Page 71 of Truck You

Unfortunately, Tanner wasn’t working, so I didn’t get to give him shit. He’s probably already at The Forks. The feud doesn’t keep our families from intermingling at community-wide events.

And Halloween at The Forks is a community-wide event. I expect half the town to be there, which means parking will be a bitch. Hopefully we get there early enough that I get a spot I like.

The Mutters and Kochs talk a lot of big talk, but we rarely ever back our words up with violence. It’s been years since any of us have thrown punches. I think the last fight was when Chase and Christian were in high school. Of course, it was with Tanner. He’s the one that always causes us the most trouble. Linden takes a close second.

Since then, we’ve mostly been civil. Sort of. If Tanner tries to flirt with Sophia again, our so-called civil streak will be broken.

I pull off the main road and turn up a narrow dirt road that we call the Divide. Why? I don’t know. It’s been called that since before Grams’ times. It’s just a dirt road that goes up a steep hill with no trees or houses on either side. At the top, the road takes a sharp right turn into the treeline. From there, it twists and turns for about a mile before we hit The Forks.

I’m about halfway up the Divide when a flash of light comes barreling toward us. I slam on my breaks just before the light veers to the left and into the ditch.

Sophia lets out a loud yelp and clenches her hands to her chest. “What the hell was that?”

“If I was to hazard a guess, I’d say that was Jerry.” I put the truck in park and grab my flashlight from the glove box before I hop out. Sophia follows me.

“Who’s Jerry?” she asks.

“Gerald Mayer, the town drunk. But everyone calls him Jerry.” I shine the flashlight toward the side of the road and right on a man struggling to stand up. “Jerry, are you okay?”

He turns around and shields his eyes from the flashlight. I quickly divert it down and out of his eyes. “Mac, is that you?”

“Yeah.” I take a step closer. “Are you hurt?”

“Nah, nothing injured except my pride. Then again, I damaged that ages ago.”

He grabs at his bike, but it doesn’t move. “Here, let me help you with that.”

I step up beside him and instantly rear my head back at the smell of alcohol. Jerry drinks so much I don’t know how he’s even standing, let alone riding a bike. After I pick his bike up out of the ditch, I set it on the road to make sure it’s okay. “Doesn’t look like you broke anything, but can I give you a ride?”

He shakes his head and slaps my shoulder. “Nope. I’m headed in the opposite direction. No need to inconvenience you.”

“It’s not an inconvenience. Happy to give you a lift.”

Jerry dusts off his pants before he grabs a hold of his handlebars. “I’m good. Need to get going before the deer get here. Saw a family at the top of the hill.”

I glance over my shoulder to where my headlights illuminate the area ahead of us. “I think they’re probably long gone. Between my truck and all the noise we’re making, I doubt they stuck around.”

Jerry grunts. “Not those damn deer. Knowing them, they’re hiding in the treeline waiting for you to leave so they can follow me.”

I pinch my lips together to stop myself from laughing. Poor Jerry is terrified of deer.

“More reason to let me drive you.” I offer again. If for no other reason than to make sure he gets to town safely. He may not slur his words, but he’s stumbling a bit. He’s too drunk to even ride a bike.

“That’s okay. Thanks anyway.” He hops on his bike and takes off down the hill before I can argue otherwise. I shine my flashlight in his direction and watch him until he disappears in the darkness.

When I turn around, Sophia is staring at me with furrowed brows. “What was that all about?”

I chuckle. “That’s Jerry. He hit a deer a few years back on his bike. Put himself in the hospital for a few days. Even killed the deer. How he killed a deer while riding a bike is beyond me. He’s insisted the deer are out to get him ever since. There are a lot of deer in these hills, and we all have to be careful not to hit them. But they’re not chasing anyone.”

Her eyes widen. “He hit a deer on his bike? Like bicycle, bike? Not a motorcycle?”

“Yep. Crazy, I know. But that’s Jerry.” I take her hand and lead her back to the truck. “Come on, let’s go before the best parking spots are all taken.”

We get back in the truck and head back up the hill. I can’t help but chuckle when my headlights illuminate the eyes of the family of deer that had Jerry rattled. They’re huddled at the top of the hill like they’re waiting for me to leave.

“Well, shit,” Sophia says. “He wasn’t kidding.”

“Guess not.” I laugh. “Hopefully, they’re long gone before Jerry returns, or else he might wreck his bike again.”

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