Page 30 of Choosing My Happiness
He released me and we walked back to the bikes. Then I followed him to the diner. I pulled up next to him and watched him walk the bike back into a spot. He hopped off and looked at the bikes, then shook his head.
I followed his lead and reversed my bike into a spot beside him.
“Do you mind waiting here? I’ll grab a couple of meals to go, and we can find somewhere else to eat. These guys will cause trouble if they recognize you,” he said.
I nodded. I was nervous enough about appearing to be on a date with him as it was, so this was a great solution. I kept the helmet on as he walked in.
A couple of guys walked out to have a smoke after Jim disappeared. They nodded politely at me, probably assuming that I was just a prospect who had been told to wait by my VP. They stood near the bikes and lit up their smokes.
“Did you hear Blazes ol’lady came back?” one guy announced.
The other guy did a double-take. “Yeah?! She’s real?”
“Yep, Matchstick’s daughter. Beautiful thing. Can’t believe an Asshole like him got such a gorgeous thing.”
“Blaze or Matchstick?”
“Both.” They chuckled.
“I’m telling you, they don’t deserve her. Neither of them.” the one stated sadly. “She’s a real firecracker. Those two will just drag her down and turn her into another Molly.”
Jim came out then and placed the bags in the panniers on my bike.
“Hey Midwife,” they greeted him. “What do you know about Blaze’s ol’lady coming back?”
He drew himself to his full height and turned around. “I know she’s staying with Bull and Janie, what of it?”
“Not with Blaze?”
Jim shook his head. “No. Why do you ask? Gathering gossip?”
“Just watching out for Dylan. Stacey has gotten attached to the little guy, and we don’t want to see him hurt.”
“How would he get hurt?” Jim sounded confused.
“Well, what if she doesn’t want him?”
Jim sighed, and then replied, “I guess we cross that bridge when we come to it. Chances are that D2 will try to adopt him, and that means Bull is in trouble.”
The men chuckled again in agreement.
Jim walked around and pulled on his helmet.
“I’ll see you later,” he told the guys as we started the bikes and headed home. They waved us out.
19
Chapter 19: Daisy
We ate in the gorgeous little 1950s kitchen in Jim’s house. It even had an old yellow table. He told me of the history of the place. And the memories he had coming out here before his family moved away.
“We used to come out for every holiday, and I remember the bikes roaring past.”
“What was your granddad’s road name?” I asked.
Jim shook his head, knowing what I was really asking. “He wasn’t a member; he always said he was too busy fixing up their bikes to ride with them. Tinker apprenticed with him. Nanny also didn’t like the wayward girls that hung around them.” He chuckled. “She had an old shotgun that she’d pull out if a girl stepped on the place. Tinker used to sneak Dad out sometimes for a club ride as a guest, but the military was Dad’s thing. The sense of belonging that I get from the club, he got from his unit.”
His face darkened. I reached for his hand, guessing some not-so-good thoughts were cruising his mind, and he gripped it.
