Silas moved his hand from hers to lift one of his legs onto the porch. “The way he has nightmares, what happened to him left a mark. Your perfect rose has been trampled so badly that it’s afraid to open its petals, afraid for fear of being crushed again. Have you heard of the Rose of Jericho?”
“No. But, to be fair, botany was my least favorite subject.”
“Pa taught us about them. They’re called resurrection plants. Starved for water and care, they wither away until water brings them back to life. Reaper has strong roots, but they’ve grown so strong and deep just to survive that it’s going to take extra love and care to bring him back to his full beauty.”
“He’s beautiful to me the way he is now.”
“He doesn’t feel that way about himself.” Silas cupped his hand over his knee.
“What can I do?” she whispered, seeing Gavin was finished cleaning her car. He had volunteered to clean and wash it for her and, in return, she had offered to make him a homemade pizza and peach pie.
“All you can do is keep pouring your love on him and keep your heart open so he can walk in when he’s ready.”
“I can do that.” Jumping up, she looked down at her brother. “Thank you. I needed a pep talk.”
“You’re welcome.”
Re-energized by Silas advice after a sleepless night wondering where Gavin had gone or if he would be coming back, she went to work making dinner. Humming, she started making the dough. That accomplished, as it was rising in a warm bowl by the stove, she started making the pie.
Once everything was done, they sat down to dinner. Ginny ate her pizza, listening to Silas and Gavin discuss gas and electric motorcycles.
“Would any of the Last Riders consider buying one?” Silas asked.
“Rider has a Zero SR/S. He uses it regularly, but he likes to collect different cars and motorcycles. Most of the brothers who have the kind of money to buy an electric motorcycle would just go ahead and buy their dream one.”
“I don’t see many of The Last Riders or the Predators riding them. Most of them would just buy one of Stud’s.”
“You know Stud designs motorcycles?”
Ginny choked on a bite of pizza at her slip. Stud didn’t advertise that he designed and made motorcycles.
Thinking quickly, she took a drink of water to buy herself more time. “Rider has one.” Hoping she was telling the truth, Ginny excused herself to go to the kitchen for the pie.
When she came back, Silas and Gavin had switched topics and were talking about movies. Slicing the pieces, she gave a generous serving to Gavin and gave Silas and herself smaller portions. She wanted to go through the floor when Gavin noticed the size different. She had been thrown off-kilter by discussing Stud.
“I’m not that hungry.” Gavin started to slide his dessert to Silas.
“Ginny knows I’m on a diet. I was complaining to her while you were cleaning out the car. I’ve gained five pounds since she’s been here.”
Satisfied at Silas’s explanation, Gavin started eating his pie.
“What are we going to do after dinner?” Ginny asked, spooning a piece into her mouth. With Gavin being out all night, she expected him to say he was going to bed early.
“Do you have a deck of cards?” Gavin asked. “We could play poker.”
Silas gave him an innocent smile. “I guess we might have an old deck in one of the drawers.” Cutting himself another piece of pie, Silas pushed the pie plate toward Gavin. “Been so long since we’ve played. The kids lost all the chips. I have a few fivers on me if you’re game?”
Ginny wiggled her eyebrows at Gavin, trying to send him a silent message. It failed.
Gavin pulled out his wallet and spread his money beside his plate. “I have a few myself.”
“Ginny, get my wallet from the drawer by the front door.” Giving Gavin a self-effacing look, Silas scraped the last bite of pie onto his spoon.
Ginny hid her smile behind her napkin.
“You want to deal, or do you want me to?” Gavin asked.
“You. The arthritis in my hands makes it hard.”
Ginny lowered her napkin, wiggling her eyebrows again. The result was just as ineffective as before.
Gavin skillfully shuffled the deck. Recognizing his card mastery display, she realized he’d seen her caterpillar eyebrow and was trying to reassure her he knew what he was doing. “You playing, Ginny?”
“No, I’ll do the dishes. You two are on your own.” Ginny raised her hands in the air in surrender. She had warned him; her conscience was clear.
“You ready?” Gavin paused with his fingers poised over the cards.
“As long as you remember this is just a friendly game. I don’t plan on losing my last pay check.”
“Just as long as you remember the same.”
Ginny rolled her eyes as she stood to gather the dishes. The two men were unaware that they were staring at each other like greedy sharks, seeing their willing victims over their cards.