Page 18 of Until Now
“My brother lives in Utah, and my sister went to France to visit the folks a year ago. She’s still there.”
“What about your husband? What was he like?”
Dominique’s eyes soften, and she smiles. “That’s very kind of you,” she says quietly.
“What is?”
“For you to ask about him. It’s rare.”
Her hand reaches over and takes mine, and she speaks with certainty.
“He was a good man. I was lucky to know him and love him.”
The guy won the lottery being loved by her. The words don’t bother me. They confirm what I already suspect. Her beauty is undeniable, but the strong suit is her heart.
“He was a Harley man too,” she adds, lightening the moment.
“What was his ride?”
“He had a Hugger. A twelve hundred Sportster. It’s in storage for Bing. I’m planning on giving it to him when he turns eighteen. He thinks I sold it years ago.”
“Why haven’t you told him?”
A wide smile lifts the corners of her mouth. “You obviously have no children.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“If he knew a Harley was waiting for him, I’d never hear the end of it. He is much too young to ride, so why torture him? Besides, I need to make sure he’s mature enough before I give him such responsibility.”
“Has he ever been on a bike?”
“He’s gone with Wes and his oldest boy since they were about nine. They go up to Turkey Bay dirt biking.”
“That’s good because not every kid is into motorcycles.”
“Oh, he is. It’s a connection to his father. He has so few memories to hold on to. You should see his bedroom. It’s covered with Harley Davidson posters.”
I lock eyes with her and get to the point. “I want to get to know you. Is that something you’d be interested in?”
She takes a few beats before answering.
“I’m interested. Can’t you tell?”
It’s a question she already knows the answer to.
“Those kisses kind of convinced me,” I say, grinning.
“But we can’t ignore the fact you’re geographically undesirable. California is a world away.”
“I can find my way to you.”
I think she liked my answer because she bit her bottom lip and held back a smile.
We’re interrupted by the sound of her cell. When she looks at it, an expression of concern rises.
“That’s our code for an emergency.”
She taps the number and waits.
