LOLA, AKA THE ICE BITCH THAWS

Poppy enters the salon with her sisters close behind. They’re channeling high school mean girls. I sense they might start flinging insults.

Well, probably not Journey. She seems the least convincing in their “bitch brigade.” Also, Poppy has only one target, and she’s currently walking toward me.

“What do you plan to have done to be sufficiently groomed for the wedding?” she demands while glaring at me. “I don’t want you ruining the pictures.”

“I’m finished,” I say as the stylist removes my gown. “Got a trim and conditioning.”

“You need more done. Maybe a face scrub and something with your eyebrows.”

I smile at how she tries to make me insecure. “No.”

“You’re going to ruin the pictures!” Poppy cries. “No one is going to notice Val when you’re stinking up everything.”

“Are you here to get beautified for the wedding?” I ask, wearing a smirk. “I think a haircut might fix what’s ailing you.”

Poppy bounces back and gasps. Justice follows suit like they’re puppets on the same strings.

Journey glances at her sisters and shakes her head. “I’m not doing that,” she says and walks to Edith before checking on Betty and Oana.

“I got a haircut last week,” Poppy shares with great flair. “I’m perfectly perfect already. How dare you?”

“Why are you here, really? Is this your way of trying to make me like you? If so, couldn’t this have waited until the holidays when we’re forced to spend time together?”

Poppy gasps and looks horrified at Justice. At that moment, I realize these two blonde middle-aged women were not in fact the mean girls in school. They can’t handle the least bit of pushback.

However, I got into shit with girls at school all the time. Jealous hags bullied me for a few months in junior high until I started bullying them back. There was a dozen of them against me, but I still made their lives suck.

My nickname in high school was “Ice Bitch.” Nothing Poppy says will faze me because I know she’s a big softie deep down. No way does a tender-hearted guy like Val have a truly bitchy mom.

“I don’t like you,” Poppy growls.

“You don’t know me.”

“That’s true. You’ve invaded my family as a sketchy stranger. What I do know about you is all bad.”

“I’m basically a girl version of Val.”

“No,” Poppy hisses, unable to attack her own children. “There’s no way you’re perfect.”

“Perfect?” Tuesday snorts, winning a dark frown from her mom. “Sorry. Carry on.”

“You’re terrible,” Poppy tells me and squeals at the ceiling like a she-beast about to attack.

“Lola?” Clover asks, concerned we’re about to get into another brawl.

“It’s fine. She’s Val’s mom. She can’t hurt me without hurting him, and Poppy Mercer isn’t that kind of mom.”

Poppy’s blue eyes flare full of menace, but I get the distinct impression she wants to laugh. I suspect she’s caught sight of her reflection in the mirror behind me and knows she looks the funny kind of deranged.

“I love Val,” I tell Poppy who deflates in front of me. “He’s an absolutely exceptional person.”

“Exceptional?” Tuesday snorts again. “I mean, are we just making shit up now?”

“Stop stealing your brother’s limelight,” Poppy demands.

“He isn’t even here.”

We all pause to see if Val will appear to take control of the situation. When nothing happens, Poppy shrugs and eyes me.

“I want you to obey me.”

“I don’t obey my dad, and he runs a biker club.”

“Will you obey Val?”

Scoffing, I frown at her. “Of course not. He’s not my boss.”

“Well, you’re not his boss, either,” she hisses at me.

“I know. That’s why I don’t expect him to obey me.”

“My husband obeys me,” Poppy insists.

I notice Justice and Journey shaking their heads behind their sister.

Poppy turns quickly and points at their faces. “The mirror revealed your betrayals!”

“You’re so aggressive. Maybe you need more estrogen,” Justice says and sits down in an empty chair. “Or less estrogen. I don’t know which one makes women more likable.”

Poppy grunts at her sister’s attitude. I rest my hand on her shoulder, winning a narrowed gaze in my direction.

“I think you have the exact right amount of estrogen,” I say, and her gaze goes soft. “I’m also glad you care so much about Val. My mom hasn’t been all that enthusiastic about the wedding. Duke says she doesn’t take it seriously because it’s been arranged. But I worry she doesn’t care as much now since she has a new life.”

Poppy gasps. “She sounds awful. I already hate her,” she announces and hugs me to her. “I’ll be the good grandma who babysits and bakes cookies.”

“I knew you would break in less than five minutes,” Journey says while playing with Oana’s hair. “We drove all the way over here just for a tiny tantrum.”

Poppy shrugs and explains to her sisters, “I planned to be much worse, but Lola really is a girl version of Val. You know how I love my boy.”

I smile at her welcoming words. Val promised his mom would warm up to me. He claimed she once hated Alexis. I found that hard to believe. After all, as soon as she finishes smiling at me, Poppy walks over to check on Alexis. Tuesday joins them. Three peas in a pod.

Clover watches them, likely wondering where we’ll fit in this big happy family. I run my fingers through her damp, recently cut hair. She smiles up at me. We grew up with a tight-knit family. Our parents were great. Grandma Erin was always around, helping out and keeping an eye on us. We had the club guys. Basin Rock felt like home.

Once Kerrie left, I realized how easily everything could fall apart. Suddenly, our big support system felt like only Duke, Erin, Clover, and me. Could we trust anyone else if the shit hit the fan?

I believe with all my heart that Val would ride with us to hell. He doesn’t love half-ass. And if Val was in danger, his people would band together to help him.

That’s the kind of family I’m marrying into. After my time at the salon, I stop feeling as if I’m losing something by moving to the homestead. Instead, I’ve doubled my family size.