She searched his eyes. “You mean it? You’d really take me?”
“Yes, I’d really take you. If you’re ol’ man is sick, you need to go see him. Don’t let your mom or sister keep you from doing that.”
“You’re right, Wolf. I should go.”
“It’s settled then. And if your mom or sister give you any grief, I’ll shut that shit down in a heartbeat.”
Crystal’s eyes stared off into space, thinking back on the sweet memory. He’d taken her that weekend, just like he’d promised. He’d met her father, the two of them even having a quiet talk. And he’d had her back for every barb her mother and sister threw at her. Finally, before the weekend was over, they’d come to have a new appreciation of her, treating her with a new respect they’d never had for her before. And that was all because of Wolf. He’d pointed out to them over and over what a good person she was, what a hard worker she was, and how everyone loved her. Finally, having enough, he’d informed them if they couldn’t see any of that, they could both go to hell.
Of course, that hadn’t gone over well, but she had to admit, they’d both changed their tune after that.
“Sometimes, people just need to be reminded of shit and put in their place,” he’d told her later when she’d thanked him.
Max’s voice drew her back from her memories. “Hey, darlin’, want to go for a ride?”
She focused back in on him as he stood next to his bike, looking up at her. “I’d love one, but it’s busy, and you’re late. You know how that pisses off Jameson. And no one wants a pissed off Jameson.”
He grinned back at her, and then his eyes lifted to something over her head and behind her.
“A pissed off Jameson?”
She heard the growled words and winced. Apparently, while she’d been daydreaming, she’d missed the sound of the door opening. “Oh shit.”
“Yeah, oh shit is right, Ace.”
She twisted to see the man, himself, standing on the porch behind her, his arms folded over his chest. He may have growled, but his eyes twinkled down at her. Then he lifted his eyes to his brother. “Our hours are noon to eight, in case you forgot.”
“I remember.”
“Did you remember the paperwork I asked you to bring me?”
“Paperwork?” Max frowned.
Jameson let out a long suffering sigh. “The shit I left on the kitchen table.
The shit I called you about a half hour ago?”
“Oh. Shit. I forgot.” Max looked up at him sheepishly.
“Well, go back to the house and get it.”
Max grinned up at him. “I was just asking Crystal, here, if she wanted a ride.”
“That so?” Jameson looked down at her. “You wanting a ride?”
“Umm. Yeah, sure.”
He lifted his chin toward Max. “Go on then. Go with him.”
“But the shop,” she protested lamely.
“Got it covered, Ace. Go on.”
She swiveled her head to see Max smiling and crooking his finger at her.
She rose to her feet and trotted down the steps to her first ride in a long, long, time.
They rode through the backwoods and countryside, Max definitely taking the long way back to the old family farmhouse the four brothers shared outside of town. When they finally pulled down the drive, and he dropped the kickstand, Crystal remembered why she loved riding so much.