Page 71 of Wrecked
“They still are,” Granddad added.
“You ready to get outta here?” Hawk asked his grandparents.
Granddad and Grandmom exchanged glances. “Are you taking us to your nightclub?” Granddad asked.
“Move,” Prescott clarified. “Are you ready to downsize? This is a lot to handle on your own.”
“Where would we go, Scotty?” Grandmom asked. “We’ve been here forever.”
Wasn’t the first time they’d dismissed the time-to-move conversation. Rather than push it, Hawk hugged them both.
“Thanks for helping us out,” Granddad said. “We love you.”
“We love you too,” Prescott replied before they left.
In the driveway, Prescott said, “I’ll talk to Mom. The farm is too much for them and we’re both too busy to maintain it.”
“Let me know what she says.” Hawk mounted his bike.
“You’re as busy as I am, but you find the time to run a nightclub. I gotta make some changes. All I do is work.”
“You gotta play. Come to my club.”
“What’s it called?”
“Lost Souls.”
“The new cosplay club in Alexandria?”
“That’s the one. Been there?”
“No, but I’ve heard it’stheplace if you’re into costumes and kink.” After a pause, Prescott broke into a grin. “Wait. You’re not into dressing up. Are you finally making your move on Addison?”
“Don’t go there.”
“Nicky, you could be missing out on something great. I know you don’t want to get hurt again but you—”
“I wasn’t hurt. I waswrecked.”
“You can’t spend your life alone, not when you’ve got someone who really cares about you… and you care about her. I see the way you two look at each other. You gotta take a chance, put yourself out there with her.”
Hawk wasn’t about to get into it, so he pulled on his helmet, started the bike, and flipped up the visor. “Love you, brother.”
He rode out as the sun dipped below the horizon. Once he hit the main road, he accelerated at full throttle, but no matter how fast he rode, he couldn’t outrun the pain of the past.
* * *
Addison had been serving drinks behind the bar with Liliana all evening. Most nights, she’d dress up, but not tonight. Her heart was heavy from Ronald’s death.
“You okay?” Liliana asked, plucking her from her thoughts. “You’re pretty quiet and you haven’t even tried to sign up a new member.”
Addison poured a draft beer, set it on a napkin in front of a customer. After he took it, she peered at Liliana. “A friend of mine died.”
“I’m so sorry,” Liliana said. “Were they sick?”
“Car accident.” Addison wasn’t going to tell her that Ronald was killed when his car exploded.
“That’s tough.” Liliana waited on a customer, then got busy making a cocktail. After she served it, she turned back to Addison. “Are you going to the funeral?”
