Page 21 of Bedding the Biker Next Door

“Sounds great,” Cole said, thinking it honestly did. Too bad he couldn’t join them. “But I can’t go.”

“Why the hell not?” Smash asked, leaning into him “You got an old lady we don’t know about, pulling the strings? Is that why we ain’t seen you around here for so long?”

Cole thought about Jill, then instantly slammed the door shut on the image of her in his mind. He wasn’t even supposed to be thinking they would have more than that one night. Now someone mentions an old lady, and she’s the first one his mind goes to? “No, but I do have the new office to get set up in San Fran as soon as possible.”

Smash flapped his thumb and fingers together. “Yack, yack, yack. We all got jobs and shit to do, man. You can’t just work all the damned time.”

Suddenly, Cole remembered what Luke had said about having fun, taking time off, getting back to himself. He’d always wanted to travel more. His mother had encouraged him to do so while he was still young enough to enjoy it. Although he’d snuck in numerous adventures over the years, he’d never felt comfortable being gone for long, and he’d never done such a long trip on his bike. He had to admit, a road trip with the guys sounded better and better the more he thought about it. Maybe taking a break between selling his mom’s house and opening the business in San Fran might just be what he needed. Could clear his head. Get those images of Jill’s naked and writhing body out of his mind.

“You’re right, Smash. Tell you what, I’ll give it some serious thought and call you next week.”

“Fair enough,” the big biker said. “Now buy me a god-damned drink, will ya?”

He ordered up two more beers, and they shared them while the jukebox played two more songs. After a while, Smash asked, “So how are things going since you lost your ma?”

Cole finished off his second beer. He could laugh and joke with Smash all day, or talk about riding Harleys, but talking about something as serious as his mom and getting her things in order was a little different. He shook his head when the bartender asked if he wanted another beer. “Just water,” he said then turned back to Smash. “I’m doing okay most of the time. But other times…”

“Yeah, I’ll bet. It’s been a while since I lost mine, but I remember her like it was yesterday. I buried the old man a few years back too.”

“Your old man was a good guy.”

“Yes, he was. He was the shit!” Smash pounded the counter and chuckled. “Your mom, on the other hand…she was the real deal. One of those charming ladies like you see in the movies but never really meet in real life. The kind you hope to marry and have kids with. I remember she made a mean oatmeal cookie, too.”

Smash was the second person to bring up those cookies in as many days. His mom had loved baking all his friends, but particularly Smash and Viper. “They’re just like little kids,” she had said with a laugh. “Riding their bikes and eating cookies.”

“She made the best,” Smash said. “I miss her.”

“You and me both, buddy. You and me both.”

Cole continued to talk with Smash and drank enough water so that riding his bike wouldn’t be a problem. When it was time to go, he made the rounds, saying goodbye to his friends. They all mentioned the Ride Home again before he took off, and he promised at least five other bikers that he’d think about it.

Smash and a few other guys, including Smash, were leaving at the same time. “Hey, Cole,” Smash said. “You still have that old helmet you said I could have for my kid?”

A few years ago, Cole had found an old hot rod helmet at a garage sale. It was black and red with bright gold and copper flames, easily the coolest brain bucket he’d ever seen, so he bought it and hung it on a nail in his mother’s garage. It’d been there ever since. Smash’s kid collected vintage riding gear, so when he found out, Cole had offered it to him. He’d forgotten all about it. “Yep, it’s at my mother’s house. You guys want to just follow me over on your way home? I can grab it for you.”

Smash looked at the others, and they all shrugged and nodded in agreement. Outside the bar, the afternoon sun blazing down, they mounted their bikes and followed Cole single-file all the way back to Mom’s house. Cole was happy for the diversion. There was more packing in his immediate future, but at least he’d have his buddies to distract him for a while longer.

When he pulled up, he parked at the curb in front of Jill’s house. Jill and Stanley were doing sidewalk art again inside the house’s picket fence enclosure. Jill glanced up at him and the other bikers, then quickly looked away.

Guilt at how he’d hurt her last night once again swept through him. He paused on the sidewalk to talk to her.

Stanley immediately stood, a huge smile on his face. Cole couldn’t resist smiling back.

“Hi, mister,” Stanley said.

“Hey, kid. Whatcha making there?” Stanley had been drawing something on the driveway with a stick of blue chalk that looked like a cross between a bicycle and an alien baby.

“A motorcycle,” Stanley said, proud of his work.

“Cool. It looks like mine. Who’s that big guy standing next to it?” Next to the motorcycle Stanley had drawn a giant stick figure that might have been the alien baby’s father. He’d put circles around the upper arms to make them seem more muscular.

Stanley grinned. “It’s me.”

“You?” Cole laughed. “You need to eat a bit more spinach there, buddy.”

Stanley smiled sheepishly. “It’s me when I grow up.”

“Ah! Gotcha,” Cole said. He turned to Jill. “Hi.”

---