“Umm, too late! I’m here. I came up for the weekend.” Crystal put on her baby voice that she used when she wanted something.
“So you’re here? You just came up to see me?” I clicked through the new parts I wanted for the shop and ordered.
“No. I wanted to come up there to Yosemite Park as well.”
I laughed. “Crystal, you’re lying. You hate the outdoors. So unless you’ve become a completely different person, tell me something real.”
“I don’t know. I just want to talk to you, like I said, and see how you’re doing.”
“Okay. You’re up. I got a day off tomorrow if you wanna go up to Santa Cruz for something different to do. I can show you the coastline a little bit.” No skin off my nose.
“Okay, I like it.”
“All right, Crystal, let me do my thing here and I’ll meet you at mine. I’ll text you the address.” I let Crystal go from the phone call and sat drumming my fingers on the desk. Misty was the woman I really wanted. As soon as my mind went to her, all I saw was that sexy smile of hers.
I guessed she had come around after all; I got the text yesterday. She inspired me and made me want to do better things with my life.
“Hey how are you? I miss you and sorry didn’t speak. finished exams today xxx”
I worked on a few orders at the shop and headed out late. Ryder, Trainer and Yoda agreed to organize a community recruiting day from when they were up here.
“I think if we can get good numbers in the next few months, that’s going to be a great start for Merced,” Ryder had relayed. “We can get the crew together and line up the bikes, maybe even get some of the younger guys in the chapter to do a show in the parking lot back here.”
Yoda chimed in, “We need to show that we’re about the community. We stand for brotherhood and not violence. It’s time for strong rebranding for the chapter. You’re a huge part of that, Diego.”
I nodded solemnly. “I’m aware. It’s why I joined in the first place, and with the not-for-profits the chapters have been able to support, I think we’re changing things slowly but surely.”
All in all, Outlaw Souls were changing the guard.
The night passed and Crystal showed up to my door. I had an apathetic feeling when I realized it was her.
“Knock knock!” A sing-song voice greeted me from the other side.
“Who is it?” I played along.
“Your fave stripper from back in the day.” I grinned and opened the door.
She’d aged a little with a few crows’ feet around the eyes. I scanned her quickly. Her body was still banging but her eyes gleamed with happiness. Her blond hair hung around her shoulders, and she was dressed casually in jeans and a tiger print top.
“Aye! Long time no see. You look good, ma’,” I said and meant it. I hugged her close. She smelled of a combination of cigarette smoke and lavender.
“Long time no see, Diego.” She stepped back and glanced over me. “You look sexy. Still the man.”
I smiled with relief. All the attraction I had for Crystal had died when our relationship ended. When I looked at her, my blood pressure didn’t rise like it used to. One sight of her back in the day used to make me wanna jump on stage and grind with her.
“Thank you, baby. You wanna hit the road? It’s going to take us about two and a half hours to get down there.” Crystal had stepped into the apartment with her hands in her back pockets, looking around. I kept the door inched open and ushered her back out the door.
She regarded me with interest. “Don’t want me snooping around, huh?”
I grinned under a nervous façade. “Nah, I mean I wouldn’t say that. I just want to take you on this ride. We might see some seals out down there.”
She pressed her lips together and stared at me for a second. “Okay, let’s hit the road. You still got the second helmet for me?”
“For sure. Hang on tight and we can stop off along the way.”
I was a lover of women, and I didn’t see anything wrong with catching up with my ex for old times’ sake. But a gnawing feeling of guilt made me hesitate. Now Misty was in my life.
We strapped up, the California air feeling crisp against my beard.
