“You do that often?”
“Hike?” She shook her head. “No. I tried to think of things I could do in town to make the long drive worth it.”
“Yeah, reunion wasn’t it.”
“No,” she murmured. “It wasn’t.” But meeting you was, whispered through her head. She kept that to herself and asked, “You’ll have to tell me more about this club run, but first… Do they still make loaded fries here?”
“Yeah.”
She smiled, not hiding it from him.
He returned the smile, making her melt. “Really fuckin’ good Angus burgers, too.”
She sat back. “Well, then, I don’t even need to look at the menu. I know what I’m getting.”
He stared at her for a few moments before saying, “Like a woman who ain’t afraid to eat a greasy burger and loaded fries.”
“I burned a lot of calories today.” She hoped to burn a lot of calories tonight, too, by hiking up his body. But she also kept that to herself.
She was glad she did because Gidget the waitress came out of nowhere, making her jump.
The server flirted with Ozzy as she took their order and then disappeared. Once Shay was done watching her walk back into the main diner, she returned her gaze to the man across from her. “She likes you.”
For whatever reason, he ignored that. “Got good news.”
“What? Did you get a chance to talk to Dutch? Did he know my father?”
“No. Didn’t remember his name.”
She tried her best to hide her disappointment.
“Got you a meet with my prez.”
“Your prez?”
“Blood Fury president. About the website thing.”
She shook her head confused.
“You wanted me to give your card to the motel’s owner. I did. Club owns the motel.”
“An MC owns a business?” Was that typical? She couldn’t imagine it was, but she didn’t know much about motorcycle clubs.
“Yeah. A few businesses. Could be good for you.”
“Wait… Your president is interested in me building the websites for them?” Was she hearing him correctly? “For the motel and your other businesses, too?”
“Possibly. Gotta impress him first.”
“I can show him what I can do, show him examples of websites I’ve designed. This is great!”
Holy smokes, that was such good news. She was close to finishing up the current one she was working on and could use more on her schedule. The few small graphic design jobs she had currently wouldn’t pay her outrageously high Boston rent on her tiny apartment. She really should think about moving somewhere more affordable since she no longer had anything holding her in that area.
She moved there to be with Darren. Another mistake she made.
“But that means you gotta stay another night.”
“When does he want to meet me?”
“Tomorrow. Not sure what time yet. Thinkin’ later in the day, so you might need to stay two more nights.”
“I have nothing pressing waiting for me at home.” Absolutely nothing and nobody waiting for her at all. Except for a couple of already half-dead plants. “And I have my laptop with me to do some work until our meeting. This is wonderful!”
He stroked his bearded chin.
“Thank you.”
“Can thank me later.”
She sat back in her chair. “Wait. Is this some sort of pay to play deal?” Had this all been some sort of sexual set-up? Some sort of quid pro quo?
“Don’t gotta pay to play with me.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Know what you meant. Ain’t like that,” he assured her. “If Trip didn’t wanna meet you, I wouldn’t be able to force him into it. And you don’t owe me shit for that. Did it ‘cause it’s smart for the club. Also wanted to do this for you. Think of it as the other way ‘round. Payback for you lettin’ me spend time with you.”
“I never would’ve thought bikers could be so sweet,” she teased.
He snorted but his expression clearly said that he was far from sweet and not to underestimate him.
Message received.
He made the meeting happen because he wanted it to, not because he needed to.
“Is Trip your president?”
“Yeah.”
“Is that his road name or real name?”
“Far as I know, it’s his real one. Only name I ever heard him called since he was a kid.”
“You knew him as a kid?”
“His pop was the former president when I joined the Fury.”
“Maybe he knows my father?”
“Already asked him. Stella, his ol’ lady, too.”
“Oh, yes, you said last night her father owned Crazy Pete’s.”
“Yeah. She don’t remember him, either.”
“It’s sounding more and more like he didn’t have any connection to your club. Or,” her eyes dropped to his patch, “the Originals, I should say, right? Same name but different club?”
“Shit’s much better this time around.”
That comment made her wonder how bad the original club had been. Had they been into some violent and illegal activities? Was that why her father had warned her to stay away from them when she saw any of them?
She did remember town residents scattering when one would come riding into town. The town seemed to freeze in fear as soon as they heard the rumble of their motorcycles.