Page 6 of Mac (Demented Souls #7)

Mac went back to his place, opened the garage and backed his bike out before closing the door and locking up.

Might as well get a head start. It killed the time while he waited.

He didn't have to wait long. Less than five minutes after he'd left her at her door, she appeared wearing jeans, boots, a t-shirt and short denim jacket.

"That looks perfect. You ever ridden before?"

"A couple of times, as a teenager, but it's been a long time. A really long time."

Something in her voice made Mac look at her. She was staring at his bike with one brow lifted.

"Not that long, I'm sure." He still sat astride the bike after backing it out of the garage. "Here." He extended one hand toward her with a helmet. "Need help getting it on?"

"I think I can handle it." She took the helmet and slipped it on, only fumbling a bit with the buckle. Once she had it on and ready, she grinned at him. "See?"

"Looks as good as you do. Ready for a ride?

" he challenged. The way light and attitude flashed in her eyes lit a fire deep in his belly.

It wasn't a familiar feeling, but he liked it.

Something about the way it made him feel, made him want to see it again.

Mac didn't quite understand it, but he didn't want to examine it too closely, not now.

"Sure. You want me to climb on now, or after you start it?"

"Whichever you'd like works for me." Mac picked up his helmet from where he'd let it rest in his lap while he'd waited and slipped it on. She made a face, looked him up and down then stepped closer.

"I think I'd prefer now, if that's all right."

"Of course it is." He waited while she threw one leg over the back of the bike as if she'd done it a hundred times before.

Mac couldn't help but smile. It was something he knew was like riding a bike.

Once you knew the steps, it came naturally.

"Ready?" he asked once she'd settled in.

He glanced down to check her feet. to make sure she wouldn't get burned by the pipes.

"Whenever you are," her voice came over his shoulder.

Mac smiled and started the bike. He backed it out into the street and after a moment or two, they were on their way. He maneuvered the traffic with ease, weaving in and out of the cars and taking them to the little cafe he liked for breakfast.

Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot beside a hole in the wall looking diner and killed the engine.

"It doesn't look like much, but the food's amazing."

"I trust you." Elyse stepped off the back of the bike and tugged the helmet off. "I don't think you'd take me somewhere you didn't know was good." She shot him a grin.

"Sounds like you may have me pegged." Mac dismounted and took off his own helmet. He set his on his seat, then turned and took Elyse's from her and put it with his. "You ready?"

"Starving." Her smile warmed something in him, something that hadn't been warm in a long time.

He opened the door and motioned for Elyse to go ahead of him inside.

Once in the door he led her to a table along one wall, near a window.

Mac couldn't help the surge of satisfaction that his favorite seat was empty and available for them.

They didn't have to wait long before a waitress appeared beside the table with a pair of menus and two water glasses.

"Hey Mac, I see you've brought us someone new. You want some coffee?"

"Sounds good, Donna." He glanced across the table. "Coffee? It's good here. "

"Please." Elyse smiled at him then at the waitress.

"I'll get that and give you a chance to decide what you want."

"Thanks, Donna." Mac watched her walk away before turning back to Elyse.

"I've not found anything that wasn't great here.

So enjoy." He picked up his menu and glanced at the options, but he had a good idea what he wanted already.

The biscuits and gravy had been calling his name since he stepped in the door and smelled the sausage.

But he needed more than that or he'd be starving again in a couple hours, so he'd add a couple eggs to it, and maybe some bacon.

He was still trying to decide exactly what he wanted when Donna came back with a pair of mugs and the coffee carafe.

"Here you are. I'll bring the creamer in just a second. Do you know what you want or have any questions?"

"Who's in the kitchen this morning?" Mac asked. He didn't come in here every day but often enough he knew who the cooks were and what he preferred from each one.

"Joey is manning the griddle this morning."

"Oh good. Hope his wife is doing better?"

"I'll double check, but I think she's on the mend." Donna turned to look at Elyse. "Anything I can get for you, hun?"

"Do you have any flavored creamers?"

"We do. I'll bring you some right out." Donna bustled away, leaving the two of them alone again.

"You know everyone by name and what's going on with them, you must come in often."

"Two or three times a week, different meals." Mac shrugged. "My shop's nearby and it's convenient."

Elyse didn't say anything but turned back to her menu until Donna came back.

"I asked Joey, he says his wife is doing much better, and to thank you for asking." She slid bowl with several tiny containers of creamers onto the table. "Are you ready to order?"

"I am," Elyse said before glancing at Mac.

He nodded and waited while Elyse placed her order, then gave his own to Donna, then handed over his menu as Donna collected them and disappeared once more.

"You said your shop's nearby, what kind of shop is it?" Elyse asked.

Mac turned his attention back to her and smiled. He thought she had been ignoring him, but apparently not."I own and run the mechanic shop a few doors down." Mac tilted his head in the direction of his shop.

"Oh, that's nice. I bet it does make it easy to have someplace nearby to catch a quick meal now and then."

"Especially a place I like as much as this one.

" He didn't tell her he could have gotten food, if that had been all he was after, right next to the shop, at the clubhouse.

No. He came here because he liked the food, yes, but also because he liked the people and the atmosphere.

The diner might not look like much but it, and the way the staff treated him, made him feel good.

He glanced around now, remembering some of the many times he'd been here, with fondness.

It wasn't that he came here to get away from his brothers or the club, they often came with him.

The food at the clubhouse was only as good as whatever prospect was in charge of the bar these days, though that had stopped being true when they'd put Jailbait in charge of the bar.

Mac had been skeptical when they'd made that decision, but now, he couldn't argue, it had been a good decision.

She'd pulled things together and made what he'd thought was running pretty well into a much smoother operation.

Mac shook his head to knock the random thoughts away and turned his attention back to the woman across from him. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was rude, and not want to go out with him again.

Go out? No this wasn't a date, just a meal, but if it went well, he wouldn't dismiss the idea of a date.