Page 18

After arguing with Blythe and getting nowhere, I chose to leave. I was about to explode, and if that happened, I’d tell her everything. I’d been fighting to keep this to myself, but every day, every moment with her made it harder and harder to do. I should be relieved she was leaving, but I wasn’t.

My mind raced with ideas about how to stop her from vacating the compound, each crazier than the next.

I’d gotten my bike out of the garage and taken off.

I needed wind therapy. I shouldn’t be riding in my mental condition.

I knew it. I was smarter than that, but finding Blythe ready to leave brought so many emotions out and threw me into the past. I hated revisiting my past and rarely did so.

However, this whole situation with Blythe was making me.

I rode until I almost went down, taking a turn much too fast. It scared me as I fought to keep the bike upright.

It was pure luck, or maybe my Gremlin bell watching out for me, that saved me from going down.

Once I righted the bike, I looked for the closest place to pull over.

Up ahead was a small diner. It was one I’d been to several times.

It wasn’t fancy, but it served decent food and even better coffee.

I pulled into its small lot. The place was packed, but I managed to find a spot on the grass to park.

They didn’t mind. Half of their customers did it.

Taking off my helmet, I left it on my seat. No one would bother it.

Striding inside, I saw heads turn and lift.

It never ceased to amuse me how people acted when they saw a biker, especially one wearing a cut.

I was proud of mine and had no problem with everyone knowing I was a Pagan.

They were a great group of guys and served our community.

We worked hard to keep the truly ugly things out of our area, even if the regular layperson had no clue we did it.

Seeing a stool at the small counter at the front, I took it. It was at the end, and it let me face the door. According to her nametag, an older woman named Faye approached me. She wore a big smile and had a coffee pot in her hand. “Hi there, handsome. What can I get ya?” she asked.

“Black coffee, and what kind of pie do you have?”

“Apple, cherry, rhubarb, blueberry, chocolate, banana, and coconut cream. All made fresh this morning.”

“You don’t make it easy on a guy to choose, do you?” I teased.

“Nope, it keeps you coming back for more.” She winked.

“I think I’ll go with the blueberry.”

“Coming right up. Here’s your coffee.” She flipped the cup over onto the saucer in front of me and poured. After it was filled, I thanked her. She excused herself to get the pie.

I took my time drinking my coffee and eating the pie when it came.

It was the best blueberry I’d tasted. I was tempted to have a piece of another kind, but I held back.

I wasn’t drowning my troubles in sugar. Time slipped by as I sat there deep in thought.

Faye kept my cup full. It was a while before I noted the crowd had thinned out to a few stragglers.

“Alright, it’s killing me, and I can’t keep my mouth shut a second longer. Tell Faye what’s putting such a frown on that gorgeous face and having you staring off into space?”

“Thanks, Faye, but I just needed to think, have coffee, and eat the best pie I’ve ever tasted,” I told her. I wasn’t one to talk about my feelings or troubles.

“Bullshit. There’s only one reason to be this way…

a woman. You’ve got woman troubles, and you’re trying to decide how to handle them.

Tell me. I won’t judge unless you’re an abusive ass, then I don’t want to know.

But I don’t get that feeling from you. You might be surprised what I can do.

I’ve been married for forty years to that grumpy man in the back cooking.

There are days I want to strangle him, but I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

We have trials and bumps, but we’ve always worked them out. ”

And just like that, I opened my mouth to tell her no thanks, and the entire story started tumbling out.

Once I started, I couldn’t seem to stop.

I felt a little lighter when I was done, even if there was no solution.

When I finished speaking, Faye was studying me.

I felt like squirming, but I didn’t. Finally, she said.

“Honey, why haven’t you told this woman how you feel about her?

That you’re more attracted to her than you’ve ever been to anyone?

How your heart races when you see her, and you want to keep her safe and a whole lot more?

How the thought of her being away from you makes you unable to breathe, and the thought of her not being a part of your life is terrifying to you? ”

“I didn’t say those things,” I protested.

“You didn’t, but I’m damn good at reading between the lines. I’ve had to be. Mr. Grumpy isn’t the most communicative man.” She said that last part louder and half turned her head toward the window into the kitchen. I saw her husband moving in there, preparing the food for the servers since I came.

“Woman, are you out there meddling and calling me grumpy again?” her husband asked before coming out of the kitchen.

He was older with a bald head, tattoos all over his arms, and a fierce expression.

He’d be someone you’d expect to find in an MC or some other physically demanding job, not working at a diner.

He appeared to be in his sixties, yet still a bear of a man.

“You are grumpy. You proved it just now. As for meddling, no, I’m not. I’m helping this one with his woman trouble. Hush.”

Her husband rolled his eyes. “You’ve gone and done it. She loves to play Cupid. She’ll drive you crazy with advice.”

“Peck, I said, hush. Don’t you have something to cook?” Faye asked.

“Nope. I need a break. I’ll stand here and watch his head explode.” He smirked.

“Don’t pay him any attention. I’ve got a ninety-five percent success rate in getting the right people together and helping to smooth out the rough edges. You said you never said those things, and you’re right, you didn’t. But I heard them. Why are you fighting it?”

“Fighting what? She’s determined to leave. We’re friends.” I still denied I knew it.

“Of course, you’re friends if that’s all she knows you want. How do you know she doesn’t want more, but since you haven’t said anything, she won't? Are you letting the woman you’re falling in love with walk away? You don’t strike me as a man who would do that.”

“I’m not in love. I desire her, and I feel protective of her. She’s been handed a shit deal,” I explained.

“Oh, well then, if that’s all, let her leave. It’s not as if you’ll care when she waltzes into a store one day with her kids and husband. You won’t wonder what-if or be jealous of the man sleeping with her, making love, and giving her a better life. One that could’ve been yours if you spoke up.”

Instantly, her words conjured an image in my head. My blood pressure shot up, and anger flooded me. A low, menacing growl slipped out. Faye smiled, and Peck nodded. He was leaning against the counter, listening.

“I thought so,” Faye said.

“Son, here’s the advice I gave our sons.

If you meet a woman you can’t stop thinking about—one who consumes your mind, heart, body, and soul.

And you can’t imagine her with someone else without wanting to kill that someone else—a woman who makes you hotter than you’ve ever been just by walking past you.

You do everything to win her heart and love.

That’s a quality woman who’ll make your life the best it can be and bring you excitement and love for the rest of your life,” Peck said out of the blue.

“See why I keep him around,” Faye said as she gave a gruff Peck an adoring smile. What was more shocking was that he gave her the same back.

“Did your sons take that advice, and are they happy with someone?” I asked.

“All three did eventually. It took a couple of duds before they listened, and when they did, we ended up with three of the greatest daughters-in-law and seven grandkids. Think about what we said. Feel free to stop in anytime. I’d like to have an update soon.

Let me know what you did and how it turned out, handsome,” Faye said.

“Stop flirting. You should be ashamed of yourself for doing it in front of your husband,” Peck grumbled, but I saw his smile trying to peek out.

“It keeps you on your toes,” she replied.

I finished up and paid my bill. I waved goodbye and left not long after that. Peck and Faye had given me more to think about, but I knew what they said was true. If I didn’t take the chance, I’d never know. Refusing to do it due to my past might be my worst mistake.

???

It was ten at night when I rolled back through the compound gate.

I’d gone riding after leaving the diner, but this time, I was alert.

I’d texted Agony hours before asking him or Eliana to check up on Blythe and let her know I’d be back later.

He asked if I was alright. I told him I was working on it.

I hadn’t wanted to go home and face her until I had thoroughly thought everything through, made a decision based on it, and then formulated a plan.

It took hours, but I felt good about it.

I had to remain calm and prepared for this conversation with her.

I knew walking out earlier was a jerk move.

I needed to apologize for it. Tonight would be a long one.

I stopped at the clubhouse. There was a chance she might be in there, not at the house.

If so, I’d get her to come with me. I didn’t need or want the others to be witnesses to our talk. It was private.