Biker's Virgin

“Of course,” I said, smiling slightly.

“Where do you see this going with Tristan?”

“I honestly have no idea,” I said.

“Okay then, where do you want this to go?” she asked, amending her question.

I bit my lip. “I love Tristan. I want to be with him. I think about the rest of my life, and he’s the only man I can picture myself with.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” I said, in a subdued voice.

“And, do you think he feels the same about you?”

“The thing is, there are moments when it feels like he loves me as much as I love him,” I said. “But then there are times when I notice the hesitation in his eyes. I see panic and fear and confusion, and it makes me question his feelings for me. I’ve grown up hearing about Tristan’s conquests. I know he’s not good at keeping a long-term girlfriend. And, I guess I’m wondering if I’m just naïve to believe that he would make that kind of change for me.”

“It’s possible.”

“But not probable,” I said.

“Sometimes it just takes the right person to change you,” Alani pointed out.

“See, that just sounds like a line from the movies,” I said. “Real life is more cynical than that.”

“Or maybe it’s just you that’s cynical.”

“Can you blame me?” I laughed. “I need to consider the possibility that Tristan is just not a one-woman kind of guy.”

“He’s trying to be,” she pointed out.

“And what if that’s a mistake?” I asked. “What if he’s trying to be something he’s not and that’s the real problem here. What if he’s only trying so hard because he got involved with his best friend’s sister?”

“What do you feel?” Alani asked. “What are your instincts telling you?”

“Can you really even trust your instincts when your emotion is so involved?” I asked. “I’m in love with him, and that is clouding everything else.”

“You’re questioning your whole relationship,” she pointed out. “Which means you’re not completely blind.”

“Just scared,” I said. “And worried.”

“Do you think that maybe you might be overthinking?” she suggested.

“Not in this case,” I said. “This is Tristan… I know him. I’ve watched him for ten years and paid attention to all the little things. He’s not as sold on this relationship as he claims to be.”

“Then you need to talk to him about it,” Alani said.

I smiled. “A simple suggestion,” I said. “And yet somehow, I find it the most complication option.”

“Are you scared of what he might say?”

“That’s an understatement,” I admitted.

“But wouldn’t you rather him be honest with you?”

“Of course,” I nodded. “Except that things are a little complicated now, what with the fact that I work for him.”

Alani’s eyes went wide for a moment. “If things don’t work out, would you continue to work here?”