CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
RILEY
When the work week starts up after Pride, all the mechanics are a little groggy, moving slow after a couple days of debauched fun. There’s no protest out front, and a steady stream of bikers are rolling up and calling to set up appointments, business back closer to where it should be. It’s supposedly what I wanted, but I won’t be satisfied until we’ve done right by the rest of the block, too.
Finn has agreed to work with me to try to find an end to the conflict, and I’m not going to let the opportunity slip by.
Chase and I meet in the office for a couple hours, reviewing the situation and strategizing solutions. With Finn’s encouragement in mind, I’m hopeful that we can get on the right track. After two big cups of coffee and countless false starts, we come up with a rough plan.
Before I turn my attention to a repair, I glance out the window at the ice cream shop, and my chest tightens.
Since our hookup, I keep thinking about Finn, and not just because of how incredible it felt to have him in my bed. He’s nice. And funny. Smart as hell, and with good taste in media, interesting takes even when we disagree. He’s got this mixture of confidence and kindness that impresses me, and I can easilysee how respected he is around the gayborhood. It’s hot that he’s such a natural leader.
Our chemistry in bed is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. The second I start touching him, it’s hard to stop. I want to hear his moans, watch his face twist with pleasure, bring him to orgasm over and over and over again. The memory of his scent is enough to make me rock hard, and the way our bodies move together feels natural, easy, like his desires are a perfect compliment for my own.
He’s like no one I’ve known before. But I’m not going to let myself get confused or think these feelings rumbling inside me will lead somewhere. There’s no way Finn would be interested in me for something serious, especially not after I crashed into Allentown like an asshole on a wrecking ball. I’d be a sucker to convince myself I have even a shadow of a chance.
No matter what I might want to believe, there’s no future for Finn and me personally. That’s fantasy, and instead, MorningEnthusiast is the reality. The man I’ve been opening my heart to for years has agreed to meet me, and that’s where I’ll hang my hopes, even though I’m nervous as hell to take the plunge. We’re getting together in just a couple days.
As far as things on the block, I might not fall in love, but I can do something to leave this place better than I found it. Not only for Finn, although I want desperately to make things up to him. But for everyone, the garage and these mechanics included.
Chase calls everyone together for our Monday morning huddle. I wipe my hands off with a dirty rag and head to join the crew, most of whom are gossiping about Pride.
“We’re in a strong place headed into this week,” Chase tells everyone. “We earned some goodwill, bookings are picking up, and word is spreading that the mechanics at Liberty Garage are good people who do quality repairs. Now let’s focus on that lastpart and bring this home.” He turns to me. “But first, Riley wanted to make some announcements.”
I stand up straight and make sure to look the mechanics in the eye. “Bikers have always been a part of the gay community in this town, and we always will be. But it’s up to us whether we’re celebrated and included, or left defensive and sulking around on the sidelines. The rest of the gayborhood might be sympathetic to us now, but what good is that, if we’re disrupting this block? We need to show everyone that we care about this place, same as they do, and that we’re here to make it better.”
“We do care about this place,” Ali says. “I moved to the gayborhood seeking the same things as everyone else.”
Big Jo nods. “Same. And I’d love to be part of this block. I’m even looking for a new barber, and Leon is one of the best. But I can’t go there if they all hate us.”
“I feel the same way about taking dance classes at the studio,” Little Joe adds, agreeing.
I suck in a deep breath. “We’ve let our pride get in the way,” I tell everyone. “Myself first and foremost. But that hasn’t gotten us anywhere. Make an appointment at the barber. Get a waffle cone. Sign up for a dance class. Show our neighbors that you support them, and do it with the confidence that we’ve made things right because we’re about to implement some big changes.”
Pirate Bill crosses his arms over his chest, skeptical. “What kind of changes?”
“It’s cost-prohibitive to soundproof the building,” Chase answers, “but we can put up sound-dampening curtains over the windows. We can take care to schedule our events with the rest of the block. Plenty more, too.”
“Hell,” I add, “some of our own bikes could use new mufflers.” When I see everyone is about to protest that one, I hold up both my hands. “Point is, we spend money now,show good faith and that we want to make amends, and the investment will be worth it in the long run. It’s what we should have done from the start.”
Chase nods and turns back to the mechanics. “And that means all of us. I want everyone to come up with ideas of what more we can do to accommodate the rest of the block and keep the noise down. We’ll talk again tomorrow morning. But for now, back to work.”
When the two of us retire to his office, he pours me a cup of coffee. “It’s good for the mechanics to see you leading the way on this. You know they look up to you.”
I shrug. “I guess so. They shouldn’t be hiding and scared to make a haircut appointment, not if we’re making this place their home.”
He hands me the coffee. “What about you? You think about making this place your home, too? You know I’d be happy to have you full-time, and not just for the year we agreed on.”
I shake my head quickly. As nice as that might sound, I’ve always planned to leave. Fantasies about making a happy home for myself in the gayborhood are just like the fantasies about Finn, destined to end in disappointment. “I like to ride off into the sunset. You know that.”
“What about this big date you got coming up? Things work out with your online buddy, that might change your mind.”
There, my hope does stir, but I bury it back down. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. We haven’t even met yet.”
Chase shrugs. “If you say so.” He sighs. “Soundproof curtains? How much do those cost?”
“Not as much as the protest was running you.”
