by Hope Stone
“Ahh, baggage.” Shauna circled her finger in the air.
I opened my eyes incredulously. “No. It just looks like the same thing.”
Shauna sighed. “Or it might not be. Give him a chance and see what it will be. To me, he sounds super sweet. I mean, what guy does a candlelight dinner on a date these days? You’ll be lucky if you get a message in your DMs these days. Count your blessings when you have them.”
I burst out laughing. “You are so right. The dating game sucks these days.” I let the buzz from the beer put me in an even better mood and my phone pinged. My stomach flip-flopped. Could it be him?
“Hey babe nice to hear from you. I’m glad about your exams we should celebrate. When you free?”
I did a little squeal in my seat and waved my head from side to side.
“It’s him! He wants to celebrate exams with me.”
“See, what I tell you?”
“He’s saaa sexy,” I gushed.
Shauna held up her hand and turned her head in a dramatic fashion. “I don’t wanna know. That’s enough from lovesick people. Between you and Celine, I’m out.”
“Huh? Celine?”
“Yess, honey. Where have you been? Celine and Rob. That night when those creeps came for you. They got together then.”
“Ohhh. Wow. That’s a nice match. Two doctors-to-be, they’ll be fighting over the scrubs.”
We laughed at that and our wings came out, piping hot. We dug in and talked some more. By the time we left the bar, the sky had turned a magnificent hue of apricot, that Cali sunset that everyone raved about flooding the skyline. I drove home feeling great about my life.
I walked in the door, “Hey Palo! you in here?”
“Yes, I am.” I nearly jumped out of my skin. Palo stood behind me, fixing something on the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m checking the alarm pad, that’s all. How’d your exams go?”
I replied with hesitation. “They went well. I feel like I did good.” He drove the screwdriver through a pad behind the door panel. “Why are you fixing that, Palo?” I asked.
“No reason.” His eyes darted around and he wouldn’t look me in the eye.
“Palo. I know when you lie to me. Are you beefing up security for some reason? Tell me!” I demanded.
He sighed. “I’m not lying to you. I’m taking precautions. You wanna ride out with me tomorrow? You haven’t ridden for a while now.”
“You’re changing the subject, but that sounds like a plan.”
I floated on a cloud back to my bedroom. Diego texted me back. Maybe the past was the past like Shauna said. I flicked on the TV in my room and watched a movie to relax. I texted Diego back.
“How about tomorrow night? :)”
“Sounds good babe. Miss you.”
“:)”
My dreams that night took me to fantasy land with Diego. The memory of his hands cupping my breasts made me toss and turn in my sleep. His lips plundering into me, the aching need and the passion between us. I couldn’t wait to see him.
I poured my morning juice when I got up the next morning and waited for Palo to come in.
“Morning,” he yawned. “Are you ready to ride? I thought we might take the coastline today.”
I put my bread in the toaster. “I’d like that. I heard the dolphins are out right now.”
“Yeah, the boys were telling me they saw a few the other day.”
I grimaced at the mention of Las Balas, changing the subject. “I can’t wait to ride.”
“Been a minute, huh? I checked it out, everything looks good.”
“Thanks bro’.” I smiled at him. “My helmet still there?”
“Yep, it is. No spiders in it.” I punched him playfully in the arm.
“Hey!” I yelled.
“Well, I mean you ain’t riding, what do you expect? Let me hit this coffee and we’ll get out on the road early, okay? Let’s head out and cruise to Santa Cruz.” My brother made the gesture of his smooth wave and I smiled at his goofball antics.
“Yup. Sounds good.” Ten minutes later I was strapped up and ready to go on my Honda Shadow Rider. I’d had her custom-sprayed in purple and loved it. I smiled as I ran my fingers over her before I got on. I signaled my brother to lead and flipped my helmet down. The roar of both our bikes combined got my adrenaline pumping.
Boring ride for a little while, until we got out of Merced city limits. It would take us about two and a half hours to get there. The fresh Cali air flowed around me as I followed Palo’s lead, slipping and sliding through the cars. We sliced through the back of Los Banos and San Juan Bautista. I admired the change of scenery through every passing suburb. In the blink of an eye we arrived in Santa Cruz. I stretched my legs out as we parked on the strip close to the beach. I looked out from the town with the rugged coastline hugging the edge of the water. I pulled my phone out and snapped a picture.
“Let me get one of you, doctor-to-be,” Palo demanded, chipper.
I handed him the phone and he snapped a cheesy photo of me. “Thanks, bro’. Let’s go eat.”
“I’m starving.” We headed to a café restaurant and sat down out front.
I gasped suddenly, I couldn’t help it. I saw his bike. Diego was here, in the same restaurant. Nerves struck me as my mind raced about whether to find him and introduce Palo.
“Hey, what’s up with you?” Palo asked. I ignored him.
We walked into a nice family restaurant with modern cuisine and outdoor tables out back and window seats out front.
A blond lady with a pencil behind her head approached us. I looked past her, desperately trying to spot Diego.
“Nice to see you guys. It’s table service here, so pull up a seat and we’ll come to you.” The lady greeted us in a laid-back California way.
“Okay, great,” Palo said and turned to see me straining to look out back. “Where do you wanna sit? Out back? Is that why you’re looking that way?”
Diego’s lion mane was what I saw first. He had his back to me. His hair gave him away. I saw the outline of his hand wrapped around a beer. Next to him was a woman touching his arm tenderly and gazing at him.
“No, let’s sit out front,” I said bitterly.
“Lady, what’s up with you? You look like you want to kill someone.”
Latino fire raged through my body as I thought about bum-rushing Diego and telling him where to go.
“I just saw someone I know, that’s all.”
“Oh no, no. There’s more to it.” Palo circled a hand to my face. “I can see it.”
We sat looking out to the street and the coastline. “Drop it, Palo. I don’t even know who she is.”
“You taking up smoking again? What are you talking about?”
I sighed. I didn’t want my brother keeping things from me so I had to abide by the same rules.
“I’m dating someone and they’re here with another female. I don’t know who it is though.”
Palo pounded his fist into an open palm. “Where is he? Point him out.”
“Let’s just order, Palo. Sit down.”
“No, c’mon, show me what he’s trying to replace you with. He’s loco if he doesn’t want to date you!”
Palo walked a couple of steps to the right side and saw the back of Diego’s head.
He sat back down and I watched his jaw twitch. He looked me hard in the eye as the salty breeze swept my hair forward.
“There’s no way in hell my sister is dating a direct rival from Outlaw Souls! No fucking way, you hear me!” Palo’s voice escalated and patrons turned their heads briefly to see where the sound came from. The fire in his eyes danced like a naked flame.
I held his forearm and pulled him into the seat. “Keep your voice down. We’re in the restaurant. Didn’t you say you have no rivals? The club is supposed to be going legit?” I raised my brow at him.
“It doesn’t matter, there’s tension there. We got beef with them. You can’t be dealing w
ith them right now. El Diablo is dead because of them.”
My mouth formed an O. “He’s dead because of Outlaw Souls?” The waitress came to the front table, breaking up our conversation.
“You guys ready to order? Can I get you some drinks to start?”
Palo looked like he was about to axle-grind his jaw off. “No, we’re just leaving. No offense, this was a nice establishment, until you let Outlaw bikers in here.”
The lady stepped back from Palo’s tongue-lashing in surprise. I back slapped him with my hand.
“Palo! Let’s go now. I’m sorry about him. He didn't mean it.” I sent her my pleading eyes.
She put the pencil back behind her head, mumbled, “Okay,” then left.
We walked outside. Now I had to deal with an angry brother and a broken heart.
Eleven
Diego
“How about Santa Cruz? You can take me on a ride for old time’s sake.”
I winced tightly. “Now’s not the best time for you to be coming up here. I got a lot going on with opening the chapter and getting set up. Maybe in a couple of weeks, huh?” I was in the warehouse, counting parts for inventory.
“Umm, too late! I’m here. I came up for the weekend.” Crystal put on her baby voice that she used when she wanted something.
“So you’re here? You just came up to see me?” I clicked through the new parts I wanted for the shop and ordered.
“No. I wanted to come up there to Yosemite Park as well.”
I laughed. “Crystal, you’re lying. You hate the outdoors. So unless you’ve become a completely different person, tell me something real.”
“I don’t know. I just want to talk to you, like I said, and see how you’re doing.”
“Okay. You’re up. I got a day off tomorrow if you wanna go up to Santa Cruz for something different to do. I can show you the coastline a little bit.” No skin off my nose.
“Okay, I like it.”
“All right, Crystal, let me do my thing here and I’ll meet you at mine. I’ll text you the address.” I let Crystal go from the phone call and sat drumming my fingers on the desk. Misty was the woman I really wanted. As soon as my mind went to her, all I saw was that sexy smile of hers.
I guessed she had come around after all; I got the text yesterday. She inspired me and made me want to do better things with my life.
“Hey how are you? I miss you and sorry didn’t speak. finished exams today xxx”
I worked on a few orders at the shop and headed out late. Ryder, Trainer and Yoda agreed to organize a community recruiting day from when they were up here.
“I think if we can get good numbers in the next few months, that’s going to be a great start for Merced,” Ryder had relayed. “We can get the crew together and line up the bikes, maybe even get some of the younger guys in the chapter to do a show in the parking lot back here.”
Yoda chimed in, “We need to show that we’re about the community. We stand for brotherhood and not violence. It’s time for strong rebranding for the chapter. You’re a huge part of that, Diego.”
I nodded solemnly. “I’m aware. It’s why I joined in the first place, and with the not-for-profits the chapters have been able to support, I think we’re changing things slowly but surely.”
All in all, Outlaw Souls were changing the guard.
The night passed and Crystal showed up to my door. I had an apathetic feeling when I realized it was her.
“Knock knock!” A sing-song voice greeted me from the other side.
“Who is it?” I played along.
“Your fave stripper from back in the day.” I grinned and opened the door.
She’d aged a little with a few crows’ feet around the eyes. I scanned her quickly. Her body was still banging but her eyes gleamed with happiness. Her blond hair hung around her shoulders, and she was dressed casually in jeans and a tiger print top.
“Aye! Long time no see. You look good, ma’,” I said and meant it. I hugged her close. She smelled of a combination of cigarette smoke and lavender.
“Long time no see, Diego.” She stepped back and glanced over me. “You look sexy. Still the man.”
I smiled with relief. All the attraction I had for Crystal had died when our relationship ended. When I looked at her, my blood pressure didn’t rise like it used to. One sight of her back in the day used to make me wanna jump on stage and grind with her.
“Thank you, baby. You wanna hit the road? It’s going to take us about two and a half hours to get down there.” Crystal had stepped into the apartment with her hands in her back pockets, looking around. I kept the door inched open and ushered her back out the door.
She regarded me with interest. “Don’t want me snooping around, huh?”
I grinned under a nervous façade. “Nah, I mean I wouldn’t say that. I just want to take you on this ride. We might see some seals out down there.”
She pressed her lips together and stared at me for a second. “Okay, let’s hit the road. You still got the second helmet for me?”
“For sure. Hang on tight and we can stop off along the way.”
I was a lover of women, and I didn’t see anything wrong with catching up with my ex for old times’ sake. But a gnawing feeling of guilt made me hesitate. Now Misty was in my life.
We strapped up, the California air feeling crisp against my beard.
“You ready?” I grinned.
“Yep, time for some adventure, for old times’ sake.”
I took it slower with someone on the back of the bike. Crystal's hands were firmly wrapped around me. Not the same feeling as having Misty’s hands there. We cruised at a lightweight pace until we got out onto the open road. I picked up the speed as we hit the freeway. We drifted through the back streets, passing vineyards, the California palms, and old white churches. We stopped through the smaller suburbs and uncovered new places together. We admired the undulating brown-speckled ranges of the California hills, until we reached the iconic Santa Cruz. The bike percolated at a low-level growl as we parked in the main strip. I could taste the fresh saltiness of the air and freedom.
I stretched my arms wide as I got off the bike. “This is why I ride. Man, that felt good. Real nice place, Santa Cruz. I remember riding up here with the chapter when we were together.”
Crystal tilted her head as she looked at me. “Yep. I remember that. I was stripping doing double shifts and you were riding a lot. Might have been the reason we broke up.”
I grabbed Crystal’s hand and said, “We are still talking, just sometimes things don’t work out. Nothing to dwell on.”
She kicked a pebble under her feet as she looked out to sea. “Yeah. If you say so.”
I was starting to rethink the whole ride and doubting if I should have extended the olive branch to her.
“Hey, this place across the road looks good. How about we head in there for a bite to eat?” I pointed to a café with an open window. People were super chill, sitting in the window.
“You been here before?” she asked.
“Yep. On that last ride. They got a nice courtyard out back so we can sit out and get a drink.”
Crystal came in close and put her arm around my back and the old affectionate familiarity of us slipped me right back to how we were. From my standpoint it was platonic. I didn’t know about Crystal’s.
I walked in with a motorcycle helmet in hand, leather jacket and white tee. I ran a hand through my tangled hair. A middle-aged lady with blond hair greeted us with a smile.
“Hey, how you doing? Any outdoor tables out back?” I asked.
“Sure do, follow me.” We slid into the wooden outdoor seats surrounded by plants. “Can I get you guys any drinks to start?”
Crystal’s bubbly voice rang through: “I will have a Mojito and some nachos.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Right in there, okay, let’s go. I’m going to get the tap beer. I don’t care what it is. And I will have the nachos too.” I smiled at the
waitress.
“Okay, easy. Coming right up, guys.”
I eased back in the seat. “So, Crystal, what's been happening in your life? Tell me.”
“Welp. I stopped stripping a year ago. It was wearing out my body and I didn’t like being in the club anymore. Diaz turned into a complete fucking nightmare and started skimming some of our tips for the night. One of the girls he was sleeping with found out he was bankrupt and she told us.”
“What the fuck? That’s crazy. I’m glad you stopped. I know you were getting tired of it.”
“I was. I’m in school now for cosmetology. You know I always like to do my nails and stuff.” She twinkled her hands at me and showed off her nails; they were multi-colored with fake jewels at the tips.
“They look good. I’m happy for you. You got any clients?”
“I have about ten clients I see regularly. I’m working on it. So far so good. I feel good, you know? I get to work from home and walk Sammy instead of not being there. It’s like he doesn’t recognize me anymore. My own dog. Can you imagine?”
“Ha! That little… Ah, I’m going to leave you alone. He was super protective of you. I don’t miss him chewing up my shoes.”
She laughed softly and hit my forearm. “You leave my Sammy alone. He’s good peoples.”
“I guess the little puffball’s all right.” Our beers came and we sipped.
“Sooo. You wanna tell me about the chica you’re dating?” Crystal asked.
“She’s great, a medical student, studying to be a doctor.”
I gauged Crystal’s reaction; a flicker of disappointment flashed in her pretty eyes. “Okay, is that it?”
“What were you looking for, Crystal? We just started dating. Are you dating right now?”
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “No, I know you’re dating someone… I thought there might be some hope for us, now that I’m not stripping anymore…” She twisted her blond hair in her hand.
I drew back, giving her a solemn look. “Crystal, I don’t want to hurt your feelings...but we’re done relationship-wise.”
