525 Cherry Blossom Ln. (Cherry Falls Romance)

I’m starting to think my Uncle Dragon was right when he said that some women just have voodoo pussy. He swears up and down that his wife Nicole’s is. He says it snared him from day one. I didn’t really need to hear that, but Dragon usually says whatever is on his mind. He’s the president of a motorcycle club in Kentucky. I didn’t always live in Cherry Falls. I actually grew up in Tennessee. I’ve been on my own since I was seventeen and stumbled upon the Savage Brothers MC chapter there. The Vice President, Crusher, took me under his wing. He and his wife Dani are really the only parent-like people I’ve ever known. Dani couldn’t have kids, so they fostered quite a few and adopted several. They’re good people and maybe I’d have had a good life back in Tennessee. Crusher urged me to become a prospect—basically training to become a patched in member of the Savage crew. I thought about it, but while I love being on the back of a bike. There was no place for my surfboard in Tennessee. Still, there are parts about that life I miss. Crusher asked me if I’d be interested in helping a friend of his start an MC in North Carolina. He’s been looking for men he trusts. I told him I was pretty settled in Cherry Falls, but I didn’t rule it out entirely. There are beaches oceans in North Carolina where Beast lives—Beast being the friend of Crusher’s. I have met him a couple of times. Beast is definitely an apt description. I definitely wouldn’t want to end up on the wrong side of him.

I shake off my thoughts and concentrate on Jake. Jake is one of my best friends here. That’s not saying a lot, because I’m a loner at heart. Still, Jake goes surfing with me occasionally and we hang out from time to time.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask him, putting a beer on the bar because that’s all he ever drinks.

“You haven’t heard?” he says, seemingly surprised.

“Heard what?” I ask, wiping the bar down as we talk.

“The whole town is talking about how Jodie Jones screamed at Deke Littleton the other night.”

“Fuck, this town kills me sometimes,” I grumble.

“They’re calling you Linc the Virgin Slayer,” Jake laughs.

“Son of a bitch.”

“Jodie is like a unicorn, Linc.”

“What?” I ask, wondering if Jake might be drunk, because he’s not making any sense.

“She’s the daughter of the deacon of Cherry Falls Church of God. She’s twenty-six and never even had a boyfriend. To find out she’s been sleeping with you and admitted to it in the middle of a crowded restaurant? Not to mention, she told everyone that she loves sex and you’re the reason even though she hates you? Damn, man.”

“Shit,” I hiss. “Are they really talking about this shit in town?” I ask him.

“Everywhere.”

“Motherfucker,” I grumble, making Jake laugh as he takes a swig on his beer. Things just got a hell of a lot more complicated.

7

Jodie

Going to the grocery store is a different kind of hell. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me. I’d like to think it’s all in my head, but I know better. Right now, if Thomas Miller looks at me any closer, I’m liable to spontaneously combust from the curiosity. The same goes for his wife, Clementine. I make my way up to the counter to put my small basket of groceries on the conveyor to pay for them. Luckily, it’s neither one of them that come over to check me out. It’s their son Charlie instead.

“Hey, Jodie,” he says, and unlike his parents, he’s avoiding my gaze.

I like Charlie. We went to school together and he’s a year older than I am. He’s always friendly. That’s one of the reasons he’s made a success out of running the market with his parents.

“Hey, Charlie. You guys seem busy today,” I respond, making small talk and counting down the minutes until I’m out of the store.

“Everyone is gearing up for the storms in the forecast. Going to be a rough hurricane season, I think.”

“Maybe,” I answer, my gaze moving to Charlie’s mother. The old woman shakes her head in censure, while making a disgusted noise through her nose. It’s under her breath, but still sounds loud to my ears. Then, she stomps off. I jump a little when she slams the door.

“Ignore her,” Charlie says surprising me.

“Huh?”

“Mom, everyone really. It will die down.”

“It will?” I ask, thinking maybe I should have gone to Syn City to pick up groceries.

“Yeah,” he says, giving me what I think is supposed to be a reassuring smile.

“What will die down?”

“All of the talking about your fight with Deke Littleton last week,” he explains, and I wince. I kind of figured that’s what all the stares were about, but I was sort of hoping I was wrong.