“I wouldn’t have stopped if I wasn’t willing to help.”
“See? He wants to help.” When she didn’t respond, the kid pushed a little harder. “Come on, Mom. I’m hungry and really want to get home. Just let him do it.”
She gave the wrench one more hard push, showing just how fucking stubborn she was. When it didn’t budge, she let out a frustrated sigh. “Dammit!”
I knew she wouldn’t be able to do it on her own, so I tried one last time. “I can have you outta here in ten minutes tops. Just need you two to step aside and let me get the job done.”
“Okay. Okay.” She stood, quickly brushed the dirt and rock from her jeans, then turned to face me. With my headlight illuminating her face, I was finally able to get a good look at her, and holy shit. The sight of her nearly knocked me on my ass. The chick was a total fucking knockout. She was tall, curvy in all the right places, and had a face that looked like it’d been cut right out of a men’s magazine. There was just one problem. She couldn’t hide her emotions. A look of absolute fear was written all over her beautiful face as she asked, “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
I didn’t immediately respond. I couldn’t. I was still taking her in. Fuck. I was struggling to get a grip, and that shit didn’t happen—ever. I forced myself to shake it off and replied, “Wouldn’t have offered if I did.”
“Okay...well, I’d really appreciate it.”
She took an apprehensive step back, then quickly reached for her son, pulling his back protectively to her chest. As strange as it might seem, I liked the fact that she was protective of her son. I knew firsthand there were some mothers who didn’t give a shit about their kids wellbeing, so I tried my best not to be offended by her skittish behavior. I knelt down and took the wrench in my hand, and after a few quick turns, I had the first lug nut off and was onto the next. Behind me, I heard the kid gasp, “Holy shit. You got it off.”
“Hey,” his mother fussed. “Watch your mouth.”
“Oh, come on, Mom,” the kid pouted. “Shit isn’t all that bad. Definitely not as bad as some of the ones Corry uses.”
“So, that doesn’t make it right.”
“Okay, whatever.” I didn’t interject. I simply kept my thoughts to myself as I finished the last of the lug nuts. I got the car where it needed to be and was getting ready to take the flat tire off when the kid said, “It’s really cool of you to help us. Mom and I would’ve never been able to do this.”
“No problem, kid.”
“I’m Sean.” He motioned his hand behind him. “And this is my mom, Frankie.”
I gave him a quick chin lift, then replied, “Nice to meet ya. My brothers call me Widow.”
“Widow?” Sean’s tone was riddled with excitement as he asked, “Like a black widow?”
“Yeah. That’d be it.”
“Wait...” Bewilderment marked Frankie’s face as she looked down at me and said, “I thought black widows were females. Like aren’t they known for eating their mates, and that’s why they are called black widows?”
“They are, and yeah, they do.”
“Then, why would your brothers call you Widow?”
“Because over the years they’ve learned I’ve got a pretty vicious bite.” I couldn’t help but give her a small smirk as I continued, “And because I’m secure in my manhood.”
With a light chuckle in her voice, she replied, “Good to know.”
Her smile nearly knocked me back on my ass. I didn’t know what the hell was going on with me. Irritated with my unexpected reaction, I turned my attention back to the task at hand and removed the flat. I replaced it with the spare and was starting on the lug nuts when I heard Sean ask, “Is that a Harley?”
“Yep, sure is.”
“Harleys are badass.”
“Sean,” Frankie fussed. “What’s with you and all the cussin’ tonight?”
“What? You cuss.”
“I do not.”
“You do, too.” His tone was playful as he told her, “You called me an asshole last night.”
“What!” Frankie gasped.
“When I said you burned the pork chops...”
“Oh, yeah.” Her brows furrowed as she explained, “Well, they were a little browner than usual, but they weren’t burnt.”
“They looked like charcoal, and tasted like it, too.”
“They did not!”
“Did, too. Could’ve used them as hockey pucks.”
Frankie gave him a teasing nudge as she replied, “You really are a little asshole.”
“Yeah, but you still love me.” Sean turned his attention back to my bike as he muttered, “That motorcycle is really badass, Mom. I’m gonna get one just like it when I get older.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Why not?”
“Because they are dangerous.” I continued to attach the spare as Frankie told him, “And I’d like my son to keep his brains in his head and not all over the highway.”