Chapter 5 #2
“Come on, you must have something that you can’t talk to anyone else about. Some torrid affair that ended because you had to move across the country?” she asked hopefully.
“I haven’t had any torrid affairs,” I replied apologetically. “All of my relationships have ended amicably, and none of them could be considered torrid.”
“None of them? Oh, doll, you’re missing out.”
“I did kiss Bas.”
“I knew that already.”
“Again,” I added with a snort.
“Oh, shit, really?”
“He kissed me, honestly.”
“Oh, and you just allowed it, I’m sure.”
“I was an enthusiastic partner,” I confessed. “And then I told him it wasn’t going to happen again.”
“What did he say?”
“He wasn’t happy about it. Asked why. Looked at me like I was nuts.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That everyone knew he was in love with Lou, and I didn’t want to get in the middle of any drama.”
Nova gaped at me.
“What? It’s the truth. Was I supposed to lie?”
“I don’t think you needed to lay it out quite so succinctly. What did he say?”
“That he wasn’t in love with Lou. He seemed pretty pissed.”
“He said that flat out?”
“No hesitation.”
“Huh,” she replied thoughtfully.
“What? What was that noise?”
“Ballsy move to call him out on it.” She tilted her head back and forth. “If he says he’s not in love with her, then what’s stopping you?”
“Oh, I don’t know? The entire club. Just because he says it doesn’t mean everyone hasn’t watched him giving her puppy dog eyes since they met. Actions speak louder than words.”
“He didn’t even pause to think about it?” she asked.
“Nope. He seemed shocked that I’d even said it.”
“Interesting.”
“What? What’s interesting. Give me more than that.”
“Well, if he’s that sure.” She shrugged. “Then who cares what anyone says?”
“I do,” I replied flatly. “I’m already not as close as everyone else. I’m always the odd man out.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is, too. They’re all happy to see me, don’t get me wrong, but I’m always just a step outside the inner circle.”
“I hate that.” Nova scowled. “You’re not a step outside my circle.”
“Thanks, No.”
“Maybe that’ll change, though, if you take a job somewhere local. You’ll spend more time with everyone, and it won’t feel like that anymore.”
“Maybe,” I conceded. “But if I hook up with Bas, I have a feeling things’ll get worse, not better.”
Nova rolled her eyes. “If you think that, you don’t know Bas. There’s no way in hell he’d ever let them freeze you out.”
We moved onto other topics and ended up spending a couple hours at the restaurant, ordering dessert and coffee after dinner so we didn’t piss off the staff that wanted to turn over our table. I made sure to leave a huge tip when we left because I had a feeling we’d be back.
After walking Nova to her car, I hurried to my own and climbed inside. My mom had been right about wanting my own vehicle to get around. It was nice to be able to drive around town whenever I wanted without having to ask to borrow her car.
I pulled out onto the road and waved at Nova when I passed her, happy in a way I hadn’t been in a long time.
I had plenty of acquaintances, and I’d always been able to find people to meet up with after work, but none of them had ever turned into more than that.
I missed having friends to hang out with that actually cared what was going on in my life.
I was grinning stupidly as I headed back toward my parents’ house, a familiar station playing on the radio and the heated seat warming me up, when I pulled the steering wheel to go around a sharp curve and the thing would barely fucking turn.
Yanking it harder, I hit the brakes as my heart started to pound in my ears.
The steering worked, but something was seriously wrong with the car.
As soon as I made it around the corner, I slowed to a crawl and drove with both hands gripping the wheel for dear life until I could find a place to pull over.
Turning on my hazard lights, I made sure the doors were locked and reached for my phone.
“Hey, kid,” my dad answered on the first ring.
“Dad, something’s wrong with the car,” I said, my voice wobbling a little. Adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, and my heart was racing.
“What do you mean somethin’ is wrong with the car?”
“I was going around the corner by that old barn, and the steering wheel wouldn’t turn.”
“You okay?” he snapped.
“I’m fine. I got it to turn, and I slowed way down. I pulled over about a quarter of a mile up, but I don’t think I can drive it home.”
“You’re off the road?”
“Yeah, I’m on the shoulder.”
“All right, hang tight. We’re at Casper and Farrah’s, so it’s going to take me a little longer to get there. I’ll call around and see if anyone’s closer.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can wait.”
“It’s pitch fuckin’ black outside, and you’re stranded on the side of the goddamn road. Whoever’s closest will be there soon. Stay in the car.”
“I will.”
I hung up and held the phone in my hand as I waited. A few cars flew past, not even bothering to slow down. I was glad they didn’t stop because I didn’t really want some stranger coming up to the car, but a little caution would’ve been nice.
My hands were shaking.
For a moment when the wheel wouldn’t turn, I’d thought I was going to keep going straight into the trees on the opposite side of the road.
The fact that it was nighttime just made things that much worse.
I already hated driving at night. The lights from oncoming cars burned my eyes, and it always felt like it took so long for my eyes to adjust so I could see again once they’d passed me.
“You’re fine,” I muttered to myself. “It all worked out.”
Less than five minutes after I’d called my dad, the roar of a Harley had me turning in my seat. I couldn’t tell who it was until the man climbed off his bike and I recognized his silhouette in the darkness.
In seconds, I’d unbuckled my seat belt and thrown my door open. I’d barely made it out of the car before Bas’s arms were around me and he’d lifted me off my feet. He carried me around to the passenger side before setting me down again.
“What the hell happened? Are you okay?”
“The fucking steering went out,” I replied, my voice high and pitchy. “I came around the corner, and I could barely turn the wheel.”
“Fuck,” he mumbled, pulling me tighter against him, his lips against my forehead.
“What would make it do that?” I asked as his hold loosened. “It was fine on my way to town.”
“Sounds like your power steering went out,” he said, glancing at the car. “Not common in that model, but it happens.”
Headlights illuminated the road as they rounded the corner, and then another vehicle pulled off the road behind Bas’s motorcycle. Someone hopped out of the driver’s seat.
“Harp?” my brother called as he strode our way.
I squinted in his direction. He hadn’t turned his lights off, so it felt like we were standing in a spotlight.
“I’m fine,” I called back as he jogged closer. “But I might’ve peed my pants.”
Bas laughed under his breath and backed away from me a little.
“Dad said your steering went out?”
“It was fine when I left the restaurant, but by the time I took that corner, I could barely turn the wheel.”
“Power steering must’ve gone out.”
“That’s what Bas said.”
“Glad you didn’t panic, sister,” Gray said, pulling me in for a quick hug. “Dad’s gonna stop at the club and grab the wrecker. He’s only a few minutes behind me.”
“I’m going to give him so much shit for loaning me a lemon,” I said with a slightly hysterical laugh. “What the fuck?”
Gray shook his head and looked at the car. “We go over the loaners every couple of months. Not sure how we could’ve missed a power steering issue. The prospects check fluids every other week when we don’t have anythin’ else for them to do.”
“You got anythin’ you need to get outta the car?” Gray asked distractedly, still looking at it. “Me and Frankie can take you back to Mom and Dad’s.”
“Frankie’s with you?” I asked in surprise.
She hadn’t gotten out of the truck. It was raining, and the argument could be made that there wasn’t anything for her to do on the shoulder of the road, but it was still odd that she hadn’t even come over to check on me.
We’d been friends for years, since Myla had brought her home and introduced her to everyone.
I was her man’s baby sister. And Bas was here, too, and he was one of her best friends on the planet.
Even if I hadn’t just dealt with a scary situation, she normally would’ve at least come to say hi.
“Yeah.” Gray jerked his chin toward the truck.
“I’d rather just wait for Dad,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I can ride back to the club with him.”
“You sure?”
“I don’t mind.”
Bas’s hand unobtrusively smoothed down my back. I pulled the hood of my jacket up as the rain grew heavier.
A few minutes later my dad pulled up in the wrecker, and I handed the keys to Bas so he could pull the car onto the back. When he climbed back out, he was carrying my purse and the little paper bag that held my new books.
“Glad you’re okay,” Gray said, walking over to give me a hug. “You did good pulling to the shoulder and calling Dad instead of trying to drive home.”
“I was way too freaked out for that,” I confessed. “Even if I could’ve driven it home, I probably would’ve asked Dad to come get me.”
“Nothin’ wrong with that. Love you.”
“Love you, too,” I said as he pulled away. “Tell Frank I said thanks for coming.”
I looked toward the blinding headlights and gave a little wave as Gray walked back to the truck.
“All right, we’re all set,” my dad announced as he rounded the wrecker. “Hop in so we can get this back to the garage.”
“Thanks for coming,” I said as Bas handed over my stuff. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I was closest,” he said easily. “No problem.” He lifted his chin to my dad and then walked back to his motorcycle.