Chapter 7
Kelly
My Honda CRV cargo area was filled to the max. I considered the five hundred dollars Slay gave me for my help a blessing in disguise. Ever since Brock and I had broken up, money had been tight for me.
So, I woke up this morning and told Kevin to get ready because we were going to Costco and out for lunch in Chico, which was twenty minutes north of San Diablo and the big city. The kid had flown out of bed and into the shower in a flash.
“I’ll put the toilet paper in the backseat,” he told me. It was the last item to stuff into my little car.
“Perfect. I’ll put the cart back.” I smiled feeling good for the first time since moving back to San Diablo, and I didn’t want to believe it had to do with seeing Gideon last night.
Gideon Quick, who now went by GQ, and had a woman all over him in the bar.
Not gonna deny my old friend looked hotter than a blazing firepit and that meant he was very dangerous to my well-being.
Even though I understood the risks being associated with a biker in the notorious Kings of Anarchy MC, I allowed myself to admire his broad shoulders and the sexy scruff on his face.
But that was last night and today, I wouldn’t think about GQ.
I returned to my car, finding Kevin in the passenger’s seat. His face was red, no thanks to the scorching temperature, and he had the best expression, one of joy.
We hadn’t argued once and it was almost noon, which was unusual. Normally, we bickered about stupid stuff, like him not loading and running the dishwasher while I was at work and leaving the toilet seat up.
Or he’d take a jab at me for never being around and how he wished he could live with his friend Conrad so he wouldn’t be alone all the time.
But so far, it had been a good day, one of our best.
“Let me guess. You’re starving,” I teased him as I started the car.
“You know it, sis.” He cranked up the A/C. Sweat dripped down the side of his face. It was already 101 degrees, projected to hit 109. “I’m hankering for a double cheeseburger and animal style fries.” He licked his lips and wiggled his eyebrows.
“No chocolate shake?” I asked, pulling out of the parking spot.
“I mean, if you’re offering…” He put his face in front of the vent as if it would help to cool him down faster.
“I am. But you know, you can pick something different. It doesn’t always have to be In and Out.” Not that I minded burgers and fries, but it seemed that was all we ever ate. Well, except yesterday. That carne asada burrito was amazing. “Like what about sushi or Italian food?”
“You want to feed me raw fish?” He made a gagging face. “Isn’t that child abuse?”
“Stop it.” I tossed my head back and laughed. “Raw fish is child abuse? Please, stop.”
“It is to me. I’m really craving In and Out. Conrad’s mom made us spaghetti the other night, so no Italian.”
“Fine, but I’m sure her pasta isn’t the same as an Italian restaurant.”
“I like Ragu.” He shrugged his shoulders.
Of course he did. That was the brand our mom used and I never liked it. But I would do anything to have her with us and cook a pot of spaghetti. I’d eat every bite she served me.
After I went away for college, I picked up some snooty habits in SoCal and became a food snob.
I couldn’t help it. Everybody was into physical fitness and eating fresh cuisine.
Farm to table. Organic. Nothing fried. I embraced the lifestyle and took my habits with me to San Francisco.
But San Diablo didn’t have bistros, sushi bars or places I could get an acai bowl.
“Okay, In and Out it is.” I turned left at the intersection and headed toward his favorite fast-food joint. “But we’re listening to country for the rest of our outing.”
“Dammit! I knew there had to be a catch.” He growled and put my country station on. We’d been listening to heavy metal, not my favorite, but I let him have his way to keep the peace and make our time together stress-free.
A Max McNown song came on and I sang along, bobbing my head. By the time the song ended, we were pulling into the parking lot, which was jam packed as usual.
“Let’s go inside,” Kevin said.
“Sure.” I found a spot to park. It would be nice to sit in an air-conditioned place and not have to worry about spilling on my clothes while driving and eating. “We have all the time in the world.”
“Until you have to go back to work, anyway.” He opened his door, got out and closed it before I could say anything.
He wasn’t wrong, though. With all the over-time I’d been getting, my free-time was limited, which was why I would do just about anything he asked. Guilt ate at me.
Kevin found us a booth, and I ordered our food and got my drink. As I went to the far corner of the room where my brother was seated, something seemed to have captured his attention out the window.
“Whatcha looking at?” I asked, sliding into my seat.
“I can’t be sure, but I think I’ve seen that pick up around San Diablo.” He pointed out the window. “If it’s the same one, it belongs to a King.”
“Huh. Guess they wanted something to eat.” I put the paper straw in my cup and gulped my ice-cold diet drink.
“Yeah, but bikers don’t usually go into places outside of their territory.”
I nodded as if I agreed. Truthfully, I didn’t like how much he knew about the Kings.
“Oh my God,” he whispered.
“What?” I was about to turn around when he said…
“Don’t look. You’ll draw attention to us.”
I froze. “Okay.”
“He’s just placing an order. Weird that he’s alone. Why didn’t he go through the drive-thru?”
“Maybe he wanted to sit at a table.”
Kevin screwed up his face. “These guys don’t go into public places alone. He was smart not to wear his cut.”
“What’s a cut?”
“A leather vest with their colors and rocker on the back.”
“It’s like you’re speaking a foreign language.” I snorted and dialed into our number being called. “That’s us,” I told Kevin.
“Just wait a minute,” my brother whispered, again. “He’s coming this way. Don’t freak.”
My spine stiffened. I hoped it the biker wasn’t Dom or Skillz. Those guys were relentless.
“Well, fancy seeing you here.” The voice. Gideon Quick.
Kevin’s eyes widened.
I turned to the right and there he was. “Oh. Hey.”
“Mind if I join you both?” he asked, sitting next to me and not waiting for me to reply.
“Actually, I do mind,” I replied. “I’m here with my brother.”
“I don’t mind.” Kevvy snatched the receipt off the table. “I’ll get our food.” He bolted out of the booth with a small smile.
“Please tell me you didn’t follow me here.” I turned slightly to face Gideon.
“Seriously? Why would I follow you anywhere, especially to Chico.” He drummed his fingers on the table.
I wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not. “It just seems very coincidental after you asked me to have a drink with you last night.”
“So?” He shrugged. “It’s also coincidental that you were in my clubhouse.”
Hmm, I guess so. “What are you doing in Chico?”
“Club business I can’t talk about. Thought I’d stop in for a burger before heading back.”
Just then, Kevin appeared with a red tray in his hands and a curious glint in his blue eyes.
“Damn, that looks good,” Gideon said. “Mine should be up soon.”
“You’re welcome to ours if you want.” Kevin sat down and nudge the tray toward Gideon.
“Excuse me, but no.” I pushed the tray away from the biker next to me, who happened to have the best smelling cologne on. “He ordered his own.”
“She’s right. I can wait,” Gideon replied.
“If you’re sure,” Kevin said.
“He is,” I answered for Gideon.
“Are you going to introduce us?” my brother asked, digging into his animal style fries.
“I’m GQ, an old friend of your sisters.”
I flicked my gaze at my brother. “I knew him back in high school. He was at the clubhouse last night when I was there.”
“Cool. I’m Kevin,” my brother said. “You must know my friend Conrad Garcia. His cousin is Tequila.”
“Oh, yeah. I know him. Small world, right, Kel?”
“Yup.” I took a bite of my burger.
The guy at the counter called number seventy-one.
“Last mine,” Gideon said.
“I’ll get it.” Kevin vaulted up. “I mean if you want.”
“Sure. Have it.” Gideon handed my brother the receipt, although I wasn’t sure why. The workers didn’t usually check them.
Without saying anything, my brother left.
“Cool, kid.”
I turned my head and hiked my brow. “This is a little weird.”
“Why?” he asked. “You were here eating lunch. I saw you and thought, why not join Kel?”
“Because I didn’t invite you.”
“Don’t be so rude. Friends who run into each other aren’t usually invited. I thought you’d be happy to see me.” He looked a little offended and I couldn’t tell if he was just screwing with me.
“Here you go.” Kevin put the tray in front of Gideon.
“Thanks, my man.” He grabbed several fries and shoved them into his mouth. “If you’re uncomfortable with me eating with you and your brother, I can leave.”
“What?” Kevin looked at me. “You’re not uncomfortable, are you?”
“No.” Jeez, no pressure at all. “But we do need to eat and go. The frozen food in the car will thaw and go bad.”
“Did y’all hit up Costco?” Gideon asked, shoving his burger into his mouth.
“Yeah. The fridge was bare.”
Nice. Thank you, brother. Did he have to share so much with Gideon?
“But we stocked up and need to hurry up so we can get home,” I said in a firm voice.
“I get it,” Gideon replied with a full mouth. “Got any plans to night? We could go have that drink and catch up.”
“Sorry. Can’t. I have a mountain of laundry to tackle and a kitchen to clean.” What was he doing? I was beginning to think he was following me.
“That’s a too bad,” Gideon said.
“Come on, sis. You know I’ll clean the kitchen for you to go out. You never go anywhere and you haven’t had a date since Brock.”
What the hell?
“Is Brock you ex?” Gideon asked.
“Yeah, he’s a real dickwad.”
“Enough, Kevin,” I snapped. “Tonight, doesn’t work for me.”
The excitement in my brother’s face disappeared.
“What about tomorrow?” Gideon asked. Persistent shit. “I have some medical stuff I’d like to discuss.”
“How about talking to your doctor?”
“I’d rather not. It’s kind of personal.” Gideon stared at me and seemed unwavering.
“Is it about your limp?” Kevin asked, and I wanted to crawl under the table. What a thing to ask a person. “I mean, I noticed it.”
“Of course you did. It’s not exactly something a dude can hide.” He put his arm on the back of the booth and twisted to face me. “Why don’t you want to have a drink with an old friend?”
“I don’t appreciate you calling me out like that. But if you must know, I’m not looking to get mixed up with a biker club, and you’re a biker.”
“Oh, man.” Kevin sank in his seat. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“No worries, my man. I expected this response from your sister.”
“Will you stop calling him, my man. He’s not, nor will he ever be your man.” The words flew out of my mouth and the look on my brother’s face made me feel like a crazy woman.
“Why are you acting like this? It’s only a drink with an old friend.” My brother shook his head. “You literally have no life since Brock.”
“Enough about Brock.”
“Yeah, I don’t care to hear about him, but your brother makes a good point, Kel. What’s an hour or so if you have no life?”
I growled to myself. Honestly, I didn’t know why I was being so damn difficult about having a drink with Gideon. Was it because he was hotter than a blazing fire and I liked the way he smelled? And his broad shoulders and sexy scruff?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes, to all the above.
Just then, my phone rang.
“I need to answer this.” Saved by the bell. “Hey, Hector. How’s it going?”
“Good, how are you?” Hector asked.
“I’m good.” And also, a little uncomfortable with Gideon leaning closer to me as if he was trying to hear my conversation.
“Well, I was just calling to see how the woman was when you left last night.”
“Cass is good. I got a text from her boyfriend this morning, thanking me and that she was wide awake.” I had to admit that I was surprised to get that text from Slay because I hadn’t given him my number. But I was happy to hear Cass was doing good.
“That’s good. I hope you don’t mind me giving him your number. These bikers aren’t used to being told no.”
“Yeah, so my brother told me.” I was getting that vibe right now from Gideon.
“They mostly good guys. I appreciate you coming through for me. If I wasn’t on the clock, I would have gone myself to earn some extra cash. He paid you, right?”
“Yes. He was very generous.”
“Good. So I’d like to take you to dinner as a thank you. Are you free tonight? I’m off and I know it’s your day off too.”
Gideon’s hand touched my shoulder. His arm was still on the back of the chair, and he was staring hard at me.
I cut my gaze at Kevin who was looking at me just as intimidatingly as Gideon.
“Um, tonight isn’t good. I have plans, sorry.” What else could I do but lie?
“Bummer.”
“Can I get a raincheck for another time?” Yes, I had a death wish. I only asked so I could see Gideon’s reaction, but it was my brother’s jaw hitting the table that almost made me laugh.
“Absolutely,” Hector replied. “You just name the day and I’ll be there.”
“Will do. I’m sure I’ll see you around the hospital. We can plan something then.” I relaxed in my seat, feeling in control and victorious, while my brother and Gideon glared at me.
“Perfect. Take care, Kel.”
“You too, Hector. Bye.” I ended the call and resumed eating my lunch. “Mhm, this is so good.”
I could feel my brother’s and Gideon’s eyes on me. They were annoyed. But there was something more with Gideon. His fingernails dug into my shoulder. I tried not to react to the invasion with my brother right there.
I didn’t hate Gideon touching me. In fact, it stirred something in me and made me tingle. It was odd to have such sensations. I hadn’t felt any desire in nearly a year. Gideon was the last person I would have thought could turn me on.
“What are your plans tonight?” Kevin asked.
“I’m very curious, too,” Gideon said in a serious tone, which sent a lovely shiver down my spine.
I slowly chewed my food and wiped my mouth on a napkin. I couldn’t believe what I was about to say, but I was sure my brother would be thrilled. He always told me that I needed to take more risks because life was too short. This was me throwing caution into the wind…
“I’m having drinks with an old friend.”