When I glanced over at Grandpa, it was like watching the same scenario, only the people were older. Several women, appearing to be in their late thirties or early forties, were hovering around him like a moth to a flame. What was it with these bikers, drawing the attention of women?
The rest of the morning went by quickly. We drove back home, and Grandpa put together some sandwiches from leftover lunchmeat and rolls. We relaxed and took naps, and when evening came, I realized I’d made it through another day.
I laid on my bed and was about to get up to ask Grandpa what I should make for dinner when I heard the rumble of motorcycles pulling into the driveway. I pushed the curtain aside and looked out the window. There were about ten guys parking their bikes and heading around the side of the house.
I walked out of my room and found Grandpa in the kitchen taking hamburger patties out of the refrigerator. “I didn’t realize people were coming over.”
He glanced at me over his shoulder. “Sorry, I forgot to mention that some of the guys like to hang out here on the weekends. We’ll grill some burgers and sit around the fire pit.”
I gave him a thumbs up and then turned away, wincing. Mom had said to keep my distance from the bikers, but I didn’t want to come across as standoffish either. Maybe I would join them this one time. I helped Grandpa take the patties and buns outside and assisted him with the grilling. The yard was huge, without much grass. Grandpa attributed that to conserving water since Southern California didn’t always get a lot of rain, but the landscaping was nice with bushes and colorful rocks positioned in a way to take the place of grass. The guesthouse was at the back of the property and it looked to be a decent size.
“Can I help?”
I turned to find Cass standing there with a big grin on his face. He’d slicked back his black hair with hair product and slipped his hands into his jean pockets.
“If you don’t mind taking over,” Grandpa said, “I have some other things I need to get in the kitchen.”
“Oh, I can help you with that,” I said.
“Let me help,” the one they called Jester said. He had an eager grin on his face and seemed like he wanted to make himself useful.
Grandpa looked at me and then he looked at Cass. He had an uncertain expression that made his brows pull down.
“I promise to behave,” Cass said.
Grandpa nodded, frowning. “All right. I’ll just be a minute.”
After he left, Cass turned to me. “Promise I won’t bite.” He chuckled, easing back on his heels. “Not too hard, anyway.”
I widened my eyes, and he laughed loudly, drawing attention from the others. Dex was there, and his eyes zeroed in on us like a soldier scouting his territory. My pulse quickened under his concentrated gaze, and I felt heat splash over my skin, crawling up my neck. I was probably blushing, and that annoyed me. Why did Dex have to affect me so much? Turning back to Cass, I determined to focus on what he was saying.
“No worries. I’m harmless,” he said, pausing. He leaned forward. “Most of the time.” He lowered his thick lashes in a flirtatious gesture, and I had a feeling I wasn’t the first or the last woman he would tease like this. He was good-looking and charming, I’d give him that, but my heart didn’t flutter in the same way it did when I was around Dex. Thank goodness for that. If I had to battle my attraction for two bikers, I didn’t know what I would do.
“Oh, I’m not worried.” I smiled shyly. “I get the feeling Grandpa will skin you alive if you make a wrong move.”
He laughed. “He’d do worse than that. He’d string me up by my toes and give me a good tongue-lashing.”
I smirked. “Tongue-lashing? That doesn’t sound too foreboding.”
“Apparently, you haven’t received one yet.”
“Apparently, I haven’t.”
He flipped one of the burgers and leaned in close, so his lips were right next to my ear. “He doesn’t raise his voice, you see. He keeps it real steady and looks at you with these concerned, disappointed eyes that make you want to earn back his approval.”
“You’re too close to her. Move away.” The deep, gravelly voice did not belong to Grandpa.
Cass and I both turned to find Dex watching us with a wary expression on his face. He looked almost…ticked.
“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Cass said in an easy voice, but he took a step to the side, anyway.
Dex relaxed his features but didn’t take his eyes off Cass. “You were crowding her, and we both know Tank wouldn’t like it.”
“Tank understands there is limited space in front of the grill.”
“And you’re using that to your full advantage.”
“Who appointed you her protector?”
“Actually, I did,” Grandpa said, carrying a tray of food to go along with the burgers. Jester followed behind him with a large canister of ice tea and a bowl of salad.
My head snapped to Grandpa. “Wait, a second. You appointed him for…what now?”
Grandpa set the tray on a table and then joined us at the grill. “Nothing you aren’t already aware of. Dex has military experience, so I asked him to move into the guest house. He’s here to keep an eye out.”
“I’m assuming he’s looking for strange people on the property…not your own friends. Am I right?”
“Of course.” He gave Cass an apologetic grin. “But Cass here didn’t get the nickname, Casanova, for nothing. There’s a reason we call him that. Dex was just watching out for you.”
“Come on, Tank,” Cass whined. “You know I have good intentions. This is your granddaughter.”
Tank smiled. “Yes, she is, which means I’ll shoo away all the single men if I need to—Dex included. But Dex has made it clear he’s not interested in a relationship while you—”
“Got it,” Cass said, chuckling. “I’ll make sure we’re a good arm’s distance from each other next time.”
“You do that,” Grandpa said.
Both Cass and Dex walked away, leaving me alone with Grandpa. We finished grilling the burgers and chatted quietly, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. Dex made it clear he wasn’t interested in a relationship. Why did that bother me so much? It shouldn’t. Still, I couldn’t get rid of the uneasy feeling it gave me.
After dinner, once the sun had set and the night sky stretched above us, we all crowded around the fire pit in beach chairs. Two of the guys brought guitars, and they began playing hymns. Some sang along while others spoke quietly amongst themselves. Grandpa sat on one side of me and Cass sat on the other. He wasn’t “crowding” me as Dex had put it earlier. Grandpa would have probably noticed if he had been, but once in a while, he leaned over and commented on something.
“I love this hymn,” he said. “It’s one of my favorites.”
The guys were playing Amazing Grace, but it wasn’t the classic version. It was more of a remix, but the words were mostly the same.
“I really like it too,” I said. I felt someone’s eyes on me and glanced over to find Dex watching me closely. Our eyes met, and it sent a jolt to my stomach. He quickly turned to Jester, and I shooed away the disappointed feeling I shouldn’t be having.
“Want to roast a marshmallow?” Cass asked. He stood and pulled one out of a bag, spearing it with a long skewer.
“Sure.”
He handed me the skewer and then speared another for himself. We both stood and brought our skewers close to the fire. I turned mine slowly to make the marshmallow golden brown all over. I was trying so hard not to look at Dex even though I wanted to. No matter how much of a pull I felt, I needed to resist.
“Don’t worry, buddy. I got your back.” It was Dex’s voice, and I heard it above all the other voices. He wasn’t talking louder than everyone else, but he had a distinct, gravelly tone that I would recognize anywhere.
I couldn’t help it, I had to look at him. He must have sensed my gaze because he brought his eyes up to meet mine. Shadows danced across his masculine
features, and I found myself leaning in his direction. We both just stared at each other for a long moment, a moment I didn’t want to end. It seemed like time stopped, and I felt that pull again—a pull to be near him, to talk to him…anything. I just wanted to be around this guy. It was so unnerving, and I didn’t understand it. Why was I having these feelings for someone who was obviously not right for me?
“Your marshmallow is burning,” Cass said.
“Oh!” I lifted the skewer and blew out the flame. “Guess this one got a little toasty.”
“The burnt ones are the best,” Dex said, and then he went back to his discussion with Jester.
Why did he have to do that? Why did he feel the need to add to our conversation and then disengage? The fact that I was even thinking about it was not a good sign. Pull it together, Tirzah.
Fine. I would just refuse to look at him for the rest of the evening. That was what I would do. It was what I had to do.
Chapter 9
Dex
On the one hand, tonight was not much different from other evenings where the guys gathered around the fire pit, singing and talking and enjoying the fellowship we had in Christ. On the other hand, Tizzy was here, and that changed the entire dynamic—shook things up a little. Made me feel jumpy and alert, like a dog on watch.
She was starting to get under my skin, and I hated the vulnerable feeling that created. One glance from her caused me to want things I’d already determined to give up. I’d done my best to turn my attention away from her, and, now, she was returning the favor.
She wouldn’t even look at me.
Instead, she quietly spoke with Casanova, laughing with him about something, and, of course, he had to take a seat right next to her. He often flirted with women, so it was no big deal. It shouldn’t have bothered me but it did. He was a floater. He wasn’t ready to settle down, and if he continued this way, he might get her hopes up and then hurt her later when she found out he had no intention of making a commitment.
That was what I told myself.
The real problem was watching the two of them talk created an itchy, irritable feeling inside. I wanted to be the one making her laugh right now, and it took everything in me to remain in my seat, ignore them, and talk with Jester about the shop. I hated this. It reduced me to an immature adolescent who didn’t know what he was doing.
Women were a distraction—Tizzy especially with her smooth skin and long blonde hair. I didn’t need that kind of drama. I was happy as I was. Single and alone was fine with me. The guys in the club were the only family I needed, and after Mom passed away, they were the ones who had been there for me.
After a while, the group thinned out as the guys said their goodbyes and went home. Tomorrow, we had to go back to work, so it was time to wrap things up in order to get a good night’s sleep. It would be best for me to say my goodbyes as well, but I didn’t make a move. Time passed, and then it was me, Cass, Tizzy, and Tank. I told myself to stand up and say goodnight, but I couldn’t do it. If Cass left, I’d feel better about making an exit. Tank would make sure he didn’t cross a line, but I wanted to keep an eye on him just the same.
“Well, guess it’s time for me to get home.” Cass stretched his arms in the air and stood to his feet. “Night all.”
“Night,” I said.
He reached down and took Tizzy’s hand. “Goodnight, sweet girl. Don’t stay up too late now.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.
Jealousy embedded itself in my skin like a burr caught in my sock. I immediately looked to Tank for his reaction. He seemed okay with it, which irked me even more. I wanted to tell Cass to let go of her, but if I did that, I’d look crazy. Better to keep my mouth shut for the time being.
“Guess it’s just the three of us now,” Tank said. He rubbed a hand over his jaw and stared into the fire.
“Yeah, I should probably go to bed,” I said, but I didn’t move to get up.
Tank cleared his throat. “Yeah, me too. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. We all need our rest.” Still, he didn’t stir or give any signs that he was ready to head inside yet. He glanced at Tizzy and patted her on the back. “I didn’t have a chance to ask you what you thought of church this morning.”
She straightened and appeared to think about the question. “It was different from what I’m used to.”
“Different how?” he asked.
“At my church, we all dress up, and we’re a lot more reserved.”
“Did it bother you that we weren’t?” I asked.
She shrugged, staring at the fire. “Yeah. To be honest, it did a little. But I liked the message. Pastor Chamberlain is an amazing teacher. I haven’t felt my heart pierced by the teaching in a very long time.” She looked at me then, her eyes glossy.
“I know what you mean,” I said, running a hand over my beard. “The first time I heard him teach, I was a mess. It felt like his words drove a knife right into my soul.”
“How so?” she asked.
“I knew I needed the Lord—felt Him calling me. For years, I resisted, but I couldn’t resist that day. Your grandpa is the one who brought me to church—took me under his wing.”
“How did you two meet?”
“I was a boxer in my younger days,” Tank said. “Even though I stopped competing, I used to work out at a center in L.A. Rev started coming, and he asked me for a few pointers. We got to talking, and I invited him to church.”
“And you decided to go?” Tizzy brought her gaze to me, her eyes interested and alert.
I chuckled. “Not that day or the next. But Tank was relentless—he never gave up—so I finally went just to get him off my back.”
“You were a little more willing than that,” Tank said with a smirk. He glanced at Tizzy. “He wanted those boxing tips, and he didn’t want to burn any bridges.”
“So that’s how you got saved,” she said more to herself than to me.
“Yeah, that’s how I got saved.”
Tank stood and stretched his arms. “I’m headed in. Tizzy? You coming?”
“In a minute.”
He glanced at me. “Do me a favor, will you? When you two finish talking, put the fire out and walk her to the door. Make sure she gets inside.”
“No problem.” What was I doing? I needed to stand and wish Tank and Tizzy a good night and get out of here.
But Tizzy stayed put, so I kept still, waiting for her to say something.
She looked at me with curiosity. “What did Pastor Chamberlain say that drove a knife through your soul?”
I leaned forward, resting my arms on my knees. “He pointed us to Romans 1:20. For his invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” I paused. “I made a lot of excuses as to why I wouldn’t bow the knee to God, but I knew He existed—saw evidence of it everywhere I looked—and that verse reminded me that I was out of excuses.”
“Wow. That’s really amazing. Hearing you say that gives me goosebumps.”
I smiled. “What about you?”
“Are you asking how I came to the Lord?”
“Yeah.”
“My parents raised me in church, and I learned about sin and the need for repentance. My Sunday school teacher led me in a prayer of salvation. As I grew older, I read the scriptures for myself.”
“Is the Lord the passion of your heart?” I wasn’t sure why I asked that—it just slipped out as if my mouth had a mind of its own, but maybe it was something God wanted me to ask.
“The passion of my heart?” She looked perplexed. “I do love Him.”
“But is He the driving force of your life?”
“I believe so.” She hesitated. “Is He the driving force of yours?”
“Yes, though sometimes I resist like a fool.” I grinned and stood to my feet. If we stayed and talked too much longer, we might go deeper than I wanted to go, and th
at would spoil my plan to keep her at an arm’s distance. “He has His work cut out when it comes to me.”
She smiled and stood as well. “Thank you for sharing that with me. It gives me a whole new perspective on you.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. You’re not just a guy on a bike anymore. Now I know what moves your heart.”
Dex, 12 years old
I got off the bus and looked around in a daze. Which way should I go? I glanced at the address on the pamphlet for Mitchell Manufacturing and decided to turn left. If it was the wrong way, I’d just have to turn back. I walked until I came to a large building that lifted high up in the sky. It had dark, glassy windows that were kind of like huge mirrors, and it looked similar to a picture in the pamphlet, so I figured that had to be it. I hurried to the entrance, pushed open the lobby doors, and stepped in. A man sat at a desk that said security, and he stared at me as if I didn’t belong there. Well, I didn’t, but once he knew who I was he would let me through.
“Can I help you, young man?” he asked.
“Yes, I’d like to see my father.”
He glanced at his watch and frowned. “He should’ve come down to meet you, or at the very least, given me your name so I would know to send you up.”
“He doesn’t know I’m here.”
“What is your name, son?”
“Dex Mitchell. My father is Wentworth Mitchell.”
The lines on his forehead deepened as he studied me. “Excuse me, but did you say your father is Wentworth Mitchell?”
“Yes, that’s what I said.”
He pressed his lips together and scratched the top of his head like he wasn’t sure how to handle this. “That can’t be true. What is your dad’s real name?”
Blind Date with a Billionaire Biker (Blind Date Disasters Book 3) Page 9
