Billy had risked everything to save me, and he was continuing to take risks which led me to ask, “Do you regret helping me?”
“No, not even a little.” He leaned toward me and placed his hand on mine as he whispered, “I’ve made some questionable choices in my life, but saving you wasn’t one of them. I’d do it again without hesitation.”
Damn.
I had to give it to him. He knew exactly what to say and how to say it. And with the way he was looking at me with such a mix of reverence and longing, I was positively spinning. After everything I’d been through, you wouldn’t have thought I’d been so drawn to a man like him, but I was.
I most definitely was, and I had no idea what to do about it.
Billy must’ve sensed my quandary and asked, “Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?”
“Yeah, but it was ages ago.”
“Would you feel up to taking a ride into town? We could grab you some new clothes and a bite to eat.”
“You think that’s a good idea? What if someone sees us?”
“Well, we’ll both be wearing helmets, and where I’m planning to take you is small and very remote. I highly doubt anyone will recognize you there.” When I didn’t immediately respond, he started backpedaling. “But if you’d rather, we can just stay here and...”
“No, I would love to take a ride,” I interrupted. “I think the fresh air would do me good, and I would kill for some clothes that actually fit.”
“Then, that settles it.” He stood and started toward the door. “Just give me a minute to get things together, and we’ll be off.”
“What about me? What do I need to do?”
He glanced down at my feet, and when he saw that I was still wearing the slippers he’d given me, he replied, “Go to my bedroom and check my closet. See if you can find some more appropriate footwear and maybe a jacket.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
While Billy was out in the garage, I went to his bedroom to check out his closet, and it was a sight to behold. All of his shirts and pants were neatly pressed and arranged by color. The same held true for his ties and shoes. It was just another one of his little quirks—the very ones I used to find odd, but for some crazy reason, I now found endearing.
I didn’t have time to think about it, so I grabbed a pair of his boots and slipped them on. Once I’d adjusted them, I gave myself a quick look in the mirror, and I looked positively ridiculous in Billy’s baggy, black sweats, and boots. I looked even more ridiculous when I slipped on one of his jackets that was two sizes too big, but I didn’t care.
I was finally getting out of the house for a bit, and nothing could dampen the moment. I gave myself one last glimpse in the mirror, then went out to the garage, where Billy was getting things prepared for our ride. When I walked up, he offered me a helmet and said, “Put this on.”
I was a teenager the last time I’d put on a helmet, so it took me a second to get the strap adjusted and properly latched. By the time I got it on, Billy was on his bike and waiting for me to get on behind him. When I stepped over, he held out his hand and held on as I kicked my leg over the seat.
As soon as I was settled, he glanced over his shoulder and asked, “You ready?”
“Absolutely.”
He gave a quick nod, then eased out of the garage and started down the drive. As soon as we hit the main road, he eased the throttle back, and a thrill shot through me when we started picking up speed. I loved the feeling of the wind whipping around me and how the fresh air seemed to engulf us as we made our way toward town.
Billy had exaggerated when he said that the place he was taking me was small. I’m not sure I would even call the place a town. The only thing there was a Dollar General store, a small family diner, and a gas station with one pump, but considering our circumstances, Cotton Town was the perfect place for us to go on our little excursion.
Billy pulled up to the Dollar General, and once he’d parked, we both got off his bike and removed our helmets. He smiled as he told me, “It’s nothing fancy, but they should have some clothes that will fit you.”
“It’s great. Thank you for bringing me here and...”
“No need to thank me.” He walked over and opened the door for me as he said, “I should’ve done it days ago.”
I stepped inside, and much like the rest of the town, there weren’t many folks around. I watched as Billy went over and grabbed a couple of shopping baskets. He offered one to me as he said, “I’ve got to grab a few things for the house. You go check it out and get anything you might like.”
“Will do.”
I walked over to the clothing section, and while it was limited, I was pleased to see that they not only had the basics like jeans and t-shirts, but they also had undergarments—pretty lace ones in various colors. I gathered what I could find in my size and put them in the basket, then went over to the beauty supplies. I picked out some makeup and a couple of clips for my hair, then went to find Billy.
He was at the front of the store talking with the cashier, and the second he spotted me walking in their direction, he smiled and said, “There she is.”