5. Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Maggie
I don’t want to go back to being under anyone’s thumb, even his. -Maggie
“What do you mean there was a guy asking about me? What did he look like? What did he say? Was he wearing a suit?” My heart gallops a mile a minute thinking about who it could be.
It’s probably one of my parents’ investigators.
I knew they would find me, even with booking everything under my pen name.
They aren’t dumb. Maybe my cousin cracked.
Maybe they’re going to force me to go back home, to marry…
“Relax honey, it was just Hawk. I guess you’ve met him. He said down by the waterfall?” Her perceptive green eyes peer at me over her tortoise-shell glasses as they slip down her petite nose.
“Oh,” I say simply, and feel my shoulders relax. “Hawk,” I mutter. “I wondered what his name was.”
Evie simply hums and continues putting books back into their correct places. “I thought the book club went well. Didn’t you?” she asks in her soft voice.
“Yeah, um, it was fun…” It was fun. The book club, Shelf Indulgence, is an eclectic mix of enthusiastic readers.
They read my first book, Broken Innocence , a new adult romance, and were eager to ask me questions.
I still couldn’t get used to the fact that anyone cared what I wrote.
If only I was making enough money selling my books to live on my own.
I desperately needed the wider audience that would hopefully read my MC series.
I shake my head. Never mind that…I needed to know more about this Hawk guy. An image of his naked body flashes across my mind, and I shiver. I’ve already had a few naughty dreams about the rugged tough guy.
“What was um, Hawk, asking? What did you tell him?” I ask Evie in what I hope is a casual voice.
I don’t fool Evie. She tucks a strand of her silver-blonde hair behind her ear and raises an eyebrow at me over the stack of books in her arms. “What would you want me to tell him?” she asks calmly.
I love Evie. She’s a soft, quiet person, always dressed in her vibrant, flowy dresses. She’s completely zen, which is great, but I need her a little more matter of fact right now, instead of analytical.
I shrug. “Oh, anything you want to, I suppose,” I say innocently. In truth, my heart is beating a mile a minute and I’m wondering if the hot guy is going to track me down any minute. My gaze wanders to the door but no one is there. Sigh. Do I want him to find me or not? I’m not sure.
I turn and run my finger across the spine of a popular romantic fantasy series. Oh, how I wish I had a guy to slay the dragons for me.
“I told him exactly what I know. Well, except for your real name, since you insist on everyone using your pseudonym.” My head whips around in panic.
A small smile plays on her lips. “I told him that you’re a romance author that has come to town to do a signing and meet with the book club. Told him as far as I knew you were here for a few days. Told him to read your bio on the back of the book if he wanted any more info.”
I turn and giddily embrace Evie into a tight hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Evie seems rattled by my enthusiasm and freezes up. She calmly pats me on the back. “Well, that’s pretty much all I do know, dear.”
I step back and give her a sheepish grin. “There’s not much to know.”
She tilts her head, and those perceptive green eyes have a knowing look in them. “You’re running from something, sweetheart. I hope one day you’ll tell me what it is. I have a little experience in feeling lost.”
Her words invoke the melancholy I’ve held at bay since I arrived here. I want to be a normal person, with a normal life. I want to make my own choices. I just want to determine my own happiness.
I sigh. “It’s complicated Evie.” I reach out and squeeze her hand. “But inviting me here, making me feel welcome, has helped a lot.”
Her eyes crinkle in the corners as she smiles. “You’re an amazing writer, Maggie, and you really should let people in more.”
I glance down at my feet. “I know.”
Evie lets out a soft sigh. “You know, I don’t think Hawk was asking out of malice or anything. He’s a good guy. He’s a member of the Savage Kings. He’s their sergeant-at-arms.”
My head snaps up. “He’s in the Savage Kings?”
“Well, yes.” Evie’s cheeks turn a pinkish hue as she realizes that maybe she’s said too much.
“Should I ask him about the Savage Kings? Do you think he would help me with my book? Maybe he could introduce me to some other members. Maybe he could…”
Evie shakes her head. “Maggie, he’s a very private person. And the Savage Kings MC won’t just let any stranger into their midst.”
I give a groan of frustration. She’s right, of course.
Evie won’t even say much. I went to Karla’s Klip N’ Kurl, the local salon, yesterday and the women there would gossip about everything except the Savage Kings.
When I asked questions about them, they zipped up so fast it was scary. They then proceeded to ignore me.
The new owner there, Abbie Lott, was sympathetic and kind, but even she looked at me a little warily when I asked a few questions. At least I got a nice trim out of the whole deal.
“I still might try, Evie. I need this series to be good. I need to find out more about them.” In fact, even though I would barely admit it to myself, the hero of my novel, was already shaping up to look a lot like Hawk.
My beastly biker , I privately thought of him as.
He should be scary, but truthfully…he’s just hot as hell.
Evie purses her lips and shakes her head. She doesn’t say another word until I wish her goodnight. Great, I’ve pissed off the only friend I have here.
The bell above the door dings as I leave the store. Dusk is just settling over the small mountain town. I stop outside the shop to admire the hues of purple and blue that paint the sky and the white-capped mountains in the distance.
I’m not paying any attention at all when suddenly a large hand clamps over my shoulder.
I yelp and swing around.
Hawk stands there, gruff and wearing a murderous scowl. My whole body lights up in response.
Well, speak of the devil…