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Maddie

It was three-thirty.

Diamond was back at work.

And Tank wasn’t here.

I’d been pretending not to notice his absence since my shift started, but now the lie was too loud to ignore. Right after midnight, I heard a motorcycle engine in the distance. My heart had leapt before I could stop it, thinking—hoping—that it was him.

But the bike hadn’t stopped. Hadn’t even tapped the brakes. Just passed on by like I didn’t exist.

“Earth to Maddie,” Diamond’s voice yanked me out of my thoughts.

“Uh, yeah?” I blinked and realized I’d been staring at the chip rack for a solid five minutes.

“Are those Fritos talking to you or something?” she asked with a teasing glint in her eye.

I smiled faintly. “Nope. Just zoned out. What’s up?”

She eyed me and tilted her head. “I talked to Bonnie.”

“Okay.” That wasn’t exactly groundbreaking.

“She said you had some company while I was off.”

Oh. Oh shit. I hadn’t said a word to Diamond about Tank. Not even a casual mention. “She said that?” I asked and tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Yeah, a big biker was your protector, apparently.”

I squinted at her. “That’s what Bonnie said?”

Diamond pursed her lips and gave me that look that said she already knew more than I wanted her to. “Mmmhmm. She told me that yesterday.”

“Okay.”

“So,” she sang, dragging it out, “last night when I woke up for the tenth time to blow my nose, I logged onto the cameras.”

Oh shit, again.

“You wanna know what I saw?” she asked.

I didn’t need to know. I’d been there. I knew exactly what she saw. “I was working, Diamond. I was here.”

She nodded slowly. “I mean, yup, you most certainly were here.” She paused, dramatic as ever. “You were right there on top of that mountain of a biker on that stool.”

I closed my eyes. Of course, she would’ve picked that exact time to check the feed.

“Nothing to say for yourself, Maddie?” she laughed.

“Nope, not really,” I tried to protest weakly.

Her eyes widened. “Girl, I saw you making out with that man like he was the only thing keeping you alive, and then he lifted you up like you weighed nothing, and then he took you to the office where I’m assuming you rode that man like a damn Harley.”

“Diamond,” I scolded, my face burning.

“Girl, don’t look at me like that. You should be thankful we don’t have a camera in the office or I’d have to pay you for the show you two probably put on.”

My cheeks were on fire. “It was…” I didn’t want to say it was nothing. Because it hadn’t been.

“It was freaking amazing, wasn’t it?” she said, practically bouncing. “Unless…” She came around the counter and held up her pinky. “Unless the giant has a teeny weeny.”

“What? No! Of course not!” I blurted.

Diamond clapped like she’d won the lottery. “So you did do the nasty in the office.”

“Why are you so happy about this?” I asked and tried not to laugh.

“Because it is about time you got some, girl! And with that hunk of a man? Woo-wee! You know how to pick ‘em.”

I hadn’t picked him. Tank had picked me. And I’d gone along with it because, really, who wouldn’t?

“Stop,” I sighed.

She wagged her finger at me. “Don’t act like that man didn’t rock your world, and now you’re looking out the window every five minutes hoping he’ll roll up.”

“I’m not,” I lied.

“You are, and I’m the reason he didn’t show up.” She held her hands up innocently. “You want me to go home so he can appear like magic?”

“You’re ridiculous,” I laughed.

“Hey, I’m just trying to support your love life. Do you have his number? Call him. Tell him you’re lonely. I promise I won’t check the cameras this time.”

I shook my head. “No phone number.”

Her face fell. “Wait, what?”

“I don’t even know his real name,” I admitted and rubbed a hand over my face. “He literally just… drifts around, Diamond. Ugh. I’m such an idiot. I had sex with a guy, and I don’t even know his name.”

Diamond waved me off. “You’re not an idiot. I would’ve done the same thing. And honestly, who needs a name? Right?” She leaned in, smirking. “Though what did you call him?”

I winced. “Tank.”

Diamond’s eyes bugged out. “You had sex with a man named Tank?”

“That’s what he said his name was. I’m sure his mother didn’t name him that.”

“Tank is fitting. Probably his road name. Which means, yes, it’s his name. So, you know his name. You’re good.”

“I am not good,” I said. “I had sex with a guy I barely know.”

She shrugged. “Girl, I’m not shaming you.” She raised a fist like it was a battle cry. “One-night stand! Woo!”

I winced. “But what if I don’t want it to be a one-night stand?”

Her face softened. “Then it doesn’t have to be.”

I shook my head. “But I think that’s what he wanted. He told me himself—he never sticks around.”

Diamond tilted her head. “You fell for him.”

“What? No. Of course not,” I stammered. How the heck had she picked up on that so quickly?

“You so did. And girl, that’s okay. You’ve known him for three days. That’s plenty of time in my book.”

“I’m not in love. I just… like him.” Ugh, that sounded lame.

“Okay, we’ll go with that. So tell the guy you like him. Maybe he’ll surprise you.”

I shook my head. “He’s probably already gone. I was just a stop on his map. Another gas station, another girl.”

Diamond folded her arms. “You don’t know that.”

“I do. And even if I wasn’t, I don’t have time for a man. I’ve got Tucker. My job.”

Diamond rolled her eyes. “Sounds like you’ve already talked yourself out of anything before it’s even had a chance. But if you ask me?”

“I didn’t,” I muttered.

She ignored me. “If you ask me, you need to find that man and tell him you’re ready to chain him to the bed before he starts wandering again.”

“Diamond!” I gasped.

She grinned wickedly. “What? That’s not what you want to do?”

I looked away and bit my lip.

No. That wasn’t what I wanted to do.

I just wanted… more.

More from a man who flat out said he never stuck around for long.