Chapter 4 Wingman
Chapter four
Wingman
“If you keep craning your neck like that, you’re going to pull a muscle,” Ironside mumbled into his coffee.
I huffed, rubbing my gloved hands together to generate some heat. The temperatures were warmer than yesterday, and the wind had died down for clear blue skies, sunshine, and crisp sparkling snow. The quintessential, magical white Christmas.
Despite searching for the past hour or two, I saw no sign of Elaine. And I was beginning to get the sinking feeling in my gut that she wouldn’t come.
It seemed as if half the town had shown up for the ride, clustered around fire pits and in heated tents that dotted the park. A massive buffet table was laden with food that folks had brought, creating a feast fit for kings.
Aside from a splash of whiskey slipped into coffee and cocoa, the beer and mulled cider wouldn’t start flowing until later in the afternoon, after the ride, so no one was driving while intoxicated.
“She always has plans on Christmas,” Ironside said.
I turned to look at him.
“Who?”
He shot me a glance as if to say, do I look like I was born yesterday?
“Elaine. She works at the clubhouse strictly for the paycheck, brother. She’s not in this life.”
“I just thought…”
I trailed off with a shrug. What had I been thinking when I invited her here anyway? I knew the rules of a one-night-stand—don’t get attached, don’t develop feelings.
Maybe it was the weight of remorse after hanging out with the Reckless Order yesterday. Seeing them so close, so familiar with each other. They would always welcome me into their clubhouse, pull up a chair, and pour me a drink. My bike gave me that privilege of camaraderie among fellow bikers.
But I wasn’t one of them. I would never be part of their family.
Sometimes, it killed me that I failed my probationary period as a Prospect with them. Just like I did with so many other clubs, before I finally gave up and accepted my fate that I didn’t belong anywhere.
It was the same story with the air force. I loved flying. Soaring through the skies at top speed was exhilarating. I felt weightless, untouchable in that cockpit with nothing above or below me except the endless expanse of the horizon.
But I continually butted heads with authority figures. And eventually, I found myself too stifled by the rules until I packed my shit and left.
That’s because no one wants you, boy.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a steadying breath. No matter how many years had passed since my father’s death, the son of a bitch’s voice still echoed in my head. Taunting and torturing me, just like he did when he was alive.
I crossed my arms and shifted in place, scuffing my boot through the snow.
Maybe that’s why I invited Elaine to the charity ride.
With her, I felt…right, peaceful, settled in a way that I never felt in my life.
And I knew it wouldn’t last—hoping for a different outcome than that would only lead to heartbreak.
I guess I just…wanted to savor it a little longer before I moved on. Again.
“The ride begins in thirty minutes,” Ironside said. “Better grab a spot.”
Dozens of bikers lined the road. The Reckless Order MC was among them, along with bikers from neighboring clubs, nomads who had no club affiliation, and joy riders, who simply joined in the fun for the hell of it.
Some bikes were swathed in Christmas lights, while others were decked out with garlands of greenery and ribbons.
Then I saw her. Elaine. Standing beneath a towering oak, with her breath frosting in the air as she scanned her surroundings.
She gripped the hand of a little boy at her side, about six or seven years old.
Her searching gaze landed on me and her spine straightened. She lifted her hand in a small, hesitant wave. That brash, coy confidence she’d had when we hooked up was absent in the light of day.
Abandoning my bike in the lineup, I jogged across the park to meet her.
“Hey, good to see you,” I said. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t take me up on my offer.”
Elaine pulled the boy in front of her, resting her hands on his shoulders.
“Well…” She paused and cleared her throat as if gathering her courage.
“My son, Mikey, was thrilled to hear he might get the chance to see some motorcycles. As his mother, I probably shouldn’t be encouraging his love for fast cars and speed racing, but I couldn’t resist putting a smile on my little boy’s face. ”
Her son. Oh, shit. No wedding ring on her finger though. Where was the kid's father? Was he in the picture?
My gaze flicked down to Mikey who stared at me with a menacing scowl.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
I crouched down in front of him and tapped the patch on my chest, displaying my road name.
“My friends call me Wingman,” I said.
Mikey narrowed his eyes.
“That’s not your real name.”
Smart kid, I thought. Nothing gets by him.
“No, it’s not. My real name is Reese. Reese Meyers. I used to be obsessed with planes when I was about your age. So I worked hard and I saved my money to take flying lessons. When my biker buddies found out I was in the air force for a while, everyone started calling me Wingman.”
Mikey seemed to weigh this piece of information in his mind and he tilted his head. His interrogating tone softened.
“Do you still fly planes?”
“Not anymore. My feet stay firmly on the ground these days. I like to ride my bike instead. Do you want to take a look at it?”
A flicker of interest sparked in Mikey’s blue eyes. He turned to look up at Elaine for permission. She nodded.
“Go ahead.”
I led Mikey to my bike and gave him an overview, letting him rev the engine to a deafening roar. He still seemed to harbor reservations about me, but at least he didn’t have that mugshot scowl on his little face anymore either.
I stood back to let Mikey explore the bike on his own so he didn’t feel like I was hovering over him. Elaine slipped closer to stand beside me.
“He’ll be talking about this for weeks,” she said.
“I’d offer to give him a ride—”
Elaine shot me a look of alarm. I put up a hand to calm her fears.
“—but I won’t,” I added quickly. “I don’t think he trusts me enough for that. Mikey looks like he might shiv me in the kidneys as soon as my back is turned.”
She smothered a laugh behind her hand.
“That’s not true.”
I raised an eyebrow at her and lowered my voice, leaning toward her so Mikey wouldn’t overhear us.
“Sweetheart, your child has the facial expression of a miniature mafia mobster. Al Capone reincarnated. The Godfather 2.0. I’m shaking in my boots every time he gives me the evil eye.”
Elaine laughed that infectious belly laugh again. It made my heart lurch against my sternum and a smile spread across my lips. God, she was breathtakingly beautiful when she laughed like that.
“He’s always been a serious little boy,” she explained. “Especially when it comes to me. He can be very protective.”
“Well, that explains why he was standing in front of you like a bouncer at a club, ready to kick the ass of anyone who flirted with his mama,” I replied.
Her gaze softened and she glanced down at her gloved hands, brushing a few stray snowflakes off her coat.
“His father never knew I was pregnant,” Elaine said in a quiet voice. “He didn’t love me and he told me that. So we broke up and then…”
She gestured at Mikey who was examining every inch of my bike like a seasoned mechanic.
“Then I became a mom,” she finished. “It turned my world upside down. Mikey noticed very quickly that he wasn’t like other kids who had a dad.
I never know what to tell him, because the truth that his father didn’t even want me, let alone Mikey, is just…
it’s too brutal. I can’t break a little boy’s heart like that. ”
I said nothing, battling my own memories of being unwanted by my father, and the lifelong damage that caused. Mikey didn’t deserve that.
“Is that my little man?” a woman’s voice called out.
Elaine and I turned to see a young woman with long, wavy chestnut hair, flying across the park. Mikey raced to greet her, stretching his arms wide. She scooped him up in a bear hug and peppered his face with kisses.
“That’s Ruby,” Elaine said before I could ask. “She used to babysit Mikey for a year or two before she picked up more hours working at the coffee shop. She’s a sweet girl. He adores her, but I suspect that has to do with the sweets she keeps in her pockets just for him.”
Right on cue, Ruby slipped a brightly colored candy into Mikey’s palm and placed a finger to her lips.
“Don’t tell your mom. It’s our secret, okay? Merry Christmas, little man. Hi, Elaine!” she added with a wave as she brought Mikey over to join us. “I had no idea you two would be here today. Is this your first charity ride?”
“Yeah, Mikey wanted to see the motorcycles,” Elaine said.
“Well, in that case, he has to see my husband’s bike,” Ruby replied. “It’s huge. You’ll love it.”
“Hey, you’re stealing my thunder here,” I replied lightly.
Her gaze flicked to me with a sparkly smile.
“Oh, sorry!” she said, laughing. “I didn’t mean it like that. Blame the honeymoon phase. My husband and I got married a few months ago. I’m bragging about him to basically everyone. It’s so annoying, I know.”
“No one blames you for that,” Elaine countered. “He’s hot. You have every right to brag. I’d be absolutely insufferable if I married a man like Dean.”
I groaned, rocking back on my heels as I plotted my escape.
“Okay, the girl talk has begun. That means I better get my ass out of here.”
Elaine breathed a soft laugh and caught my arm.
“No, you don’t have to leave.”
“Yeah, we have a few more minutes before the ride starts,” Ruby put in. “Let’s grab some hot cocoa and some of those giant cookies I saw earlier. How does that sound, Mikey?”
“Do the cookies have sprinkles?” he asked.
“Lots of them.”
Mikey nodded enthusiastically. Ruby carried him off, heading for the buffet table in search of the promised treats. Elaine and I followed at a more sedate pace. I dared to thread our fingers together, sliding our joined hands into my coat pocket.
A faint smile curved her lips up and she lowered her lashes, shielding her gaze. I couldn’t tell if the pink in her cheeks was from the blush or the cold, but she was beautiful either way.
“Now that your bodyguard is preoccupied,” I said. “I’ll have to keep an eye on you in his place. Just in case you get yourself into trouble.”
She bumped against my shoulder and her eyes twinkled when she glanced up, meeting my gaze.
“I’m pretty sure you are that trouble I should be avoiding.”
“You’re not running away though,” I pointed out.
Elaine tugged at her earlobe and glanced away, releasing a wobbly little breath of air.
“I guess I like trouble more than I thought I did.”