Page 88 of My Mistake To Make

Zoe leans back in her chair and grins. ‘Oh, Daddy was a biker. He grew up here but my grandma and grandpa left town when Daddy was fourteen to get him into a better school and give him a real shot at a good future, then at eighteen he like, joined this biker club or whatever. Then, when he was twenty-one, he literally rolled back into town one day with his guys. He saw Mama, and that was it. She was only seventeen, so it was a little risqué,’ she whispers the word, which amuses me since she usually swears at the top of her lungs, ‘but he just knew, you know.’

‘Wow, a biker?’

‘Well, a baby biker anyway. He thought he was badass, but he was just the sweetest man. It was the late seventies. He was rebelling.’

‘So, he just met your mum and stayed?’

‘Yeah, exactly that. He had already known her when they were kids, but then that day, he saw her, and it just hit him. He was leaning up against his bike outside the old barber shop, and she walked out of the grocery store with her arms loaded up with bags. She started to drop one of them, and he ran to catch it and help her out, and that was that.’ She looks a little sad, and I reach out to hold her hand on the table. ‘His parents had already left town and sold their house, so he got a job at the bar, and the owner let him move into the apartment above it. Before long, Mama was pregnant with me and Bree, and her daddy was pissed. He turned up, banging on Daddy’s door, saying,you’re going to have to marry her nowlike that was a punishment. Daddy just said,that was always my intention. Let’s get it done. So that was that. They got married, Mama moved into the apartment, and along came your new besties.’

‘That is so lovely.’

‘Yeah, they adored each other.’

‘How did you come to run the bar?’

‘The old owner didn’t have any kids. Daddy was loyal and a hard worker and came to be like a son to him. When he died, he left it all to Daddy, and Daddy left it to me, Bree, and Doug.’ Wow, so Doug part-owns the bar… ‘They have no interest in it, and I’m gradually buying them both out, but it takes time. They both wanted to just sign their shares over to me, but no, I’m not having that. Daddy left it to all three of us. They should have something to show for it.’

These three—they adore each other. It makes me a little sad I never had siblings.

‘Is your dad being a biker the reason Doug is not your typical country boy?’ I did not intend on that question to leave my mouth, and Zoe’s amused smile is exactly why.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, like,’ flustered, I try to answer without giving away what he has been spending his time doing to me. ‘He plays rock music up at the house when he’s working, and his beard and tattoos…’

‘You’ve been making a lot of notes on his appearance, I see.’ She smirks, and I feel the heat of embarrassment creep up my cheeks. ‘Don’t sweat it, honey. I know you’re hot for him, so you’re bound to look. And yes, Daddy and Doug were super close, so Doug grew up listening to rock music and working on bikes and trucks in the garage with Daddy, but don’t let him fool you. He is a good country boy through and through.’ She takes a sip of the Coke Leah placed in front of her. ‘Except when he’s dressed in leather and out riding his motorcycle, that is.’

I stare up at her, my straw held between my teeth.

‘Motorcycle?’

She smirks knowingly. ‘Yeah, he doesn’t get to ride it much anymore because he’s always got Bowie, but he loves his bike.’ I swallow hard—the mental image of Doug in a leather jacket and riding a motorbike is doing unexpected things to my lady parts. ‘Oh, goddam, I just made you hotter for him, didn’t I?’

‘What? I’m not, I…’

‘Okay, cards on the table.’ She leans forward again and glances around, then lowers her voice and speaks fast. ‘Bree and I know about you and Doug.’ I freeze, and she takes a breath before forcing out a crazy amount of words in a very short space of time. ‘We saw y’all kiss on the cameras and then saw him go into your cabin with you, and then you were sad the next day, so we made him tell us what happened, and I’m so sorry. I know he’s an idiot, but I swear he’s not a dick. He’s really not. He’s such a good guy. Please don’t hate him.’

Oh.

‘Um,’ I inhale deeply. ‘I don’t hate him, Zo.’

‘Really?’ I nod yes. ‘Okay, good because I don’t want you to hate him. I mean, I want you to like him, likereallylike him.He’s just so focused on Bo that it blinds him, but he’s a great guy, and I know I’m biased, but…’

‘Zoe, breathe. I don’t hate your brother.’

She takes a breath and looks relieved. ‘Good.’ Oh, I hate keeping this from her.

‘Here you go, ladies,’ Merv arrives at the table again, ‘Two chicken finger wraps.’

I can’t help but laugh, and Zoe joins me as Merv tuts, fighting his own smile, and walks away.

The rain is pouring as I head back up to the house, and I notice that the site is quiet. I park up and get out, and a dripping-wet Doug comes around the side of the house in time to meet me.

‘Hey,’ I call out as he joins me by my car and pops open an umbrella. He walks with me to the porch, and once we’re safely under cover, he puts down the umbrella and leans in to kiss me.

‘Good day?’ he asks as he pulls back, and I nod.

‘Your sister is crazy.’

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