Page 21 of Sangre
“Hey, Steve. Oops… I meanSangre.”
He looked at the porch and sucked in his breath. The early evening sun gave a rosy glow to Isla’s skin and a sparkle to her hair like a rare tanzanite gem. Jean cut-offs revealed legs that went on for miles, and a form-fitting, low-scooped T-shirt molded perfectly over her breasts.Damn.Waving back, he said, “Hey.”
“Come over here.”
“I gotta go. See you tomorrow,” he said.
Eagle clasped his shoulder. “Like I said, this is gonna be interesting. Later.” Laughing softly, he went to his car.
As Sangre walked toward the front porch, he heard Eagle’s car pull away from the curb.I don’t know why it’s so hard to believe that a man and a woman can be friends.“Hey,” he said again as he walked up the porch steps. He glanced at the wicker table and saw two beer bottles, a plate of cheese and crackers, and bowl of green olives.
“I made us some refreshments. I figured you may want a little break.”
“I just got here,” guilt hit him when he saw her face fall, “but I’m always ready for a break.”
Brightening up, she plopped down in one of the wicker chairs. “I slept so well last night. It was probably the first night I slept all the way through in a while. Not worrying about a psycho fan breaking in and hurting me goes a long way for a good night’s sleep. How was your day?”
“Busy.” He sat in the chair next to her and picked up the beer bottle. “Did you stay in contact with Madison?”
“Yes. She’s come out to visit with me in LA many times over the years. She even thought of moving there, but then her mom had a stroke and she had to stay here to help out with that. Don’t you ever see her?”
“Not really. I don’t really hang out with citizens.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Non-bikers.”
She leaned over and picked up a piece of cheese and nibbled at it, her gaze fixed on him. “How do your parents like you being in the Night Rebels? It’s an outlaw club. I mean real badass like the Insurgents or the Mongols. I looked it up online last night. It’s dangerous.”
He laughed. “You’re too funny. I know what it is. I’m a member.”
She busted out laughing. “That’s right.”
Neither of them could stop laughing, and the more they tried, the harder it was.This is good. Being with her, laughing about nothing. Just like we used to.
“You’re the only one I can laugh with like that, can you believe it? I’m going to tell you something.” After a slight pause, she announced, “People think I’m kinda weird.”
“Are you still telling people about haunted houses, trivial facts, and what strange combination of foods you like to eat?”
“But you never thought I was weird. Maybe your grownup side does now.”
“I think your weirdness is what I liked. When I was younger, I never wanted to walk to the same beat everyone else did. I liked that you didn’t either. It totally figures you’re in a rock band, have beautiful blue hair, and hold up a middle finger to your dad and anyone else who doesn’t get you.”
Her hazel eyes sparkled. “That’s what I liked the most about you—yougotme. When I’d write dark songs, you knew where they were coming from.”
Sangre nodded. “I’m glad you did something with your music. You were in every musical at Jefferson. It’s cool to live your dream.”
“Are you living yours? I remember you had a badass vibe about you, even when we were kids, but I never heard you mention you wanted to join a biker club.”
“I was restless as fuck.” She nodded in agreement. “I needed something different, and when I met some dudes who were in the club, I thought I’d check it out. I hung around the club for almost a year before I decided it was the life for me. I prospected and then patched in. I’ve never regretted it. There was no fuckin’ way I was gonna end up like my old man, working for someone else, day in and day out. My brother Jim is at Reland’s, Connor works there, and my sister Nicole’s husband, Joe, works there. They’re all at the same damn place. It wasn’t for me. No. Fucking. Way.”
“We’re both unconventional. All I heard when I was growing up was that I had to go to college, get an education, and then get a good corporate job. My sisters and brother followed that road, but I ended up dropping out of UCLA my third year when I joined Iris Blue. Fiona and Katherine kept telling me I was crazy, my mom worried I’d never be able to support myself, my dad called me a loser and a lot of other names, and when Jerry and I talk once a year, he always asks me when I’m going to get a real job. They just don’t fucking get it.”
“I remember you’d told me that you had to be able to express yourself. That you didn’t care about money, just about respecting yourself and being proud of who you are. You did it, babe.” Red stains painted her cheeks and she looked away.What the hell? Did I embarrass her?
“Are you still friends with Jay?”
“No.” The mention of his old friend from high school pissed him off. Jay and Isla had dated, and it used to kill him every time he’d see them together, holding hands or kissing. The jealousy he’d felt surprised him, but back then it happened a lot whenever boys would gawk at her or ask her out. Shaking his head, he tried to dispel the memories.
