“You know my ups and downs too. Some things we just understand about each other. It’s nice.”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“Anything you ever want to talk to me about, happy or sad, you just lay it on me.”
Her head tilted. “Will you kiss it better?”
“Always.”
She put her hand on my cheek, guiding me down until our mouths met. It was just us, and in that moment, we were enough.
THIRTY-THREE
Piper
We gathered up our trash,and Grayden rolled up the picnic blanket.
“Where are we going next?” I asked.
“For someone who didn’t want to go on a date at all, you’re pretty into it.”
“I’m into having a fun day with you, and hopefully getting laid at the end of it. That’s all.”
Chuckling, Grayden went to repack the saddle bags and pull out the helmets.
I’d never seen him smile as much as he had today.
I was having a great time with him. An amazing time. But it was easier if I didn’t think about thedateword and what it meant.
Also, why had I never ridden a motorcycle before? It was exciting and freeing, with a hint of danger. And sexy, with how close I had to sit behind Grayden, hugging him like my life literally depended on it.
I really hadn’t meant to talk about my father. Those memories were some of my most humiliating. But Grayden hadn’t blinked an eye. At least now he remembered that I’d been the subject of scorn and gossip in Silver Ridge before.
Why should I care what anyone said about me now?
The chinstrap of my helmet clicked into place, and I climbed onto the bike behind Grayden. He revved the bike’s engine, and then we were off.
The wind caught the tail end of my braid as we rode down the highway. I held onto Grayden more loosely this time, simply because I felt relaxed. There was something peaceful about being in the wind and the cold, surrounded by the scent of pine and hearing the birds cry out as they flew overhead.
And the whole time, Grayden was so solid in front of me. All I had to do was hold on.
The sun disappeared behind the mountains. Light faded by degrees, the view getting narrower around us. We passed the occasional car, but mostly it was just us out on this highway winding through the landscape.
We pulled into the crowded parking lot of a restaurant. I wasn’t even sure if we were in Hart County anymore.
The neon sign by the door flashed the words,The Mangy Moose.
“Where are we?” I asked with a laugh after Grayden switched off the engine and flipped up his face shield.
“You’ve never been here? The Mangy Moose is famous. At least, it used to be. I was just glad it’s still here when I looked it up online.”
“Another blast from your past?”
He pulled off his helmet, his hair tousled and wild. “Yep. Teller and I loved this place back in the day.”
I was getting new insights into my brother today, which was an odd thought, considering I was on a date. But I liked hearing about Teller from Grayden’s perspective. Seeing him smile at the memories.
It gave me hope that Teller might have the same fond memories too. That he could find a way to forgive Grayden. Or at least, remember him as more than just a disgraced former soldier.
