“To this little BBQ place outside of town,” I continue. “Middle of nowhere. Amazing ribs. Very date-coded.”
“Uh-huh,” she says. “I’m listening.”
“So we’re sitting there, laughing, having a good time, and these two women come over. Start all polite, asking questions, pretending they’re just making conversation.”
“Were they hot?” Lena asks immediately.
“Yes,” I snap. “That’s not the point.”
“Just establishing the threat level.”
“They straight-up ask if I’m his sister.”
“Oh hell no.”
“I know,” I say. “And then one of them tries to give him her number. Slides it across the table like I’m invisible.”
Lena gasps. “What did he do?”
“He pushed it back at her,” I say, grinning like an idiot all over again. “Told them he was on a date and they needed to leave.”
“SHUT UP.”
“I swear. No hesitation. Just… done. And then,” I say, lowering my voice even though no one’s here, “We ride back to town. He helps me off his bike and walks me to my car, then he kisses me.”
“Savannah.”
“Against my car,” I add, because I’m not strong enough not to. “Like, hands in my hair, zero doubt, end-of-a-romance-movie kiss.”
There’s a beat of silence. Then Lena screams. “You cannot just drop that on me and expect me to survive,” she says. “Are you breathing? Do you need medical attention?”
“I’m fine,” I lie. “I mean, I wasn’t fine at the time, but I’m alive.”
She exhales dramatically. “Okay. So. Let me get this straight. Hot biker. Tattoos. Sexting. Motorcycle ride. Public shutdown of other women. Car kiss.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re telling me this man didn’t come inside?”
“No,” I say quickly. “He opened my car door, waited until I buckled my seatbelt, and didn’t leave until I drove off.”
Another pause. “Savannah,” she says slowly, “that man is dangerous.”
I sink onto the couch, smiling at nothing. “I know.”
“And you like him.”
I don’t even pretend to deny it. “Yeah. I do.”
She hums, satisfied. “Good. Because I’m already emotionally invested.”
I laugh, pressing my phone to my chest. “Same.”
“So,” Lena says, clearly gearing up for chaos, “when are you seeing him again?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “We haven’t gotten that far yet.”
A beat. Then, “We should go to Perdition and check him out in his natural habitat.”
