“Yeah,” I say half-heartedly.
“Or could it be that you pissed off a certain girl who has you in knots?”
“Whatever,” I mumble, not taking his bait.
“We still on for tomorrow?”
“What do you mean?”
“Picking up our bikes. They’re ready.”
“Sure,” I answer with a shrug.
“Damn, this girl must be the shit. You’ve been talking about this for months. Now, you look like I asked you to take out the trash.”
“Shit!” I lean back, run my hands through my hair, and clasp my hands around my neck. “I think I fucked up.”
“That’s a record. You’ve known her for three weeks.”
“You’re not helping.”
“So tell me how to help.” He sits across from me with a shit-eating grin. “My wisdom is at your disposal.”
“I can’t believe I’m discussing this with you, but here goes. I’ve been pretty tight-lipped about my job because Presley’s got a thing about living safe. It isn’t like I’m hiding anything, but I haven’t shared. The other night, I got called into a meeting after hours for an EMOP. She looked at me like she didn’t even know me. Top it off, I had just mentioned our connection with Sayge, Raven, Declan, and the others, then I had to leave her and Winnie in the middle of dinner.”
“So?”
“So? That’s your help?”
“Straighten it out. This doesn’t seem like a big deal. Tell her what she wants to know. I’m going out tonight. Invite her over here and make her dinner. Explain your life, your choices, your goals. It’s not like you’ve been hiding a secret life. You haven’t had time to tell her yet.
“All else fails, charm the shit out of her.”
His words sink in, and I sit back, thinking about how to come clean without scaring her off. An idea pops into my head. I grin to myself and start organizing my papers.
“I see the Tripp Jones School of Thought has cut through your thick head. Thinking you owe me fifty dollars. The same amount I lost to Robbie when you contracted the damn disease.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“Are you denying?”
“Nope, but not confirming either.”
“How the hell does this keep happening? Are you all crazy? I mean, seven weeks ago, you swore off all this shit. Now, I’m giving you relationship advice.”
“Listen, man, because this is the only time I’m going to talk about this.” I get serious
and look him straight in the eye. “When you know, you know. Presley Chambers is special. She’s a fucking saint in my mind. It’s not just her beauty. It’s everything that makes her who she is. She lost her mom when she was fifteen and took on the responsibility of a household of men. Charity, volunteering, family… she surrounds herself with safe and secure. Hell, her dad told me she took off after graduation to move to North Carolina to help take care of her niece. I was trying to go slow and ease in, but to me, it’s a done deal.
“I introduced her to my parents.”
His eyes bulge so wide the vein in his forehead start to pulse. “You introduced her to Tim and Evelyn? Are you crazy?”
“Nope, it was perfect timing.” I fill him in on the event last Saturday.
“Jesus! I need a drink.” He gets us both a beer and sits back down. “So, Hero, what’s the plan?”
“Don’t you start, too.” I roll my eyes at the name. “But as much as I hate to admit, I’m going to need your help… and Ember’s.”