The doctor left the office and Hawk helped me off the exam table.
“Let’s go back and get the bike,” I said.
“You sure?” Hawk asked.
“You promised.” I’d been looking forward to a ride. But he wouldn’t take me until the doctor checked me out.
“Okay. It’s a great day for it.”
We headed back to the clubhouse, and Hawk gathered a small group, including Mama Hen. We took off while it was stilllight out, but he told me to wear a jacket since the temps were cooling fast. I’d gotten some good riding boots and I could wear my cut over my jacket. He surprised me with my own helmet the day he gave me my patch.
We rode down a long stretch of interstate, the tall pines thinning and the maples and oaks turning vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange. There wasn’t much traffic on the roads we went down, and we took a turn and ended up on a few winding streets.
I squeezed Hawk even tighter, breathing in the fresh air and loving the sun on my face.
All the officers were with us, but Mama Hen rode beside us. Her bike was smaller than Hawk’s, with lots of chrome but touches of purple and blue. For now, I was enjoying being cradled against Hawk as he rode me around, but one day, I’d ask him about getting my own.
The First Lady should surely have her own bike. But I’d need one more like hers. I learned the night I met him, I was a little too short for one like his, or Jackal’s.
Remembering that night, I couldn’t help but laugh. It felt so long ago, even though it had barely been over a month. I’d fully thrown myself into this family, and there was no place I’d rather be.
We stopped at a four-way and he reached back, grabbing my leg. “You okay?”
“Oh, I was laughing at myself.”
“Yeah, why? Or do I want to know?” he asked.
“I may want my own bike,” I said over the engine.
He squeezed my thigh. “We’ll get you one, then. But not today. I have a different surprise for you today.”
Squeezing him, I braced myself as we took off. After the sun had gone down, we finally turned to go back to the clubhouse after we stopped for a quick bite at a Waffle House. It was a lovely little diner, but apparently it was a chain and everyone was shocked I’d not been to one. I could live off the waffles, so I understood their shock, but planned to be back soon.
We got back to the clubhouse and I stood by as he put his bike away in the garage. The torches around the yard had been lit and it was much cooler, but not having the chilled air whipping around me was already warming me up.
Hawk came over and threaded his fingers into mine, leading me inside as the officers and other Old Ladies followed us in.
“So, how was your first ride as the official First Lady?” Hawk asked.
I still couldn’t get over that. Everytime I saw my cut or anyone called me First Lady, I swore my heart would explode right out of my chest. “It was everything I’d hoped for. Hey, I’ve been thinking.”
“Yeah, about what?”
Glancing over so I could gauge his reaction, I said, “I want to open a business. A self defense training center for women.”
Grinning, he looked down. “Well, I guess we gotta research what all you need. Then we can scout some locations.”
“You aren’t telling me no?”
He chuckled. “Why would I do that?” He stopped as why got to the door. “But you do realize it’ll be crawling with members, and I’ll be there a lot.”
“We’ll work out the details later.” I grabbed his neck and pulled him to my lips. “But thank you.”
“Of course. Destiny’s Defense Dojo.”
Shrugging, I said, “That actually has a nice ring to it.”
When we stepped inside, I took my jacket off and Mama Hen took it for me as I pulled my cut back on. “That wasn’t bad,” I said, happy with how little it pinched my shoulder.
