Juliette spun to face them.
Joey nodded as her eyes watered. She held a hand to her mouth, completely stunned by just how beautiful Juliette looked. This was the face of true happiness.
“Mom?” Juliette lifted the layered material gently.
“You look absolutely breathtaking!” Irene grabbed Juliette’s hand. “This is the one, baby.”
“I think so too.” Juliette beamed.
Joey couldn’t help but be swept into the joy. Mission accomplished.
* * * * *
“Hey man, what do you know about the Crazy Eights?” Moose asked while nursing a beer at the bar beside Shooter.
“Depends, what do you want to know?” Shooter shrugged.
“What’s our agreement with them exactly?”
“Pretty much, they have the outskirts and the next town as their territory. We make nice, and everyone continues their lives. What’s going on?”
“An Eight hit on Joey last night.”
Shooter snickered. “She’s a good-looking girl.”
“Yeah, but he was persistent. He wouldn’t leave her alone until she told him her name.”
Shooter frowned. “Did she tell him she was Mayhem property?”
“No.” Moose shook his head. “Just told him he flew the wrong flags.”
Shooter laughed. “I’d like to have seen that. She knows a lot for someone from suburbia.”
“I know. I’ve been meaning to ask her about it, but—she has a way of distracting me.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Shooter mumbled.
“Ey, don’t act like you aren’t getting hitched in a few months.”
“Never said I wasn’t.” Shooter grinned.
Moose rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist. “Kachee,” he said, mimicking the sound of a whip flying through the air.
Shooter shook his head. “But back to Joey, sounded like the guy was just barking up the wrong tree. She didn’t tell him you were Mayhem, so maybe he didn’t give a fuck. Did he scare her?”
“It was more than me not liking it. I wondered if maybe they were in league with Peter’s crew.”
Shooter tensed. “Did he say something that made you think that?”
“No, I would’ve told you immediately. But I think we’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop in that situation,” Moose said.
“Yeah, we’re all thinking it. If we let it make us crazy though, they’ll win,” Shooter said.
“I hear what you’re saying and it sounds good in theory. But let me ask you this, you willing to bet your old lady’s life on it?” Moose asked.
“I didn’t say we shouldn’t look into it,” Shooter said.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Does the name Snubs mean anything to you?”