Page 40 of Moto
“You shouldn’t have held the beer hostage. This all could have been avoided.”
“Doubtful.” He takes a long swig from his bottle.
“Choose whatever you want. I’ll watch anything. I’m easy.” I slide down onto the cushion.
“God, how I wish that were true.” He shifts, wincing uncomfortably.
I almost feel bad.Almost.
As Reese clicks through the new releases on demand, we hear Riley and Knight bustle through the front door, making a ruckus as they normally do. Their visits are nothing unusual; they’re here almost as much as I am.
“Quick, turn on the local news.” Riley sits down on the couch between Reese and me, tapping his hand excitedly against Reese’s thigh.
“What for?” Reese obliges, changing the channel, disinterested.
“Hold on, just watch.” Riley laughs manically, bouncing on the cushion. For a hard-ass adult, he acts like a buoyant five-year-old sometimes. Boundless energy and way too much enthusiasm.
We watch several news clips, Riley becoming more excited with each one.
I glance over at Knight, who is sitting quietly next to me on the arm of the couch. He isn’t much of a talker, but his presence always seems to be abundant.
A few more newscasts air as we look on bemused.
“Dude—”
“Here! Here! Watch!” Riley interrupts Reese as a field reporter stands in front of one of the local trailer park communities broadcasting about another reported overdose.
“The eighth overdose in three months has been reported . . .”
Oh no.
“. . . It is rumored tainted heroin is circumventing the area, claiming numerous lives. Police have yet to identify the source of the drugs or any possible distributors.”I immediately think of Sam and how tirelessly she’s been working to find the source of the bad drugs. As I listen intently to the young woman speak, there’s a loud rev of dual exhausts. I watch bewildered as two men on motorcycles begin pulling tricks behind her while she reports. Popping wheelies and burning out during the majority of her newscast.
Riley busts up laughing, as does Knight.
“We’re famous like you, yo!” Riley excitedly pushes Reese’s leg, clearly proud of his showy display.
Reese rolls his eyes and chuckles.
“Those are some mad skills, Hatter.” He doesn’t give him much props.
“I know.” Riley goes on anyway. “Did you see that stoppie at the end?”
“It was badass. Now, the whole world knows how cool you are.”
Why does he have to be such a jackass?
“I think it was awesome, Riley,” I chime in. The poor guy just wants some recognition.
“Thanks. See, Nursie knows what’s up.”
“Sure, she does,” Reese replies condescendingly. “She probably doesn’t even know what a stoppie is.”
“He’s right, Riley,” I sigh, aloofly, hiding the fact I know more than I let on. “But whichever trick is was, it was cool as hell.” I glare at Reese. He’s such an idiot.
“Well.” Riley suddenly bounds to his feet. He’s dressed in baggy gray sweatpants, a large white t-shirt, and a flat-brimmed baseball cap. “That’s all folks.”
“What do you mean? Where are you off to?” Reese asks, overly interested.
