Page 13 of Biker On The Hill
It’s why I state, “Get on the back of my bike tonight and we’ll have our first date.”
“A date?”Her voice comes out as a squeak and she clears her throat to add, “Did I pass your kids question?Is that why you’re turning tonight into a date?”
I shrug.“I’m thirty-six, and sure ain’t getting any younger either.Besides, being inside you felt fuckin’ amazing.The things I heard about you from my sister, spending time here in this house where you’ve been avoiding me also made me aware of what kind of person you are.Over time, I’ve met a lot of people and I can wholeheartedly say that most don’t have the kind of resilience, heart of gold, warm arms, and wide shoulders.”
A frown appears on her face, and I feel the need to explain.“People can love and have fun with others.Though, when shit hits the fan and life gets hard?That’s when you really get to know who is real, and who doesn’t have the guts to face consequences.For instance, Kevon, one of my club brothers, recently overcame leukemia.He had a girlfriend at the time and she couldn’t even bring him shit at the hospital because she was traumatized when he got sick.”
“What the hell?”Ryett snaps.“For real?”
I grimace at the reminder.“Oh, yeah.He dumped her when he got out of the hospital and she finally showed up by bringing his car.Couldn’t do it sooner because she took a holiday to Spain, needed it to deal with the stress of his cancer.”
Ryett shakes her head.“She had a trauma from him being in the hospital and needed a vacation to deal with the freaking stress?All while he was fighting for his life?Some people only think about themselves.”
“Definitely.Like Pat and Gracie’s son.Did you know they had a son?”
She gives me her eyes and gently shakes her head.“You’re talking about the couple who ran the bar.Gracie, who was killed by Pete.I now know the details of what happened.Such a tragedy.Gracie didn’t deserve to die like that, and Pete was a danger to everyone around him.I still can’t believe the sheriff picked his side.”
I nod, not wanting to waste any more words about the issue.She knows the details and I can tell how much all of this affects her.
“Gracie and Pat’s son told them three years ago that he was leaving them, and this state.You know why?”
“I’m almost afraid to ask,” Ryett mutters.
I tell her anyway, “The scumbag of a coward didn’t want to watch his parents grow old and die on him.So, he broke all contact and left the state.”
“Noooooo.”Her voice is filled with a combination of disbelief and disgust.
“Yeah.Quite the contradiction of you moving in with your friend, taking care of her till the very end.Everything about you intrigues me.Like I said, get on the back of my bike tonight and we’ll have our first date, see where life takes us.”
“Hopefully to the burger place you mentioned,” Ryett dryly replies.
A bark of laughter rips from me.“At the very least.”
“Okay,” she states with determination.
And for the second time in four days, she trusts me and accepts my proposition.
