Page 26 of Rock

She wanted to grab a cooler and pick up some lunch meat, cheese, bread, chips, cookies, apples, and sodas. Things she could keep in the house and hopefully feed the two guys who were coming to do some construction work.

She was on edge for no good reason. Everything was fine. She checked out and headed for her car. As she was loading the trunk, the distinctive sound of a motorcycle rumbled as one pulled into the parking lot.

Her heart raced as she took a deep breath. Hundreds of people had motorcycles. The MC could be larger than ever by now, but they weren’t the only ones who owned bikes.

Lyla forced herself to ignore the single bike that was parking near her.

Don’t look up. Don’t look up.

In her peripheral vision, she could see the black leather jacket, the long legs covered in denim, and the black boots. Unable to resist, she lifted her head.

Her entire world shifted on its axis as she stared at a ghost. The box of sodas she’d bought slid from her hands to hit the concrete in front of her. She ignored it, unable to blink.

The man rushed forward. “Ma’am? Are you okay?” He bent to pick up the box and set it in her trunk before turning to her. His brow was furrowed.

She truly was looking at a ghost. It was Rock, but it wasn’t. Obviously he would have aged. She hadn’t gone back in time. She’d simply come home. “Rock?” It was ridiculous, but the question slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

His face changed in an instant. He smiled at her. “Do I look as old as that old fart?”

Her eyes went wide. Her jaw dropped open.

He chuckled. “Rock is my father. I’m Atlas.”

Her heart was racing. Her entire body was shaking. Holy shit. She could see the differences now, but the two of them had many similarities, too. “Sorry,” she murmured.

The man didn’t move. “No reason to be sorry. Do you know my father?”

She drew in a breath. “I used to. A long time ago.” This was inconvenient. Surely Atlas would tell his father he’d run into a woman who knew him. What difference did it make? Rock would never remember her. She could have been any woman from his past. Any girl from his high school years.

Atlas nodded toward the trunk. “I don’t think any of the cans popped open, but I wouldn’t open those for a while. You’ll probably get sprayed in the face.”

She tried to return his smile. “Thank you. Good advice. Sorry to be a bother.”

“No bother at all. Should I tell my dad I ran into you?”

She waved a dismissive hand between them. “Goodness no. Don’t even mention it. I was just startled, is all. I’m sure he wouldn’t remember me.”

Atlas stared at her for several more seconds. “And yet, you remember him well.”

She swallowed.

He seemed to be assessing her. Finally, he broke the silence. “Well, it was nice meeting you. Have a nice day.” Atlas slowly backed away before turning to walk into the store.

Lyla slumped against the trunk of the car, trying to catch her breath. She was a fit woman, but she’d felt like an exhausted ninety-year-old for the past twenty-four hours.

CHAPTER

FIVE

“Dad?”

Rock heard Atlas calling him as he passed his son’s office in the clubhouse. He stopped and spun around to lean into the room, hand on the doorframe. “Sup?”

Atlas frowned. “You okay?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Atlas shrugged. “I don’t know. You look more tired than usual. Are you sleeping okay? When do you next see your cardiologist?”

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