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having the opportunity to properly gush over how incredible my connection with Isaac

was. I even told them about how he interrupted my reunion with Travis as if I were living

in a romantic comedy, earning a genuine swoon from each of them.

However, Ellen¡¯s warnings against motorcycle clubs still hung in my head. Everything

seemed to be telling me to turn away. Not only was my father concerned, so were my

coworkers, if they knew the full truth,

When my phone chimed with a message from Isaac telling me to meet him at a

playground, my worries disappeared and were replaced with giddiness. I couldn¡¯t wait to

see Isaac again.

Chapter Fifteen

Wrench

It felt like I hadn¡¯t seen Samantha in years when it had only been a few days.

Stupid little things kept reminding me of her. Things like the way Tank would look at

Evelyn. He looked at her with so much respect and loyalty. I never would have noticed it

before, but after meeting Samantha, I couldn¡¯t stop seeing it.

On Monday we had a long night after we heard about a robbery at a convenience store.

Worried it was related to the Freeways, we inspected it only to find it was just some pesky

underage teenagers with toy guns trying to get beer and cigarettes. Afterward, long after

all the cooks left, Evelyn volunteered to feed us supper. I had run upstairs to my attic for

a fresh pack of smokes and on my way back down I saw Tank snuck behind her and peck

her on the cheek.

¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it,¡± he said with his chin resting on her shoulder.

She giggled lightly. ¡°Do what? Cook some hot dogs? Well, the instructions are on the

back¡­¡±

¡°No, I mean put up with us all. Put up with me,¡± he said. ¡°Every day you still amaze

me.¡±

Before Samantha, I would have interrupted them, immaturely mocking them, telling

them to get a room. But instead, I turned back around and let them continue their

moment together. I never realized how different it was, doing this work when there was

someone you cared about always on the line. Every quiet, shared moment counted. They

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