Happy Lowman has just moved to Charming to patch in with SAMCRO. He's a hard man with a well-deserved bad reputation, so he doesn't quite know what to do with the shy librarian he meets in town. There's something about her that fascinates him, but w...
Tig looked up from the car he was working on as Chibs stopped beside him and leaned a hip against the fender. "Ye heard from Lorelei?"
Tig shook his head. "Nope, not since the blow-up. I figured I'd give her another day or two of radio silence before I track her down."
Chibs nodded as he lit a cigarette. "Aye, ye should do that, sooner rather than later. This rift between you and Hap... I've never seen you two let a woman come between ye."
Tig shrugged as he lit his own cigarette. "That's on Hap, man. I'm not gonna stop being her friend just because he doesn't like it. She's my best friend."
Chibs tilted his head a little and studied his brother. "Is she?" He held up a hand when Tig started to speak. "Just listen for a minute, yeah?" When Tig nodded, he continued. "I think Hap thinks there's more there than that, brother. Maybe ye need to get that laid to rest. Might help."
Tig sighed before nodding. "Yeah, maybe. I've been thinking about it lately, too. I need to clear the air between me and Lei."
Chibs reached out and slapped him on the shoulder. "Aye, do it now. We're not that busy."
Tig wiped his hands on a shop rag before throwing it down and walking out, nodding to Chibs as he went. "Thanks, brother."
Tig walked into the library a few minutes later, smiling when he saw Hildie behind the counter, looking as happy as always. He nodded and chuckled when she saw him and started fluffing her blue hair.
"Well, hello handsome! It's been a while. Where's your friend? He hasn't been around either."
Tig shrugged as he leaned over the counter and kissed her on the cheek. "Hey, beautiful. Yeah, we've been busy. You know how that goes. Lei around?"
She nodded as she pointed to the back. "Yeah, she's doing some paperwork. Go on back."
Tig winked at her as he walked around the end of the counter and made his way to Lei's makeshift office. As he walked in, he saw her sitting behind her desk, head down over some paperwork, reading glasses perched on her nose and a pencil stuck in her bun. He shook his head as it amazed him once again that this petite woman was capable of what she was. He cleared his throat to get her attention, grinning when her head whipped up in surprise.
"Tig! What are you doing here?"
Tig shrugged. "Needed to talk to you and since you aren't answering your phone, I assumed this would be the way to go. You got somewhere private that we can talk?"
Lorelei nodded, concern on her face as she stood up. "Why, what happened? Is it Happy? Is he okay?"
Tig nodded as he followed her into a supply room and shut the door behind them. "Yeah, doll, he's fine. You wanna tell me why you're ignoring my calls and texts?"
Lorelei sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I just thought with how things were right now, that it was better if we stuck to a strictly business relationship."
Tig nodded as stepped a little closer. "Why didn't we ever hook up?"
Lorelei looked at him, confusion clear on her face as he stepped even closer. "Because we're just friends. Almost like a brother and sister. I don't understand where this is coming from, Alex."
Tig shrugged as he reached out and pushed her glasses up on her nose. "All that shit with Hap, some of the things he said... got me to thinking, that's all." He blew out a breath as he pulled her close. "I need to try this, just once." Before Lorelei could say anything, Tig laid his lips on hers and pulled her even closer to him. After a moment or two, he lifted his head and stared down at her. "Anything?"
Lorelei shook her head as she patted him on the chest. "No, nothing. You?"
Tig shook his head as he stepped back and chuckled. "Nope, nothing. I guess our first instincts were correct." He sighed and shook his head. "It's Hap, huh?"
Lorelei sighed. "Yeah, but I'll get over it I suppose. I just need some distance."
Tig tilted his head as he saw her eyes glisten with unshed tears. "You sure?"
Lorelei swiped at her eyes and shook her head. "Nope. I think it's always going to be Hap."
Tig grinned at her. "That's not a bad thing, babe. Do me a favor though. When he comes back begging, make it hard on him. He's got that coming."
Lorelei shook her head. "He's not coming back, Tig. He made himself clear."
Tig looked at her before shaking his head. "Nah, he was just pissed. Now, I think it's starting to dawn on him just what he did and it's eating at him. Won't be long now." He hooked a thumb toward the door. "I gotta go, but do me another favor. When I call, answer. You make big bro worry."
Lorelei grinned and nodded as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "I will. I do love you, you know that, right? Just not... "
Tig nodded, smirking as he rolled his eyes. "I know, doll. I love you too."
Tig strode into the clubhouse a few minutes later, taking a seat beside Happy at the bar and nodding his thanks to Half-Sack when he slid him a bottle of beer. "How long?"
Happy turned to look at him and Tig was struck with how exhausted the other man looked. "How long what, man?"
"How long are you going to do this? Because you aren't just punishing her, you're punishing yourself too, and that's just fucking stupid."
Happy shrugged as he took a sip of his beer. "I guess that depends on how many people are between me and Lori."
Tig shook his head as his fingers picked at the label of his beer. "Right now, the only person between the two of you is you." He slapped Happy on the shoulder before standing up. "We're good, you and I, but man, fix this shit between the two of you. You're giving me a fucking ulcer."
