Chapter Forty-Three
Melissa
There was nowhere to go.
I hadn’t thought beyond driving out of the clubhouse lot. My mind was focused on the escape, not the destination.
I had my car, my clothes. I still had the Amex card Dante gave me, but leaving Dani behind meant I couldn’t use that. I had my own money. I didn’t need to hide anymore now that Dani was back with her fathers.
Dani.
My sweet girl.
Your girl?
Yes, she was mine. I was there for her. I didn’t leave her.
You’re leaving now, though.
My internal bitch was right, and I hated her for it. I was leaving. But I had to. I couldn’t stay in the clubhouse any longer. I didn’t know what I would do without her, but I couldn’t stay there. Not with them.
When I saw the little diner, I pulled in without thinking. A cup of coffee would help me think. Help me plan.
Yanking the door open, I was unprepared for the sight. Stepping over the threshold was like walking back through time. Not that I had been alive in the fifties, but I had seen enough movies and photographs that depicted the time.
The black-and-white tiled floor, the red vinyl booths. The long counter lined with stools.
It reminded me of the diner Cash and I had coffee at when I snuck out to go to the library. He always followed and hung around, waiting for me to be done. Always making sure I got home safe.
I guess I was never really sneaking out if Cash knew what I was doing and where I was going. But Gunner didn’t, so it felt a little like rebellion.
Safe rebellion.
“Sit anywhere you like, honey,” the waitress remarked as she floated by, carrying a large tray of drinks in her hands.
The counter was the logical choice since I was alone. But the diner wasn’t busy, and I wanted to sag against the back of the booth. I couldn’t have a pity party at the counter without feeling the strain on my back.
Sliding into the seat, I set my bag next to me as another waitress rushed by, dropping off a menu and asking if I wanted coffee.
“Yes, please. And a water,” I answered, hoping she heard me as she disappeared.
“Hey, Melissa, right?”
Startled by the voice, I looked up into the eyes of Ellie’s friend. I couldn’t remember her name, but I remembered her. I didn’t talk to her the day she was at the clubhouse, but I remembered how forward she was in picking up Dani without a word.
“Hi...”
“Jessie,” she supplied before sliding into the booth across from me.
The waitress came back with two coffees and two glasses of water, plus another menu, as if she knew Jessie would sit with me.
“Thanks, Ro!” Jessie took a sip of her black coffee, and I winced. I needed at least six sugars to temper the bitter taste of the crude oil in my cup. Not to mention about a gallon of cream.
“So, let’s chat,” Jessie said, leaning her arms on the table, elbows spread out, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. She reminded me of some of my teenage patients. Only her expression was one of curiosity rather than disinterest. “Ellie told me about your smackdown with Danny.”
Her words made me wince. I wasn’t proud of how I acted. To be honest, I hadn’t been proud of my actions since arriving in Nebraska.
I had been so caught up in my own shit, I still hadn’t taken the time to ask my best friend how she got hurt. This was not who I was. And exactly why I couldn’t stay here.
Being around the MC made me angry. It made me sad and hurt and so goddamn angry that I lashed out with no regard to anyone but myself.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” I told her, so ashamed of how I acted I couldn’t even look at the stranger.
“Do not apologize. He deserved it.”
Taken aback by her comment, I focused on the abrupt woman in front of me.
“We all understand why he did it—”
“I don’t,” I muttered.
“Have you asked him?” Opening my mouth to answer she added, “Really asked him? With an actual interest in his answer?” She waved her hand at me, as if dismissing any answer I might offer as unimportant. “Anyway. Despite understanding why he did it, it was still a stupid thing to do. And he knows it.”
Jessie looked around the room before focusing back on me. “I’ve known Danny for a while now and the thing with him is... You won’t find anyone with a bigger heart. But he’s impulsive. He does things without thinking sometimes.”
“Dante said Danny always thinks of contingencies.”
“Oh, he does. Danny plans for everything. There isn’t just plan B’s. There are plans X, Y, and Z’s. The problem is, Danny is analytical. He forgets the emotional. That’s why he was always closer to Ellie, and I was closer to Dante. I don’t do well with the emotional crap either.”
The waitress stopped at our table and took our order, halting the conversation. Once she stepped far enough away, Jessie continued.
“Danny is a hero.”
I tried to stop it. I really did, but my eyes rolled so far back in my head I almost passed out, causing Jessie to laugh so loud the other patrons turned in our direction.
“Let me rephrase that. Danny is used to being the hero. People come to him for help all the time. He helps people get found, he helps people hide. He helps find criminals, and he helps to rescue people that are in trouble. And he does it all from behind his computer screen.”
I knew that much was true. No one ever questioned the documents he gave to Dani and me.
“His family was in trouble. He comes from a group of men that have rescued trafficked people. They brought down a major trafficking ring, and Danny was a part of that. He’s one of them, and he thought he could do it too because he worked it all out with computations and algorithms.”
“It sounds like you’re making excuses for what he did.”
“I am,” she said bluntly. “Because despite what a giant pain in the ass he can be, his heart is even bigger, and Danny leads with his heart.”
“I thought you said he forgets about the emotional.” I felt like this conversation was going around in circles.
“He does.” She nodded. “He forgets other people love him just as big and just as hard as he loves them.”
Ok, I could see that. I had told Danny in one of our sessions I could see how big he loved. It was why I couldn’t understand how he could do what he did.
“You know, for someone who doesn’t do well with the emotional crap, you’re pretty good at explaining it.”
“Oh, I understand it just fine. It’s the showing it I have trouble with.”
“Jessica.”
Jessie narrowed her eyes at the deep voice that called her name. “Go away, Grayson.”
“Can’t do that, darlin’. Hi, I’m Grayson Powell.” The gorgeous man standing at the end of our table held out his hand, and I shook it.
“Melissa,” I said.
Grayson sat next to Jessie, pushing her further into the booth so she could avoid touching him. My concern grew when he leaned closer, ignoring her obvious discomfort.
“What was that about having trouble showing emotion? I’m thinking a little immersion therapy would fix that right up.”
“Actually, this is Dr. Melissa Jefferson. I am already in therapy.” I opened my mouth to correct Jessie about being a child psychologist, not a general psychologist, but the glare she quickly pointed in my direction had me closing my mouth with a snap. “So, what you heard was doctor-patient confidentiality. Ignore it.”
Grayson just smirked. “You can’t run forever, sweetheart.”
He leaned over and kissed the side of Jessie’s head before leaving us alone in the booth. The way Jessie’s eyes closed at the gesture and the quiet sigh that slipped between her lips told me I had read the situation wrong.
When her eyes finally opened, I smiled at her.
“Not a word. I get enough shit from everyone else.”
The waitress dropped off our food, told us the bill was paid, and before I could ask who paid it, a voice shouted from across the room.
“I’ll be seeing you soon, Jessica Montoya.”
The jingle of the bell signaled the door opening as Grayson Powell left the diner. Jessie groaned and dropped her head on the table.
“He’s very handsome,” I commented.
“He’s fucking gorgeous.”
“So, what’s the problem? He clearly wants you. And you obviously want him.” I took a bite of my burger and groaned to myself. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.
“Too much baggage” was all she said before digging into her own plate.
We ate our food and talked like friends. Jessie was borderline rude with her blunt, forward way of speaking. But I found it endearing. Too many people were practiced in spouting bullshit, so you never knew what they felt or believed.
“So, what’s your plan?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Ellie said Ghost was yours. Yet you’re here, with no escort. Which tells me the boys don’t know you left yet. So, what’s your plan?”
“He’s not mine,” I said, shaking my head, unsure if the denial was for her benefit or mine.
“But you want him to be.”
“It’s not an option. I can’t be with a biker.”
“Why the hell not? Bikers are hot. And from the TMI Ellie has shared with me, they know how to fling a girl around.” She waggled her eyebrows, and I couldn’t help the small laugh at her antics.
“Too much baggage.” Repeating her words cut through quickly. She nodded her understanding and went in a different direction.
“Ok, what about Dani?”
Shrugging my shoulders and laying my napkin on my plate, I said, “Sometimes you have to give up the thing you want the most, so the person you love can be happy.”
“You think she’ll be happy without you? From what Ellie said, you’re her mom in every sense of the word. Like she is with Chrissy and Tabby.”
That was nice of Ellie to say, but it wasn’t true. Dani had her dads. And as much as I wanted to be in Dani’s life, Ellie’s situation was completely different.
“Ellie sure talks a lot.”
“She does. She’s a writer, so everything is drama to her. But me and Ryder are the only two people she really gossips to.”
“I don’t really have a plan. I just can’t stay at the clubhouse anymore.”
Jessie sighed heavily. “I like you, Melissa. So, I am going to do something very painful.”
I eyed her curiously. “What are you going to do?”
“The giant pain-in-the-ass cowboy that was here has some cabins on his ranch. I’ll take you over there and get you set up in one.”
“Oh no. I can just stay at the hotel.”
“Absolutely not. Have you seen that shithole? It’s not fit for rats, let alone humans.”
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine. What good is having a man wrapped around your finger if you can’t take advantage of it?”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. You can follow me.”
The waitress assured me when Grayson paid the bill, he left a more than generous tip. So, I gathered up my bag and followed Jessie out the door. I hesitated as I made my way to my car. It felt as if I was being watched. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up like a static charge. Looking around didn’t produce anyone familiar, but then, it never did.
It was unusual to get a note two days in a row. And since the last one came yesterday, I was semi confident there wouldn’t be one today. Seeing the empty windshield, I sighed in relief as I climbed into my car and followed Jessie to the Powell Ranch.