Page 61 of Jag

“Been there, Jag, take it from me. Don’t analyze it. Don’t break it down and look for loopholes. It isn’t a legal document. Just go with it. You’ve been given a daughter, and a woman who loves you. One who’s giving you another child. Grab it with both hands, hold on, and don’t look back. Nothing good comes from it,” Ghost said, and I faced him to see him folding the ladder behind Coast and me.

“After all this work your ass better not be having second thoughts,” Flirt griped as he stepped down from the other ladder and joined us.

“Brother, if you’re going to eavesdrop, at least know about what you’re hearing,” I snapped. “Nothing I said had anything to do with second thoughts. But I have thought about Poppy’s mom, Simone. Wondered how things could have ended up differently if she would have moved here with me or I had taken the job offer from Norman, Simone’s dad. Because I wanted a clean break, it cost me a whole year of my daughter’s life. How selfish is that?”

“Jag, that’s not being selfish. You broke it off because you knew it wouldn’t work out.” I glared at Coast, but it didn’t faze him, he continued. “Shit happens for a reason, and it doesn’t always make sense. If you had done things differently you would have Poppy, but not River. And sorry, brother, but you missing out on Poppy’s first year was because of her mother’s selfishness. ‘Cause you can’t tell me you wouldn’t have done everything in your power to be a part of Poppy’s life if she’d told you about her.”

“You know I would have. I’d do anything for her, I’m her dad. She’s—” I paused when Poppy started babbling and turned to her. “You giving daddy your two cents, baby girl?”

She’d pulled herself up on the side of the playpen with her face barely visible because of the height of the side. She bounced on her feet and shook the side of her baby prison. “Dadda!”

I froze at her word. It wasn’t the first one she’d spoken since I’d brought her home, but I refused to count her repeatedly answering ‘no’ to everything and anything someone said to her.

“Hey,” Coast said and slapped me on the back, “don’t think she’s talking to us, brother.”

Coast’s slap to my back and his words jarred me into action, and I moved and picked my daughter up, then kissed her forehead. “That’s right, I’m your daddy, and I’ll always have your back, baby girl. You can count on it.” She laid her head on my shoulder, and I turned around to face the guys. They stood and watched us with smiles on their faces.

“That right there, brother,” Ghost pointed at Poppy and me, “is why you don’t question the reason things happen.” Before I could reply, Ghost walked off and into the clubhouse.

“Shit, I didn’t think. He’s been so damn happy that it’s easy to forget how he was less than six months ago,” I said.

“Yeah, Luna’s to thank for that,” Flirt said.

“The two of you are next,” I said and chuckled at the looks my brothers returned. “What?”

“Just because you and the others found women, don’t go trying to attach a ball and chain to us.” I snorted at Flirt’s words.

“Don’t you mean, placing the ball and chain on your woman.” Flirt’s brow lifted, and I knew he probably thought to punch me, but me holding Poppy stopped him.

“Or we could always knock a woman up like you guys have. Well, except Crusher.” I flipped Coast off, and he laughed.

“Not for Crusher’s lack of trying,” Flirt added. “Though it will be amusing to watch him try to talk Carly into quitting work. ‘Cause you know he isn’t going to want her on duty with the shit the sheriff’s department deals with.”

“True, especially after the crap with River’s ex. Will got cleared from the mess pretty fast. However, Crusher was none too happy about Carly being involved. Her job or not,” Coast added.

Before I could respond, the sounds of bikes had us turning. Poppy raised her head, and I patted her back. Instead of being frightened as the noise grew from the bikes as our dads came around the side of the clubhouse, she watched and started to jabber.

“Look at you, girly, you’re not scared of no bikes,” Coast commented, and Poppy looked at him and blew a spit bubble, which made us chuckle.

“Why would she. She’s got my blood in her veins,” I said as the dads pulled to a stop.

As they shut the bikes off, a truck came around the side of the building and stopped behind them with its bed loaded, one with various size boxes. I grinned when the doors opened, and Thelma and Claire jumped out. Then for further amusement, I glanced at Coast and Flirt after the two women walked toward Cruz and Romeo and each man threw an arm over the women’s shoulders.

“What the hell is going on around here?” Coast mumbled, and I smiled wider.

“Seems obvious to me. Your dads have beat you at finding women.” I laughed when both men’s head jerked in my direction. “Hey, just calling it like I see it.”

“Damn, glad Tank and Bull are working today.”

“You think they won’t approve, Coast? Who knows, maybe they already know about them,” I said, and held tighter to Poppy who was squirming and reaching for my dad as he headed for us.

“As protective as they are of their mom, you seriously believe they wouldn’t have already said shit?” Flirt chimed in. “After Claire and my dad told Bailey, he told me she approved. Told them she already suspected they were involved, and she was thrilled. Next day, I was coming out of my house when she was headed to work. Woman cornered me and said she’d turn Romeo and me both into eunuchs if he hurt her mom.” Coast and I laughed.

“What are you boys laughing about?” my dad asked as he reached and held his arms out to Poppy. I loosened my hold on her, and she dove into her grandpa’s arms. I smiled as I watched him adjust her in his arms, then kiss her cheek. “Has my angel been a good girl?” Poppy babbled as if answering his question. He chuckled, then looked between me, Coast, and Flirt. “Well?”

“Nothing, we were enjoying something Flirt said,” I answered. By the look my dad gave me, he knew I was dodging. The other dads and the two women joined us.

“What have you bunch been up to?” Flirt asked.

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