Page 25 of Frosty the Biker

“We all came home now,” he added.

Ryian and I glanced at each other. I heard her whisper to Killswitch. “What? He’s never lived here. Home for him was always Chicago.”

To which Killswitch smirked and replied, “Obviously not. I’ll let you guys talk. I have a client coming in soon.” He made his way back to his room.

“I wasn’t trying to rush you or be a pain,” she started, but I held up my hand.

“It’s okay. But how did you know this was where I worked? Did your uncle tell you?” As I asked, Anson leaned in closer and started to trace one of the tattoos on my arm. I placed the other one around his small frame. The feeling that rushed over me was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. There were truly no words for the emotions running through me.

She laughed and the sound hit me square in the chest. “Actually, no. Umm, Anson said he wanted to go see Uncle Bowie. I figured we had time, so I agreed. He fell asleep on the way. When we got here, he woke up and announced, ‘My dad’s here.’ You can imagine my shock. Though last night, I already thought it was another weird coincidence that you became a tattoo artist when that’s what my uncle is.”

“Yeah, well, I can add to the ever-growing coincidence list. The club your uncle is a member of?”

She immediately became wary, and I rushed to ease her mind. “My brother, Dallas, is also a member. How’s that for small world? That’s actually how I found out about the opening here.”

Her jaw fell. “How can there beso manycoincidences going on?”

“Maybe because they aren’t coincidences at all,” I offered. “Anyway, I’m done for the day if the two of you would like to leave. I thought maybe since it’s getting dark, we could grab some food, then go down to City Park and walk the Christmas In The Oaks. Maybe get some hot chocolate?” I tempted with a smile at Anson.

“And Roman candy?” Ryian asked as she bit her lip and held back her excitement. She loved that stuff. I used to buy it for her all the time when we were young.

“It wouldn’t be proper not to,” I replied.

“Then what are we waiting for?” She clapped her hands.

Pretty sure she might be more excited about this than Anson. At least until he saw it and got a taste of the magic that was Christmas in New Orleans.

“What do you think?” I teasingly asked Anson. “Should we take Mommy to go see the Christmas lights and get hot chocolate? Or should we make her stay home?”

Ryian let out an indignant gasp and Anson giggled. Then he said, “We take her, but if she frows a fit, then no hot chocwat.”

“Mmm, good idea,” I concurred with a sage nod.

Ryian stood with her arms akimbo as she playfully glared at the two of us. “Oh, I see how this is gonna be.”

Since she had Anson’s car seat in her red Tacoma, we agreed to drop my truck off at the hardware store and then take her truck. Anson waved at me through the window after we buckled him in, and I closed his door.

“See you in a few,” she murmured, ducking her head, then turning and getting in the vehicle.

I followed her until we reached her family’s store. Then I parked and walked to her door. She rolled down the window. “Want me to drive?”

“Maybe on the way home. You know, when my belly is full and I’m sleepy,” she replied with a grin.

“Sounds like a plan.”

She drove us over to City Park and we got lucky with parking. We grabbed a quick bite to eat, then started our adventure.

If someone had told me last week that this would be my life today, I would’ve considered having them locked up for their own safety. It would’ve sounded insane. Yet, here I was, walking hand-in hand with myson, as his mom drank her hot chocolate and ate her Roman candy.

“Oh my gosh!” she squealed. “They still have Mr. Bingle here!”

Sure enough, there was a vendor set up that had several options to choose from. As she cooed over them, she paused and glanced at me with a shy smile. “I still have the Mr. Bingle you bought me the first Christmas we were friends.”

“What? No way.”

She nodded and I chuckled. My heart clenched, but I ignored it.

As Anson talked a thousand words a minute, I kept stealing glances at Ryian. The happiness on her face was priceless, but still, it rivaled her beauty. In the soft glow of the lights, her dark hair fell in shiny waves over her shoulders. Her eyes glittered as if every star in the sky had taken up residency within them. Pink flushed her cheeks from the cool air and her excitement. She was stunning and I realized that despite all the messy, muddy water under our bridge, she still drew me in like a moth to her brilliant flame.

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