Page 36 of Property of Player

I grin. “Better put that on. It gets chilly on the bike.” Then I pass her a helmet from my saddlebag.

She stares at it, and her eyes flick to mine. It’s the one I used to have for her before we broke up.

“You kept it.”

“I did. Here, put it on.”

Once she’s settled on the seat behind me and her arms go around my waist, it’s like I’m transported to those days when nothing kept us apart. Out of habit, I reach back and rub her thigh, then give it a pat. I feel her lean forward, bringing her chest against my cut. There’s my girl.

I pull onto the highway and roar off down the street. We ride out to Slaughter Beach and pull in my father’s driveway. I told him earlier I might bring Taylor for a ride out here to see the place, so this is no surprise.

We walk in through the house and find him out on the deck.

I figured Drae would be with him—or one of the other guys—but he’s alone.

“Hey, Pops. How’s it feel to be moved in?”

He turns, and his eyes sweep over Taylor, and he stands to give her a hug. “Nice to see you, honey. Just like old times. So…” He sweeps the beach view with a swing of his arm. “What do you think? Nice, huh?”

“I love it. How did you find it?”

“Just got lucky, I guess.”

He asks about her mom, and we talk about the move today. My father played it up that he was ready to move, but I saw how hard it was for him to walk out of our childhood home for the very last time. He had to go stand off by himself for a few moments, and we all gave him that.

“This will be a new adventure for you, won’t it?” Taylor asks.

“I’m hoping so. I’ve been in a dark hole for the last four years. Figured it was time I climbed out of it.”

“Good. I’m glad. You’ll have to start jogging on the beach every morning. Maybe you’ll meet someone,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.

Gage laughs. “Me? Jog? Hardly.”

“Well, promise me you’ll at least walk the beach every morning.”

“Possibly. We’ll see.”

“You moved out here. You need to enjoy it.”

“You’re right.”

“Did hell just freeze over?” I tease. “Did my father just admit someone else is right?”

“Shut up, Player. Why don’t you make yourself useful and get us all a drink. I’ve got a bottle of champagne in there that Jimmy Jacks gave me at the closing. We should toast the place, and him, too.”

I nod and move to get the bottle. I find a box on the kitchen counter that hasn’t been unpacked yet and find my mother’s wine glasses. Dad never touched the stuff, but Mom loved her Pinot.

Threading the stems through my fingers, I carry the champagne and three glasses out to the deck.

Once the bottle pops, I pour us each a glass, and we toast. “To your new place and a fresh start, Dad.”

“To you, Gage,” Taylor says.

We clink glasses and drink, and then my father makes another toast. “And to Jimmy Jacks. God rest his soul.”

We drink, and when we finish, I meet my father’s gaze. “Any news about that? Did the sheriff figure out who killed him?”

“Not that I’ve heard.”