Page 56 of Truck Up
I stare at her for a moment, processing her words. She’s not wrong. I never act like this. But I’ve also never been in a situation like this before either.
“I’ll consider your offer, but I might need more than one more day.” I gather my clothes to get ready for a shower. As much as I want to skip work, I can’t. “I think I’m entitled to a little wallowing and self-pity for a change.”
“You’re not wrong, but I still don’t like it.”
“Well,” I sigh. “There are a lot of things in this world I don’t like, but that doesn’t mean I get to change it.” I force that smile that I’m not really feeling. “Now go make me bacon. Please.”
She laughs and heads out to the kitchen. “Breakfast in twenty,” she yells just before I shut the bathroom door behind me.
I take a deep breath and fall back against the door. Everything will be fine. It has to be. But for now, I’m going to let myself worry and wallow.
I wishI had never got out of bed.
Christian still hasn’t responded to my messages.
Mom is ignoring me, which makes work awkward.
Darlene keeps telling lewd jokes that normally would make me laugh, but I’m still not in a laughing mood. Mom gasps at every one of them but still doesn’t speak. She’s giving Darlene the cold shoulder too because Darlene took my side.
Random people from town keep coming in toget a look at the traitor. Yes, Mom and Dad’s loyal friends are calling me a traitor. Though these so-called loyal friends have never come into the shop before to support the family business. They’re only loyal in gossip and their dislike for the Mutters.
A loud rumble echoes in the distance. My heart rate instantly speeds up as I strain to decipher what kind of vehicle is making that noise. Whatever it is, it’s getting closer. The rumble turns into a roar, and I can’t stop the smile that creeps over my face.
I glance over at Mom, but she’s preoccupied with helping a customer. I don’t think she knows that roar belongs to a motorcycle. I’ve been around Christian long enough that I know the sound well.
I try to distract myself with paperwork as the sound intensifies, but it doesn’t work. I’m much too anxious about the possibility of seeing Christian.
“What on earth?” Mom exclaims.
I look up, only to have my heart sink. Not one, but three bikes—all with riders wearing jackets with the Unholy Ghosts MC insignia on them—stop outside the shop’s entrance.
I immediately recognize one of them as Edge, the president of the MC. The other two I’ve never seen before.
Edge swings his leg over the bike, pushes to his feet, and turns to speak to the other two men. A moment later, he turns toward the shop’s entrance.
Mom presses her hand to her chest with a look of fear on her face. “What’s he doing here?” she whisper-shouts.
“How should I know?” I say. Christian is friends with Edge and a few other members of the club, but I don’t know them.
“This is your fault, Lia. You brought this trouble to our door.”
I don’t even bother trying to hide my irritation with her. “Who says we’ve got trouble?”
She whips her head around to face me. Her eyes widen with a wild look I’ve never seen on her face before. She’s genuinely scared.
“Do you know who he is?” she whisper-shouts again.
“Of course, I know who he is. I’ve been to Posey’s plenty of times.”
The look of horror on her face almost makes me laugh, but I fight back the urge. Sometimes my parents act like I’m still a teenager and not almost thirty. The curse of living at home for so long, I guess.
Thankfully, she doesn’t get a chance to lecture me before the bell above the door rings, announcing Edge’s arrival. His formidable presence instantly changes the vibe of the shop.
His eyes land on me. In deliberate and long strides, he marches in my direction like he owns the place. He doesn’t look around or acknowledge anyone else.
I stand tall and put on my best smile. When he stops in front of the counter, I ask, “How can I help you?”
Mom gasps, causing Edge to snap his stare in her direction. She shrinks in on herself before she disappears into the back room.