Rough Ride (Riding with Honor)

by Rebecca Avery

  “I know. He sort of told me,” she said.

  “Look, I’ve known Bobby for a very long time and I’ve never seen him act like he does with you,” Dickie said. “I just hope along with forgiving me for putting my own assumptions into your pretty little head, that you can find it in your heart to give him another chance.”

  “Do you know when he will be back from his trip?” she asked quietly, attempting to clear the burning tears from her eyes by blinking rapidly and looking away from Dickie.

  “No but your more than welcome to hang out here for a while, unless you have some place else to be,” he replied.

  After pausing for a brief moment, Dickie made his way back out to the garage leaving her alone with her thoughts and the mess. She spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning the desk back off and entering in bills, invoices and timesheet information into the computer. Finding a file folder she shuffled through the contents and found the contract for the upcoming build. Looking over it she noticed it was dated the night of the rally and contained information and pricing on the four bikes the shop would be building.

  After scanning through the information, she checked the voicemail and was amazed at how many there were and how many referred to the custom bike people had seen at the rally. Making a list of all the messages, she finished up just as Tommy entered the office.

  “So are you coming back for more tomorrow?” he teased after looking at the now clean desk.

  “I fear ever taking even a single day off from this place on account of this mess,” she replied with a smile.

  “Hey if you’re not busy I thought you might like to get a drink with me and Chuck…just as friends. We could take the bikes if you promise not to dry hump me like you tried to do to Chuckie,” he said with a grin.

  She burst out laughing. “He told you huh?”

  “Yea, he told me giggling like a school girl the whole time. That’s my man Bobby though, when he sees something he really wants, he’s balls to the wall,” Tommy said.

  “Sure…why not. Is Dickie coming too?” she asked.

  “Ahh, well that’s the thing. Dickie doesn’t do the whole bar scene anymore…got himself in a little trouble in his younger years at one and hasn’t stepped foot in one since,” Tommy said. “He’ll ride with us for a while but usually heads home when we stop for a drink but not before handing out his fatherly lectures on the wickedness of our ways.”

  She shut down the computer and followed Tommy out shutting off the light as she went. She was surprised at how painful it was to ride behind Tommy on the bike. She hadn’t been on a bike since Chuck had driven her to the campsite the night before she left.

  Chuck’s bike had no backrest which had made her nervous even though he had been very careful with her on the back. Tommy’s bike was quite comfortable as the passenger seat was bigger to accommodate the special armrests needed for Gretchen’s seat. Though Bobby’s bike was louder and sat lower to the ground, and the seat ensured she felt every bump, she somehow didn’t enjoy riding with Tommy quite like she enjoyed the roughness of riding with him.

  Entering the dimly lit bar, Chuck led her to a booth in the corner while Tommy approached the bar to order drinks. She slid into the booth and Chuck sat next to her.

  “Thanks a lot for telling Tommy about our little bike ride to the campgrounds,” she said with a laugh as she playfully swatted his arm.

  “Well much like Bobby, that will probably be the one and only time I get a high class broad on the back of my bike too,” he grinned.

  “Bobby called me a high class broad?” she asked.

  “Pretty much…” Chuck said as he watched Tommy approach the table with three beers.

  “What exactly did he say?” she asked.

  “I’d rather not tell you considering Bobby’s already in a world of shit where you’re concerned and I don’t want to add to my boy’s problems,” Chuck said.

  “If I remember correctly, he told me he wanted a still shot from the shop surveillance video showing you on the back of his bike,” Tommy said.

  “Okay but what does that have to do with me being a high class broad?” she asked.

  “He said that since there was no chance in hell he’d ever get another smoking hot, classy piece of tail like you to ride with him again he wanted proof you were real.” Tommy said, taking the bottle cap off one of the beers and handing it to her.

  “I see,” she said laughing. “I appreciate you telling me what was actually said rather than adlibbing,” She finished looking pointedly at Chuck.

  “Hey! That’s not word for word either so don’t give me that look,” he laughed.

  “Well with Bobby I can only imagine what was actually said,” she replied with a light laugh as she felt heat creep up her neck at the erotic words that played through her mind.

  “Look, I wanted to get you out of the shop, pump you full of liquor and get you to sign a contract agreeing to work for the shop until the day you die,” Tommy said laughing. “So drink up, there’s more where that came from,” he finished, pointing to her beer.

  Oh God! Had Bobby told them what happened the night he had pumped her full of alcohol? She did not know what to say to that but could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment at the thought these two knew what had happened between her and Bobby.

  “Are you blushing Miss Lilly?” Chuck said, tickling her cheek with his index finger and laughing. “Is there something you care to share?”

  “What… what are you talking about?” she said, smacking Chuck’s hand away from her cheek.

  Tommy and Chuck shared a look and Lilly’s stomach clinched.

  “Look, I’m not sure if you really know how things roll at the shop. I mean you got the office stuff down to like a science but I don’t know if you really know what everyone does,” Tommy said eyeing Chuck.

  “See, Bobby designs bikes. He also makes custom parts for bikes as well as cars… like Gretchen’s motorcycle. Dickie’s a mechanical genius and can usually hotwire or fix just about anything that’s wrong with an engine or transmission. He also works with leather and does most of the custom seats for the bikes we build. I started out painting cars until Dickie pulled me in to work on engines and now I’m doing not only painting but some mechanic stuff too,” Chuck explained.

  “My area of expertise is electronics… I work on anything requiring wiring or electrical work. Though video, photos, and stereos are my expertise,” Tommy said and then looked away and took a deep breath. “The competition before the one in Arizona, we had a little trouble with some people at the campsite we were staying at. They broke into the camper and stole some stuff so I hooked up outside video much like I added the outdoor speakers for the radio so that it turns on whenever there is activity detected outside the camper…”

  Lilly put her face in her hands…Bobby hadn’t told them, they’d seen it on video!

  “Please tell me this conversation isn’t going where I think it’s going…”she said through her hands being used to shield her face from their view.

  “Look we turned it off after the ‘Get on the back Bitch’ comment so we didn’t see anything beyond that,” Chuck attempted to lie.

  “Oh God!” she cried in a high pitched whine.

  “Shut up dipshit!” Tommy said, smacking Chuck in the head. “Look, the only reason we are telling you this and not taking it to our graves like we originally talked about, is because I’ve known Bobby for longer than I can remember and he is like head over heels for you. He sat and talked to you for like an hour in the rain and then stayed and talked to you instead of hooking up with us that night…”

  “Bobby doesn’t do that shit with women, he doesn’t have to… he can get ass whenever he wants it,” Chuck said.

  “Dude, why don’t you shut the fuck up, you are not helping here,” Tommy said with a frown.

  “The point this asshole is failing miserably to make is that you weren’t a tag it and…” Tommy began. “I mean you were not a one night sta
nd to him… if that’s what you thought. He has been torn up since you left.”

  “Not to mention…” Chuck started and then paused when Tommy lifted his fist to him, “Not to mention the office… well you seen it.”

  She listened as Chuck and Tommy tried to explain. Even amidst the embarrassment she felt knowing that at the very least they had heard bits and pieces of private conversation, she couldn’t help but appreciate their loyalty. They were admitting it in an attempt to ease the pain of a friend.

  “Look guys,” she said finally removing her hands from her face. “I came to the shop today to see him. Dickie said he was out of town, but I plan on talking to him when he comes back. I had some things I had to deal with these past couple of weeks and now that I have…I plan to stick around this time.”

  “So you aren’t doing some other guy?” Chuck asked.

  Tommy leaned over and smacked Chuck again. “Man, why don’t you stop and think before you open your pie hole.”

  “Sorry… God!” Chuck said. Then bumping up against Lilly’s shoulder he said, “I’m a dumb ass and that’s not my business.” Then looking at Tommy he said, “There… happy?”

  “Why did you leave us…I mean the job…Bobby… you know what I mean,” Tommy stammered.

  She explained her trip to New York and even pulled out an article she had printed from a website covering the story. After they both read it, they seemed to relax.

  “What did Bobby say when you told him about it?” Chuck asked.

  Lilly could feel the heat crawl up her cheeks yet again and said, “I never got a chance to explain.”

  Tommy and Chuck grinned at each other across the table.

  “So I’m guessing that amongst other things is what you plan to talk to him about when he gets back on Friday?” Tommy asked, pointing at the printout she held.

  “I plan to tell him about that and I plan to tell him that I love him,” she said as she watched Tommy and Chuck’s face for any sign that this was a bad idea. She released the breath she was holding when both guys broke out in a smile and bumped knuckles.

  “Well, I predict that Friday will be one of the best days we’ve had in the shop for quite a while,” Chuck said. “And not just because we get paid.”

  “Without her testimony they got nothing! I want the bitch dead and soon. If not it will be my ass! Do you understand that?” Simon said through clenched teeth. “Jail will be the least of my worries. I brought those two stupid fucks on board with this whole operation. I took care of one of them. Now thanks to the hard on Kyle has for the widow, I’m in this mess… we are in this mess. Now take care of it or I will sing like a canary… you got me?”

  “Kyle said Darren mentioned some sister of Lilly’s that lives in Florida. Some guys I know down there did a little digging and it seems a classy chick with a little red sports car has been staying with one Sherri Simons. I got Sherri’s address right here,” A man said, patting his double breasted suit jacket. “Once I take care of this little problem of yours, you will owe me… more than the eight million it cost to bail your ass out the last time.”

  “I’ll get the money… just take care of this will you?” Simon said rubbing his temples as a migraine set in.

  “I plan to take care of it and then I will be leaving the country for a little while and watching how the chips fall from afar… but Simon? Don’t ever threaten me,” the man said as he stood and knocked on the door to catch the attention of the guard who waited just outside of the room.

  Bobby sat in his hotel room peeling the label off of a Zinfandel wine bottle. He had finished the whole thing last night and it still hadn’t been enough. Sleep had been fleeting at best. He shouldn’t have left her there in Sherri’s garage like that… he should have manned up and had it out with her. Here it was four days later and he was driving himself nuts thinking of what he should have done and how it might have changed things.

  Mr. Dumas loved the designs he had come up with for the bikes. He was planning a cross country bike ride with his grown sons and wanted to do it in style. With only a few minor changes to each bike, he was ready to head back and get started on the project.

  Deciding to check in at the shop he dialed Dickie’s cell phone. When the old man didn’t answer he called the shop phone and was shocked to hear Lilly answer.

  “Bobby’s Custom Chop Shop, this is Lilly may I help you?” she nearly yelled into the phone.

  “Lilly?” he choked out.

  “Bobby, is that you?” she said.

  “Yea…what are you doing there?” he asked and then smacked himself in the head for sounding so gruff.

  “I um… Dickie asked me to help out for a few days,” she replied.

  Music was the only sound Bobby heard before she finally said, “Did you need to talk to one of the guys? They are out in the garage blasting the radio and probably didn’t hear their cell phones.”

  The sound of her voice made him close his eyes. He could hear her whimpers of pleasure as he slammed into her again and again.

  “Bobby?” she said.

  “Yea, I’m here,” he said.

  “Are you ok? Did you need me to get one of the guys on the phone?” she asked with concern in her voice.

  “No,” He said.

  The sound of the music playing loudly in the background continued for nearly a full minute before she said again, “Bobby, you’re scaring me. Say something…talk to me.”

  “Say that again,” he replied.

  “Say what again? Bobby are you ok?” She asked again.

  “God I love the sound of my name on your lips. That alone makes me have dirty thoughts,” he said.

  He heard her small intake of breath and it nearly made him come unglued. “I’m sorry I uh… I’m sorry about the other night. I shouldn’t have been so rough with you. Did I hurt you?”

  “Only my heart, Bobby, only my heart. I understand now why it bothered you so bad that I didn’t give you a chance to explain. You didn’t give me a chance to explain and it has been killing me ever since,” she said softly after a long pause.

  “Tell me,” he said.

  “Tell you what?” she asked.

  “Tell me why you didn’t call me back,” he said.

  “You once told me that maybe I needed to find a new path. Well the detective who investigated me after my husband died called and asked me to help him. My husband’s best friend Kyle was suspected of being involved with Darren’s illegal business deals but they had no proof. The detective asked me to come back and help him get the evidence he needed to bring Kyle to justice. When you didn’t come back that night I decided to go where I was needed,” she said.

  “I needed you Lilly but I needed this job too. I’m sorry if you doubted that for even a minute. Do you have any idea what seeing you on the news in handcuffs did to me?” he asked.

  “My arrest was all just a way to get Kyle’s attention and allow me an opportunity to get him to say something or do something or throw around money he shouldn’t have had. They were looking for new clues on how he was involved. I was able to not only get them the information they needed on Kyle but several other people who were involved as well,” she said.

  “I’d rather be shot than ever see another man touch you… only me ok? Promise it will only be me from now on… swear it Lilly,” he said. “I haven’t been with any other woman since I met you and I have no desire to…I only want you. I swear to God.”

  “I took a different path that night in Arizona, Bobby…it was a bikers path and my heart hasn’t been the same since. I’m sorry I doubted you I didn’t trust what was happening between us…I didn’t trust myself… my choices. I realized that losing Darren hurt me, but not as bad as the scandal he left behind. Thinking I lost you nearly killed me. I swear I don’t want Kyle or any other man, I just want you. You’re not a loser, you’re a good man and I love you,” she cried.

  “I’ll be there by eight o’clock tonight. You stay and wait for me at the shop. We are going
to take a little ride and will be gone for the weekend and maybe for a few days of next week. Give the guys their checks and let them all leave early by around two or three so you have time to go and pack. Lilly?”

  “Yes?” she said breathlessly.

  “I love you… Jesus I think I’ve loved you since the day I walked in and seen you sitting there with Gran. I’m leaving now and when I get there I am going to get in your space… and Lilly?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m going to show you just how hard to take I really am.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  As she hung up the phone she covered her cheeks with her hands in an attempt to calm her heartbeat and breathing. He loved her! God she hadn’t realized how much she missed him, the things he said to her, the sound of his voice… his amazing body.

  Glancing at the clock, she could hardly believe it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Somehow she knew that this evening would take forever to roll around. After pulling herself together from her sexually heated conversation with Bobby, she headed to the garage to relay his message about leaving early to the guys.

  As she entered the bay area, Tommy appeared to be working on the CD player of a motorcycle while Chuck and Dickie were working on the engine of an ancient looking car. At least they were doing the work she knew needed done first, before starting on the upcoming build. Based on the messages she had returned throughout the week, the guys would be pretty busy for a while.

  “Hey Miss Lilly, how do you like our music selection?” Dickie asked, smiling as he started dancing…badly.

  Lilly recognized the sound of her Motown’s greatest hits CD blasting through the garage. She’d been so wrapped up in her phone call from Bobby she hadn’t paid any attention to what was going on out in the bay.

  “Where did you get that?” she asked.