“He’s… he’s wonderful, mum. He’s so kind, and thoughtful, and he looks after me in ways I didn’t even realise. He even made me text him when I got here, so he knew I was safe!”
“That’s control,” V blurted, having poked her nose in again.
“Oh don’t be silly. He cares that she’s safe. V, go and sit down. Drink that bloody coffee!”
I swallowed hard as she left again, grabbing mum’s arm to draw her attention back for a vitally important moment.
“It wasn’t a bad thing, right? It… it made me feel safe, and protected. Cared for. He always tells me to drive safe, when I leave. He… he checks my helmet to make sure it’s on properly. He does a million sweet things like that.”
Mum smiled. “He sounds a lot like your dad, sweetie. It definitely sounds like he cares for you very much. I’m afraid you’ll have to bring him here to meet me at some point. You know I need to meet this man who’s quickly becoming everything to my little girl.”
I hesitated, because would she understand who he was, or be able to see the kindness and the genuine heart that might be invisible once she found out he was a biker?
“Caroline, it’s okay. I’ll be nice to him, I swear, but I need to know he’s a good man. I need to see it with my own eyes.”
“Because you don’t trust that I can make a good decision about him?”
She shook her head, her eyes soft and caring. “Because I know that men can show us one side to win us over, and then that’s when the real person steps out. Look at V right now. When she and Ted met, it was all hearts and roses, and she was convinced he was the best man on earth.”
“He’s not like that. Harley’s not…” I bit my lip, “he’s a good man, mum. He’s… he’s a biker, but not a bad one.”
Her lips pursed and I just knew she was about to say he’d be no good, or a criminal or something, but he really wasn’t.
“Mum-”
“I’ll withhold judgement, sweetie. I just need to meet him, and see that he’s good enough for you.”
I had a feeling the problem was that I wasn’t good enough for him, or not enough for him at least. He was such a patient man, but wouldn’t he prefer someone he didn’t have to be so patient with?
“I like his touch!” I blurted out, and mum smiled, patting my cheek gently. Even mum couldn’t hug me often or anything, because I just didn’t like people touching me. Nobody but him.
“That’s a good sign, Caroline, it really is. Now let’s go sober up your cousin, because I really don’t want her puking on my sofa.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
WITH NO CAROLINE TO run back to, I hung with Grease and Micro for the entire evening, sinking a couple of beers, and eating pizza with them when one of the prospects showed up with it. The latest ones were definitely shaping up better than the last. At least we weren’t seeing the gate left open most days and nights now.
“You think Has-Been will come up here to do our tats?” Grease asked idly as he waved away the last slice of meat explosion pizza.
“Seriously? You’re going to bring him all the way here, to do something Rocket could do anytime?”
He shrugged, wiping his fingers on a paper towel.
“I just don’t trust that fucker. He’s got an attitude problem, and he’s been beefing with me ever since he came here.”
Micro nodded. “I mean, he was edgy with me at first too. I know he had some shit going on back at the old club, like with a woman, but he’s been here over eight months. When’s he goingto just chill? He used to be cool back when I was in the other chapter. Until her.”
“What did she actually do?” I asked, wondering if anyone had the whole story, but they both shrugged.
“I mean, I heard there was a faked pregnancy or something. I dunno.”
Micro glared at Grease then, which just widened the smirk on his face.
“Yeah, you loved throwing that in his face that last time you guys scrapped.”
“He still needs to get his ass handed to him for real. I went easy on him because he was drunk. Always fucking drunk.”
Micro glanced at me.
