turned back to her ocean blue. "I love you more."
...
Against her dignity and common sense, Tara has decided to throw her self-preservation at the window as she stands in front of the quaint shop on the corner of Main Street.
Going against her good judgement, Tara couldn't help but do some research on Charming and certain people. Besides it wasn't that hard getting basic information considering she had a starting point at the hospital. She thought it was a little too easy too.
She knows that she can't be upset. She had left. She broke things between them with her hasty and angry departure. She was the one that didn't at least even try to make amends. Although in the back of her mind she knew that Jax wasn't the long distance type. It's just she can't help but feel devastated that barely in a year of her departure that he had begun creating a family. It wasn't as if he had multiple baby mamas, but he had one. He had a wife that wasn't her.
He had two sons and a daughter with a woman that wasn't her.
When she was young and stupidly in love with him she had always thought that one day they would find their way back to each other. They would be married with three babies. However, she knew it would never happen as Jax would never leave Charming.
She can't help that immature jealous heat that floods her being at the thought of Noelle Harper. Tara knows now that it was childish with the way she had acted towards the pretty blonde, but Tara remembers how Jax was towards her.
The smiles and how he would seek her out for conversations. The fact he would attend an hour long study session, but ditch his next class rubbed her the wrong way.
She thinks if it was one of the usual grubby whores that vied for Jax's attention she wouldn't have minded because the only thing they had to offer was a worm wet hole, but Noelle wasn't that. She could keep Jax's attention. She had brains and beauty and didn't have the whole tragic backstory of a dead mother and drunk daddy.
And Noelle was beautiful and compared to her, Tara felt plain.
Noelle was someone you would find in Maxim or Victoria Secrets. Tara wasn't. Sure she had a nice ass and soft features, but Noelle had the whole package that was a rare find in Charming.
Worst of all, she knows that Jax's and Noelle's marriage was happy. They wouldn't survive a five year prison sentence and three kids if they weren't.
She thinks that's worst. Jax has a life. He has his club, his wife and kids. Tara no matter how proud and happy she is as a surgeon that's all she has is a fancy paper to her name.
Sucking in a deep breath, Tara enters the store.
Besides, the nurses did recommend this store for some good hand creams after using the harsh antibacterial soap at work.
Tara hates to admit it, but the store is lovely inside as it smells faintly of oranges. The store is packed with a variety of products and a sale for leftover Fourth of July themed products. Tara walks over to the hand creams where she can hear people talking near the cash register.
Leaning back, Tara at first sees a young girl with curly brown hair smiling, and she just knows that little girl is Jax's daughter. She knows that smile as it was a rare one that Jax would give when he was truly happy. Now his little girl possesses it.
Then her stomach drops as a person passes the little girl and moves from behind the counter and Tara panics as the person is moving towards her.
Tara swallows the lump in her throat as she knows it's Noelle and Tara turns towards her with a smile.
Clearly Noelle has spent a lot of time around Gemma as Noelle doesn't give any indication of surprise. And Tara can't believe she forgot about Gemma. She only imagines how happy she is that now she has three grandchildren to try and control.
"Dr. Knowles, I heard you were back in town," Noelle greets with a smile with her famous painted red lips.
"Please, just Tara," she corrects as she gets a good look at Noelle. The mother of three still looks the same even with giving birth as she pulls off the loose fitted black t-shirt and jeans rolled to the ankles with white Converses. The surgeon hates that she still sounds like a jealous teenager, but even Noelle's long blonde hair is styled to perfection and Tara is here still standing in scrubs and a bun that is slowly coming undone.
"Well, Tara, how can I help you today?" Noelle asks her.
"Some nurses at St. Thomas recommended some products for me to try." Tara tells her.
Noelle smiles brightly, "Yeah, a few of them have a standing order that they get. I can get you the same thing, if you want?"
"Uh, yeah sure that's fine."
"Great. Is there any particular fragrance you like we have lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, rose, vanilla, jasmine, lilac, orange, rosemary, lemon, peppermint, and cinnamon."
"Wow that's a lot," Tara says with a chuckle. "Can I try lemon?"
"Of course. Is there anything else you were looking for?"
"No, just browsing."
"Alright, well I'm going to fix up your order and I'll have it ready for you in the front." Noelle tells her. "By the way, congratulations on the degree."
"Thank you." Tara tells her.
After deciding to buy a candle, Tara makes her way to the front of the store where Noelle stands next to the girl she presumes is her daughter.
The girl smiles at her brightly, but with a knowing twinkle in her eye that is all Gemma. Tara assumes that the little girl knows who she is.
"Hi, I'm Addie," the girl greets brightly as Tara places her candle on the counter.
"Hi, I'm Tara –"
"AJ's doctor," the girl finishes.
"Addie, it's not nice to interrupt," Noelle corrects softly as she begins checking the items out. "Do you find everything you need?"
"Yeah. It's really a lovely store, Noelle."
"Thank you, Tara."
"It's her other baby." Addie adds, which causes Noelle to roll her eyes.
"Are you the oldest?" Tara asks softly after she pays for her things.
"No, I was the second surprise," Addie says with a cackle as Noelle nudges her.
"Ignore her," Noelle says. "Addison is the middle child. She has an older brother, Noah, and you've met my youngest, AJ."
"You and Jax must be happy."
Noelle nods and a smile comes across her face that makes Tara's guts twist. "Who would've guessed, huh?"
"The heart wants what the heart wants." Tara says. "Well, it's been nice seeing you. I'll see you around."
"Yeah, have a good day."
Tara departs with one last smile.
Tara may not have her own family yet, but at least she rose above this backwater town.
...
Addie watches as Tara Knowles leaves her mother's store and Addie can say she wasn't what she expected. She had of course seen pictures of Tara as her grandmother had some stashed away from sight.
She can say that her mom and this woman do seem to be the complete opposite of each other.
"So that's Tara?" Addie asks her mom.
"Yep."
"She seems a little uptight."
Noelle sighs. "You spend way too much time with your grandmother."
Addie doesn't respond to her mom's comment. "So she hated you in high school right?"
"What? Where did you hear that from?"
"Ugh..."
"Addison."
"I may have overheard Grandma and Luann talking."
Noelle rubs her forehead. "How about you call your Dad and figure out what we want for dinner."
"How about we get Italian? Dad eats anything anyways."
"Fine, just find a menu and make the order."
...
"So from our lovely Sheriff we have some visitors in town." Clay informs the table, which has the whole table groaning.
"He say how Hale got them here?" Jax asks as he lights a cigarette.
"No. He and Hale though have been butt buddies since he step into town." Clay says.
"There is only one?" Jax questions with a furrow brow. In all the scares the club has had with the ATF they never sent just one Agent to dig up dirt. They came with a whole team to bully people into ratting.
Clay nods his head.
"Must not be that strong of a case." Bobby chimes in.
"Yeah, but nothing is useless when it comes to RICO." Piney says from his end of the table. "And we don't need Feds on our backs while we deal with the Mayans."
"Speaking of the Mayans, we let that piece of shit Hector go, so what's the follow up?" Tig asks.
"We called the Grim Bastards and asked them to do some digging so we're waiting to hear back. Beside now with the Feds in town, it's best they do some digging while we look like just a bunch of Harley enthusiasts and mechanics." Clay says. "After all, I have a son that is intent on making me another grandchild."
"You better not let Noelle hear you say that shit," Jax says over the guys' roars of laughter.
...
After a fulfilling dinner, Jax is already decked in his boxers as he lays across the bed as he watches his wife get ready for bed. She slips on a grey knit cami along with some itty bitty shorts he doesn't understand the use of.
"Darlin', you should just cut out the middle man." He tells her as she slides them up covering her simple cotton bikini panties.
She rolls her eyes at him before she joins him in bed. He expects her to come into his waiting arms, but she stays on her side and sits Indian style. He knows that means she wants to talk about something. "So I'm surprised Addie didn't say anything at the dinner table today."
"What didn't she say?"
Noelle sighs and plays with the tips of her hair, "Tara came by the shop today."
"How'd that go?"
"I think she was sizing me up." Noelle tells him truthfully.
Jax raises an eyebrow at that. He's not surprised, but is. The Tara he knew –used to date – would've done something like that. He thought however that a Tara who has been away for 11 years, who left him, wouldn't do something like that.
"Well did you show her your nice big wedding ring? I'm still making payments on that thing." Jax jokes as he dodges a punch from Noelle. "Well it must've gone good considering Unser wasn't called."
Noelle rolls her eyes. "I'm not going to fight your ex-girlfriend, Jax."
"Don't expect you too." He says as he looks at his wife. He knows she is holding back from him. "Talk to me, babe."
Noelle looks at him then shakes her head. "I love you, Jax, I do. It's just everyone knows about your history with her."
Jax sighs. "I was a kid then, Noe."
"So were we." Noelle counters. "You loved her, Jax. You learned to love me."
"Jesus, Noe, you make us sound like we're in an arranged marriage." Jax says as he sits up on the bed now. He is shocked that these words are even coming out of his wife right now. He is boggled that after 10 years of marriage she would even have these types of thoughts.
"I'm not stupid. I know the kids were the driving factor why we're married."
"Noe, stop." Jax demands. He folds his hands together as if he is saying a prayer. He looks back at his beautiful wife trying to figure out where he went wrong that she would still feel the need to be insecure about their relationship because of an old girlfriend.
"I married you because I love you." He starts. "I loved Tara, yes. But I loved her when I was 16." Jax tells Noelle. "The last time I thought about Tara was after you gave birth to Noah." He reveals to his wife.
"The only reason I thought of her was to thank her for leaving because then I wouldn't have got to be a father to my son. I wouldn't have gotten to be with you. With you in the hospital bed, hair in a high bun, sweaty with tears lining your cheeks, as you fed our son," Jax gets choked up as he thinks back to Noah's birth. There were times during the pregnancy he thought he had resented Noelle for being pregnant.
In the darkest part of him there was some bitterness that instead of enjoying a bachelor life as a new patch he would be changing shitty diapers. Yet, it wasn't as if Noelle had given him an ultimatum. The only thing she did was tell him that she was pregnant and that her sister had offered her a place to live as Noelle knew when she told her parents they would kick her out. Jax had taken it upon himself to find them a place to live. He was the one to insist on her living with him. Even then it wasn't as if they were together. They shared a bed and sometimes they would seek comfort from each other, but Noelle never said anything about a relationship. Never asked him to be anything except a father to their son. It wasn't until Noah was born that he realized he didn't want to lose what he had. "When you handed me Noah, placed him in my arms, for the first time, I loved you. That's when I knew and I hadn't spent a single moment thinking about Tara or any other women since you made me a father. And I knew I wanted you to be my wife, my old lady, and the only mother to my kids. "
Jax pulls Noelle into his arms where she is trying to hide her teary gaze. He places his hand under her chin and forces her to look at him. "I know I'm a hard man to love, Noe. The shit I put you through...but I'm selfish and I love you. Even if we didn't have Noah when we did...did you honestly think I was going to let you go out with that library aide?"
A bubble escapes from her throat as she no doubt thinks about the average looking teenager that always seemed to work when they would go and study. Jax wipes away her tears, "I love you more than you'll ever know darlin'."
Jax presses a kiss to her lips that isn't demanding or even wanting. It's a soft, gentle kiss. Pulling back, he doesn't fling her itty bitty sleep wear off, instead he holds her in his arms like he used to do after Noah was born when they would watch him sleep. Both of them bone tired, but enjoying the precious moments of just the two of them managing another day as parents.
But he finds that it isn't enough.
Jax presses a kiss to her shoulder before he captures her lips in a consuming kiss as he flips them so she is laying on the mattress. He's quick in removing her little shorts and thin cami. He hurriedly removes his boxers as Noelle whines and pulls him down for a kiss as he yanks her gray cotton bikinis down her legs. Warm callous digits deep into her folds making her gasp into his mouth. With his thumb petting her clit, he pumps into her in tandem as she bites down on her lip.
He buries his nose in her hair and then kisses along her throat as she pants as her body begins to go lax.
"Jax, please," she begs prompting him to gather her legs over his forearms and pull her down the bed. Guiding his hard length he pushes between her fold to the hilt.
"Oh God," Noelle groans as he finds a steady rhythm. He pounds against her sweet spot that has her keening helplessly as she writhes and gasps beneath him.
Jax fucks her slow and intimate. Noelle moves closer to him, pressing their chests together, meeting his thrusts. She lets out filthy moans as he wreaks havoc on her neck. He sucks hickies on her smooth tan skin before he buries his head in the valley of her breasts and marks more of her flesh with hickies near her crow. Her moves his mouth across her clavicle and to her neck before he meets her lips. "You're mine, Noe." He growls against her lips as his thumb snakes between them.
Noelle whimpers in protest, but a rough snap of his hips makes her cry out. Noelle's eyes roll shut when he throws her leg over his shoulder. "Come for me, darlin'." Jax orders and she can't help but follow his command.
Noelle comes with a cry as her head falls back on the pillows as her eyebrows pinch together. Her eyes close as stars erupt behind her eyelids. She clings to him as he continues his steady pace through her pleasure. His thrusts become erratic as a string of groans, pants, and curses leave his lips. His hand tangles in her blonde hair as he presses his forehead against hers and shudders as he finishes with a satisfied groan filling her with spunk.
Her arms wind around his shoulders and a hand tangles in his damp hair as he collapses on top of her boneless. He nuzzles his nose in her neck as he shifts off her and keeps an arm curled around her waist.
Noelle is spent and exhausted as her hands wander over his tattoos. His hand traces over her hip and across her abdomen, "I love you, Noelle."
"I love you, Jackson."
...
Gemma wasn't one to complain or take for granted when one of her grandchildren wanted to spend time with her. So when Addie had called wanted to go on a shopping trip, Gemma didn't object. She had left Clay with a hot pot of oatmeal and had quickly gone to her son's to pick up her only granddaughter.
However, Gemma knows her granddaughter like all her babies.
There was a reason as to why Addie wanted some one on one time.
So after trying on multiple outfits and shoes, the two of them are back in the car currently looking for someplace to eat. Gemma knows now is a good time as any to question her granddaughter's motive.
"Now not that I don't love spending time with you, but can I ask what prompted this shopping spree?" Gemma asks as she lights a cigarette.
And Addie doesn't bullshit either. She gets straight to the point. "What can you tell me about Tara Knowles?"
Gemma almost chokes on cigarette smoke at that question. She knows that she shouldn't be surprised by the question, but she is. She is concerned however as to why Addie would be asking about her dad's ex-girlfriend.
"What do you want to know?" Gemma asks.
"What was she like?"
Gemma sighs. "She was a smart girl. Quiet."
"And Dad loved her?"
Gemma nods her head, but she can't hide the wince at that question. "It wasn't a healthy relationship though. Why the sudden interest?"
"Well she's AJ doctor or whatever and she came by Mom's store."
"She what!" Gemma can't believe that devious bitch. The fucking nerve. Gemma can see right through that shit, Miss Tara Knowles here was trying to size up her daughter in law. Gemma knew without a doubt that uptight gash was probably feeling some regret over leaving Jax. Tara had to see for herself that Jax didn't mope for ten years hoping she would fucking return.
Gemma snorts at that as she hopes Tara got a big slap in the face as she seen Noelle and the three beautiful babies Jax had with her.
But Gemma wasn't going to let that shit slide. She knows Jax and Noelle are solid, but they don't need the Good Doctor here trying to mess with them. They don't need any Ghost of Christmas past. So like Gemma always does she is going to make sure her family is protected.
"Grandma, are you okay?" Addie asks concerned.
"Yeah, baby. Does your Dad know about this?"
Addie shrugs her shoulders. "I think Mom would tell him. They tell each other everything."
"Hmm," Gemma says. She knows her son probably loves pillow talk. "What did you think of her?"
"I don't know. She seemed nice enough. Pleasant. Although I don't think she was expecting Mom to still look like she did in high school."
Gemma laughs at that.
"I just don't understand why she would come to the store."
"When you get older you'll understand."
"I highly doubt that." Addie tells her.
...
Later in the day, with Clay still at the clubhouse and Addie, who decided to spend the night, Gemma finds herself restless and goes to grab her hat box as she begins cleaning the multiple guns she owns. It's then an idea pops into her head as she grabs her house phone.
She dials her best friend's phone number who answers quickly.
"Hey, Gem."
"Hey, darlin'. Do me a favor?"
"Sure, babe."
"Guy distributes your stuff- He still have access to that federal marshal?"
"Think so. Been feeding his Pillsbury Dough girl fetish for years." Luann tells her. "What do you need?