Page 25 of Chasing Lyric
We take off outside of the clubhouse and make our way into a small barn. Chase is staring at Rip like he’s seeing him for the first time, and I can’t help but be struck by the contrast between them. Chase, with his polished appearance and careful way of speaking, and Rip, with his sun-bleached hair and casual use of surfer slang.
“Are you tworeallyold friends?” I ask, looking between them.
“Oh, man, the best,” Rip says, throwing an arm around Chase’s shoulders. “This dude saved my ass more times than I can count back in the day,” Rip chimes as Doughnut bounces happily up to the gate.
“Rip,” Chase says quietly, a warning in his tone.
“What? It’s true, bro. You were like, totally the big kahuna by the time I bounced.”
Big kahuna?Where exactly were they that Chase became some kind of leader?
The questions are piling up, and I know Chase realizes it. He’s looking at me with an expression that’s part apology, part plea for understanding.
Chase’s eyes subtly glance at me, the tension shifts between us, so I move to change the subject. “Chase tells me you and he go way back. You were living together in LA?”
Rip side-eyes Chase. “Ahh… yeah. We were together for two years. Really tiny home, crap living quarters, but we truly got to know each other during that time. Actually, it was Chase here who helped me get off my ass and find my balls to get my life back on track.”
“You lived in a tiny, crappy home? Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” I quip, raising my brow at Chase, then lean over petting Doughnut on his cute little head.
“Yeah, the worst two years of my life. But at least I had Rip to keep me company.” Chase weakly smiles at me.
“Well, look at you, Hallmark. You’re a big ole softy under there.” I poke his ribs, and he narrows his eyes at me with a cheeky grin.
“Starlight, there’s so much you’ve yet to find out about me.”
I cock my brow. “Is that a challenge?” I fold my arms across my chest in defiance.
Fitting, seeing as we’re at the Defiance MC clubhouse.
“Whoa! You two have nicknames for each other already? Next thing you know, you’ll be going steady and writing love poems, riding those gnarly waves of love,” Rip quips with that hint of surfer slang in his tone.
Baa.
Chase reaches out, punching his friend’s arm. “Shut up, duuude,” he mocks. “Or we’ll take your goat with us. Lyri’s gotten attached.”
I glance down at Doughnut, my heart swelling with how much I am going to miss his cute little face. So I lean across and continue petting him.
Rip exhales. “No can do. That’s my man, my broski. Who else am I gonna have my Sunday chill sessions with?” He leans in a little closer to me. “Plus, the little grommet gets under your skin, right?” he whispers.
“He sure does.” I turn to face Doughnut, running my hand over his furry head. “Well, little guy, it sure has been fun.” I can’t help but feel sad that my time with Doughnut is almost up. “Sorry about Polly. I’m sure he didn’t mean to make you faint.”
Rip raises his brow in curiosity, but then nods like he totally understands his goat would have fainted while on his vacation with me. Doughnut nuzzles into me, letting out a littlebaa. I rub behind his ear.I know he likes that. My eyes mist up, and my heart squeezes. How one creature can work its way into my heart in such a small amount of time, I’ll never know. But somehow, Doughnut has done just that, and I hope he has a great life here.
“Swing by and hang whenever, Lyric. Stoked you looked after him, seriously. Like, gnarly-level gratitude for bringing him back, though, Betty. I was straight up wiping out without Doughnut around.”
And there it is.
IknowI’ve done the right thing.
Even if it was a little hard to understand with all those surfing analogies.
Every time I briefly thought about keeping Doughnut has led me to this conclusion. Handing him back is the right and only thing to do.
“You’re welcome, Rip. Make sure he has lots of cuddles. I’d love to keep updated on him if possible.”
Rip’s face softens. “Yeah, totes. Give me your number. I’ll send you pics.”
My chest swells with excitement. “You will?” He nods with that warm, cheesy smile. “Thank you.”
