Page 50 of Pining for Pierce

Brady leans over again, tipping his head. “Is that you, Harley?”

“Yes,” she says, raising her voice a little.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

I can still feel her shaking, and I whisper, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she says, forgetting to lower her voice, and Brady frowns.

“She was talking to me,” I say, and he nods his head, chuckling.

“The paramedics are on their way.”

“Paramedics?” I say, shaking my head at him.

“Yeah. Paramedics. Even if you think you’re fine, you’re both going to the hospital to get checked over.”

“I’m pretty sure there are no broken bones, Brady.”

“I don’t care.” He twists around. “The skid marks from your bike start around fifty to seventy yards over there, and the bike itself is buried in the trees back here.” He points in the opposite direction, and I raise my head slightly, although I can’t see anything. I’m not sure I want to, either. “No-one comes off of their bike like that in my town without paying a visit to the hospital. Okay?”

“Okay.” I know when I’m beaten, and Brady stands, calling to his deputy, Chip.

“Go check on Pierce’s bike, will you? Make sure it’s safe.”

Chip strides off, and although I try to watch him, my neck hurts, and I turn my head back around, keeping it still, my eyes fixed on the two men standing above us.

“Did you see everything that happened, Gabe?” Brady asks.

“Yeah. I was following a little way behind, but I’d come around that bend back there before the truck pulled out. I had a clear view of everything.”

“Then how did the truck end up over there?”

“I don’t know, but I’ve been to check on the driver and he stinks of liquor. I’m pretty sure I saw a bottle of something in the footwell, but it was too dark to see what it was.”

“My men will find it,” Brady says, sounding gruff, before he crouches down beside us again.

“Still okay?” he asks.

“So far. We’re pretty cold.”

“I know, but it won’t be long now. I’ll call your parents and let them know what’s happened.”

“Harley’s mom and dad are on vacation in Europe,” I say and he shrugs his shoulders, like he can’t see a problem with that.

“Please don’t call them,” she says, loud enough for him to hear. “If you do, they’ll only feel they have to come back, and they really don’t.”

“Okay, but what about your dad, Pierce?”

“I’d rather you didn’t tell him. His opinion of my bike is lower than yours.” Brady smiles, shaking his head. “If you call my dad and tell him I’ve had an accident, he’ll give me another lecture, and I don’t need that.”

“Fine. I won’t call, but I suggest you tell him. And you should tell your parents when they get back, Harley. You know what this town is like for gossip.”

He’s not wrong. But that’s a problem for another day.

Chip appears by his side, looking down at me with a sorrowful expression on his face. “Your bike doesn’t look too good,” he says.

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