poured, and I took the glass from her. She sat back and took a long drink. I took a sip, and it took everything I had not to gag or spit it up. It was a pitcher filled with long island iced tea instead of sun tea. She watched me struggle to keep it together.
I wiped a hand over my mouth. “Sorry.”
“Tell me about Romero.” Faith smiled.
As the booze began to swirl inside of me, I laughed. It came from some primal place deep in my soul. She was the first one to actually ask me about the man that I loved. It was more refreshing than the tea after a long, hot ride.
“He’s strong. He makes me strong, too. I know alot of couples have things in common when they meet, but it wasn’t like that for us. We met at some batting cages, but I don’t really care about baseball. My opinion on motorcycles waxes and wanes.” I twisted my hand side to side. “But it was Romero who made me fall in love with the open road. He showed me that being in a motorcycle club wasn’t all about stealing or fighting.”
Faith’s eyes seemed to light up. “Bear wasn’t in a club when I met him.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “You know the first thing we did together?” I shook my head. “I told him that I wanted to steal something, and we did it.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you serious?” I couldn't hide the smile on my face.
She laughed and reached for the pitcher. I noticed that her glass was empty. Mine was only half. I grabbed my glass and took a few deep drinks. I didn't want her to think that I wasn’t comfortable with her. I wasn’t, but I didn’t want her to know that. I still wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted from me. All her questions were about Romero, but I was sure she would start asking about the Devil’s Branch.
If she was the true matriarch of the Rising Sons, she’d be out for information. That was the thought running through my head through the first Long Island. Through the second, that thought began to fade. After the third, Faith and I were trading stories about our men. I did feel comfortable.
Hours passed. All the trouble and worry that had followed me from Davis was nowhere to be seen. Romero was still in my mind, but hearing Faith talk about her husband made me think about the future.
After three months, I knew that I wanted to be with Romero forever. Before all the trouble with our rival motorcycle gangs, we didn’t talk much about our plans. I was just starting college, and Romero had just gotten out of the military. We were still sorting out our present selves, let alone future ones. I had no idea what those future selves would look like, but the two of us would tackle it hand-in-hand.
Faith and Bear had lived ten lifetimes together. She told me about their most recent scare and the Rising Sons’ adventures in Las Vegas. The worry came back to me a little bit when she told me about how her husband had been in a coma for weeks before waking up. I remembered what Raven had said about her man being invincible. Nobody’s invincible forever , I told myself.
Despite the bad stories, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and I thought that maybe I hadn’t been smiling enough. My time in Davis with Romero was heavenly, but it just wasn’t enough to really be happy. We were constantly dodging and lying to our families to be together. Neither of us brought it up, but it was taking its toll on us.
I let out a light sigh. “I know I’m going to miss organic chemistry tomorrow, but I sincerely do not care.” My grades were high enough that I could skip some classes without it affecting me. Despite the danger and trouble that Romero and I caused, it at least forced me to slow down and take a little break. I never would’ve imagined taking a break in Bakersfield, and so far, I was enjoying it.
“Julie, what if you couldn’t go back to Davis?” The warmth in Faith’s voice was gone. It didn’t sound like a threat, though. I think she was just turning on the mom. “I’m
I wiped a hand over my mouth. “Sorry.”
“Tell me about Romero.” Faith smiled.
As the booze began to swirl inside of me, I laughed. It came from some primal place deep in my soul. She was the first one to actually ask me about the man that I loved. It was more refreshing than the tea after a long, hot ride.
“He’s strong. He makes me strong, too. I know alot of couples have things in common when they meet, but it wasn’t like that for us. We met at some batting cages, but I don’t really care about baseball. My opinion on motorcycles waxes and wanes.” I twisted my hand side to side. “But it was Romero who made me fall in love with the open road. He showed me that being in a motorcycle club wasn’t all about stealing or fighting.”
Faith’s eyes seemed to light up. “Bear wasn’t in a club when I met him.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “You know the first thing we did together?” I shook my head. “I told him that I wanted to steal something, and we did it.”
My jaw dropped. “Are you serious?” I couldn't hide the smile on my face.
She laughed and reached for the pitcher. I noticed that her glass was empty. Mine was only half. I grabbed my glass and took a few deep drinks. I didn't want her to think that I wasn’t comfortable with her. I wasn’t, but I didn’t want her to know that. I still wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted from me. All her questions were about Romero, but I was sure she would start asking about the Devil’s Branch.
If she was the true matriarch of the Rising Sons, she’d be out for information. That was the thought running through my head through the first Long Island. Through the second, that thought began to fade. After the third, Faith and I were trading stories about our men. I did feel comfortable.
Hours passed. All the trouble and worry that had followed me from Davis was nowhere to be seen. Romero was still in my mind, but hearing Faith talk about her husband made me think about the future.
After three months, I knew that I wanted to be with Romero forever. Before all the trouble with our rival motorcycle gangs, we didn’t talk much about our plans. I was just starting college, and Romero had just gotten out of the military. We were still sorting out our present selves, let alone future ones. I had no idea what those future selves would look like, but the two of us would tackle it hand-in-hand.
Faith and Bear had lived ten lifetimes together. She told me about their most recent scare and the Rising Sons’ adventures in Las Vegas. The worry came back to me a little bit when she told me about how her husband had been in a coma for weeks before waking up. I remembered what Raven had said about her man being invincible. Nobody’s invincible forever , I told myself.
Despite the bad stories, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and I thought that maybe I hadn’t been smiling enough. My time in Davis with Romero was heavenly, but it just wasn’t enough to really be happy. We were constantly dodging and lying to our families to be together. Neither of us brought it up, but it was taking its toll on us.
I let out a light sigh. “I know I’m going to miss organic chemistry tomorrow, but I sincerely do not care.” My grades were high enough that I could skip some classes without it affecting me. Despite the danger and trouble that Romero and I caused, it at least forced me to slow down and take a little break. I never would’ve imagined taking a break in Bakersfield, and so far, I was enjoying it.
“Julie, what if you couldn’t go back to Davis?” The warmth in Faith’s voice was gone. It didn’t sound like a threat, though. I think she was just turning on the mom. “I’m
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