“Dallas, I don’t want to go. We don’t really have the money…” Ducky started. The squeak of Ducky’s chair, and the stomp following him made Dallas’s grin grow. Ducky always backed out of anything going-out related. He should let his brother celebrate however he saw fit, but not tonight.
“Go with us for dinner then you can come home if you want. We need to celebrate you, bro. You did this. Go shower first. I’m calling Donny.”
Ducky still hesitated. Dallas had to push his brother by the arm into their shared bathroom before going for his cell phone.
Chapter 5
No doubt with as badly as his body already hurt, Greer would seriously regret this workout in the morning. His legs ached as he padded across the room, running his fingers through his freshly dried hair. The blond strands were cut and styled in such a way they easily fell into place—good thing, because his biceps burned from the force he’d used to grip those handlebars.
Greer perused the clothing he’d laid across his mattress. They were designed to impress. The slacks and dress shirt he chose to wear tonight complimented his naturally tanned skin tone and were tailor-made to fit his body like a glove. He wasn’t entirely sure the quivering in his quads wouldn’t be seen under such a snug fit.
As he reached for a pair of underwear inside the dresser drawer, his cell phone rang again. He almost didn’t answer, maybe his silence would be enough to imply he and Skye should change their plans to another day. Since it actually hurt to lift his foot into the leg hole of the underwear, and that was technically her fault, he tossed the black briefs on the bed and went for the phone.
Skye’s name appeared on the screen, just as he’d expected. Greer answered after a swipe and a heavy sigh. “Your BikeBro tried to kill me.”
Her singsong laughter indicated she knew exactly what he was talking about. “I saw your truth tonight, Mr. Lockhart. You’re super competitive. You made the whole class more enjoyable. The battle was fierce and fun. Congratulations on the year’s membership.”
He instantly sensed the mockery in her sweet tone. How could he blame her?
“Donate my winnings to someone else,” he grumbled and looked at the time. He wasn’t in the mood to sit and make small talk tonight. He needed alcohol, popular music that he didn’t even know was popular, and maybe a tranquilizer. A horse tranquilizer to allow him to sleep until his muscles fully recovered. “I’m backing out tonight.”
“Good, because I’m calling to ask for a raincheck. We’re having an impromptu celebration. I know it’s late notice.”
Greer narrowed his eyes and stared unseeing across his bedroom. Something told him he and Skye were more alike than he realized. She most likely spent time with him for the same reasons he spent time with her: the sheer boredom of life.
Could that be the true meaning behind a choice to marry? Holy hell, he’d spent years contemplating why the people in his life married and divorced then married again. He gave a silent, humorless huff. Marriage had to be a response to boredom, not love at all. Something to spice up life for however long it lasted. Huh.
“Are you there?”
“I am. Call me later.” He dismissed his musings and fought a yawn. Now his brain hurt as badly as his body.
Technically, he could stay in tonight. He wasn’t the young buck he pretended to be.
Oh fuck no! He wasn’t having those recurring thoughts tonight.
His thirty-year-old old-man status had officially grabbed him by the balls and squeezed the shit out of his youth. Greer went for the bed, gathered his clothes hangers, deciding on a soft pair of jeans for whatever the night might hold. And going out was exactly what a youthful person would do.
“We’re good, right?” Skye’s tone had changed, more speculative than sweet. Something he’d never heard before. He carefully hung his clothes back in place before reaching for a folded pair of jeans and a soft, well-used SMU sweatshirt.
“We’re good. I should cancel tomorrow morning’s session. My body already hurts from the crazy man I became in your class. We’ll catch up later this week.” Hopefully, he’d eased any worry she had. “You did great tonight. You’re a natural instructor. I got a great workout. I need to go.”
“You were pretty amazing.”
“I don’t know about that, but I had fun. Call me.” Greer disconnected the call, tossing his phone on the mattress and sat on the edge, carefully pulling his underwear up his sore legs.
Nothing more than the sheer force of his will had him contemplating his changing plans for the night. He could swing by M Street Bar for a couple of hours. It was casual and within walking distance of his home. Maybe his old college buddy, Mac, was working tonight. If he got lucky, he could talk Mac into making him one of those Mac Special Burgers that were no longer on the menu. His stomach let out an approving loud rumble. Surely, he had burned the five hundred calories that burger would cost him.