The two men glanced in my direction with an assessing look. I steeled myself under their gazes. It wasn’t the first time an old timer took my measure to decide whether or not I was worthy of their club’s brotherhood.
If I made a poor first impression with them, it would likely have a ripple effect throughout the whole club.
The President spoke first, with white hair and a scraggly beard.
“I’m Hillbilly,” he said, with an unmistakable Kentucky twang to his voice that made it clear how he’d earned his road name. “And this is Ironside,” he added, gesturing to his companion. “Your brother informed us you were lookin’ to join up.”
Ironside waved his cigar in my direction.
“Why should we take you on?”
A test question. My answer would be their deciding factor. I deliberated for a moment, weighing my words.
“Because this isn’t my first rodeo,” I said. “I was with the Desert Howlers for nearly ten years. I’m not afraid to bleed if that’s what it takes to earn my patch.”
Ironside flicked his eyebrows up and exchanged a look with Hillbilly. Teddy grinned from ear to ear.
“See what I mean? We weren’t good for nothing else, but my brother and I make damn good bikers.”
Hillbilly sipped his whiskey and surveyed his glass in thought.
“I’ve met a Howler or two on the road.”
Ironside nodded. “So have I. They’re tough sons of bitches.”
“We can use someone like that on our team,” Hillbilly admitted.
“Judging by the size of you,” Ironside said. “I bet you’re not afraid to throw your weight around to get what you want.”
“No, sir,” I replied.
I never did very well in school, but I excelled at football, wrestling…and dodging the cops when I got into trouble. That’s how I earned my road name, Tarzan. I was more beast than man sometimes.
“Then you’re in,” Hillbilly said. “Congratulations, Prospect. We’ll get you a patch tomorrow and make it official. For now, grab a drink with your brother and celebrate.”
While Teddy and I shared a couple beers together, I tried to feel…something. Relief. Anticipation. Optimism for my future. Anything.
Instead, that empty hole in my chest stubbornly remained.
How long would it take to get over a woman who was never mine to begin with?
For Teddy’s sake, I stayed at the clubhouse for an hour or two. He introduced me to everyone, and I challenged him to a few rounds of darts.
But as the night grew late, I found myself wanting to retreat for a while. Spend some time alone. I appreciated everything Teddy had done for me while I needed somewhere to crash and set myself straight again, but I wasn’t ready to go back to his place yet.
So, I slipped out the back door and climbed on my bike with nothing but the road for company. I drove mindlessly, taking one turn after another with no direction in mind. The destination didn’t matter as long as I was riding.
Eventually, my gas gauge flashed with a red warning light. Around the corner, I spotted a gas station and the Huckleberry Diner, open twenty-four hours a day. My stomach growled at thethought of greasy comfort food. Aside from beer and peanuts at the clubhouse, I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch and that was hours ago.
After filling up on gas, I pulled up to the diner and stepped inside. A bell chimed over the door, signaling my arrival. Only a handful of customers were scattered throughout the blue and white vinyl booths. It looked like the place hadn’t been changed since the 1950s, with vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia lining the walls, and a jukebox playing real, genuine records in the corner.
“Pick a seat, hon,” a woman’s voice called from the kitchen. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Sliding into a nearby booth, I selected one of the menus tucked behind the napkin holder and studied it.
After a minute or two, a waitress bustled up to the table. She looked to be somewhere in her mid-twenties, with auburn hair pulled into classic pin-up curls. Rudy red lipstick painted her bow-shaped mouth. Despite the shapeless sack of her robin’s-egg blue uniform, her generous curves were impossible to miss.
She heaved a sigh and cocked her hip, draping a hand over the back of my seat as if we were old friends having a chat. Her nametag read,Keely.
