Chapter Eleven
Sunny
He’s gone. I know he is.
I don’t feel him watching me anymore.
And that sounds insane, right? But it’s true. For weeks after the funeral, I could feel him. This quiet shadow hovering at the edges of my life. I never saw him, not really, but I always knew. The smell of sandalwood as I left my apartment. The shift of a figure just out of view. He was there.
Now?
Just silence.
I think back to his last text message from four weeks ago. No follow-up. No explanation.
Jack: Stay safe, Sunny.
That was it. No goodbye. No deep, meaningful message about how we were friends now. No “I care about you,” or “I can’t see you anymore.” Not even a stay away from me, doll.
Just… Stay safe.
Like I was a package he’d delivered and signed off on.
I don’t even know why it bothers me so much. Why I care.
Why I’m so dang attracted to a man who clearly wants nothing to do with me.
Okay, fine. I do know.
Because it wasn’t just about the way he looked at me. It was the silence that didn’t scare me. The rough edges he never bothered to hide. The gentleness he didn’t want me to notice. But I did.
I don’t really know him.
But I feel him.
And even now, with him gone, I can’t stop hoping he’ll come back.
Even if all he ever says is Stay safe.
Insane, right?
“Hey, Sunny, want to come to lunch with us?”
Jack might be out of my life, but Riley and Abby aren’t.
“Absolutely,” I say with a smile, clocking out for break. “I wasn’t expecting you guys until tomorrow.”
They show up like clockwork every Friday, eating lunch with me without fail. And while I’m grateful for the company, and I really am, it’s also made me realize something.
I don’t actually have any friends. Not real ones.
Sure, I’m friendly with everyone. People like me well enough. We chat, we laugh, we bond over small things. But once they walk away, that’s it. No calls. No texts. No “Hey, let’s grab coffee” or “wanna hang this weekend?”
Just… nothing.
For someone as peppy and sunshine-filled as I am, I’ve never felt more alone.
Even with Riley and Abby. I enjoy their company. They check in. They send memes and little updates throughout the week. But deep down, I still feel like I’m not part of their circle. I’m the outsider they let sit at their table.
Which is sweet.
And sad.
And possibly a sign I should find a therapist with sliding scale rates and a box of tissues ready.
“Spike and I had to take Asher to a doctor’s appointment,” Riley says. “It was just around the corner, so we thought we’d stop in and enjoy your company before heading home. Lucky timing.”
“Well, I won’t complain,” I say, smiling. “How’d the sweet baby do?”
“He’s healthy as a horse,” Riley laughs. “I’ll need to take him in for bloodwork next week, but that’ll have to be a solo trip.”
“Afraid your husband might punch a nurse for making his son cry?” I tease.
“Yes,” she answers, completely serious. “They’re in the car waiting for us. Do burgers and fries sound okay?”
“More than okay,” I grin as my stomach lets out a traitorous growl.
Riley leads the way to the car, where Spike is standing with the back door open, arms crossed, and that trademark Iron Shadows scowl locked and loaded. As we approach, his eyes narrow.
“Have you lost weight?” he asks, eyes scanning me like a laser.
“Spike!” Riley gasps. “You can’t just say that to someone.”
“I can when that someone is one of mine and it looks like she’s not taking care of herself.”
One of his?
The words hit somewhere in my chest like a tiny firecracker. I remember that same claim from weeks ago, the one I half convinced myself was just talk. Just kindness. Just temporary.
But I haven’t seen anyone from the club since Jack’s text, aside from Riley and Abby. And that’s on me, right? I mean, they’re busy. And I’m just… me.
Still, hearing him say it again makes something stir. The way Jack made that same claim. But it felt deeper somehow. More intense.
And I hate how much I want it to be true. I’m not alone in life. Sure, I have no friends, but I do have Mama, Aunt Molly, and Ashley. And, that’s always been okay.
“I probably have,” I admit with a shrug. “Been busy. Not much time to snack. But hey, I’m big enough to survive a few missed snacks.”
Yeah, that was the wrong thing to say. Spike’s face tightens like I just kicked his puppy.
“Get in the car, Sunny,” he growls.
I glance back at Riley, who’s totally failing to hide her smile.
Whatever. As long as there’s a burger at the end of this ride, I can handle one grumpy biker and his protective instincts.
Luckily, Spike takes us to the Iron Café just around the corner. Good thing, too. If I don’t get food in me soon, I might start eyeing the baby’s cheese puffs like a snack goblin. Honestly? I don’t think I’ve eaten since breakfast yesterday.
About thirty minutes and a very satisfying cheeseburger later, Spike pushes his chair back.
“I’m gonna hit the can before we leave,” he says. “Sunny, I ordered you a burger to go. They’ll bring it out when it’s ready. I expect it eaten before the night’s over.”
“Sir, yes sir,” I salute as he walks away. “Your husband’s kinda bossy.”
“ Kinda ?” Riley snorts. “Girl, my husband is bossy on a professional level. Like, he could teach a course.”
A waitress drops off a brown paper bag beside Riley.
“Here’s your to-go order, ma’am.”
“Oh, we just got the sandwich,” Riley says, eyeing the treat bag on the table. “Not the cookies.”
“Every take-out order gets cookies,” the girl replies with a fake smile before walking off.
“I’ve ordered take-out here a dozen times and never got a cookie,” I mutter. “Though I usually preorder the night before and grab it before work.”
“Still sounds like false advertisement,” Riley shrugs, pushing the bag toward me. “File a complaint. Maybe they’ll give you free cookies for life.”
“Now that’s a fat girl’s dream,” I laugh.
Burger and cookie secured, I follow Riley and Asher out to the car. Spike joins us a minute later, rubbing his hands together like a man on a mission.
“Let’s hit the road, ladies. Gotta get my boy home and in bed.”
I glance into the car seat beside me. Asher’s wide awake, happily drooling on his fist like he’s starving to death.
“He’s not even remotely tired,” I chuckle.
It takes less than five minutes before they drop me off in front of Marv’s.
“Thanks for lunch. It was good seeing you, Spike. It’s been a while.”
“You too, Sunny,” he grunts. “And I meant what I said about that burger. Eat it before the day’s done.”
“Yes, boss,” I sigh dramatically, then turn to Riley. “Here, take a cookie. They gave me two and I don’t need that kind of temptation in my house.”
“I mean, if you insist,” she says, grinning as she snatches it.
After hugs and goodbyes, I make a beeline for the staff room and stash the burger in the fridge for later. I’ll eat it when I get home and send Riley a picture, just to annoy her bossy husband.
***
“I’m not off tomorrow, but I can on Saturday,” I tell Mama over the phone as I toss my keys in the key bowl and toe off my shoes. “Oh! Maybe we can go to the movies. I can’t even remember the last time I saw something that wasn’t animated or on sale at Walmart.”
“Sounds like a plan, Bug,” Mama says. “Alright, sweetheart. I’m going to head to bed. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. And Sunny?”
“Yes, Mama?”
“Stop working so much,” she says gently. “You’re missing out on life, honey.”
“I’m fine, Mama,” I sigh dramatically, throwing in just enough flair to make her laugh. “Love you lots. Night.”
She’s not wrong though. I have been working too much.
Not that anyone’s twisting my arm. I’m literally the one who writes the schedule.
And sure, maybe I’ve been “accidentally” giving myself a few extra hours lately but it’s still under the maximum limit I’m allowed to have. Plus, there’s a reason for it.
What I haven’t told anyone, not even Mama, is that I’ve been setting money aside from every paycheck. Little by little. Quietly. Once I hit a few thousand, I’m sending it anonymously to Josh’s mom. I don’t know if it’ll make a big difference, but… maybe it’ll help her sleep a little easier.
Shaking off the thoughts before they get too heavy, I head for the bathroom and run a hot bath. I tell myself I’ll only soak for a few minutes.
Cut to: me waking up like a giant soggy noodle at one in the morning.
Groggy and grumbly, I shuffle to the kitchen. A quick reheat of my burger, a bottle of water from the fridge, cookie in hand and we’re in business. I curl up in bed with my after-midnight feast and turn on a movie.
The burger hits like a hug. The cookie? Heaven. I polish it off, wrap myself in my blankets, and let sleep take me away.
But it doesn’t last long.
***Bones***
“Where you going?” Skip asks, falling into step beside me.
“Home,” I grunt.
“Like, actually ?” he says. “You’re not gonna go peep in on your girlfriend?”
“Drop it, Skip,” I growl.
“Okay, touchy subject,” he says, holding up both hands. “I get it. Sort of. Anyway, since we’re neighbors, I’ll walk with you.”
Shockingly, the one-minute walk to my house doesn’t end with me stabbing my friend.
“Bones. Skip,” Spike calls from behind us. “Got a sec? I need help moving my stove. Damn wire needs replacing again.”
“It’s midnight,” Skip hollers. “Can’t it wait? Bones needs his beauty sleep.”
“I mean, sure,” Spike shrugs. “I’ll just ignore the smoke coming out the back of it. No big deal.”
I smack Skip in the back of the head and veer off toward Spike’s house.
Inside the kitchen, Skip and I each take a side of the heavy-as-hell stove and tilt it forward so Spike can get to the outlet.
“You know this is the third time you’ve had to replace that plug, right?” Skip says. “Ever think about getting a new stove?”
“Hell no,” Spike grunts from underneath. “This sucker’s an antique. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.”
“It’s made of solid metal,” Skip mutters, adjusting his grip. “No stove should weigh eight hundred pounds. How the hell did you even get it in here?”