took over when she pulled a beer from the fridge claiming that Daniel had left it here. I know she’s pissed that I was so late, and I don’t fucking blame her. She’d put some serious effort into this meal. Too bad she’s wasting it on me.
I feel like a total asshole. “Laynie?”
She jumps a little as if startled from her thoughts. “Yeah?”
What the fuck do I say? I don’t know if I’ve apologized to anyone since I was a little kid. “I’m sorry I was late. It was a dick move.”
“You? A dick? Never.” She smirks, eyebrow raised slightly.
A snort of amusement escapes before I can stop it. “Smartass.”
She sighs then and puts down her glass. “Whatever. You’re here now. Let’s just eat.” After a few minutes of silence, she clears her throat and takes a bite of her pasta. “So … did you get your work shit taken care of yesterday?’
I pause. I know she’s only trying to make conversation, but I don’t want to share anything with her. Sharing shit with anyone has always resulted in getting knifed in the back. I can’t trust her — I can’t trust anyone .
Her green eyes are focused slightly to the left as she waits for my answer, innocence clear on her face. I’ve already hurt her feelings tonight, and that doesn’t sit well with me for some reason. The least I can do is attempt to fucking talk to her.
“Yep.”
She chuckles. “Did you work today?”
“I work every day.”
I watch as she nibbles on her bottom lip. “I only work Monday to Friday for a few hours in the morning. It’s a sweet deal. The rest of the time, I blog.”
“Blog?” What the fuck is a blog?
“Yeah. I read, and I have a blog about reading and books. It’s really fun, and I’ve made a ton of friends online.”
“Online.” I think about that. “How does that work exactly? Reading and using a computer?”
She smiles. “Since Apple products became more popular, my life has gotten so much better. I use a computer with a voiceover option. My phone and e-reader have the same thing. And I listen to a lot of audiobooks instead of actually reading.”
I nod, only understanding part of what the hell she’s talking about. I don’t use computers at all. I only even have a cell phone because Gunner said I had to get one. Curious about her, I ask another question. “What do you do in the mornings?”
“For my other job?” I nod, even though she can’t see me. “I work as a Vision Loss Counsellor at the children’s hospital.”
Admiration for her washes over me. “You work with blind kids?”
“Yep. Sometimes, when they become blind, people have a hard time letting go of the idea of being sighted. I help them embrace themselves as they are. They need to learn that they can still have an incredible life without vision.”
The way she talks about being blind like it’s no big deal floors me. And using it to help others? Who is this woman? I’ve never met anyone like her.
“What do you do for a living, Travis?”
I snort. “Well, I ain’t savin’ blind kids from themselves, that’s for sure.” She says nothing while she finishes the last of her meal. I look around the room at her frilly apartment and wonder once again what the hell I’m doing here. To an outsider, we would look like a fucking modern day Beauty and The Beast. She needs to know who I am.
“I’m a biker.”
Her head tilts slightly to the side, a small line forming between her eyebrows. “OK. A biker. I already knew you rode. I can smell it on you.”
“An outlaw biker. One of the Kings of Korruption.” I take a swig of my beer and watch her face for any reaction, but she gives away nothing. Any second now, I know she’s going to freak the fuck out and kick my ass out of here.
Her face breaks out into her wonky grin, eyes shining
I feel like a total asshole. “Laynie?”
She jumps a little as if startled from her thoughts. “Yeah?”
What the fuck do I say? I don’t know if I’ve apologized to anyone since I was a little kid. “I’m sorry I was late. It was a dick move.”
“You? A dick? Never.” She smirks, eyebrow raised slightly.
A snort of amusement escapes before I can stop it. “Smartass.”
She sighs then and puts down her glass. “Whatever. You’re here now. Let’s just eat.” After a few minutes of silence, she clears her throat and takes a bite of her pasta. “So … did you get your work shit taken care of yesterday?’
I pause. I know she’s only trying to make conversation, but I don’t want to share anything with her. Sharing shit with anyone has always resulted in getting knifed in the back. I can’t trust her — I can’t trust anyone .
Her green eyes are focused slightly to the left as she waits for my answer, innocence clear on her face. I’ve already hurt her feelings tonight, and that doesn’t sit well with me for some reason. The least I can do is attempt to fucking talk to her.
“Yep.”
She chuckles. “Did you work today?”
“I work every day.”
I watch as she nibbles on her bottom lip. “I only work Monday to Friday for a few hours in the morning. It’s a sweet deal. The rest of the time, I blog.”
“Blog?” What the fuck is a blog?
“Yeah. I read, and I have a blog about reading and books. It’s really fun, and I’ve made a ton of friends online.”
“Online.” I think about that. “How does that work exactly? Reading and using a computer?”
She smiles. “Since Apple products became more popular, my life has gotten so much better. I use a computer with a voiceover option. My phone and e-reader have the same thing. And I listen to a lot of audiobooks instead of actually reading.”
I nod, only understanding part of what the hell she’s talking about. I don’t use computers at all. I only even have a cell phone because Gunner said I had to get one. Curious about her, I ask another question. “What do you do in the mornings?”
“For my other job?” I nod, even though she can’t see me. “I work as a Vision Loss Counsellor at the children’s hospital.”
Admiration for her washes over me. “You work with blind kids?”
“Yep. Sometimes, when they become blind, people have a hard time letting go of the idea of being sighted. I help them embrace themselves as they are. They need to learn that they can still have an incredible life without vision.”
The way she talks about being blind like it’s no big deal floors me. And using it to help others? Who is this woman? I’ve never met anyone like her.
“What do you do for a living, Travis?”
I snort. “Well, I ain’t savin’ blind kids from themselves, that’s for sure.” She says nothing while she finishes the last of her meal. I look around the room at her frilly apartment and wonder once again what the hell I’m doing here. To an outsider, we would look like a fucking modern day Beauty and The Beast. She needs to know who I am.
“I’m a biker.”
Her head tilts slightly to the side, a small line forming between her eyebrows. “OK. A biker. I already knew you rode. I can smell it on you.”
“An outlaw biker. One of the Kings of Korruption.” I take a swig of my beer and watch her face for any reaction, but she gives away nothing. Any second now, I know she’s going to freak the fuck out and kick my ass out of here.
Her face breaks out into her wonky grin, eyes shining
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