Page 47

Tank

“Bro, sit the fuck down.”

I paced in front of my bed. The motel room was too small, and my thoughts were too loud.

“You’re driving me fucking insane, Tank. Either go see the fucking chick or chill the fuck out,” Moose groaned from where he was lying on the bed with one arm flung over his eyes.

I didn’t respond. I just kept pacing.

Frustrated.

Torn in half.

I wanted to see Maddie. Every part of me ached to get on my bike and go straight to that gas station, but… she had a life. A kid. Roots.

And roots were something I hadn’t had since I was seventeen.

“I can’t,” I finally muttered.

Moose sat up just enough to glare at me. “Then sit the fuck down.”

I stopped pacing, my fists clenched at my sides. “But I want her.”

He pointed toward the door. “Then fucking go to her.”

“You’re not helping me,” I grunted.

Moose pushed off the bed and ran a hand through his hair. “You already know what you want to do, man. You’re just fighting with yourself over what you think you want.”

I looked at him with my jaw tight. “And what is it that you think I want?”

“Her. The chick. But,” he drawled out slowly, “that chick comes with baggage. A kid. A job. A life. A home she won’t leave.”

I nodded once, sharply. “Yeah. Exactly.”

“And that shouldn’t scare you if you want her.”

But it did.

It was written all over my face.

“Man, you’ve been wandering for years. You ever think maybe you’ve been looking for something this whole damn time? Something to make you stay?”

I shook my head. “Nah, man. I just don’t like staying in one place.”

Moose stood and stepped in front of me, forcing me to stop. “Nah, you just haven’t found something worth staying for.” He pointed at the door again. “That chick? She’s worth it.”

I opened my mouth to argue, to say something stupid, but he cut me off.

“And if it doesn’t work out, then fuck it. You get back on your bike and keep moving. Just like you always do. I’ve never known you to be scared of anything, but this chick’s got you shaking in your boots.”

“I’m not scared,” I grumbled. I was.

“Yeah, you are,” he said, and clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder. “You’re just scared to mess up something that might actually be good. But guess what? She’s a big girl, Tank. Let her decide if she wants to take a risk on your big ass.”

I stared at the door.

“Now,” Moose said, stepped back, and flopped onto the bed again, “make up your fucking mind what you’re going to do, so I can get some sleep, yeah?”

I stood there for a long minute and stared at that door like it had the answers.

Because the truth was, I already knew what I wanted to do.

I just had to be man enough to do it.

“Oh, and bring her flowers,” Moose called.

“To grovel?” I asked.

Moose shook his head. He pointed to the clock. “Because today is Mother’s Day.”