30. Chapter Thirty
“What brings you in? Haven’t seen you in a while. Thought you’d moved on to that fancy new bike garage in town or some shit,” Tate grumbles.
“Nah, no fucker is laying hands on my baby but you, old man,” I reply as I give him a fist bump.
“Damn straight. Your ride is like a woman. Gotta handle it with love and respect or it’ll be the death of ya,” Tate croaks.
“You sound like shit old man,” I tease. “Maybe it”s time to lay off the cigars.”
“Fuck that shit. The cancer will kill me long before my smokes do,” he coughs. And I can”t help but smirk at the irony of the stubborn bastard. Lung cancer and breathing machine, yet still smoking like a chimney.
“So let’s see the beauty then,” he says as he makes his way out to the parking lot.
“Damn, that”s a big old scar,” he says as he eyes up the scratch down the side of my otherwise pristine bike. “Don”t worry girl, I”ll have you looking perfect in no time.”
He strokes my bike like it”s an actual person. “Jimmy,” he shouts, “take her ‘round back.”
I throw my keys to his son, who rides it around ready for Tate to start working on it. “Won”t take me long. Go grab yourself a beer,” Tate offers as he makes his way around the corner.
I head inside to the fridge ready to grab a beer as I always do, but stop in my tracks, remembering I”m meeting Riley soon. Instead, I grab a soda and begin looking around the shop.
“Anything I can help you with Sugar?” A leather clad biker looking chic asks.
“Nah, not really, just passing the time while Tate works on my bike.”
“No worries Sugar, call if you need help.”
“Actually,” I say, a strange idea suddenly hitting me. “Do you sell girl’s stuff?”
“What sorta girl’s stuff? Like flowers and shit?” she asks as she turns up her nose.
“No, more like that,” I say, motioning my finger up and down at what she”s wearing.
“Oh, I get ya, sugar. Something for your Ol’ Lady,” she replies with a knowing grin. “Follow me.”
My ol’ lady? Is Riley my ol’ lady? I guess she is kinda. I mean, I wouldn”t be doing this shit for anyone else.
I follow the woman, who leads me to a small corner of the store stocked with leather jackets, helmets, and much more. “So is your old lady a proper woman or one of those pampered pussies?” she asks. I like this woman already. I can definitely see why Tate hired her.
“What”s the difference?”
“Well we got practical stuff like this,” she says, reaching for a nice looking plain black leather jacket. “Or this,” she says in disgust as she reaches for a hideous pink leather jacket with stupid tassels hanging off the sleeves.
“Eww, definitely not that one,” I say as I shudder in disgust.
“Thank fuck,” she laughs.
My mind instantly goes to Kelly and all the times she would try to sit on my bike. She’d definitely be one to pick that hideous pink abomination.
“So what size is she, sugar?
My mind goes blank. How am I supposed to know that? “Uhmm,”
“Trixi,” the woman yells, “get over here.”
I see a young girl making her way over. “Yes mama,” she replies as she reaches us.
“So is your Ol’ Lady, bigger or smaller than my Trixi?”
I eye up the young woman, smiling away beside her. “’Bout the same height, but a ‘lil curvier. My girl’s got bigger, erm… assets” I say looking down at the girl who can”t be any older than around fourteen.
“Lexi, be a doll and try on a few jackets,” the older woman says before walking away.
I feel kind of awkward playing dress up with some random kid, especially when she”s looking up at me with those innocent doe eyes.
She models two different jackets for me, both look almost identical, though.
“Which one would you choose?” I ask
“This one,” she replies straight away as she reaches for the one in my left hand.
“You seem pretty sure about that,” I say with a small laugh, “What makes this one so special?”
“It has pockets, duh,” she replies, like it”s the most obvious answer and I’m a complete fool for not knowing that.
“And pockets are important?”
“Trust me, your girl will love that it has pockets. And she’ll love you for choosing it.”
“Thanks!” A warm feeling settles over me. I know this was the right thing to do. This is dating - Gabe style.
“Does she need a helmet too?” the girl asks, bringing me back to reality.
“Erm, yeah.”
I look at the helmets for a few moments, looking at the different types. I hear the girl rummaging around before pulling one out. “I”d go for this one,” she says proudly.
“Why that one? Is it the newest?” I ask.
“No, silly,” she laughs before turning the helmet to one side. I notice now it has some flowery swirls in gold. “It’ll match the jacket.”
She thrusts the helmet into my arms before asking. “Does she need anything else?”
“No, I think that”s it,” I say with a genuine smile.
I take it to the register, where Mama Biker is waiting. “Found everything you”re looking for, Sugar?”
“I think so,” I reply hesitantly, “but erm... is this helmet decent? Like road worthy? The girl is sweet and all but I don’t wanna buy a piece of crap just because it looks pretty if you know what I mean.”
“Don”t you worry Sugar. Trixi may look like a dumb kid but her daddy has had her around bikes since she was in diapers. That girl knows more about bikes than most men do,” she laughs. Of course, she”s Tate’s daughter.
She rings up the items and I pay her, ensuring that I round up the cost as a tip for the kid. “Tell Trixi thanks for her help.” I remember being a kid and what a difference a few dollars made.
“The bike is near perfect again now,” Tate says as he comes over and hands me the keys.
“Thanks old man,” I reply. I look at my phone and realize it”s almost ten o”clock already. Shit! I fire off a quick text to Riley letting her know I”m running late but will be with her in about half an hour.
Pulling out my phone again I check the time, 9:45 a.m.. I open up my messages, just in case he’s messaged and I”ve somehow missed it
Yesterday 10:30 p.m.
Dark horse
Yeah, I”ll pick you up around 10 a.m.
10:37 p.m.
Me
Awesome, can”t wait to see you.
Today- 8 a.m.
Morning sexy, what shall we do today?
9:20 a.m.
Hey Sexy, sorry to bug you. Just wondering if you had any set plans in mind for today? So I know what to wear. Or maybe bring, if past history holds up haha.
9:40 a.m.
Just me again. Just to say I”ve packed a couple of things just in case. If you”ve changed your mind or need to cancel today though just let me know.
Still no reply. I should have known a real, official, planned date would be too much to ask for with him. I”m about to text him and tell him that I”ve changed my mind, just to save face, when my phone buzzes in my hand.
Dark horse
Sorry, I had to take my bike into the shop to get a few things fixed before I met you, and it ended up taking longer than expected. It”ll be about half an hour. As for clothes, casual but hot!
I can”t help but smirk at the last line. It”s just so him. I look at my reflection for a moment, taking in my cute but casual black top, denim shorts, and sneakers. I”ve curled my hair and done my makeup a bit darker to give it a sexier feel, but I”m still kind of relaxed. Rummaging in my drawers, I pull out a pair of black fishnet tights to put under my shorts.
Checking myself out again, it”s still not right. Sure the tights give it a sexier, edgy feel, and somehow make my legs appear longer and slimmer, but it”s still not quite right.
“What”s wrong with me?” I ask Harper who’s reading on her bed.
“How long have you got?” she teases, putting her book down. “You snore like a fully grown man, you hog all the hot water, and you are always stealing my stash of goodies. And worst of all, you think pineapple tastes good on pizza,” she says as she pretends to gag.
“Very funny, you sarcastic bitch.” I laugh, at the same time as launching a pillow straight at her head, knocking her glasses off. “I mean, what”s up with my outfit?”
Putting her glasses back on, she eyes me up and down. “You look good to me.”
“I dunno, something isn’t right. I wanna look hot, but something is missing,” I complain as I twist side to side in the mirror trying to figure out what”s wrong.
“Riley, you always look hot, you know you do. You could wear a paper bag and still have half the guys in school drooling.”
“But Gabe’s not just one of the guys from school, he”s different–he”s older and is used to girls throwing themselves at him,” I admit. I still don”t get what he sees in boring old me.
“Oh Rilez,” Harper says as she throws her arms around me. “You really care about him, don”t you?”
“Yes. I dunno how to explain it, you wouldn’t understand, Harper. None of you see him the way I do. When we”re alone it”s so different. He makes me feel things I”ve never felt before. Yeah, he”s a dick at times, but at other times, he”s actually really sweet.”
“Then let”s make sure today”s perfect then,” she sighs as she steps closer, eyeing me up and down again, before heading towards her closet.
She bends down and begins rummaging around for something. “Here,” she says as she pulls something out from the very back, “I bought them for Halloween the year we let Tucker talk us all into going out as superheroes,” she laughs, handing me a pair of black knee high boots.
I slip them on and as soon as I see my reflection I know these are exactly what I was missing. “They are perfect,” I gasp.
“Keep ”em if you want, they”re a bit slutty for me,” she laughs.
“Are you calling me a slut?” I gasp, grabbing my invisible pearls.
“Well if the boot fits,” she jokes back.
I attempt to push her back onto the bed but she grabs hold of my shoulders and pulls me down with her. We begin poking and tickling each other while laughing and play fighting like we did when we were little kids.That is until a loud horn sounds outside and brings us back to reality.
“Shit,” I laugh as I climb off the bed and begin straightening my outfit.
“Wait,” she calls, before flattening down a piece of unruly hair at the side of my head. “There, perfect!” she smiles.
“Love you, sis,” I say before turning to walk out the door. Butterflies form in my tummy as I make my way up the stairs, just as a second horn sounds.