Page 31 of Right Place, Right Time (Second Chances)
Chapter Fourteen
Jay
Things got better…easier…between Kate and me after I finally decided to take down my walls and let her in. We had a good talk that day in her apartment, and many more since. I know it sounds crazy, but I can actually feel the positivity rolling off her. She just has this energy and I’m sucking up every bit of it I can.
My sunshine. My light.
We’ve kissed some more, but that’s it. I’d told her straight out that I don’t want to go further until I’m sure my head is on straight. I’m getting there though. Which is great since she’s getting harder and harder to resist. The things she does with her mouth when we’re making out are amazing, not to mention her hot little body. I can’t wait to touch and kiss every last bit of it.
Kate’s roommate is back, and there’s some sort of ex-boyfriend or guy friend drama going on. Kate’s been pretty wrapped up in taking care of her friend the last couple days, and taking final exams—it seems like she’s always taking exams—so when I’m not at work, Sean and I have been laying down the details for our road trip to Sturgis in August. We’ve got plenty of time, but we’re not the only guys planning on riding to the rally, so we need to make sure we’ve got our route mapped and our hotel reservations in place. It would suck to land at a motel with no vacancy. The more Sean and I talk about the trip, the more excited I get about it.
“I’m thinking about leaving early, riding down to L.A., and taking Route 66 to Oklahoma,” I tell Sean, following the route on the map with my finger.
“That’s quite the detour, bro. It’s a killer idea, though. Wish I could make that part of the trip with you.”
“Why can’t you?” I ask, already knowing the answer. This trip is going to take weeks as it is, add a cross-country trip to that and Julia is sure to have a fit. She’s a cool chick and all, but what wife wants her husband to be out joyriding with his best friend for almost a month?
“Jules would have my ass if I even suggested it.” I hear him exhale and know that he’s smoking a cigarette. I wish he’d quit, but the fool has been at it since junior high. I doubt he’s going to stop now.
I laugh. “I’m surprised she’s even letting you go to Sturgis.”
“She’s notlettingme do anything. I’m my own man. She’s got her books and shit and goes to all those things where she meets authors and people as crazy as she is…I’ve got my bike.”
“And those things where you meet bike builders and people as crazy as you are?”
He laughs. “Exactly.”
“You want to meet around OKC?” I ask him.
“I think Amarillo would be more even. And there’s more of a straight shot north to Sturgis from there, too. Through Colorado.”
I look on the old fashioned, huge U.S. map I have spread out on the table before me and see what he’s talking about. The route makes more sense than the one from Oklahoma City. “We’ll need to map out gas stations along the way.”
“We should probably grab a pull-behind or two, stow some extra shit in ‘em. Maybe some extra gas, just in case. A lot of these routes are pretty desolate and we don’t want to get screwed.”
I groan internally. Nothing badass about towing a pull-behind, but we’ve got to be practical, no matter how uncool it may be. Sean’s right. We don’t want to end up out of gas in the middle of nowhere. A planned gas stop may be closed, we could hit traffic, weather…you never know.
“Good idea. Let’s plan on that.”
“So how’s it going with Kate?”
This time I groan out loud. He’s held it in this long, I’ll give him that much. “It’s going.”
“Did you get over yourself?” he chuckles, loving how uncomfortable he’s making me. I hate talking about feelings and shit, and I about overdosed on it with him the last time.
“I did,” I admit.
“That’s my boy,” he whoops. “You gonna give it a go?”
“We’re gonna try. She believes in me.” I say that last part quietly, almost hoping he doesn’t hear me.
“Well, I like her already,” Sean says. “I can’t wait to meet her. You bringing her to Sturgis?”
I laugh out loud at that. Yeah, I can just picture Kate at Sturgis in her pastel clothes and fancy shoes. Don’t get me wrong, she’d be sexy as hell in a paper bag, but the people of Sturgis are a whole different breed. I’ve never been, but I’ve seen pictures. Half-dressed women and lots of black, leather, and denim. She’s too prim and proper for all that, and I wouldn’t change her for a minute, I love her just the way she is.
Wait…love?
No.
