Page 75 of Atlas

“You’re an adult, I can’t tell you who you can and can’t love, when Bullet and I have found so much happiness together,” Lynette says, going googly eyed for Bullet. “We know that with anything, there’s always danger and some risk. It’s more than worth it. Just like when you came to me and said you didn’t want to go to college, you wanted to run your own store, and you weresurprised that I told you to go for it, this is me telling you to do what feels right. Both of you.”

I know my parents and siblings will be overjoyed when I tell them that we’re dating, but I was genuinely worried about what Bullet and Lynette would say. It’s not that I didn’t trust them, but love can cause people to react in funny ways. I would have taken a beating and then some, more than gladly, if it meant that I could be with Willa in the end.

“We’re excited to grow together.” Lynette clenches Bullet’s hand hard. “And we’re beyond thrilled to see how love transforms you both.”

“Me too!” Willa throws herself at Lynette, hugging her again, and then, she gives Bullet a quick hug. “Thank you for coming. I know it’s rude to just dash out of here and you’re worried, but I need to get Atlas and Agatha over to the clinic. I want Archer to check them both out.”

Bullet just now notices the burn on my neck. His mouth settles into a hard line, and he nods, giving Willa the go ahead to drive, even though I thought he’d make a big fuss over it.

There’s been plenty of surprises today.

I’m sure there will be plenty more before this is all over.

Willa wants to take care of me. It’s about time that I stop protesting and just let her. I can’t expect to take care of her and not let her do anything for me in return. If going to Archer will put her mind at ease, then I’ll gladly do it.

Besides, if I don’t go, I know there’s no moving Agatha.

She’s looking at me now, giving me a good dose of hairy side eye, waiting to see if she should kick up a fuss about this Archer person she’s never met.

“I think that’s for the best. Besides…” I wink at Agatha, ready to sweeten the deal. “If you’re okay with letting him make sure you’re all good, I’m sure I can wrangle someone up to take you for a ride we promised you a while back. You might not be in the mood right now, but sometimes a ride is just the thing to clear your head and make everything look better. Once my parents know that we’re back in town, they’ll want to have us over for dinner, so a homecooked meal that you don’t have to make yourself is also on the table.”

“Ooh, Willa, you’ve got yourself a smooth-talker.” Agatha cackles, which makes Bullet roar with laughter because it’s such a wild sound. “He’s a man who knows his way to the heart of a woman. How could I turn down home cooking and good company?”

“You can’t.” Willa gives me such a look of pure, unfiltered adoration that I swear my heart leaps out of my chest. “You can’t resist falling in love with him. I certainly couldn’t.”

“Well then.” Agatha slaps a toothy grin into place and starts steering Willa over to the truck. “We had best get togging then. In no time at all, I’m going to be powerful hungry, and we’ve still got a long drive ahead of us. We have a lot to get done before dark so I can get my ride in.”

“Don’t worry,” I tell her as I help her up onto the running board and into truck’s back seat. “Riding at night is the most fun there is.”

Willa pokes me in the ribs. “I can’t wait to give that a try myself.”

I know I should have more control, but I just can’t help myself. I close Agatha’s door, sweep Willa up and kiss her long and hard, right there where everyone can see. They can watch all they like. I have nothing to hide. Willa never did. She’s always given me all of herself. It’s obvious in the way she kisses me back with enough passion to fuel another sun for the foreseeable future, that she doesn’t mind people watching us declare our love.

She doesn’t mind it at all.

Epilogue

Willa

One Year Later

“This is incredible!” I throw my arms out to the side, balancing my chest against Atlas’ back. The bike isn’t huge, and he takes up most of the room, pressing me between the back seat rest and his huge body. I like the small space just fine. The closer I can get to Atlas, the better.

He wasn’t lying about the rides at night thing.

We’ve taken the bike he spent the past few months fixing up on a few rides during the day, but this is our maiden voyage in the dark.

It’s a totally different experience than it is riding under the sun and open skies. The black night seems to come at us from all angles. I can feel the road vibrating beneath us, but it rushes along the sides and over us, creating the sensation of being flipped around. We could almost be riding in the sky.

Until headlights sweep against the purple night, piercing through it from the opposite side of the road.

I’m not sure if Atlas heard me or not over the bike’s roaring engine. I tuck my hands back into place on his rock hard abs, squeezing him tight, hoping that some of my exhilaration will flow into him.

These rides were almost a year in coming, but the best part of restoring this old bike isn’t that it’s something rare or worth a lot of money, but that we did it together. It wasn’t a flip project,it was a labor of love. I learned so much about myself piecing this old thing back together, as well as about mechanics, and a whole lot about Atlas and some of the other guys at the garage as well.

It’s different being an official old lady. The club always treated me well, but now they see me as family. I was friends with the other old ladies long before Atlas claimed me as his, but now I’m officially part of that club in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Atlas turns the bike around after ten minutes or so. We’re heading to Patterson’s, but I wanted a ride before we even got there.

---