Page 87 of Truck Off

Other than a few text messages and late-night phone calls, I haven’t seen Lina since the night we spent together. She’s had to work most days and nights—taking on double shifts—and I’ve been busy working the farm.

It’s been impossible for us to find time to get together.

And I’m in a shit mood because of it.

Partly because my gut is telling me Lina is avoiding me. I believe her when she says she’s working, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s taking on all those double shifts so she doesn’t have to see me.

I pushed her hard about my need to take care of her when she was here. She definitely wasn’t ready or happy about that.

At least I didn’t have to push her too hard about being in a relationship with me. She didn’t argue with me about that.

It’s only been a week, but it feels like months. I miss her. And the level at which I miss her has me terrified. I’m in deep, and I’m afraid she’s not really in this at all.

Talking and texting is not enough, but she’s refused to give me time. It’s that refusal that has me tied up in knots and throwing shit around the barn.

I toss another bucket that tries to trip me behind me and growl. I hate being in shit moods. When I get like this, it’s like a vicious cycle that feeds on itself, making me feel worse. I don’t know how to stop it when it starts.

“What did the bucket do to you?” a deep voice asks from the barn doorway. I glance over my shoulder to find Liam leaning on the frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

I’ve been avoiding my family all week. It was a matter of time before one of them hunted me down. Figures they would send Liam. He’s probably going to go all dad-mode on me, and I’m definitely not in the mood for a lecture.

“Got in my way,” I mumble.

He doesn’t respond for a moment, and I don’t stop cleaning up the mess I made yesterday when I knocked all this shit down in a fit of frustration.

“You haven’t been to the main house all week. That’s not like you.”

“Been busy. Always am this time of year.”

“Sure.” His one-word response says so much. I hear the call of bullshit in his tone. “That’s never stopped you from joining us for breakfast and dinner before. And now you’ve done it twice in the past month. So either we’ve pissed you off or something else is wrong. I’m going with something else because nothing has ever stopped you from speaking your mind with us before. So talk.”

“I’m not in the mood for this right now, so fuck off.”

Liam lets out a full-bellied laugh that causes my anger to spike even more. “Since when does that matter in this family? Is it Lina?”

My body visibly tenses at the sound of her name. “I said I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Too bad. I’m not leaving until you do.”

“Don’t you have a garage to manage?” I bark.

He chuckles. “It’s Saturday. We close early on Saturdays.”

I rub the bridge of my nose before I toss my head back and groan. I am not getting out of this conversation. “I’ve been in a shit mood, and I don’t want to take it out on anyone else. Just let it go.”

“You know I can’t do that.” He pushes off the edge of the doorway and steps toward me. When he reaches me, he places his hands on my shoulders in the way a father would just before he’s about to let his son have it. “That’s not how this family works, and you know it. So you can either talk to me and I can ward off the others, or the entire family will barge in here demanding answers. Your choice.”

I sigh, resigning to talk. Because he’s not wrong. If he leaves here empty-handed, Grams will drag all my brothers over and demand answers. After Warren left the way he did, she’s never let anyone else get away without a fight.

“Lina’s being distant, and I don’t like it.”

My older brother gives me a sympathetic look. “Has she given you a reason why?”

“She’s been working a lot, taking on extra shifts. Her dad is sick, and she worries a lot about money. Which is why I wish she wouldn’t fight me on helping her so much. Her family’s association with the club jaded her.”

Liam’s eyes fall shut, and he lets out a slow breath like he’s struggling to keep his body from tensing.

When he opens his eyes and meets mine, I see something resembling regret. It’s confusing and causes my brows to furrow.

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