Holding On (21 page)

“
Hello there, you must be
Mace.  Can you lock the door behind you for me so customers
who don’t bother to take instruction don’t bust in on us during
prep?  I’m so excited to meet you.  Small town and all
but we haven’t met yet, have we?  I’m Peyton.  My
grandparents still own this joint so maybe you met Gramma during
your interviews.  She’s the one who told me all about you,
adding how you’ve just finished college and majored in English
Literature.  Sounds like you are certainly a perfect fit for
us here!  She will be along later, she goes to see Grandpa in
the home every single day on her way in so she usually rolls up
about 10 o’clock or so. I’m here every morning at 8 o’clock.
 We can chat a bit before delving into what you will be doing.
 I’ve been here for about two years.  I used to live in
Virginia with my mom, but I came out here to live with Gramma when
Grandpa started failing and now, two years later look at me cause
I’m still here.”

Dear lord this little blond
bombshell just doesn’t
shut
up
.  It’s so friggin early too.
 “So, do you have coffee here or should I plan to bring my own
going forward?  I usually keep drinking it until about
noon.”

I’m trying to steer clear
of touchy feely get to know me talk so early in the damn morning.
 Especially after the morning I just had.  

“
Yepp, Gramma makes it
though and hold onto your ponytail girlfriend because it is
S-T-R-O-N-G.”  She spells it out for additional
effect.

“
No problem, maybe Gramma
is onto something there.  Back to your inquiry, no I don’t
think we have met.  If you don’t mind me asking you this, how
old are you?  You look so young so if you tell me that you are
older than I am I won’t be happy about it so tread carefully since
I’ve just had this cup of coffee yet today.”  

I smile as I talk to her, still though
if she comes at me with an age older than I, I’m going to have to
excuse myself to gag in private.

“
Well, technically I’m 19.
 My fake ID though has me at 21.  You don’t get to tell
Gramma about that either.  I keep pretty low key when I go to
‘Shell Horns’ on Saturday nights, you know that club right off
Third Ave? They have live bands that are to D-I-E for.  So I
guard that little gem with my life and I’m willing to cut someone
who threatens to have me part with it.  I consider it a key to
a whole other world outside Grammas compound that she calls our
house.”  

She’s smiling now too but
I can see she’s an ornery little shit.  I like her though and
in her own way she reminds me of Sadey, which will make me love my
job.  

“
Alright I get it, you’re
21 outside these door but you’re 19 in front of Gramma.”  I
roll my eyes and set my purse down on her desk since I don’t know
where I’m going to be stationed.

“
Mace, ya know, now that I
think about it I know we’ve never met but umm, if I remember
something right, you are related to that hunky man that drives that
big bike around here.  What’s his name again?  Hine,
Haem, wait...”

I’m going to help her out,
the wheel is still spinning but the hamster is dead.  “It’s
Hem honey and yes, that’s my big brother.  He’s hard to miss
but once you get to know him he is nothing like he appears to
be.”

“
Damn the man is fine.
 F-I-N-E in that dirty boy kind of way.  I would love a
chance at something that tall, dark, and dangerous.”
 

Enter yet another eye roll,
throw in a gag this time too.  All my life people want to
discuss my brothers apparent sex appeal, I’m his
sister
people, clue the
hell in.  I’m surprised I have any sex drive with as many
questions as I have always had to answer about my
brother
.

Let me just cut this shit off right
now because if she asks me for his name, number, address, social
security information, favorite smell.. you get it.

“
Honey, I gotta tell ya
right now, he’s taken. Off the market, sorry buddy.  He’s with
my best friend, Sadey.  They were meant to be together since
we were kids.  They are happy now, still adjusting but I think
every relationship continues to progress in some way.”  I’ve
probably misspoke because she doesn’t understand relationships,
just a guess.

“
Damn, well there are
plenty of those Peril boys and other club boys to go around, right?
 And you tell Sadey Lyons she is one lucky bitch.”  Hell,
she’s actually more ornery than I thought.  I’m going into
Mama Bear mode after just meeting her, figures she would be
familiar with Sadey, birds of a feather.

“
Yes, but you be careful.
 Not all those biker boys are friendly here, do you understand
what I am saying and you hear me?  Several of those boys in
this area do not care about women, children, and laws and you do
not want to get on their radar.  So promise me to settle
yourself and not just throw caution to the wind just for the chance
to get involved with someone because they are tall, dark, and
dangerous with a cut?  If you really want to meet some nice
laid back bikers I will see about getting you invited to a club
party at Hem’s. They happen every week whether there is reason to
party or not.  Something tells me that you're not really the
type to offend easy anyway.  No personal offense, just an
observation is all.”  

I don’t want to hurt her
feelings but I want her to watch herself.  She’s beautiful,
young, and would make an easy target as biker prey, all 5’1 and 105
pounds of her.

“
Alright then mother, I
will use caution and yes, if you could hook me up to a party that
would be A-W-S-O-M-E.  I’ve never even spoken to a man on a
bike, Gramma keeps close watch on me other than when I’m at Shell
Horns, only because she doesn’t know I’m there.  They don’t
allow colors in there which means I’ve never been socially around
any of them.”  

Shit this child is wearing me down, I
need to stop this now.

“
If you continue to call
me mother, I’m going to share with Gramma that you have a fake ID
and you know how to use it.  You’ve already forewarned me
about cutting me, so you can try, but I will be ready and waiting.
 Also, can we dial back on the spelling it out for me, maybe
just at least until I get a few cups of coffee in the morning,
every morning?  It stumps me when I have to stop in the middle
of the conversation and read the letters in my head.  Bit
embarrassing to be honest, you understand.”

I smile hoping she isn’t
upset at my rant.  We’ve just met but already I’m about to
bust out Mama Bear for real.

“
Yes, okay.”  She
sighs and looks around.

“
We better get cracking
this morning because we have a lot of work to get done before
Gramma comes in, if she comes in and things aren’t to her order
then the rest of the day she makes life M-I-S-E...err...
miserable.”  

She smiles shyly.  Damn she’s
cute.  Surely there’s a good man out there willing to take
care of her, because lord knows she’s a bit rambunctious!
 Whoever the man, he’s going to have to possess a strong hand
or he’s going to get ran over!

S
he
finishes showing me arou
nd then brings me
back to my desk.  I get to sit up front, which I will enjoy.
 I love kids and there are still parents that believe in the
actual book, just not for themselves.  Elderly folks too, they
come in because they have yet to adjust to the life of the
internet.  I’m really going to like my job, though. Maybe the
day is looking up.  Already its noon.  I haven’t talked
to anyone outside these walls because we have been so busy so I
excuse myself for lunch and head towards the back room to warm up
my food.  I take out my phone to see a few missed calls from
Shame but then see the text message.

*SHAME: Tried 2 call u cpl
x’s 2day tn relzed u wud b at wrk. Jst wnt 2 say hi n tht I will cu
2ngt.  xxoo S.

Dear heavens, this man has
me in about as many word knots as Peyton.  Why can’t people
just use the English language as it is meant to be used?  I’m
tired and a bit annoyed today, this doesn’t help. These texts from
Shame are always cryptic, as if he thinks he has to pay for each
word when sending the text.

Today has been a long day
already and I’m so glad I agreed to start work on a Friday because
I do miss Shame and I’m not going to see him all day. The weekend
will give me another couple days to ease into a full week of work
next week.  Tonight is the patch and prospect party for the
boys, so Shame and I will get to hang out all evening then will end
up staying the rest of the night at the Club.  I am really
looking forward to being around my extended family just relaxing.
 Coming out of thought, I need to text him back so he doesn’t
go all alpha with worry.

*ME:  Don’t be afraid to send
multiple texts buddy, hard to decipher what you are saying but I
miss you and am looking fwd to seeing you tonight, too.  Love
you.  M.

*SHAME: Ok I get your point.  I
look fwd to seeing you later I’ve got plans for that sassy mouth of
yours and it has my cock twitching in my pants now.  Spell
that out enough for you Sweetheart?  Love your face, g2g, Hem
is on a rampage today.

Yes, I bet dear Hem is
still pouty.  Good, let the boys at the Club take care of him
cause Sadey looked crazed and in need of a break from his
intensity.  

“
You are looking quite
taken, little Missy.  Interesting phone call?”  Peyton
takes my lunch from microwave and brings it to me at the table as I
shutdown my phone and put it away.  That kid doesn’t miss a
damn thing, I will have to watch for her going forward.

“
Thank
you, and yes I was just talking to my man...err... boyfriend.” I
giggle now because still, even after all the time that has passed,
I can’t wrap my head around what Shame and I are.  “He misses
me, this is the first day I’ve had to actually wait to see him.
 He isn’t exactly a patient man when it is
something
he
is waiting for.”

“
Mmmhmmm, who is he, do I
know him?  Generally a girl doesn’t look like you without some
hunka hunka tail wrapped up on her.”  She smiles and winks as
she watches me blush.  How is she just 19?

“
His road name is Shame,
can’t really tell you more because it is the only name
he.…”

“
SHUT UP!”  She
interrupts me in a flash.  

“
I’m
sorry Mace but I mean, SHUT UP! Girl that man is fine.  Shoot,
every time I see him out or God forbid have to be within any sort
small distance of him, even if it’s just at the store, gas station,
where ever, I gotta hold my breath.  That man is like sex
walking.  Jesus woman, why did you
get
a job?  If I were his woman
I would seriously make it my
full time
job
to be at his disposal anytime anywhere
any day.”  Good lord this child says what she means.  I’m
blushing feverishly now.

“
I would be happy to do
that but ya know what they say?  Absence makes the heart grow
fonder?”  I’m reaching, trying to calm her
hormones.

“
No idea what you’re even
saying right now.  I hear your words but they just don’t
compute.   Who wants absence from that man?”  She
looks at me like I’m not making any sense.  Again, poor fella
who gets her better be prepared.  What a nut!

“
Maybe
if my librarian career doesn’t pan out then I will rethink my full
time j
ob.
”

We giggle over lunch then prepare the
library to open back up at one o’clock.  Just four more hours
and I’m headed towards Shame.  Thank hell.

*****

“
Don’t tease me woman, get
up on here.”  

Shame is sitting on a
barstool in the Club already enjoying a beer.  I just walked
in from work and I would love a shower and change of clothes so
keeping this in mind I make quick work of having a shot of
something strong, a heart stopping kiss to give my man a preview of
what went through my mind all day without him, and in return I
appreciate
his
heart stopping
smile
that does things to me, there.

Then I make my way upstairs
with my plan.  He’s really not expecting my trickery but this
right here tonight, is our first public outing as a couple.
 The last few Club parties we have skipped, per my request and
Hem’s dismay.  I just wanted to be sure that the Club skanks,
brothers, and outsiders had time to adjust to the idea that Shame
is off the radar, he’s no longer able to meet others ‘needs’.
 He is taken and he is
mine
.  They can look, I can’t
control that and still keep my sanity, but they cannot
touch!

I lay down for a quick nap, falling
fast asleep trying to shake off my bad day and I’m determined to
make this a good night, Shame and Hem leave the day after tomorrow
for at least a week.  They are going to Texas on the heels of
Switch, Hem is certainly in revenge mode and although I’m very
concerned for his safety, it is nice to see that he’s letting go of
the grief for Doc and heading into the angry state of mind so he
can find whomever is responsible and give them something to think
about.