Fortunately it was pretty well impossible to talk while riding down the highway on a Harley. Determined to put everything else out of his head, he concentrated on the road and thought about the boy they were going to initiate.
Jared was young, about eight. He was studious and wore glasses. Given some of the hints the boy had dropped, Trevor was afraid some of the other kids at school had given him shit about that. And they’d made fun of the fact that he actually liked school—when he’d been able to go and not been kept home until his more obvious bruises healed.
But now the boy was preparing to testify against his stepfather. His mother had kicked the bastard to the curb and was in the process of divorcing him. CPS had brought charges of child abuse against him. So the BFK would escort the child to court and pack the courtroom if the judge agreed. And they usually did. The group didn’t condone violence but their very presence was enough to deter most ill-wishers. And if force was necessary, well, that could be handled too.
A number of the members, like his friend Foxhole, fit the stereotypical idea of what a biker looked like. Tats, long hair, though some were bald, of course. Most of them were big badasses. Scary dudes, for sure. Some of the women looked the part as well. But several of the members were simply motorcycle enthusiasts who wanted to help and protect children. Other than the leather jacket with its patch they all wore, the members fit no single mold.
Trevor wondered how often Jedidiah had ridden a Harley. She seemed quite at home, holding on to him like someone who was accustomed to riding with another person. Not clutching him too tight or holding on too loosely. She was clearly comfortable riding.
Eventually they wound up in Austin, in a park close to the neighborhood where Jared and his mom lived. There were a good many bikes, and he knew almost all the members, although there were a couple of newbies.
He got off and offered Jedidiah a hand. She took it but clearly needed no help. He held it a little longer than necessary, mostly because her touch had elicited a surge of awareness in him. Hastily, he dropped her hand. When she took off her helmet her eyes sparkled, her cheeks were flushed, and she looked happier than he’d ever seen her. Damn. He’d thought her beautiful before but seeing her like this blew his mind.
“Thanks. I’d forgotten how much I love that feeling. Your bike is a joy to ride.”
“How long has it been since you’ve ridden?” He wanted to kick his own ass when her happiness faded and she looked unbearably sad. “Never mind. Forget I asked.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s been a long time. Not since my fiancé…died.”
He wanted to ask if he’d died in a motorcycle accident but he didn’t. First of all, he didn’t want to make her even sadder. But mostly because she’d either tell him when she was ready or she wouldn’t. He’d sensed from the first that Jedidiah wasn’t a woman to push. She was clearly very sure of herself. She had to make decisions herself and in her own time.
“Come on and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
*
Jedidiah had hada lot of practice pushing thoughts of Noah out of her mind. It wasn’t as difficult as it used to be, though she suspected it would never be truly easy. But sometimes that stabbing pain hit, knowing she’d never see him again. Still, she also knew he’d died doing what he loved—taking down a gang that took part in drug running, prostitution, and any number of other illegal activities. “Somebody’s gotta take down the bad guys,” he’d always said. Well, he’d done it.
And he’d managed to protect her long enough for her to get safely away. He’d made her swear that if the worst happened, she wouldn’t go down with him. It was why he’d taught her to handle his Harley. Why he’d drilled into her what she was to do in that case. Why she’d—
“Jedidiah?”
She started, realizing she’d gone back in time to the most painful period of her life. She had to get hold of herself. It was way past time. “What?”
“I wanted to introduce you to some of the others, but you seem like you’re a thousand miles away,” Trevor said.
He looked at her curiously. She supposed she hadn’t looked like her normal self. Memories of a dead lover would do that to a person.
From what Trevor had told her the members had to go through a long process to become a part of the club. They started out as visitors. Their background was investigated. They were basically on probation for a year after their background check had cleared them. Then if everything worked out, they’d become full members of Bikers For Kids.
The club members were all so nice and laidback, she soon relaxed. She didn’t meet the little boy they were initiating into the club but Trevor pointed him out, where he was playing with some other kids. There was a grill near where the group had set up and she could see hot dogs and hamburgers being cooked. There were a couple of coolers of soft drinks and water, as well as stacks of store-bought cookies waiting, she assumed, for after the meal.
Trevor introduced her to a woman named Mandy, whom she really liked. Mandy looked like a librarian. So it was a little odd to see her on a motorcycle but then, she knew all kinds of people rode bikes. She supposed she didn’t look much like a biker either.
“Trevor’s never brought anyone with him to one of these,” Mandy said. “Are you two together?”
“No. Actually, he’s my boss.”
“People do get involved with their bosses sometimes. I married mine,” Mandy added with a grin. “But never mind that. If you don’t mind me asking, why did he bring you?”
“I think it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Also, I think he wanted to show me what the club was like in case I wanted to join.”
“It’s like nothing I’ve ever done before. I was never big on volunteering but Bikers For Kids is different. What we do is really worthwhile.” Jedidiah could feel the enthusiasm radiating from her. “There’s something incredibly rewarding to see the light in a child’s eyes when he realizes he has so many people who care about him. So many people to support him. It can be life-altering.” She glanced at Jedidiah. “I’m sure you think I’m exaggerating.”
“No. I can see how much it means to you. Trevor obviously feels that way too.”
“Trevor’s a good guy,” Mandy said.
Jedidiah smiled but didn’t respond otherwise. Just then Trevor looked over at her and gave her an unguarded smile. It wasn’t simply a smile. No, it held heat. Her stomach gave a little tumble. What was going on? He’d never looked at her quite that way before.Because he doesn’t want to overstep. Not if you’re not interested.
But damn it, she was interested and becoming more so by the day. Would it be so bad to explore the relationship? To see if there could be more? No. At least not until their work relationship ended and she still worked for him.
So it was a risk. And these days she was risk averse. Too bad Trevor became more appealing by the day.
Honestly, though, what was the worst that could happen? They’d break up and she’d have to find another job. Which wouldn’t be ideal but it also wouldn’t be the end of life as she knew it.
