The Grease Monkey || A Happy Lowman Love Story

21

The planning of Kip's funeral was a blur. Kozik stayed with Gemma and I for the few hours we were at the funeral home and for the time we spent grocery shopping for the dinner afterwards.

When we got back to the garage in the early afternoon, I headed directly to the garage and the old Panhead I'd bought last week off a customer of the garage. He'd been looking to get someone to work on his current bike and mentioned his father's old Panhead was for sale. I'd been looking for a new project and I bought this one off of him.

Kozik watched me silently from the doorway where he could keep an eye on me and what was going on on the lot. I connected my phone to the speakers and started to play some music.

"Really?" Kozik asked as he looked over towards me. "Blink-182?"

"Yeah, really," I responded as I started to look at the bike in front of me. I set to work tearing it apart. As I went I cleaned and organized every single nut and bolt so I wouldn't loose them.

After several hours of working on the bike, I took a break. A few of the guys had been in and out of the garage, mainly to check in with Kozik. He would just nod and say a few words under his breath before going back to watching me.

I didn't like the feeling of his eyes constantly being on me. I was definitely freaked out by the supervision but I knew it was for the best. Happy just wanted to keep me safe and if I'd let him do that from the start Kip wouldn't have been killed. That's something I'll have to live with forever. I promised myself that I would let Happy protect me from here on out.

"I'm gonna go grab a water from the clubhouse. Check in with Gemma. You following me across the lot?"

"Sure am grease monkey," he said.

"Let's go then surfer boy," I said, nodding to his bleach blonde hair that was spiked up.

He chuckled as we walked across the lot.

"The guys are in church so just be respectful," he said.

I nodded. "I know the rules. Why didn't Happy stop in and say hi?"

"Chibs is proxying his vote. Said he wasn't leaving anyone else to guard the bitch," Koz said.

"Wait, they found her?"

He shook his head. "Found an acquaintance who they think is helping her hide out. She obviously got back into cell service because the Prospect's phone pinged again off a Charming tower."

"Kip," I said. "His name was Kip."

"Right, sorry," he said as I grabbed myself a water. I just nodded and thanked him softly before heading back out to the garage. I needed to talk to Happy. He would give me answers most the other guys wouldn't because he knew me well enough to trust me.

I walked back over to my demolition project. My station was chaos even though I was organizing as I went. I started to clean it up and try to get everything in order.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

My heart froze as I looked up at Juan. Kozik was still standing in the doorway.

"No, thank you though," I said.

"Hey, I know you two were tight and the guys aren't always the best to talk too, but if you need anything at all," he said.

"Thanks Juan," I said. I hugged him tightly before wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Gemma wants you," he said softly as he held me. I nodded and pulled away. I surveyed my work space one last time before going to tell Kozik where I was headed.

I stopped in the kitchen to clean my hands and wipe my face off before I headed to find Gemma again.

When I walked back out to the bar she was standing in the doorway of the chapel holding a kutte and patched.

"Nicole, baby, can you sew?"

I nodded as I walked over to her.

She smiled softly as she handed me the stack of materials. "Kip's kutte and full patch. Guys just voted it. Traditionally old ladies do this but Kip never found one. Would you mind sewing his patches on?"

I smiled as a tear slid down my cheek. "I'd love to Gem."

I sat down on a couch with Kozik sitting opposite me and I started to work, occasionally having Kozik check the placement.