“Wait just a damn minute!” he said. “I wasn’t out tapping anything last night… I just got us one hell of a job!”
Tommy having seen the fire that Bobby was in, stepped up to the table and explained the upcoming custom design job they had spent the previous evening hashing out over drinks at another campground. The single job entailed building four custom bikes that would be nearly six months’ worth of revenue for the shop.
“I didn’t even get any last night… it was all work!” Tommy finished defensively.
Calming his breathing as the anger began to fade Dickie said, “Well you might want to ride on over to the camp site and let her know that. You could have called and let us know… you do know how to use your damn cell phone right?”
“She’s not there,” Gretchen said as she continued to write.
Four sets of eyes turned to the small girl.
“What do you mean she’s not there Gretchen?” Tommy asked.
“She said she has to take care of her future,“ Gretchen said, never looking up from her paper.
“Did she say when she would be back?” Dickie asked quietly.
“Nope, but she did say goodbye to me since she didn’t know if she would see me again,” Gretchen said.
“Damn!” he said, making his way to his bike.
Watching as Bobby tore out of town headed for the campsite, Tommy turned to Dickie. “This was as much my fault as his. I should have called… especially since she had Gretchen. We were just so excited about the deal I… we… forgot.”
“Well, all we can do is hope he gets there before she actually leaves and that she is willing to at least listen to his explanation. It might be too much to hope that she believes him. That’s what happens when you cat around,” Dickie said. Then looking up at Tommy he said, “Make note buddy, this mess could just as easily happen to you.”
“I got more sense than Bobby. I’m not losing my head over some piece of tail so I seriously doubt that,” Tommy said.
“Famous last words...” Dickie muttered looking at Chuck
Bobby tore open the door to the camper and stepping inside called out, “Lilly?”
No answer. His heart nearly stopped beating when he noticed the piece of paper on the table with Lilly’s writing on it. Forcing himself to read what he knew was a “Dear John” letter he sat heavily at the table. Gone… just like that. No warning, no second chance, no one last time... He felt like she had taken his heart with her and he desperately wanted it back.
He called Lilly’s cell phone. Upon receiving voicemail he called and left a message on Sherri’s cell phone asking if she’d heard from Lilly and to call him. He called and asked Dickie to check with Gretchen to see if Lilly mentioned going back to Florida or somewhere else. He called Gran and told her what was going on and to call him if she happened to hear anything. He wanted to follow her but without knowing where she was headed how could he?
Heading back to the booth, he wanted to scream his frustration into the wind. He was acting like some of the women he’d been with, who tracked him down and put themselves in his way after reading too much into a one night stand.
Dickie was right…his stupidity had likely cost them the best thing to happen to the shop since he’d opened it. Somehow knowing he’d probably messed up the guys’ livelihoods didn’t seem to compare with the fact that he’d messed up the best thing to happen to him.
After parking his bike behind the roped off area he handed the note from Lilly to Dickie who read it and handed it to Tommy. After Tommy read it and slung it on the table, Chuck walked over and picked it up. After reading it he turned to the group.
“Maybe it’s not what we think. You said her husband did some bad shit right? And the cops were involved. Maybe she had to go back to New York because of that,” he said.
It was hope and Bobby latched onto it with both hands. He just had to force himself to stay calm until he heard from either Lilly or Sherri. In the meantime he had a business to run, which would act as a blessed diversion. This was Karma come to beat him within an inch of his life.
This was likely how Lilly had felt when he hadn’t come back. Maybe this pleasing a woman outside of the bedroom was a little more difficult than he first thought. The following morning as they sat around eating breakfast in the camper, Dickie flipped on the news. There on the screen was Lilly… in handcuffs.
“Turn this up!” Bobby said, staring at the screen.
All eyes were on the TV screen as the reporter spoke.
“Lilly Warner, widow of the late Darren Warner, was arrested yesterday on charges of fraud and racketeering. This arrest comes in conjunction with an ongoing investigation into the business affairs of her late husband,” the reporter said. “As you may remember Darren Warner was killed two years ago in a traffic accident. Following his death it was learned that he had organized and ran one of the largest Ponzi Schemes in recent history using funds he illegally obtained from his employer through fraudulent payroll. Lilly Warner was initially cleared as a suspect but CNN has learned that she was taken into custody late last evening. Stay tuned as CNN will be tracking and covering more of this story during our ‘Around the Nation’ evening broadcast starting at six.”
Bobby’s knees nearly gave out. It wasn’t possible! There must be some mistake because the Lilly he knew was as far from deceitful as any person could be. Sitting down at the table, he thought back to the conversation he’d had with her in the rain. Her tears had been heartfelt and her hurt was obvious. The bastard had betrayed her in so many ways and it seemed even though he was gone, she was still paying for his sins.
Finding his cell phone he called Sherri’s cell phone again. This time luck was with him and she answered.
“Hey Bobby, I guess you heard about Lilly,” she said.
“This is bullshit… there is no way!” he nearly shouted into the phone.
“I know… I know! The bastards can’t exact vengeance on Darren since he’s dead, but the victims want answers to where the money is and that means someone has to be held accountable,” Sherri said.
“Have you talked to her?” he asked.
“No, but a friend of hers, Kyle Mayan, called me and said that she had called him from jail and asked him for help. He’s working on obtaining legal representation for her and says she should be arraigned on Monday. Once bail is set… do they allow bail for those kinds of charges?” Sherri broke.
“I don’t know but God I hope so… Lilly is too… jail is no place for her,” he said.
Sniffing Sherri said, “Kyle said he will help her make bail if possible and to sit tight until Monday or Tuesday and that he’d keep me posted. I want to drive up there and make sure she’s ok but by the time I get there it would be so late and… I can’t afford to miss work this week Bobby.”
“I’m in the same boat. By the time I could get there she’ll be in the midst of arraignment. If this guy can get her bailed out I can help her with attorney fees or whatever she needs but… we umm… we kind of had a misunderstanding and I’m not sure she’d want my help right now,” he said.
The thought of Lilly going to prison thinking her last week of freedom had been spent with a liar and a cheat nearly made him come undone. He wanted to see her… no he needed to see her.
“I don’t know what happened between you guys but she’s a good girl Bobby. She always has been. If you can help her in any way I’d be so grateful and I’m sure she would be too. This isn’t the time for fighting, this is a time for helping and she’ll know that. You guys can work out your problems after this is over and she comes home,” Sherri sobbed. “I just got her back… and now…”
“I want you to call me tomorrow as soon as you hear something about whether she’s out on bail and I’ll make plans to head to New York once we know more,” he said.
“I will and thanks for everything… she really loves her job you know. I haven’t heard her that happy and excited about something since she came back into my life,” Sherr
i nearly whispered. “Bye Bobby.”
He couldn’t speak past the lump of unfamiliar emotions that seemed lodged in his throat as the call disconnected and he sat the phone on the table. The guys didn’t say anything for a while. Even Gretchen was unusually quiet and well behaved. After several minutes, Dickie stood up.
“The judging for the bike doesn’t start until two o’clock. Why don’t you hang out here and pull yourself together. After the show ends tonight we’ll pack up so we can leave out first thing in the morning,” Dickie said.
“I’m going to have to do this one alone,” he said.
Looking at the older man, he saw understanding in his eyes. After the judging was over he planned to fly to New York as soon as he could get a flight out. Tommy could handle any press information if they actually placed in the competition. He just needed to get there, to be near her, even if he couldn’t physically touch her or talk to her. He just had to see her and make sure she was all right.
“We can take my laptop and I can get us a connection at the booth. We can hit up websites for any news updates until the competition begins,” Chuck said. “I checked and you can get a flight out of here at two….”
Looking at his closest friends and seeing that they were worried about Lilly too, made him wonder at what point she’d stolen their hearts. She’d certainly stolen his, but she seemed to have them all under her spell.
“I have a friend in Jersey who owes me a favor. I’ll see if he can maybe pick you up at the airport, maybe let you borrow his bike for a few days…” Tommy offered. “I will take care of any last minute things from the show on Monday while Chuck and Dickie get things packed up to leave.”
“That’d be most helpful,” he said.
“I will make sure we all get back to the shop and get everything unloaded and put away and I’ll see to it that the guys get paid,” Dickie said. “We can hold down the fort until you get back…just do what you have to. Just use your damn cell phone this time and keep us posted.”
“Will do...I need to see about a cab I guess,” He said.
“Actually, I went online and scheduled one. They should be here at noon to pick you up. That should give you plenty of time to catch your flight. Just call us once you land and we’ll go from there,” Chuck said.
He grabbed the bag he brought and began throwing some things together as the guys and Gretchen took off for the rally. Time couldn’t pass quickly enough and it seemed like a year had passed when the cab finally pulled up to take him to the airport. God! If he could just get there!
As evening fell he found himself in an over-priced hotel room staring at the walls. After having called Dickie who’d been excited to tell him that they had placed second in the competition, he’d hooked up with Tommy’s friend who offered him the use of a motorcycle for a few days.
The local news had been full of stories regarding Lilly’s arrest and not being able to stand much more of the repeated accusations against her, he’d turned it off hoping to get some sleep.
The following morning he made his way to the jail where Lilly was being held. After requesting a visit with her he found out that she was being arraigned and it would be some time before a visit would be allowed. So he sat down in the lobby.
Several camera crews and reporters were gathered around in the lobby area and there were even more outside. When he still hadn’t heard anything by lunch time, he called Sherri to see if she’d heard something.
“She’s been granted bail and from what I understand should be out by this evening. Kyle called me and told me her bail was a substantial amount but that he was taking care of it. If you’re there now let me know the minute she’s out,” Sherri said.
“I will but so far they haven’t told me anything and I’ve been waiting here since nine this morning just to see her,” he said angrily.
“Well, just keep me posted,” Sherri replied.
After hanging up he went back to the window and the officer behind the counter advised that she was being released but would not say exactly when. Another hour passed when a noise outside caught his attention. Suddenly the reporters that were in the lobby made a run for the door and all headed around the side of the building. After hearing their comments he guessed it had to do with Lilly being released.
Forcing his way as close as he could get to the front of the large crowd gathered by a door at the back of the jail, he watched as Lilly exited the building. Jealous anger heated him thoroughly as he watched a tall thin man guide her to a waiting car.
The man’s arm was around Lilly’s shoulders holding her to him and she pressed her face into his chest. Opening the back door of the car the man kissed the top of her head before gently pushing her into the back seat and then following her inside. What the hell!
The gesture came off as possessive and he felt like all the air had left his body. Was this the Kyle guy that Sherri had told him about? Were they more than just friends? He understood being there for a friend but this guy had staked his claim in a very physical and public way… and Lilly had allowed it.
News vans and reporters followed the car out of the parking lot as he stood there unsure of himself. Should he follow her and make sure she was ok, maybe see what he could do to help? Demand to know who this guy was pawing at her? After a few minutes he called Sherri instead.
“Hey it’s me, Bobby. What does this Kyle guy look like?” he asked.
“I don’t really know… I’ve never met him. He was a friend of her husband. He seemed like a nice man on the phone though… at least nicer than Darren ever was. Why?” She asked in return.
“She just never said anything about this guy and he wasn’t kidding about her bail being substantial,” he answered.
“What’s going on with you Bobby? I’ve known you for almost ten years now… and I’ve never heard you sound… well… jealous,” she said.
“Look I’ve got to go,” he said quickly.
“Bobby, what happened between you and Lilly? I know it’s not really my business… but it is. She’s my sister and I don’t want to lose her and you’re the only one on her side that’s anywhere close to her right now. So…out with it,” she said.
Sighing he decided that if he stood a chance against tall, snobby and rich, he needed someone in his corner. Sherri was an up front and honest person, so the least he could do was tell her the truth.
“We slept together a couple of nights ago. The following night I went to a party and got to talking to this guy who wants me to do a build for him. Four bikes, one for himself and one for each of his sons. The job will be close to a half a year’s worth of income for the shop and we need it badly. With the economy things have been… slow. Long and short of it, Tommy and I were out all night partying with this guy after he signed a build agreement and cut me a check for the deposit. Nothing happened… no women…none of that,” he said.
“Did you tell her that?” Sherri asked.
“By the time I got back she was already gone, but based on what Dickie said she probably thinks I played her,” he said.
“Well you may be a gigolo but you’ve always been an honest one. Was it a one night thing with her? Because if you say yes, just know I’m going to kick your balls up into your mouth when I see you next. I told you to leave her alone, that she wasn’t that kind of girl…” Sherri said angrily.
“That’s just it! I tried like hell to stay away from her but she’s like a candle in a pitch dark room. I know she’s not that kind of girl… she’s not my kind of girl… she’s classy and sophisticated and… totally amazing,” he finished in a whisper.
Silence reigned for a few minutes.
“Bobby, I got a call coming in from Lilly but this conversation is not over. I will call you back and you better fricken’ answer when I do,” Sherri said.
With that she just disconnected the call and his guts felt like they were literally tied into a knot. Riding back to the hotel he couldn’t help but wonder if the truth of the whole situation was that
Lilly wasn’t his kind of girl.
He was a rough, motorcycle riding, long haired hellion and Lilly was the complete opposite. Lilly was Kyle’s type. She was classy and high dollar and still way out of his league.
After showering he lay down on one of the beds in the hotel room and stared at the ceiling. He must have dozed off when his phone rang.
“Yea,” he said, trying to shake off sleep.
“You’re not going to like this…” Sherri said.
“What?” He replied.
“That guy you saw her leaving the jail with is Kyle and she will be staying with him for a while…” Sherri said.
He was stunned. She had played him. For the first time in more years than he could remember he had contemplated being a one woman kind of man… hell he didn’t want any other woman but her.
He had been the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. She had tasted the fire and then went back to money, power and high class living. Just like that. Guilt over some of the women he had used crawled up his neck.
“I’m sorry Bobby. I tried to get her to tell me what was going on but she just said that she couldn’t talk about it but that she was fine and that she would call me with her trial date,” Sherri said. “I told her to call you and she said that wasn’t a good idea right now and then she just hung up. I think she’s just overwhelmed right now with everything…”
“Yea…” He croaked out. “I guess if she wants to talk to me, she’ll call. If not then I guess Karma really is a bitch. Thanks for letting me know.”
After getting off the phone with Sherri, Bobby called Chuck to book him a flight back home for the next day and then called Tommy’s friend to come and pick up his bike. If it didn’t mean giving them false hope, he would have also tried to call a couple of women and apologize, because being used hurt like hell. He had really thought that there was something happening between him and Lilly… beyond the amazing sex and hot chemistry.
Rough Ride (Riding with Honor) Page 10
