Page 1 of The Biker's Last Rodeo
Chapter One
Maci
Main Street smells like pine needles and burnt espresso, which is exactly the kind of small-town aesthetic I’d romanticize if I weren’t currently dodging death. Or at least, I think I am. It’s hard to tell when the guy chasing you looks like he stepped out of a Stetson ad.
I tuck my phone tighter between my shoulder and ear, dodging a golden retriever that clearly owns the sidewalk. “Kera, I’m telling you, he’s not just hot. He’s…dangerouslyhot. Like,‘I’ll ruin your life, and you’ll thank me’hot.”
Kera snorts on the other end. “Maci, you say that about every guy who wears leather and doesn’t smile. You have terrible taste in men. Plus, don’t you still have Nick chasing you?”
“Okay, that’s fair, but this one is different. And Nick… he’s… I don’t know what he is.”
“He’s your boyfriend.”
“Ex. He’s my ex-boyfriend.”
“But he’s still calling you every day, right?”
“And texting and showing up unannounced. Doesn’t mean we’re dating.”
“Right. Well, maybe harassment is his love language. You don’t know that. Plus, Nick was good for you. He had zero red flags, and all he wanted to do was work.”
“Exactly.”
Kera groans. “Exactly what, Maci? He wanted to work? He was stable? He didn’t come with a side of emotional wreckage?”
“I get what you’re saying,” I sigh. “Nick is safe, but he doesn’t make me whole, ya know? Every second of our lives was filled with tasks. He hides behind it, avoiding me. I mean, he’d go days chasing chore after chore and forget to kiss me more than a peck. Not to mention that I kind of think it’s weird that we were together a year, and he never wanted sex. I mean, I didn’t even have to worry about losing my virginity because he had no interest.”
“And this cowboy,” she says, voice marked with caution, “he has interest?”
“Pretty sure. I mean, he’s chasing me, remember?”
“Right. All this makes total sense.” Her tone is tinged with sarcasm, but I know she means it with love.
“Look, I’m sure I’m delulu. I mean, I’ve been following him for months, I’ve been prying into his life, and I’ve been annoyingly difficult. The truth is, he probably wants me sleeping with the fishes more than he wants me naked in his bed… but a girl can dream.”
I pass the bakery where the window taunts with cinnamon rolls and these giant bear claws people love around here. I wish I had time to stop for one. I could use a calorie-dense snack break from dodging sexy-hot cowboys hell-bent on keeping secrets.
My boots crunch against the gravelly edge of the curb, and I glance over my shoulder, not because I’m paranoid, but because I’ve learned to trust my gut, and my gut is currently doing cartwheels.
“Why is this dude so different?” Kera asks, her voice suddenly serious. “Because he’s chasing you? Nick is technically chasing you.”
I nod, more to myself than to her. “Nick chases me because I fit. Because I helped his story make sense. This guy… he chases me like Idon’t. That’s hot.”
“Dear Lord, please send help to my delusional friend. She knows not what she does.” Kera’s tone is playful and light, though I know she’s serious. She’s been worried about me ever since I took on this unhinged hitman story. A lot of people have. Apparently, it’s not normal to run headfirst into traffic.
Who knew?
I duck into the alley behind the bookstore. It smells like wet cardboard and over-sharpened pencils back here, and I half expect a stray cat to pop out of one of the trashcans pressed against the back of the building. “Delusion is a nice place to be. You should try it.”
“Can’t, too busy pursuing things like education, a good career, and a man with a proper job.” Her tone is tinged with sarcasm, which I love. Our banter has always been playful. It’s part of why I love our friendship so much. We don’t have to overthink every word. We just talk and don’t take anything too seriously.
“What good’s an education when you can be hunted down by a sexy hot biker in a cowboy hat?”
“Oh, dear God, there’s no help for you,” she quips playfully, but the levity disappears in a second when there’s a flicker of movement at the end of the alley.
My heart skips, and not in the romantic way. In thefight-or-flightway. I press my back to the brick wall and breathe shallowly. Maybe this chase thing was more fun in theory.
“Maci?” Kera’s voice is tinny now. “You still there?”
