Six months later ~

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The afternoon crowd at Vavoom's Bar provided a lowkey atmosphere perfect for a seven-month-old baby to offer smiles for the crowd gathered around her. Erikka leaned against Chuck in the booth and wondered if Avi Bowers could possibly be the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen.

Chuck used his finger to rock the car seat on top of the table holding Avi. Maternal pangs hit Erikka every time she was around the baby and witnessed the way Chuck was naturally drawn to the baby. He never shied away from holding, pacifying, or changing the baby when help was needed. If it was possible, she loved him more for the way he loved everyone associated with Notus Motorcycle Club. She also loved to view how each member of the club understood the significance of Avi being named after her Aunt Thalia. The stories she'd heard since learning what drove the men to search for missing persons gave her a clear understanding of what the men had gone through losing someone they loved.

While she hadn't known Thalia, she had a suspicion that if it were possible for the woman who had inspired all these men to devote their lives to saving others, Thalia would be proud of Wayne, Glen, Thad, and Chuck.

"Does she have a tooth?" Gracie leaned over the table and clicked her tongue, making Avi kick her little legs.

Lena planted her elbows on the table across from Erikka and crossed her arms over her breasts. "Yes, two of them, and they're sharp."

Erikka laughed softly. "She's growing up."

"Too fast." Lena put the rattle that fell onto the table back on Avi's belly. "She'll probably follow you down the aisle when August comes around."

"She'll be the perfect flower girl." Erikka gazed at Chuck. "Won't she?"

He nodded, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I still don't understand why we have to wait a damn year."

"Rachel and Tony are having a spring wedding, and since she announced her engagement first, it's only fair we go in order." She rubbed Chuck's stomach. "We can wait."

Gracie snorted. "Chuck, wait? I might as well take bets from everyone that by Easter, he's already taken you to the courthouse and had the judge declare you his wife."

Chuck's arm around Erikka jostled her. "That's not a bad idea."

Erikka wrinkled her nose at Gracie standing at the end of the table. "Stop that. You're only giving him ideas."

Gracie grinned. "That's what I'm here for."

"Pie for everyone." Clara lowered the food tray she carried onto the table and removed plates with apple pie and ice cream on them. She looked behind her at the other table taken by the rest of the Notus members and passed several dishes behind her. "Here you go, Thad. Eat your fruit."

"I don't know why everyone thinks I don't eat fruits and vegetables." Thad dug into the pie. "I had some bananas in those little jars Lena bought for Avi the other day."

"Oh, gross, Thad." Lena shook her head and leaned in the booth closer to Ingrid. "If it wasn't for Vavoom's feeding him half the time, I don't know if he'd eat my cooking."

"That's bullshit." Thad shoveled pie into his mouth. "I eat your food."

"Mm-hm. But, you prefer your normal routine of ordering from Vavoom's." Lena scrunched her nose at him and laughed when her husband stood and moved toward the booth.

Thad's loaded fork aimed at Lena, he said, "Come here, babe."

"Don't you dare. I'm on a diet trying to lose my baby weight." Lena covered her mouth but removed her hands when Thad insisted she have a bite.

While Erikka watched the love between the others, Chuck stole the crust off her piece of pie, knowing she usually never ate that part. She looked at her phone as it vibrated and finished chewing. "Someone left a message on the answering service requesting to be bonded in the morning."

"That's good." Chuck set down his fork and wiped his hand off on his thigh.

Business was slow after giving her clientele to Greens Bond. She used her napkin and wiped her mouth. "It came from the jail."

Chuck read the number off her phone. "Maybe the guy or gal doesn't have any family or friends to help on the outside."

"Probably." She leaned back against Chuck. "That means I'll be busy in the morning."

"We'll make it an early night." Chuck wiggled his brows. "I know what'll put you to sleep nice and fast."

"Sh." She glanced around the table, thankful that nobody was paying any attention to them and had gone back to admiring the baby. "Promise?" she whispered, looking at him.

"Damn right." He kissed her, slipping his tongue between her lips.

An electric shot of arousal hit her, and she pulled back. "We can't do that here."

"Why not?"

She pointed at the baby. "There are children present."

Chuck turned the car seat around. "Better?"

She laughed. "Nice try."

Ingrid's attention went to the baby. Erikka studied her friend. It'd been almost two months since she'd lost her father.

"How's your mom doing, Ingrid?" she asked.

Ingrid looked up and smiled sadly. "You know, I think she's doing well. There are times we forget, and not having him catches us off guard, but the last year was hard on Dad. In that way, it's almost a relief that he's no longer suffering."

She reached across the table and rubbed Ingrid's arm. "We'll have to get together and have lunch soon. We can bring your mom."

"I'd like that, and I think Mom would, too." Ingrid smiled and then clicked her tongue making Avi gurgle. "Aren't you just the cutest? Yes, you are."

"I better go change her before she's not the cutest baby at the table." Lena cleared her throat. "Little girl takes after her daddy in that department."

Ingrid slid out of the booth, letting Lena get to her feet. At every get-together and club meeting when the women gathered in the kitchen away from the men, she'd noticed that Lena rarely sat for longer than five minutes. The baby kept her busy.

Clara walked up to the table and cleared the dishes. Erikka looked around for Maureen, the regular waitress. Not seeing her, she scooted out of the booth.

"I'll grab the dishes from the others." She picked up two plates and moved around to the other side of the table.

Gracie came up to her and unloaded her arms, whispering, "You don't have to clean. Go sit and relax."

"It's not going to hurt me." Refusing to return to the booth, she carried a few glasses to the kitchen, following the twins. "Do you guys ever take a day off?"

"We will soon." Gracie wheeled the cart around the corner and returned. "Maureen's supposed to return on Monday. She's been on vacation, and since we run a skeleton crew during the fall and winter months during the day, that means we fill in for her. I don't mind though. It keeps me busy, and it's nice to work with Clara again. It gives us some extra sister time."

"As if we don't spend every day together, either here or at our homes." Clara laughed and ran her hands down her apron, decorated with beer bottles and hearts. "Speaking of homes...Chuck mentioned to Wayne that you've got your house for sale."

"I do. No offers yet, but it's only been a couple of weeks." She shrugged. "I'm not going to worry about it until winter is over. If it doesn't sell, Chuck said he'd help me turn it into a rental."

"That'll bring in some extra money, which is always nice." Gracie raised her brows. "Maybe I should sell the townhouse and buy your place. I'd be close enough to Chuck, Glen, and Thad to remind them to treat you, Ingrid, and Lena right."

"Now that's a good idea." Erikka laughed. "You can help us keep those bikers in line."

Once her and Gracie understood each other, they'd grown closer. She could no longer imagine making Chuck choose between them. Gracie deserved Chuck's loyalty, and Gracie deserved anything she wanted. She only wished that her friend could get a little more out of life. There were still many things that Gracie held back on, and she could tell when the nights had been rough on her, though she tried to hide her fears.

The women left the kitchen. The twins headed to the other booths where regular customers were eating lunch. Erikka walked back to the booth and found only Lena, the baby, and Ingrid sitting at the table. She spotted the men gathered together on the other side of the room.

Ingrid stared at the men. Lena's gaze was also on the Notus members as she patted the babies back and whispered to sooth Avi. Erikka sat down and raised her brows in question of the sudden shift in moods. She only received concerned looks in return.

"Did they get called on a missing person search?" she asked, hoping that wasn't the case. They'd finished one only two days ago, and Chuck needed to unwind. The Alzheimer patient that had gone missing was found by Notus. Unfortunately, too late. The man had died of hyperthermia before he could be rescued.

Ingrid shook her head and whispered, "It's something about Rich."

The sudden pang in her chest took Erikka's breath away. She moved to go to Chuck, and Ingrid stopped her. Unable to take her eyes off the group, she couldn't tell by the expressions on the men's faces if it was good or bad news. Chuck's back was to her, and she wished he'd turn around.

Lena leaned forward, using the baby as a shield to whisper confidentially at the table. "Did you hear anything?"

Ingrid shook her head. "Wayne came up to Glen and said they needed to talk about Rich. That's all."

"Maybe they finally have a good lead," whispered Erikka.

She'd give anything for Chuck to have his friend back. Until he learned what happened to his MC brother, there would always be a hole in his life. A hole that she understood no amount of love could fill.

Wayne reached out and clasped Chuck and Thad's shoulders, spoke too low for the women to hear, and the men sent a significant look to each other. Erikka's heart raced. She'd experienced the bond the men had many times, but today seemed different. As if each man became bigger, stronger, and deadlier in the face of battle.

The men turned. Chuck's gaze connected with hers and nothing could stop her from going to him. She went to him and slid her hands underneath his vest, needing to connect with him.

"I need to take you home, love," he said.

"Okay." She studied the hardness in his mouth. "What's going on?"

"Gomez called." His upper cheeks twitched, and he lowered his chin and his voice. "He's got Rich locked up in jail."

"Rich? In St. John's?" She inhaled swiftly. " Is he sure?"

There have been many leads on Rich over the last twenty-five years that never panned out. Her stomach ached for Chuck, knowing he already had his hopes up. She didn't want to see him disappointed again.

"Positive," said Chuck.

Erikka gawked. Many questions filled her head. Nobody had any idea where Rich had been all these years. He'd disappeared at the age of twenty, leaving his mom, his MC brothers, and St. John's.

"Gomez mentioned Rich used his one phone call to contact Bail Bonds. It was probably the message you got earlier. He didn't even call us." Chuck put his hand on the back of her neck and inhaled deeply. "I need to get you home. Notus is going over to bail his ass out and bring him back where he belongs."

She walked out without saying goodbye to the others. The other women would understand. The men needed their support now, more than ever.