I take a sip of my cola, appreciating the fine specimen in front of me. Broad shoulders, masculine beard, and the club vest. It’s the whole sexy bad boy vibe. An indecent grin is permanently etched on his face, and he makes me laugh every day. Spending time with him is fun.
He’s eating his burger, one massive mouthful at a time, and it makes me giggle. I love that he eases my anxiety. I’ve never had anyone support me like this and remind me not to be taken for granted. Even though we are opposites, we fit and ground one another, encouraging each other to be better people.
My phone rings, distracting me from my thoughts. It’s my sister, Ava. “Hello,” I answer in a rush, eager to talk to her.
“Hi, Elena, happy birthday!” she says cheerfully.
“Thank you!” I say and smile.
“What are you up to on your birthday? Mom mentioned you weren’t having dinner anymore.”
The only person I miss not seeing is Ava. “I’m spending my birthday with my boyfriend. We’ve just had lunch. Now he’s got a surprise for me.” I peek up at Axle, who has a soft expression on his face.
“I’m so happy to hear you’re having a great day. A boyfriend... wow, congratulations. We’ll have to catch up soon so you can tell me all about him.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I reply, even though I doubt it will happen because she’s so busy now. I make a mental note that if I get married, I mustn’t get too caught up with married life and must make time for friends and family.Not that I have many friends or family members.I love my sister, and it hurts that we aren’t close anymore.
“I miss you,” slips out of my mouth, and there’s a second of silence.
“I miss you too,” she says softly and sincerely. But I wonder, if she shares my feelings, why has she been so distant? All I want is for us to be close again.
Axle twirls his finger in the air, signaling that I should wrap up the call.
“I’ll speak to you later. Thanks for calling me.” My mood lifts after having talked to Ava. I know she cares about me. She’s just busy being a wife now. Maybe I’m just being too needy.
“I don’t get it... if you miss her, why don’t you just talk to her more?”
I shrug. “Ava became distant after she got married. I’m surprised she called for my birthday.”
He reaches over and covers my hand with his. “Her loss. Are you finished?” He gives my plate a pointed look.
I laugh. “Yes, I am.”
“Second surprise time.” Then his face turns serious. “I had no idea what to get you, so I thought I’d take you to one of your favorite places and let you choose what you want.”
I smile wide. “Okay, let’s go.”
He pays, then comes back and takes my hand in his, kissing the top of it. As we step outside, I walk toward the truck, but he pulls me forward onto the sidewalk. “It’s further down there,” he says, so I follow him.
We pass a few more restaurants and cross the road. As soon as we reach the corner, I see where we’re headed: Crown Village Bookstore. I squeal and bounce on the spot. He laughs, as now I’m pulling him toward the shop. When I open the door, a little bell above it chimes.
“Get as many books as you want,” he says with a grin.
I wrap my arms around him tightly. As I pull back, I stand on my toes and kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is the best birthday present ever.”
His face lights up at my words, and I make my way to the romance section. I pull one book out at a time, check the front cover, turn it around, and read the blurb. I open one of the new releases wide and breathe in the scent of new book, almost getting high on the smell.
When I put the book back, Axle’s giving me a weird look. “Don’t give me those judgy eyes,” I tease him.
He chuckles and shakes his head.
I stack the books in Axle’s arms as we go around. I notice the girls around us giggling and checking him out—not that I blame them. If I was in a bookstore and a sexy biker came in and carried around books, I’d be giddy too.
After my shopping spree, a twinge of guilt sets in, but Axle continues to reassure me that it’s for my birthday.
When we go back to the clubhouse, we have sex well into the evening. My birthday is perfect.
Seventeen
