Page 52 of Hard Ride

17

“Kason didn’t say why he needed you back right away?”Ollie asked for what had to be the tenth time since they’d gotten the call and turned around.

“No, but let’s be honest.”Van rubbed his hand over his short-cropped hair.“I didn’t like being out there, so alone and exposed, after what happened yesterday anyway.We came on this trip to escape attention but it seems like maybe it was too late for that.”

Kyra squirmed in her seat.Was she uncomfortable given how well they’d used her the day before and again that morning before hitting the road?Or…maybe she’d had too much coffee.

“Do you need me to pull over at a rest area?”he checked with her.“Or if you’re brave you can use my bathroom while I’m driving.”

“I am an expert at taking care of business while underway,” she shook her head.“It’s not that.I, uh, have to tell you guys about—”

Whatever she’d been about to say got drowned out by Van’s phone ringing.He muttered in Spanish low enough that Ollie didn’t quite catch what he said other than a distinct curse.Then he connected the call and put whoever it was on speakerphone.“Is there something you’re not telling us, Kason?What’s the big fucking hurry?”

“Calm down, big guy.”Kason laughed.“Nothing’s wrong, I swear.We’re just…excited for you to get here, that’s all.Maybe I miss you.”

“Yeah, right,” Van grunted.“I’ve only been gone for a fucking day and a half, which you probably spent in bed with your girlfriend and boyfriend.”

“Actually, nope.We were busy.”Kason sounded smug.

“Doing what?”Van wondered.

“You’ll see.How far out are you now?”Kason wondered.

Ollie checked the GPS, then said, “Less than an hour.”

“Great!See you guys then.”Kason chirped.Before they could pry any additional information out of him, he hung up.Van glared at the disconnected phone in his hand.

“Well, it definitely didn’t sound like he’s having a crisis.”Kyra shrugged.They would know since Van and Kyra had been instrumental in pulling Kason out of a spiral of depression and addiction a few years earlier.

They spent the next forty minutes debating what they would find when they rolled up the long, winding driveway to Kason’s luxurious mountain retreat near Middletown, home of the Hot Rods and Hot Rides sister-shops.

Ollie certainly hadn’t expected the expansive stone parking area to be full.Classic cars, beautifully restored, took up most of the space and a line of equally sexy motorcycles occupied the other side.He parked his campervan directly in the middle, wondering if he was in for another lecture about how their friends could spruce up his home inside and out.

Mustang Sally had been begging him to let her design a custom paint job for months.Maybe he should cave and let her do her thing.He just hadn’t decided exactly what he would like other than the boring factory silver with his company’s name in stick-on red vinyl letters, which rounded out the campervan’s current exterior finishing.

“Looks like they started the party without us,” Kyra said as she unbuckled and slid out of the van.

Although Ollie expected Kason to greet Van and Kyra, who were his best friends, the man was nowhere in sight.He noticed the stare the two exchanged.Though they weren’t the jealous sort, it probably took some getting used to now that Wren and Jordan were Kason’s priorities.

Ollie figured he’d do his best to fill that void.

He knitted Kyra’s fingers in his and put his hand on Van’s shoulder, pushing them up the grand stairs to the wood and glass mansion, perched on top of a mountain, overlooking picturesque Lake Logan.

Before they’d reached the front door, it opened and Trevon welcomed them inside.

“Hey, you made it!”He shouted over his shoulder, “Someone go tell Wren that everyone on her list is here!”

“What exactly are we late to?”Ollie wondered.“And should I be more dressed up?I don’t really have fancy clothes, but I could probably find something a little nicer than this…”

He gestured to his standard long-sleeved shirt and jeans.They kept him from getting too scratched up on salvage runs but weren’t especially fashionable.

“Nah.They told us to come as we are.”Trevon shrugged.“To be honest I have no idea what’s up their sleeves.But they said something about an early holiday party and paid Devra to make a shit ton of food.Hell, even the Powertools crew came over.”

Trevon finished his explanation as they reached a few of the other guests milling around.

“My bet is Wren’s knocked up,” Dane said with a grin.“Based on the number of times I’ve walked in on her, Jordan, and Kason going at it in the back room or heard it from over at Quinn’s place, I’m thinking I’ve got good odds.”

“A baby?”Kyra squeezed Ollie’s hand.“Really?That would be amazing!”

---