Now that was a thought that scared me and it was the one that had me offering to pick up my job again once this was over, even if it were in the back of my mind that I would never go back.
King hadn’t mentioned the troubles with the Kingsmen again and neither had any of the guys. Didn’t mean the threat had gone away, but King had given me all the information he felt I needed about that.
As far as I knew, there had been no more trouble with the other MC and there was more of an air of achievement and celebration around after everything going on with Andrew being taken in by the police. As much as I didn’t want to admit out loud, I was feeling happy here.
I was pleased to know I’d been excused from cooking duty while I was recovering, but I still helped the old ladies. There were a couple of younger kids finishing breakfast when I came in, but they were hurrying to get out for their ride to school so, I offered to clean up after them.
Once they were gone and I’d eaten, I made another cup of coffee, against Doctor’s orders, but I’d be even more miserable without caffeine. I went to sit out on the patio. It was shaded enough I wasn’t in direct sunlight, but I could still people watch from here.
After a while, I got bored and went to find someone to talk to. Most of the old ladies were out at work. I didn’t know where my brother or Hudson were, but I’m sure I’d find someone to keep me from losing my mind. I wandered towards the garage where Handlebar was working on one of the bikes. He had taken some parts of the engine out and they laid out on the floor. He greeted me and humored me when I started asking what he was doing.
He was so handsome and welcoming and had a southern twang to his accent that hadn’t quite gone, even though he’d been in New Jersey for a long time. I ended up passing him tools and parts and he chuckled when I asked to help put things back together, but he showed me what to do.
Of course, it helped that he was hot, and he only wore a vest with his coveralls tied at his waist. Grease had never been so sexy. I could see why Cassie had a thing for him.
“So, how’s the love life?”
“Subtle,” Handlebar chuckled as he lay down on his side and reached his arm inside the machinery of the bike’s engine. “And I do okay. No need to worry about it.”
“I’m not worried. I’m just trying to be helpful.”
“That right?” he finished what he was installing and sat up, his stomach muscles crunching, the vest left little to the imagination. “Helpful to who, exactly?”
“A friend.”
“Right,” he wiped his hand over his brow, and I’ll admit it, I swooned. “Hand me that wrench.”
I passed it to him, and he leaned back into the bike. For a horrible moment I had visions of the engine turning on and mangling his arm, but this wasn’t exactly ‘Christine’ the bike wasn’t alive or in any shape to be switched on. My brain was deprived of stimulation.
“So what kind of girl floats your boat, or your handlebar?” I laughed.
He climbed to his feet, giving me a look that said he wasn’t sure what to make of me. “Different kinds,” he said.
“Come on, everyone has a type. Blondes? Red heads? Dark-haired, Italian, lawyers?”
He shook his head while looking into a box of bolts. But I could see his lips curl. Oh yeah, he knew who I meant. I jumped up on the workbench, my legs swinging.
“I bet you she’d say yes if you asked her out.”
“Asked her out?” he parroted.
“Yeah, on a date.”
He laughed again under his breath. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“You won’t know until you try,” I urged.
He put the pot down, wiped his hands with the rag again, then went back to the bike without responding.
“Oh,” I clicked. “You’ve already tried.”
He glanced at me without a word, then knelt back in front of the bike and started twisting something. Cassie, what a fucking idiot. What did she do? Why the hell would she turn him down? It was obvious she wasattracted to him, and he liked her. I would have a stern discussion with her the next time she came around.
“You should try again. I bet she’d agree this time. If I speak to her.”
“Leave it alone,” he said without looking at me. I sensed a bit of heat in his words this time, but I didn’t want to be deterred.
“You both like each other though, it’s obvious. I mean, she won’t admit to it, but I can see it when she looks at you or when anyone looks at you. Talk about possessive.”
