"No. It's beautiful. And the extra space is convenient when we all, ah, invade you."
"I enjoy the company," he told us, finishing with the coffee, but turning on the top stair to look at us. "This is a lot of extra space. When it is empty, you become acutely aware of that fact."
"Is that why you're always at the clubhouse?" Belle asked, surprising me. I mean, I knew she talked to some of the guys. But it usually only seemed like it was because they were teaching her something, and she was a surprisingly eager student. "It gets lonely here?" she clarified.
"Yes, something like that. Besides, I like the clubhouse."
"You have a shower with six different shower heads in it, and you like the clubhouse?" I asked.
To that, Teddy shrugged. "I grew up with this, so while I like to think I don't take it for granted, I am also accustomed to it. The clubhouse is more laid-back, less pretentious. I don't have to be this version," he went on, waving toward the penthouse, "of myself."
"How do you know the guys?" I asked, realizing I'd never asked the story. Which was ridiculous since it seemed like the most unlikely of friendships since the guys were all criminals and Teddy was some high-powered businessman.
"Back before they dealt arms, the guys boosted and chopped cars. They happened to boost the car I was blackout drunk in the back of."
"No way," I said, feeling my lips curve up at the image.
"Way," he said, nodding. "We've been friends ever since. "I could never get into the business side of things. But it has always been nice to be a hangaround like Eddie."
"Why hasn't Eddie joined the club?" I asked, looking over at him, finding him racing one of the kids with Hot Wheels cars across the couches.
"He's not legal yet," Teddy explained. "He's on a visa, but until he can get citizenship, he's worried about getting deported again."
"Oh, okay. That makes sense."
"How do you ladies take your coffee?" Teddy asked, reaching for some mugs. "I have all the flavor syrups, whipped cream, anything you could want."
He wasn't lying.
And neither had McCoy been.
It was like a vacation being at Teddy's.
Sass and Harmon had turned in early in Teddy's room that he'd set up with a ton of cots for the kids, making it like one big slumber party. Joss was in the other spare at Teddy's insistence while Belle and I had been pushed into the slightly nicer guest room with a bathroom that almost made me want to cry.
The bed was more than big enough for the two of us, but we were both too restless to actually try to get any sleep.
So Belle sat on the bed while I stared out the window.
"I heard about what you did back at the clubhouse," I said, not really expecting her to respond to me, but too overflowing with nervous energy to stay silent. "McCoy said you were pretty impressive."
"He seems sweet."
"McCoy?"
"Arty," she corrected. "He couldn't defend himself. It reminded me of myself a couple weeks ago."
"Oh, Belle..."
"But I'm stronger now."
"I noticed. Alaric said you're a really good shot. And he's like the best of the best, according to McCoy. I don't know why, though," I admitted. "He was a male stripper before."
"Just a hobby he's good at," Belle explained. "Like Che with cars."
"You like the guys, right?" I asked. "I know I haven't really asked you if it was okay that we stay at the clubhouse."
"There really wasn't much of a choice."
"That's true," I agreed.
"And yeah. I like all of them. They don't make me feel so weak."
"There's nothing weak about you, Belle."
"Not anymore," she agreed, making my belly twist. Because there was something very final about her tone, like the version of Belle that used to exist was gone for good.
"It's okay to be weak sometimes," I told her, but she completely ignored me. And with nowhere else to take that conversation, it fell away, fell into something I could say for sure had never existed between my sister and I before. Awkward silence.
When all this was finally over, I had to work on our relationship. The idea of that didn't sit right with me since our relationship and never required actual work before. We'd always just gotten each other and gotten along. But things had changed. And it was time for me to stop hoping the old Belle would come back, and learn how to relate to the new one instead.
Eventually, since she didn't have a significant other to fret about, Belle curled up against the wall and passed out. From the sounds of the house, the kids and their moms had fallen asleep too. I couldn't imagine being able to sleep when my man was out there doing something dangerous. Then again, I wasn't a mom with several little ones sucking all the energy out of me all day, either.