truth.
Janice nodded, she understood all too well. She looked at the man that had held her best friend’s heart until the day she’d died. He was older, but still a handsome man still broad and strong. She let her mind wander back to another man, one who had called to her own heart so long ago. “How’s Preach doin’? He ever marry that woman he was crazy over? Claim his boy?” She paused, knowing she would give herself away, but needing to know. “Tank?”
“Lindsey was killed by the Devils. Preach raised the boy though, turned out to be a good man. Tank died in a motorcycle crash about six years ago. His old lady took their daughter and moved to Tucson. Couldn’t stand the memories. They live near the brothers out there, but aren’t really a part of the club anymore.” He took a drink of coffee and met her watery eyes. “Why didn’t anybody call me? I could have done something here.” His eyes rested on Marty.
“You did enough.” She nodded toward Marty who was talking with a customer at the other end of the bar. Janice was trying not to let the news of Tank show on her face but it was as if Ace had cut her open. “Would you have come back?”
“I don’t know. Janie made it clear what she wanted. I wouldn’t have gone against that. I could have sent money. I’d have come for her when her mama died. A kid needs family. I should have had the option.”
“That’s a fact. So now that you know, what are you plannin’ to do about it?”
He let his eyes fall on Marty. “Whatever she wants. Whatever she’s willing to let me do.”
“You’d take me with you?” Marty crossed her arms and studied him after setting the coffee pot down on the warmer. She had been hovering. She knew she shouldn’t listen in, but she wanted to so bad.
“If you want to go. Get your shit. I’m hitting the road as soon as I finish here.” Ace had no idea what he was doing, but it felt right. It felt better than anything he had done in years.
Marty looked to Janice.
“You’re a grown woman, you don’t need my permission, but you be back for school.” Janice said with a wink. She remembered how it felt to be young and worried about doing the right thing all the time. She regretted always taking the right path. Sometimes you had to just go with it. There had been a time when she had been willing to have an adventure, but she’d had no one to share it with. She wouldn’t stand in Marty’s way.
Marty hugged Janice and raced out of the diner. She ran to a little house across the street and disappeared inside.
“Tell me about my kid before she gets back.” Ace insisted in an urgent voice that betrayed his worry.
“She’s smart Ace, damned smart. Watch her.” Janice grinned.
“Why do I get the feeling you won’t be too heartbroken to see her go?”
“Make no mistake, I love that girl like she was my own, but she can be a whole mess of trouble and she has a smart mouth on her.”
“So I heard. She’ll figure her shit out soon enough if she goes with me. I’ll keep her safe too.”
“You better do that Ace or so help me I’ll skin you alive. You can take that to the bank. She needs to be back in the fall to finish up school.”
“At nineteen?”
“She’s smart. Graduated high school at sixteen. Got into a little trouble, but nothing stuck. She gets bored and that ain’t good. Keep her busy or be ready to call a lawyer.”
“Yes ma’am.” He was beginning to like this kid. He wondered what all she could do. He felt pride swell in his chest.
Ace stood and paid for his meal. He stepped out into the warm Georgia sun and watched his kid run back across the street. Damn she looked like her mama running toward him as she always had. His heard threatened to break in two, but he gritted his
Janice nodded, she understood all too well. She looked at the man that had held her best friend’s heart until the day she’d died. He was older, but still a handsome man still broad and strong. She let her mind wander back to another man, one who had called to her own heart so long ago. “How’s Preach doin’? He ever marry that woman he was crazy over? Claim his boy?” She paused, knowing she would give herself away, but needing to know. “Tank?”
“Lindsey was killed by the Devils. Preach raised the boy though, turned out to be a good man. Tank died in a motorcycle crash about six years ago. His old lady took their daughter and moved to Tucson. Couldn’t stand the memories. They live near the brothers out there, but aren’t really a part of the club anymore.” He took a drink of coffee and met her watery eyes. “Why didn’t anybody call me? I could have done something here.” His eyes rested on Marty.
“You did enough.” She nodded toward Marty who was talking with a customer at the other end of the bar. Janice was trying not to let the news of Tank show on her face but it was as if Ace had cut her open. “Would you have come back?”
“I don’t know. Janie made it clear what she wanted. I wouldn’t have gone against that. I could have sent money. I’d have come for her when her mama died. A kid needs family. I should have had the option.”
“That’s a fact. So now that you know, what are you plannin’ to do about it?”
He let his eyes fall on Marty. “Whatever she wants. Whatever she’s willing to let me do.”
“You’d take me with you?” Marty crossed her arms and studied him after setting the coffee pot down on the warmer. She had been hovering. She knew she shouldn’t listen in, but she wanted to so bad.
“If you want to go. Get your shit. I’m hitting the road as soon as I finish here.” Ace had no idea what he was doing, but it felt right. It felt better than anything he had done in years.
Marty looked to Janice.
“You’re a grown woman, you don’t need my permission, but you be back for school.” Janice said with a wink. She remembered how it felt to be young and worried about doing the right thing all the time. She regretted always taking the right path. Sometimes you had to just go with it. There had been a time when she had been willing to have an adventure, but she’d had no one to share it with. She wouldn’t stand in Marty’s way.
Marty hugged Janice and raced out of the diner. She ran to a little house across the street and disappeared inside.
“Tell me about my kid before she gets back.” Ace insisted in an urgent voice that betrayed his worry.
“She’s smart Ace, damned smart. Watch her.” Janice grinned.
“Why do I get the feeling you won’t be too heartbroken to see her go?”
“Make no mistake, I love that girl like she was my own, but she can be a whole mess of trouble and she has a smart mouth on her.”
“So I heard. She’ll figure her shit out soon enough if she goes with me. I’ll keep her safe too.”
“You better do that Ace or so help me I’ll skin you alive. You can take that to the bank. She needs to be back in the fall to finish up school.”
“At nineteen?”
“She’s smart. Graduated high school at sixteen. Got into a little trouble, but nothing stuck. She gets bored and that ain’t good. Keep her busy or be ready to call a lawyer.”
“Yes ma’am.” He was beginning to like this kid. He wondered what all she could do. He felt pride swell in his chest.
Ace stood and paid for his meal. He stepped out into the warm Georgia sun and watched his kid run back across the street. Damn she looked like her mama running toward him as she always had. His heard threatened to break in two, but he gritted his
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