Dirty Cowboy

by Alycia Taylor

  I got back to work and handed the signed forms to John.

  “Great. That was fast. And, what is Mr. Maxwell like? I haven’t actually met him in person.”

  “He’s great. He insisted I call him Paul. He’s very cool. And he enjoyed dealing with you a lot. He said you’re a great man.”

  “Oh yeah? That’s nice,” John said, clearly pleased by the compliment. “Well, thanks for going there.”

  “I told him to call us if he’s ever in need of throwing another party. He said that was doubtful but that he’d be spreading the news. I think a lot of the bikers wives might be coming our way.”

  “Good thinking. How are you enjoying work, by the way?”

  I beamed. That was an easy question to answer. “I love it. It’s exactly what I was looking for. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a job so much.”

  “That’s good to hear. It’s hard work at times, but when you love what you do, it really does make all the difference. We are glad to have you. You’re exactly what this company was looking for, Eliza. And Mae is beside herself with happiness.”

  That was a nice thing to hear. “Mae is quite honestly the loveliest person I’ve ever met.”

  “I must agree with you,” he said, and I wondered again if he liked her. He had a bit of a dreamy, faraway look when he’d mentioned her name. Either way, I was definitely going to tell Mae what he had said. “I’m glad the two of you get along so well.”

  “Me too. Thanks, John,” I said and walked out.

  I walked straight to Eliza’s desk and pulled her over to the coffee machine.

  “What’s up?” she asked.

  I told her what John had said, and she swooned.

  “Ah, he’s amazing.”

  “When are you going to admit to him that you like him?” I asked while pouring us each a cup of coffee.

  “Uh, like never.”

  I shook my head. “You’re impossible.”

  “I’ve been told that before. So, did you go to the bike shop?”

  “Yep,” I said casually. “And the papers are all signed. That Mr. Maxwell, or Paul, is a very cool guy.”

  “Hmm,” she said and eyed me suspiciously.

  “What?”

  “Did you see that Gunner guy?”

  “You hate that name, don’t you?”

  “Well, it’s weird.”

  “Then call him Ian. That’s what his father calls him.”

  She sighed. “Fine. Ian. Did you see him?”

  “I did.” I took a sip of my coffee and didn’t say anything more. I was quite enjoying playing games with her, especially because I could see how annoyed she was at me. I was trying not to giggle.

  “Oh for goodness’ sake, you are infuriating. Tell me what happened with Ian?”

  I laughed. “He asked me out again.”

  “He did? And? What did you say?”

  “I said yes.”

  “I knew you would.”

  “You did?”

  “Well, obviously. You like the guy. It’s pretty obvious. And I knew he’d ask you out again. I mean, have you looked in the mirror lately, Eliza? You’re gorgeous.”

  “I like having you as a friend,” I said. “I don’t like him like that. I told you, I’m not interested in guys right now. But I get along well with him, and I don’t see why I can’t go out and have a good time.”

  “You can most definitely do that,” she said.

  “Oh yeah? You changed your mind?”

  “Ah, I was just being paranoid. I don’t even know the guy. And you’re smart enough to know if you want to see more of him or not. I wasn’t being a very supportive friend. But be careful, and tell me everything. Okay?”

  I laughed. “Okay.”

  “And I might even call him Gunner if he’s nice.”

  “He calls me Lashes,” I told her.

  “Lashes?” she giggled. “That’s actually very cute.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, how’s the apartment by the way?”

  “It’s amazing. It was weird at first. I mean, I haven’t lived alone in a long time. I don’t think I slept at all that first night. But I’m getting used to it already. And I’m slowly starting to fill up the space. It still looks very bare. But thankfully she left the bed and a few other things behind for me.”

  “If you need anything, you must let me know, okay?”

  “I will. And I think a housewarming is in order, don’t you think? I mean, I barely know anyone in this place. So I’m thinking more along the lines of you, me, and a bottle of wine.”

  Mae grinned. “It sounds like the perfect night.”

  That evening, I was looking around the apartment and making a list of all the things that I still needed to buy when my phone rang. I was so busy that I didn’t bother looking to see who it was, and then I kicked myself when I heard the familiar voice.

  “Finally you answer! I’ve been calling you and texting you for days, Eliza. Where the hell are you?”

  I could feel my hands tremble and I took a deep breath and told myself to take control of the situation. I was not going to let Raymond bully me anymore. I could put the phone down, but it was time to face up to it. I knew this day was eventually going to have to come. I couldn’t just run away without a trace. It amazed me to hear how angry he was at me. He wasn’t worried or concerned as to what might have happened to me. He was angry because he knew that he was in the wrong. He knew that one day, I would eventually leave him.

  “We’re over, Raymond. It doesn’t matter where I am. I’ve moved on, and I think you should, too. I’m sorry for not answering your calls, but I needed some time to gather myself. Leaving you was a pretty big deal.”

  “Since when are we over? This is news to me. I had a nap and the next thing, you were gone, and you’d taken your things with you. That’s not exactly fair. You didn’t even leave me a note, or let me know what was going on. You just left.”

  “Raymond, you didn’t have a nap. You tripped onto the sofa while trying to hit me, and then you passed out because you’d had too much to drink. That’s not taking a nap. And if I stayed, you’d only hit me again. What did I ever do to deserve that sort of treatment from you? I thought you loved me, but clearly you just wanted to control me. I won’t have that anymore. I just won’t.”

  I hated that my voice had started to tremble, and I knew that he could hear how close I was to tears. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. I would not cry on the phone with Raymond. I would not.

  “Where are you, Eliza?” he demanded. “Tell me where you are.”

  “I’ve moved on. And I’ve started a new life. Please, Raymond, don’t make this even more difficult than it is. It’s time for you to move on, too. I wasn’t right for you. If I was, you would’ve treated me with respect. Just forget about me and find someone else. We don’t need to turn this into a big deal. And if I left any stuff lying around, then just sell it, or throw it away. I don’t care.”

  I felt sorry for the next girl that he dated, but it wasn’t my problem to worry about anymore. I wanted Raymond out of my life for good. I felt so glad that we had some distance between us now. I was glad that I at least didn’t have to worry about bumping into him at the store.

  “But where are you? Where?”

  “Let it go, Raymond.”

  “No, I won’t let it go. As far as I’m concerned, you’re still my girlfriend.”

  “In other words, I’m still your property?”

  “Oh, you’re all brave now that you’re on the phone. Bet you wouldn’t be this brave face-to-face.”

  “No, I probably wouldn’t be,” I admitted, “because I’d be scared that you would hit me. And that’s just no way to live. Anyway, I’m not your girlfriend. This is not a marriage. There is no paperwork legally binding us together. I’ve left you.”

  “Oh yeah? Well, I’m going to find you.”

  I sighed. He had no idea where I was, and I knew him well enough to know that he was more talk than an
ything else. I wasn’t going to let him threaten me, and I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of getting upset.

  “Goodbye, Raymond,” I said, and I hung up on him.

  He called me again, but I ignored it. I wished that I could say that I felt stronger after talking to him, but it had been impossible not to get riled up. Just hearing his voice again made me glad that I was out of that relationship. But it also made me feel emotional. I didn’t want to cry. Instead, I looked around my little apartment and smiled. This was my apartment. I didn’t need Raymond. In fact, I didn’t need any man to make me feel happy. I thought about the date with Gunner coming up, and I sighed. I wished I could go back in time and turn him down. I liked being around Gunner, even if I wasn’t so sure seeing him was a good idea.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ian

  It was the end of the week, and all I could think about was my date with the delicious Eliza. I’d already decided that I was going to take her to the best burger restaurant in town. I had a mission to take her to them all. After all, she said she was looking for a guide. But my father had asked me to come in after I’d finished with the bike. I looked at Chris, who was almost finished with the one he was working at.

  “Another week done. Did my dad also ask to see you in his office?”

  He shook his head and frowned. “No. Uh oh. I hope you’re not in trouble.”

  “Why would I be? I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve worked hard, just like I always do. He probably just wants to tell me that he’s sick of having you here. I think he’s right. I think it’s time we replaced you,” I teased.

  “Oh yeah? With who? One of your brothers?”

  I pulled a face. “Uh, no thanks. Okay, you made your point. You can stay.”

  “Why thank you. So, want to go for a beer when you’re done with your dad?”

  “No can do. I happen to be busy tonight.”

  “Oh yeah? With who?”

  “With Eliza.”

  “The girl you hugged.”

  “Yes, the girl I hugged. I’ll have you know that she’s very huggable.”

  “She looks more than huggable to me. So, are you finally going to get her into bed?”

  To be honest, I wasn’t so sure. There was something about Eliza that made me think she was going to play hard to get. I wasn’t sure why. Either she was just that sort of girl, or else she had more going on in her life than she was letting on. She came across as carefree, but there was something darker lurking behind her eyes.

  “Hell yeah,” I said to Chris. He didn’t have to know all of that. I was certainly going to try.

  “Good man. Good man.”

  I gathered up my things and went to find my father, who nodded when I got in and told me to take a seat.

  “Sounds serious. Did I mess up again?” I asked.

  “No, you didn’t mess up. I don’t know why you think that. Anyway, looks like today was a good day. You guys all done?”

  “We are. Chris is just finishing up, and then we’re done.”

  “Good. You boys did well today. Anyway, I just wanted to remind you about the club meeting on Sunday.”

  I pulled a face. “Argh, do I have to go? You know how much I hate meetings.”

  “Of course you do. You’re a part of the club. And you know very well that being a part of the club means more than just riding your bike. Also, there are a whole bunch of other things we want to discuss, too. There’s a lot to go over, seeing as the last meeting got canceled.”

  “Okay, well, sure. I’ll be there, Dad. You know I will be.”

  I might complain a lot, but I never missed a club meeting.

  “Also, I’m going to be announcing the name of the person who will be taking my place. It’s a big day. There are a few people that are hoping to hear their name.”

  I nodded. I didn’t really care. I wasn’t sure if he wanted me to ask, but I wasn’t going to. If he didn’t want to just come out and tell me, then I had no interest in begging for the information.

  “Okay, that’s cool,” I said.

  “Okay, well . . . that’s it, then.”

  “That’s it?”

  “I just wanted to remind you about Sunday. Now, you have a good evening. Tell Chris that he doesn’t have to lock up. I’m going to be here a while longer.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  I went to tell Chris and asked him once again if he was sure he didn’t want to join the club. But he shook his head.

  “Nah, I’m not into things like that.”

  “Hmm, well fine. But I won’t stop asking you.”

  “And I won’t stop saying no.”

  I got home, showered, and went to fetch Eliza. She’d given me a different address this time, which was a bit confusing. For someone that had only just moved to the city, I wasn’t sure why she’d already moved twice.

  “Looking good, Lashes,” I said when she opened the door. I wasn’t lying. Eliza was wearing a short black dress that fit snugly around her curves. With it, she wore a pair of blue sneakers. The contrast made me excited. She looked sexy and innocent at once.

  “Thank you. And you don’t look too bad yourself,” she said.

  I laughed. I was wearing almost the same thing I’d worn the last few times she’d seen me. “Yeah, as you can see, I’m like a cartoon character; my outfit never changes.”

  “Why waste time finding clothes in the morning? You’ve found your style, and you’re sticking to it. I admire that.”

  “Some might call it lazy.”

  “That’s true,” she giggled. “But we’ll ignore those people.”

  She climbed onto the back of the bike and I drove to the burger restaurant in the center of town. She looked up and grinned at the neon lights.

  “I feel like we’ve just stepped into the eighties. So, what am I looking at here? Is this another restaurant that everyone should know about? Better than the pizza place? Because I’m not sure you can beat that.”

  “That was the best pizza restaurant in town. This is the best burger place. If you’ll stick around, maybe I’ll show you the best sushi place next time.”

  “You like sushi?”

  I grinned. “I have never been a picky eater.”

  “Yeah, me either,” she said.

  Inside, we placed our order and then smiled at one another.

  “So, how come I picked you up at a new apartment?”

  “Ah,” she said. “Well, the last place was actually Mae’s.” She then went on to tell me all about how she was living out of her car when I met her, and how Mae had offered for her to stay at her place. I wondered if that was why she’d snuck in and out the house so quickly. At least I knew I hadn’t been invited in for ‘dessert’ because of the situation, not because she didn’t want me there.

  “That was nice of Mae.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it.”

  “But you found a new place now? That was quick.”

  She grinned. “I know. First place I saw. I was super lucky. And it’s exactly what I was looking for. It’s small but perfect. And, you know, it’s nice to finally live on my own. I don’t think I’ve been in this happy in a long time.”

  I looked at her then. First time living alone? “So, you lived with your mother before that?”

  “Oh goodness, no. I lived with my boyfriend.”

  I raised my eyebrows.

  “Ex-boyfriend,” she clarified.

  “Ah. And that was back in California?”

  “Yep.”

  I was about to ask more about this ex-boyfriend, but she changed the subject, and I got the impression that she really didn’t want to talk about him. I was fine with that. I didn’t want to talk about some ex of hers. I wanted to know more about her. The two of us spent the next few hours talking and laughing over our beers and burgers, and once again I was surprised by how well I got along with this woman who was so different from anyone I’d ever been with before. She laughed easily, and didn’t seem at all concerned about a
irs and graces. I wondered what her last boyfriend was like and how on earth he had let her go.

  “You’re a lot of fun; you know that, Lashes?”

  “I am? To be honest, I thought I’d be incredibly boring for someone like you.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I don’t know. I just don’t get the feeling you usually hang out with girls like me. I mean, I don’t even have a tattoo.”

  I chuckled. “Having a tattoo doesn’t make you an exciting person. I know many people with tattoos who are as boring as anything. And trust me, you’re most definitely not boring. But I’m surprised that you’re hanging out with a guy like me.”

  “Okay, your turn then: why do you say that?”

  “Well, like you said, you’re a lot more clean-cut than me. And you’re sweet.”

  “And you’re not?” she asked.

  “I wouldn’t exactly use sweet to describe me. And I can honestly say that nobody has ever called me sweet before. And I’ve been called a lot of names in the past.”

  She regarded me, her blue eyes scanning my face in scrutiny. I decided that it was the feature I liked the most about her. Her bright, blue eyes. Of course, there was still a lot more of her body that I had to see. “I think you’re sweet,” she decided.

  “And I think you’re delusional.”

  “I have been known to live in my head a lot.”

  I grinned. “Actually, so have I.”