Page 2 of Ringo's Silence

“No worries.” I smile in her direction with a shrug of my shoulders.

I’m about to open my mouth to ask about the vest he was wearing with the odd wolf emblem on the back when we hear another very loud bike pulling in.

“Maybe your friend forgot something?” I ask, looking towards the windows.

“No. That would be my husband.”

Her answer surprises me as I watch yet another man walk in with the same kind of vest. My first thought when I see him is if they grow men around here on some mysterious tree.

Just like with Ringo, this new guy is tall, muscled, covered in tats and gorgeous as all hell.

“Hey babe, you ready to go?” He asks, walking up to the counter.

He finally notices me standing there and offers a smile.

“Blade, this is my newest employee, Kimmie. Kimmie, this is my husband, Blade.” Bella says, wiping her hands on a towel.

“Blade your real name?” I ask curiously.

“No. You can call him Chet if you want.” Bella giggles just as Blade growls under his breath.

“She won’t if she wants me to like her.” He says, raising his brows in my direction.

All of a sudden, I get an odd sensation of being watched and I look out towards my car where my son Remmy is sitting in the front seat.

“I’ll go finish up the floors in the kitchen.” I excuse myself, walking into the back.

It doesn’t take me long and I’m just pouring out the mop water when Bella comes into the back, shutting off lights as she goes.

“You did great today.” She says as we walk out together.

“I broke three plates.” I groan.

“It’s not that big a deal. My mom has broken way more than that while helping me out.” She laughs.

Her husband is already standing by his bike waiting for her when we lock the front door.

“See you in the morning?” She asks with a smile.

“Yes. Thank you. For this job I mean.”

“You bet.” She walks over, getting onto the bike. “Oh, don’t forget that I need your social security number for the employment forms.”

My heart rate accelerates at the thought. I’d be easy to track if I give her that number.

“I’ll bring it tomorrow.” I lie, hoping that I can come up with some excuse by then.

“Good night.” She says just as the bike starts up with a loud growl and I watch as they drive away.

Getting into the driver's seat of my own car, I look over at Remmy who is completely zoned into the game he’s currently playing.

“I’m sorry you’ve been out here so long, Remmy. Maybe tomorrow we can find out if there’s a park or something you can go to while I’m at work.”

“Really?” His eyes turn to me with a hopeful expression.

Times like now, I feel so bad that he’s not been able to have a real childhood. One where he is free to have friends for longer than a few months at a time and a real home where I could be the mother I have always wanted to be to him.

“Sure. We can ask Bella in the morning. Okay?” I smile, tapping down the urge to run my fingers through his hair. Something he says he’s getting too old for.

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