“Don’t worry about it. You and Tina get in the truck. Ryder and I will take care of this.”
“Thank you, honey.” Tina made a sad face.
“Want me to run back inside and get you a slice of pizza?” Ryder jerked his chin toward the building.
“Nah, it’s okay. I’ll eat at the clubhouse.”
After Ryder and I had everything secured in the back, I hopped into the driver’s seat. My stomach growled again, but I ignored it, not wanting to spend another minute in The Cities. Once I was back at the compound, I’d be better.
I put the cage in reverse. “Let’s hit the road.”
“Not so fast.” Sugar presented my phone. “When it pinged a couple of times, I had to look. It could’ve been Storm.”
I put the vehicle back in park and took my cell from her. “Who texted?” I opened my messages. The unknown sender was at it again.
Unknown: Hello?
Unknown:We can’t stay at the airport all day.
Tina patted my shoulder from the backseat. “Well, respond. Let the poor lady know she’s texting the wrong person.”
I peered at her in the rearview mirror. “How do you know it’s a woman?” I’d suspected as much but wasn’t one hundred percent sure.
Sugar giggled. “Because a man doesn’t text like that.”
“What do I say?”
Ryder revved his engine. I held my hand up to wait.
Tina sighed and looked at Sugar. They both shrugged.
“You two are no help.” I dropped the phone in the cupholder.
Sugar twisted her lips, tapping her finger on them. “Well, she sounds stranded with maybe a child. We could give them a ride.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh sure. Because mothers always hitch rides with complete strangers.” A mother and child stranded? The thought made my stomach feel weird. Or I was starving to death as we sat in the Costco parking lot.
“Pfft. Uber drivers are strangers,” Sugar said.
Huh. She had a point.
“Just respond so she knows you’re not her friend,” Tina told me. “Then it will all work itself out. Although, strangely, she dialed the wrong number in the first place.”
“Right? It could be some bratty teen screwing with me.”
“Oh jeez. I really don’t think so.” Sugar put her seat belt on. “Just be straight with her.”
“Fine,” I grumbled, grabbing my phone. I let my thumbs move, going with my spot-on instinct for what to say.
Lynx: Hey, wrong number. But if you need a ride, I’ll be there in 30
Unknown: Oh shit. Sorry!!!
Sugar peered at the screen. “I think you freaked her out. Be there in thirty? Really?”
I groaned, scrubbing my hand on my cheek. “This isn’t my problem, y’know?”
“Yeah, but you’re the nicest biker in the club, honey.” Tina patted my arm again, which annoyed me more. Guilting me into helping someone wasn’t cool. “The others probably would’ve ignored her completely. That’s not you.”