Page 26 of Wreckage of My Life
“Cowboys?”
“Yeah, isn’t that what they have in Texas?” She says it like it’s a no brainer. “That’s what they’re known for,” Emily continues. “So, it’s only expected that when you go there, you find one to ride you hard.”
She says it so casually, and because it’s so unusual for her to make any sex related jokes, I am momentarily thrown off. I don’t know what to say. Especially since I got ridden so hard, it was a wonder I was able to walk out of the airport when she picked me up. Thank goodness I put on jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt for the flight home. Also, the light scarf around my neck helps to hide all the ways Dylan marked my body all night last night.
“Uh, no,” I chuckle nervously, worried that she can read my mind. “No cowboys.”
“Very disappointing, I have to say.” I let out a sigh of relief when she gets distracted by a trucker who wants to get in our lane and she won’t let him. She’s always so nice and mellow, I don’t know what to do with this more aggressive version of her.
“Go then, you asshole!” She finally gives in, yelling at the trucker through the windshield of her car, fully aware that he can’t hear her.
Ten minutes later, she is pulling in front of my house. This was a fun hour and a half ride from the airport.
“Thank you so much, Emily,” I give her a quick hug when she gets out of the car to help me get my suitcase out. I pull the gift I got her out of the side pocket. “I got you something. It’s nothing big,” I add when she is about to protest.
“Ha, it’s got a cowboy on it,” she grins at me when she pulls the t-shirt out. “I love it, Becca. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Thank you for the ride. And for making sure Colton was okay by himself this week,” I add.
“He did really well, you should be proud.”
The compliment brings a tear to my eye. I am so proud of my brother.
“So how about we go out and have dinner together sometime this weekend? I got it off for the first time in months, and I know you’re not going back until Monday,” she makes sure to tell me that she knows my work schedule so I can’t use it as an excuse to get out of some girl time with her.
We both work at the big hospital down in Red Lodge, and we try to sign up for the same shifts so that we can carpool. The drive there is not very long, but the hours we work are longer as we both graduated from nursing school only a year and a half ago. This fall we’re starting classes for the RN program the hospital pays for. It’ll give us the opportunity to gain some seniority, and also make more money. Score on both accounts.
“Sure thing,” I now tell her. “Looking forward to it. I need a full report on all the hospital gossip I missed this week.”
“You got it,” Emily assures me as she opens the door to get back in her car. “And I need a full report on all those hickeys you’re trying to hide.”
With that, she starts the car and gets on her way, leaving me frozen on the sidewalk in front of my house.
12
Wrecker
This whole Wisconsinbusiness is fishy as fuck, I decide as I am packing a small bag to take with me on this run that’snota run.
I reminded my father the other day that one of the club bylaws specifically states that we are never to go on solo runs. I insisted on it because I have a bad feeling about it. I trust my gut, and it currently tells me that I might die on this particular trip.
“Can I come in?” My mother’s voice calls from the doorway. My door is open, so she could come in regardless, but I indulge her.
“Sure.”
She walks in and closes the door behind her, resting her back on it for a second, like she’s trying to gather the courage to tell me what she needs to.
“Please don’t detour to Wisconsin. I have a bad feeling about it,” she whispers. The tears in her eyes almost get to me. Not to mention, the fact that she’s having the same gut feeling I’m experiencing.
“What do you know?” I sit in my desk chair and take her in, then change my mind and stand back up. She knows more that she tells me. Like she’s trying to send me a message in code.
“Not as much as you think,” she continues whispering. “You can’t trust anything the Vipers say. Their word means nothing, Dylan.”
She grabs my hand and begs me to listen to her. This is the one time her calling me by my given name doesn’t bother me. I give in and pull her into a hug.
“I’ll be fine,” I whisper into her ear, convinced now that my room’s been bugged. “Don’t talk to anyone about this, okay?” She nods in agreement. “I’ll go see Wyatt, then come home with the boy.” I still find it funny to call him my son.
“Don’t get hurt,” she wraps her arms around my waist. “I couldn’t bare losing you, too. I love you, Dylan.”
