Page 2 of Talon
She shot him a frown.“Yeah, but what makes you say so?”
“If you were from here you would know everyone.If not their names, then you’d likely recognize a face.”
He watched her out of the corner of his eye, but didn’t want to make her uncomfortable by staring.Especially since she was nice enough to not just give him a ride to the part store, but back to his bike.He didn’t want to alienate her to the point he had to walk the four miles back to his bike.He could but he didn’t want to if he could get out if it by not being a creep.
“You’re right.I’ve only been here a couple of months and I’m starting to learn faces and names even that quickly.If I’d grown up here, I would likely know everyone.What brings you through Newcastle, if you don’t mind my asking.”
“I don’t mind.Nothing really.I was out for a ride.Needed to do some thinking and I find that time with me, my bike and the highway helps with that.What about you?What brought you to Newcastle?You have family here?”He couldn’t think of anything else that might bring someone to a town this small.
“Work.I was looking for a job, and found one.I’m from South Dakota and was driving for a while but moved a few weeks ago, so now I only have a commute of a few minutes instead of the hour each way I was doing.”
“That’s good.I take it you like it here?Is it much different than where you are from in South Dakota?”
“Yes and no.”She pulled into the parking lot in front of NAPA and put the pickup in park.“I’ll wait out here for you.I’ve spent enough time on my feet for a little bit.”
“No problem and thanks again for the lift.This shouldn’t take long,” Talon said as he climbed down.
Inside, he found they didn’t have the exact part he needed in stock, but they did have tubing the right size that he could make due.After having them cut a length a bit longer than he knew he needed, he paid and went back out to where Madison was sitting in the driver’s seat, her head tilted back and her eyes closed.Not wanting to startle her by just opening the door, he tapped on the hood to let her know he was coming.She picked up her head, spotted him and smiled.
“You find what you need?”she asked as he opened the door.
“Not exactly, but I can make this work, at least until I can get back to the ranch and get the right hose.”He lifted his purchase then laid it across his lap as he buckled his seat belt.He hated the thing, but put it on anyway because she wore hers.
“Okay, so where’s your bike?”
“On 85, a couple of miles south of your store.If you’ll head out that way, I’ll let you know when we get close.And thanks again for the ride.It means I didn’t have to call for a rescue.”
“It’s no problem.Waiting for that rescue would take what an hour?”Madison asked as she backed out of the parking space and turned back toward the road.
“At least, maybe two or more, depending on what’s going on and how busy people are.And on top of that I’d never hear the end of it.My buddies would bring it up every chance they got.”
She shot him a frown, but didn’t say anything as she watched traffic and maneuvered the truck onto the highway heading back the way they’d come.
2
Madisonglancedacrossthetruck at the man in her passenger seat.She didn’t know why she’d volunteered to take him to the parts store, much less back to his bike, but she had.Something about him called to her.She didn’t think it was his easy grin or what seemed to be effortless flirting.It wasn’t the leather vest he wore that had a patch on the back that read prospect.She hadn’t even noticed it until after she’d made the offer, and he was walking away to wait for her.But she’d seen enough of them to know it meant he was in a motorcycle club, or at least trying to join one.Being from South Dakota, it was nearly impossibly not to encounter them around the big rally farther north every summer.
Now, she tried to keep her attention on the road, but at the same time she wanted to know what it was that drew her to him.Why was she doing something she knew better than?
Her father had taught her what he felt she needed to know.He’d taught her to take care of herself, to defend herself and those less fortunate.He’d taught her how to take care of her truck and not to trust everyone who seemed like they were trying to help.He hadn’t taught her how to get by without him.He hadn’t told her what to do when someone she thought she could trust turned out to only be out for themselves.And now that he was gone, she had to figure it out on her own.
She was managing, but it was harder than she’d imagined it would be.Madison glanced across the cab once more, trying to see what it was about this guy that made her trust him.She knew better than to get in a car with a stranger, even if it was her own car and she had weapons within easy reach to defend herself should he become a problem.
“What’s up?”he asked.
“What do you mean?”
She glanced over at him again and found him watching her, one corner of his mouth tilted upward as if he was intrigued, but didn’t know what to make of her.
“You keep looking over here, and I’m trying to figure out if you think I’m going to wait until you’re not looking then murder you or something.”
She pulled up to a stop sign and stopped, then turned and looked at him with her mouth hanging open, not sure what to say.
She watched him for a moment, but realized there was someone behind them before she figured out what to say.Really?Who said something like that, especially to a woman and one they barely knew?
She shook her head.“I just have a hard time believing you just said that.To me, to a stranger, who’s helping you.”
He winced.“Yeah, that was pretty stupid.”He took a deep breath and held it a moment before letting it out in a rush.“I’m sorry.My name’s Talon.I live on a ranch a little south of Gillette.There.I’m not a total stranger anymore, Madison.”
