Page 41 of The Cold Ride

“What do you think so far?” I asked the moment we were seated in a booth. This place looked like it had come straight out of the 1950s with its long Formica countertop and all the booths. The air was thick with the scent of grease and fried food. I figured it was the perfect place for a nine-year-old.

Her elbows were propped on the table. Exuberance vibrated from her tiny form. “It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever done. Although, Mom promised to take me to the beach next year. So that might take the top spot away from this.”

“You know, when I’m not deployed overseas, I live about twenty-five minutes from the beach.”

Her eyes got big. “You do? Really?”

“Yep. In fact, I live very close to the beach where I met your mom.” The beach where this little girl was conceived.

“But you didn’t want to get married?” she asked, her face full of curiosity.

And I found myself sweating over her question. In the military, I knew exactly what I was doing. But here I was a babe in the woods. I internally debated how to answer her while studying the menu. It was a question I’d wondered if it would come up. And it did, right out of the gate.

Before I had a chance to respond, a waitress with big eighties hair and bright red lips appeared beside our booth. “Hi guys, welcome to the Maple Leaf Diner. I’m Darla, and I’ll be taking care of you today. Can I get you something to drink to get started?”

“I know what I want. Are you ready?” The menu was pretty basic. And I wasn’t really here for the food anyway. This was just an excuse to spend time with my kid.

Amelia nodded and asked, “Can I get a cheeseburger and fries? And is it okay if I get a chocolate shake?”

“Absolutely. Whatever you want.”

She smiled so big I knew I hit the fucking jackpot. Then she said to the waitress. “I’ll have a cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake with whipped cream and sprinkles.”

Darla wore a toothy grin and glanced my way. “All right, honey. And for you, sugar?”

Shifting in my seat, the woman was a good twenty years older but was staring with rabid interest. “I’ll have the same, but make my cheeseburger a double with all the toppings.”

“You got it. I’ll bring some waters out for you while your meal’s cooking and get those shakes out to you on the double.” With a wink, she took our menus and left us alone. That woman was a walking cliché. The only things that were missing were gum and a cigarette.

The moment we were alone, I asked, “What’s been your favorite part of the ride so far?”

“Oh my god, it’s so much fun. I feel like I’m on a carnival ride with the wind. But it’s so much better. I like the way the motorcycle moves and being even closer to nature. When I’m eighteen, I want to get a motorcycle and learn how to drive it. I know Mom won’t let me until then.”

“That’s because motorcycles can be dangerous. And they are something you have to respect and be careful with whether you’re riding in a sidecar or driving one. But if they’re still something you want to learn when you get older, I’ll teach you.” In fact, there was a lot I wanted to teach her.

Like how to defend herself, how to shoot a firearm, situational awareness, how to survive out in nature, and a plethora of other things I’d picked up in the military. The self-defense was a must. We’d start soon. One of the best things was running. She was already super fast, but we would start to work on her endurance. For the time being, I would play it off as helping her get better with soccer.

“Really? That’s awesome. I can’t wait.”

“I’ll teach you anything you want to know, Amelia. There’s a lot of things I want to teach you and show you how to do. Motorcycles can be one of them.”

“Why do you wear those?” She pointed at my dog tags that had slipped free of my shirt.

I grimaced. Because I didn’t know how Rory would want me to answer this question. Honesty was the best policy, but I also didn’t want to upset her with just how dangerous my job could be. I held them out for her to look at. “These are so if I get injured while I’m deployed overseas and am unconscious, the medics and doctors will know who I am.”

“Is your job really dangerous, Dad? Some of the kids at school were saying that soldiers die a lot.”

Fuck. I didn’t want her to worry about that, even though it was the reality of my profession. “It is dangerous, squirt. I’m a soldier, and it comes with risk involved. And there are lots of bad people in the world who try to hurt other people. My unit and I are sent in to try and help those people from being hurt and protect other Americans.” I did my best to soften what my job entailed. She didn’t need to know about the raids I’d been part of or the lives I’d taken. Or the fact that at any given moment, my number could be up. But it also reminded me that the moment I returned to base, I needed to change the heirs listed on my will and my life insurance policy. My parents will understand that I want everything to go to Amelia. “But I promise you, I will do everything in my power to come back to you. I’ve only got two years left before I retire. And I’m super careful. So I don’t want you to worry about me.”

But I could surmise from her furrowed brow she was concerned. “What are you going to do when you retire?”

“I was thinking of moving up here and living close to you. What would you think about that?”

“Really? You want to live by me?”

“Sweetheart, if I hadn’t made a promise to the government when I re-enlisted, I would already be making plans to move up here. But I did make them a promise, and I don’t give anyone my word unless I plan to follow through on that promise.”

“And if I asked you to promise me that you’ll move here in two years?”

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