Page 3 of Joyride
“I could use a girls night,” I agree.
“Me too,” Elena replies. Thus the planning begins. I knew coming here would be a good choice.
2
Sketch
Buster and Cali’sbaby shower was a couple weeks ago. They announced they're having a boy. That kid is going to have the world’s best family surrounding him. Savage Menaces and Riders teaching him everything there is to know about cars, motorcycles, and fighting. May the gods help any kid that ever tries to pick on him. Poor Cali looked ready to pop, but she still has another month until her due date.
Now, I’m in New Orleans with Clutch, Diesel, and Kicks to do some club business. The plan is to recruit some guys for the Menaces and Riders. Gator told Buster there were some potential recruits for the Menaces. He also said that he and a few guys were interested in becoming Riders. We want to expand into other states, so this is perfect.
Tonight is our first night in New Orleans and the guys want to go out. Which is nothing new and I don’t usually mind going out, but a certain blonde hair, brown eyed girl has been clouding my mind. I’ve had feelings for Wren since I first saw her at A Novel Bunch, but I’ve kept my distance for two reasons. The first being that she has a boyfriend, and the second being she’s my best friend’s sister. Her being Shade's sister never stopped us from becoming friends, but our friendship has hit a rough patch. I'm not even sure what happened.
Shade has since figured out I have some kind of feelings for Wren, and he hasn’t seemed completely freaked out. To be fair, we haven't had a conversation about it either. As far as her boyfriend goes, he’s a prick that doesn’t deserve her. Not saying that I do deserve her, but I would treat her a hell of a lot better than he ever has. I don’t know the whole story with the two of them, but from what Wren has told me, I’ve been able to connect the dots. I can’t figure out why she stays with him.
“I don’t know what or who has you so twisted up, but we’re getting you drunk and laid tonight,” Diesel tells me. Maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Maybe fucking some random chick will help get Wren out of my head.
“Bring on the drinks,” I say. I'm ready to drink my sorrows away.
We walk into Saints and Sinners bar on Bourbon Street. Everything about the interior is red. Red walls, red chairs, everything. There are gorgeous women everywhere. It shouldn’t be hard to find someone to have fun with. We find a booth to sit at and a waitress, wearing red booty shorts and a skin-tight black tank top, comes by right away. As we’re ordering drinks, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and have a text from Shade.
From Shade: Call me ASAP.
“I gotta step outside and call Shade. It’s too loud in here,” I tell the guys. Diesel nods, letting me know he heard me. I walk outside and dial his number.
“Wren is gone,” Shade says, answering his phone.
“What the fuck do you mean gone?”
“We came home to Sienna’s apartment after spending a few days at the house with Buster and Cali, and a safe Sienna and Wren shared was open with everything gone,” Shade tells me.
“Could they have been robbed,” I ask.
“No, it was hidden pretty well. Sienna said it had cash, keys to a car, and a disposable phone in it. She said it was in case either of them was ever in trouble and needed to run. Plus, some of Wren’s clothes are gone,” Shade explains. Why the fuck would she run. Unless . . .
“Do you think something happened between her and Zack?”
“I don’t know. She left her phone here and Sienna doesn’t have the number to the disposable phone. There’s no way to get a hold of her,” he says. “And I have no clue where she would go.”
As he’s talking, a woman with a similar figure as Wren walking across the street catches my eye. Her hair is a lighter blonde than Wren’s, but when she turns her head, I get a glimpse of the side of her face. It can’t be.
“Shade, I gotta go. I’ll call you back,” I tell him and hang up. She’s with a girl that has lavender-purple hair, and they’re walking toward Willie’s Chicken Shack. I check for cars and jog across the street. I watch through the window as they sit at a table with a couple more girls. She sits in a chair that’s facing me but doesn’t look my way. Now that I see her face, I know for sure it’s her. The question is, what the hell is she doing in New Orleans?
I send Diesel a text telling him to come over here and bring Clutch and Kicks. Wren has three gorgeous friends with her so they won’t be disappointed. Five minutes go by, and they’re finally walking out of Saints and Sinners. I watch as Diesel scans the buildings on my side of the street looking for me. I know he sees me when he smacks Clutch in the chest, and they walk across the street.
“What the hell is so important you made us leave a club full of sexy as sin women?” Clutch glares at me.
“Shade called me. Told me Wren had packed some shit and left, leaving her phone at her apartment,” I explain to them. “While I was on the phone with him, I saw a girl who looked like her, so I followed her.”
“Fucking stalker. I knew you had a hard-on for her,” Kicks laughs out.
“Fuck off. Anyway, turns out it’s Wren. She’s inside the Chicken Shack with three other chicks. None of you assholes can tell Shade about this until I find out why the hell she’s here and not back in Texas with her boyfriend,” I warn them. They all nod their heads. “Also, when we go in, I want all of you to play it cool. Act like we don’t even know she’s here.”
We walk into the restaurant and I have to force myself not to look Wren’s way. We walk by her table and there’s an audible gasp. I grin at the sound. There’s a table open that’s in view of her table. I sit so I’m facing her, but I avoid looking at her.
3
Wren
