Page 38 of Rags's Awakening
“He wouldn’t show me a picture of it.” John laughed.
“That’s Hawk for you.”
John handed Rags a receipt for the payment. “I’ll see you this weekend.”
Rags gave him a chin lift then folded the paper, tucked it in his wallet, and headed for the door.
He stepped out of the hardware store and walked down the sidewalk, the Harley a few doors away, sunlight glinting off its chrome. As he neared the motorcycle, someone called his name.
He turned. His gut tightened when he saw her. Julie.
When Megan had told him she was back in town, he hadn’t given a damn. And why would he? He hadn’t seen Julie since he caught her fucking one of his friends thirteen years ago, but the image of that fateful day still burned clear as glass.
She looked good, though. Too good. Dark brown hair gleaming under the sunlight, and that purple sweater fit snugly against her rack in a way that made his chest tighten in spite of himself.
“Hi, Rags,” she said, walking toward him with that same easy sway that used to knock him sideways.
He gave a curt chin lift. “Julie.”
“You don’t act surprised to see me.”
“Megan told me you were back in town.”
Her smile dimmed. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised you didn’t look me up.”
He let out a dry chuckle. “Why would I? There’s nothing between us. What we had died a long time ago.”
A flicker of something like regret, passed through her eyes. “So, you’ve never thought of me in all these years?”
“I’ve moved on,” he said, voice low.
She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut in. “How’s your mom? Megan told me she was sick. I didn’t know.”
Julie blinked, caught off-guard. “Not great. The treatments are rough, but she’s hanging in there.”
He nodded once, some of the edge leaving his voice. “She’s a good woman. Tell her I’m sorry she’s going through all this shit.”
“I will.” Julie smiled. “She always liked you.”
He gave a small nod and started toward his bike.
“Maybe we could grab a drink sometime,” she said quickly. “Or just coffee at Ruthie’s, maybe?”
Rags shook his head. “I don’t have time.”
“Rags—”
He swung his leg over the leather seat, cutting her off. “Take care of your mom, Julie.”
The engine roared to life, drowning out whatever she tried to say next. He pulled away from the curb and blended with the traffic without looking back.
Rags headed back to the office as her voice stayed with him, carrying on the wind long after he should’ve shaken it off. He pulled into the parking lot and walked inside, grabbing a bottle of Coke from the cooler near the receptionist’s desk. He twistedoff the cap and poured the sweet liquid down his throat. Seeing Julie had shaken him in a way that it shouldn’t have. He’d settled all that crap years ago—or had he?
“It’s unseasonably warm today,” Molly said, her blue eyes sliding over her boss’s lean frame.
“Yeah.” He tossed the bottle in the recycle bin. “Throttle still here?”
Nodding, she smiled and leaned forward, tugging at the hem of her T-shirt to expose the tops of her breasts. “He’s in the back office.”
