by Chiah Wilder
Of course, that was if he found out. If he didn’t tell Ryan, and Hailey didn’t know it was him, there’d be no problem. He ran his hand through his hair. Only problem is that I can’t do that shit to Ryan. It wasn’t in his character to do things behind his friends’ or his brothers’ backs.
“Brutus is killing you. Hope you got a shitload of dough to pay him,” Army said to Jigger as he looked behind his shoulder at Goldie. “What the fuck’s wrong with you?”
“What’re you talking about?” Goldie crushed his can in his hand.
“You looked pissed off.”
“I am pissed off, but it’s about something personal.”
“It’s better to turn that shit off in your brain. When I think about shit from my past it always pisses me off.” Army turned back to the game when a few cheers filled the air.
And she was definitely flirting with me on the phone. She practically asked me out. She doesn’t have a clue it’s me. It was real tempting to call her back and make a date with her for later that night. He knew she’d jump at the chance.
Shaking his head, he sat up straight. He just couldn’t get her out of his mind. If she weren’t Ryan’s sister, he’d be all over her already. He’d love to get to know her as a woman and see if the sparks they felt at the tattoo parlor the night before were real.
She’s not just some chick with a pretty face and perfect ass. She’s Hailey, and I’ve got to stay away. Fuck. He pushed away from the table and jumped up, the force of it knocking over Army’s drink. He threw his two crushed cans across the room.
“What the fuck?” Army yelled as he rose, the amber liquid dripping off the table.
Goldie shrugged and glared at Kelly, who whispered something to the club girls. “You wanna tell me what the hell you’re saying?” He started to walk toward them.
Army pulled him back. “Leave it be, dude. They’re not doing shit. What’s gotten into you?”
Goldie thrust off Army’s hand. “Fuck you,” he growled, then looked directly at the club girls. “And fuck all of you.”
“No one’s doin’ shit around here except you. Take your damn problem outta here.” Army glared at him.
Without answering, Goldie stormed out, slamming the door behind him. He marched over to his Harley and took out his sunglasses before he straddled his bike. As he grasped the handlebars, Chains rode in and parked. “Hey, I need to talk to you,” Goldie said.
Chains came over and bumped fists with him. “What’s up?”
“Can you get some info on someone for me?”
Chains was the computer whiz of the club and could locate and dig up just about everything on a person. He nodded. “Is this club business?”
Shaking his head, Goldie wiped the corners of his mouth. “It’s personal.”
“What do you want to find out?”
“The address of someone in Alina.”
Chains raised his eyebrows. “That’s it? Too fuckin’ easy, dude.”
“I can text you her name.”
“Her?” He chuckled.
“This is between us, okay? I don’t want any of the brothers knowing.”
“No worries. Once I get the name, I can send you her address in minutes.”
He grasped Chains’s forearm. “Thanks. I owe you.” As Chains walked away, Goldie remembered the chick Army was trying set him up with. “Chains. Talk to Army. The way he talks, he’s got a chick who’s a sure thing and looking for some fun tonight.”
A wide smile cracked his face. “If she’s so great, why aren’t you in?”
“I have to work. Talk to him about it. Later.” He switched on his Harley and rode out of the lot. He had no idea what he was going to do with Hailey’s address once he got it, but it made him feel better to know where she lived. I’m acting like a goddamn teenager. He pushed the throttle harder, aiming his bike for the back road that cut through the great expanse of the desert.
The road was straight and one of his favorite rides in the county. He loved the way the San Juan Mountains rose up from the flatness of the desert. In the background, the blue-tinted mountains bursting with color were a vibrant contrast to the brownness of the sand, rocks, and brush. Springtime in the desert was beautiful in a harsh and desolate way. Since the early spring months had brought a lot of rain, pops of color from some of the flowers on the green bushes kept the landscape from appearing so monochrome.
Being the lone rider on the road added to the experience of being one with nature. It was like he was the only one in the world surrounded by such beauty. The wind, the earthy scent, the cloudless sky all engulfed him, swallowing him and fusing with him until he surrendered to them. It was at that moment that he achieved his nirvana: head cleared, senses acute, weightless.
After a couple hours, he looped back and headed to Cherry Vale, the nursing facility where his grandmother resided. She’d been living there for the past two years after she fell and broke her hip. She should’ve been able to rehab and come home, but Alzheimer’s made sure that would never happen. Since the disease had crept into her brain a few years before, she no longer understood how to follow the physical therapy instructions, so she ended up a permanent resident at the facility. Goldie paid for her care, which gave her a single room on the rehab floor, not the skilled nursing floor. It was a minor thing, but Goldie didn’t want to think about his grandma living in a nursing home.
The double sliding doors opened into a lobby that looked like a living room on a movie set. A large aviary stood in the corner of the room, and several residents sat staring at the canaries and finches as they flitted. A few smiled and cocked their heads as the canaries’ songs filtered into the area. Goldie turned the corner and entered the first door on his right.
He stood in the doorway taking in his grandma, who sat in her forest-green recliner watching the images flickering on her television set. She looks so frail and small. Even though Goldie came by several times a week to spend time with her, he was always blown away when he first entered her room. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to how much her appearance had changed. In his mind, he still saw her as the robust, energetic woman who’d raised him, his two brothers, and his sister when their parents had crashed into a mountain during a storm. His father had been an avid pilot, having been in the Air Force. His mother was scared to death to fly in the twin-engine plane his father had bought, but she’d grit her teeth and do it knowing it made his dad happy.
His parents had gone to an old friend’s birthday party in California, and when they were coming back to Colorado, a storm came up and their plane went off course. Goldie had always held on to the thought that they didn’t see the mountain before they slammed into it. His maternal grandparents immediately took them in and raised them. They had taken them in on and off for a few years before his parents crashed. His mom had bailed on them and took off, and his father couldn’t handle four young kids, so his grandma stepped up to the plate.
Then his mom had come back, and his parents had reconciled and family life had been back on track. Then they died. At first, Goldie’s world seemed like a bad nightmare where everything was the same but it wasn’t. But for a ten-year-old, life kept moving rapidly, distractions came up daily, and soon his parents became a memory. There were times when he’d think of them, but it was his grandparents who’d put up with him during his teen years and after.
“Hey, Grandma,” Goldie said loudly.
Her pale blue eyes looked at him and a smile lit her lined face. “Garth,” she said softly.
He went over and bent down, kissing her cheek. “How are you?”
She stared at him, the small twinkle of recognition replaced by a vacant look. He sighed and pulled up a chair next to her, grasped her bony hand in his, and watched the television. He hated the look of disconnection that had become more pronounced in the last few months.
“Your grandma’s doing great,” Shelly, the nurse, said as she came into the room with a small cup of applesauce.
“She loo
ks too thin. Is she eating okay?” Goldie glanced at his grandma who didn’t divert her gaze from the screen.
“She’s up and down. Sometimes she’ll eat real well and other times she won’t take anything. We give her a protein drink on those days. How’ve you been?” She ran her eyes over his arms.
“Good.” He knew she had the hots for him. Whenever she was on shift when he was there, she’d come into the room dozens of times. She told him she had a bike, a rice burner, and she often asked if he’d like to go riding together. Shelly was cute enough with her shapely legs, brown hair and eyes, but he wasn’t interested. He knew she was the clingy type, and if he had a fling with her, she’d cause all kinds of problems. And he didn’t want a pissed-off chick taking care of his grandma.
“You’re looking real good. You been riding much?” She licked her lips, the applesauce still in her hand.
“I’m a biker. That’s what I do. Is that for my grandma?” He pointed to the Dixie cup.
She laughed dryly. “Of course. Uh… yeah. This is your grandma’s medication.” She went in front of the elderly woman and brought the spoon to her lips.
His grandmother opened up, then smiled. She craned her neck to Goldie. “Are you going to eat any? You and Chad used to love it when I made it. Homemade. None of that pre-made stuff.” She smacked her lips as she took a few more spoonfuls.
Goldie laughed. “You made the best applesauce in town. Hell, you were the best cook in town. Remember how many blue ribbons you won in all those cook-offs?”
She nodded, smiling, and then the smile faded and the dementia pushed the slice of lucidity away. She stopped opening her mouth, and her gaze returned to the pictures on the screen.
“You just got to take them when they come,” Shelly said softly as she ran her fingers through his grandmother’s white hair.
“I do,” he said in a low voice.
“I’ll call in the aides to put Helen on her bed. She’s been sitting too long.” Shelly walked toward the door, then looked over her shoulder. “If you ever want to go out and get a cup of coffee, I’m available. I know how hard this is, and I understand what you’re going through. Just reaching out to you.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” Goldie turned back to his grandmother and wrapped his arm around her thin shoulders, resting his cheek against her head.
Two muscled men came in a few minutes later. One of the CNAs, Hendricks, told Goldie all about the Harley he’d just bought. Goldie welcomed the distraction, and he was always game for motorcycle talk. Kingsley, the other one, told Goldie he was thinking about buying a Honda bike, and Goldie decided it was his duty to talk him out of it.
A couple hours later, his phone pinged and he opened Chains’s text.
Chains: 5605 Linda Vista Rd
Fuck yeah. He tipped his head back as a jolt of adrenaline coursed through him, and then he tightened up. What the fuck’s the matter with me? I’m acting like an ass, and for what? A chick? But he knew it wasn’t just for a chick. It was for Hailey, and he had to stop that shit pronto. I haven’t seen or thought about her in years. This is fuckin’ lame.
Well, that wasn’t exactly true. He had thought about her, wondering how she was doing and how she looked. Ryan rarely talked about her, and if he did it was just in passing. Whenever Goldie would ask how she was doing, Ryan would just say she was fine and change the subject.
Glancing at his grandmother, he saw she was sleeping; she looked so peaceful. Leaning over, he stroked her cheek, then kissed it. “I’ll see you soon,” he whispered. He took out a CD from her drawer and placed it into the small player on the nightstand. “Moon River” was one of his grandma’s favorite songs, so he hit the Play button and the piano and harp strains floated in the air. With one last look at her, he walked out the door.
Goldie jumped on his bike and glanced at the time. He had to be at Get Inked soon. He left the parking lot and headed in the direction of Hailey’s address. As he waited for the light to change, a car with a couple of women pulled alongside him.
“I love your Harley,” the passenger said as she stared at him.
He gave her a chin lift.
“Do you want to come to a party?” She ran her fingers right about her ample cleavage.
He shook his head.
“That’s too bad, because me and my friend can be a lot of fun.”
Normally, Goldie would take the busty redhead up on her offer, but he wasn’t interested. He wanted something different from the same old thing.
He wanted Hailey, but he knew that was fucked.
When the light changed, he swung a U-turn.
Fuck it. I’m done with this.
He headed to the tattoo shop.
Chapter Four
“Brent is so excited about going out tonight. He really is a nice guy,” Rory said as she nestled further into the massage chair at the nail salon.
“Don’t make this into something big. We’re just going out for dinner. And don’t be pushy tonight.” Hailey stared at her toes as the nail tech painted them. “I’m not so sure about this color. The blue seems too dark.”
“I love the color. Do you like mine?”
Hailey looked at her friend’s cotton candy pink color. “I do. It’s perfect for the warm weather we’ve been having. This summer we’ve got to do a barbecue together. Wouldn’t that be fun to have one around the pool?”
“You’re so lucky that your aunt has a pool. It gets so hot here in the summer. I hate it.” Rory picked up her bottled water.
“You’re welcome to come over and hang by the pool anytime. I told Claudia the same thing.” She studied the nail color again. “I really wanted a blue that looked like denim.”
“Would you like me to bring you some other blue polishes?” the manicurist asked.
“That’d be great.” Hailey watched as the woman hurried over to a large display filled with nail polishes. “What did you think of the artist from that tattoo parlor?”
“The one who gave you the ink job? He did an awesome job. Are you loving your tat?”
“Yeah. He was so gorgeous. And did you see all the ink on his arms? Did you see his arms? They were delicious.”
Rory laughed. “You and biceps. The guy was great-looking, and he had a real badass vibe about him. I know that’s what you’re picking up on. You’ve always had a thing about bad boys. I can’t understand it. Me, I’ll take a nice guy every time. They’re usually so eager to please, so loyal, and they treat women like goddesses.”
Hailey giggled. “I wouldn’t say that Sage was any catch. He was acting like such the attentive gentleman and he was banging that woman in his office the whole time he was with you.”
“A nice guy in bad boy’s clothing.” Rory laughed.
The nail tech handed Hailey a denim blue polish. “Do you like this one?”
“Yes, that’s perfect. Thanks.” She picked up her iced tea and took a sip. “Anyway, I thought he was seriously sexy. I wish he was the one I was going out to dinner with tonight. Don’t give me that look, I’m just saying.”
“I can guarantee Brent can run circles around that tattoo guy. He may not be as good-looking or have a ripped body like that guy has, but Brent is a nice, decent man. You have to give him a chance. Ever since I can remember, you’ve always drifted toward the bad boys. Like that friend of Ryan’s. What was his name?”
“Garth?”
“Yeah, that’s it. You had such a crush on him.”
“I wouldn’t say he was a bad boy.”
Rory’s eyes widened. “Are you joking? He was always fighting and getting into trouble. And remember when he bought a motorcycle? He used to ride around the neighborhood purposely making as much noise as he could. Remember how it pissed off Mrs. Glover?”
Hailey laughed. “I forgot about that. I guess he was a badass. I didn’t see him that way because I knew him as Ryan’s friend for such a long time. He was pretty cute on his bike though.” A flutter of shivers tickled her as she recalled
Garth and how he used to look at her when she was in high school.
“I wonder whatever happened to him.”
“Ryan told me he joined a biker gang.”
“Is it the Night Rebels?”
Hailey shrugged. “I don’t think he told me the name of it. I just know he told me he was in it, and that he was a major womanizer.”
“I bet it is. That’s the only motorcycle club around here. They’re like totally scary. If I see them on the street, I don’t even look at them.” Rory ran her hands up and down her arms as if she’d been seized by a sudden chill.
“I guess that’s why Ryan told me not to look him up.”
“If he’s a member of the Night Rebels, you definitely don’t want to reconnect. And I’m not surprised to find out he’s a player. He was that way when we were in high school. He was always with a new girl and had a line of them waiting to go out with him. That’s what I mean about bad boys. Give me a nice guy any time.”
“I do like a guy with a rough edge, but a motorcycle gang is too rough. Although, I’m still curious as to how he looks now that he’s a man.”
“Take Ryan’s advice and let it go. Now, tell me what you’re going to wear tonight. I hope you guys hit it off so you can double-date with me and Troy. This is going to be such a fun summer.”
After they were done with their pedicures, they stepped out into the bright sun and firmed up their plans for that evening. A bemused smile played on Hailey’s lips until she slid into her car. Rory was so excited about her and Brent hitting it off that she already had her whole year planned out with him. Pretty soon she’ll be leafing through bridal magazines to find the perfect wedding dress for me. Of the three of them, Rory was the romantic, Claudia was the skeptic, and Hailey was the realist.
She made a right turn at the light and headed up Santa Nella Street. It was in the opposite direction of where she lived, but the perfect way to go to the tattoo shop. I just want to see if I can spot him. Rory would be so disappointed. She snickered and turned on Saguro Street. Five blocks on each side of the street housed restaurants, bars, some funky boutiques, and Get Inked. She slowed down as she passed by the yellow storefront, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Nothing. She went around the block. You’re totally crazy. He dissed you. Why the hell are you making a fool of yourself?
