“Thanks, that might work for her. She’s getting in this weekend, so I’ll pass it on. Anyone in particular she should get in touch with?”
“Don’t know, but I’ll give Amanda a call tonight and find out.”
That bit of potentially good news—and the fat juicy burger and fries I inhale ten minutes later—fuel me sufficiently to breeze through my afternoon. By the time I’m ready to head home, I have a number for Dr. Ashram at the Gladwin clinic, courtesy of Donna, and call Paige on my hands-free while I’m driving.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetheart. Do you have a pen ready?”
“Yeah, I’m at my desk, why?”
“You’re still at work?”
“Just tying up a few loose ends before I head home. Why do I need pen and paper?”
“I may have a lead for you.” I tell her about the clinic in Gladwin and give her the contact information. “I don’t know if they’d still be open, but you could give them a call now, see if you can set something up for next week when you’re here.”
“Thanks, Mom,” she says with a bit of an edge. “Not sure if I would’ve thought of that myself.”
Definitely sarcasm there.
“Just looking out for you, Paige.”
I can hear the sigh through the phone.
“I know, but I’ve lived on my own for a few years now and I’ve managed to survive, so give me some credit here.”
That shuts me up for a minute. She’s right, she’s not a child anymore and as happy as I am for her to be coming home, I have to recognize her need for independence. Otherwise I’m afraid she won’t hesitate moving away again soon. I know my daughter.
Every so often the mother hen in me rears its head.
“So noted. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay, Mom. I’m a little stressed, that’s all.”
“Understandable, sweetheart. Do you have a lot left to do?”
“The trailer is packed, I just need to throw my bedding, the air mattress, and a couple of odds and ends in the car before I hit the road. I plan to leave before traffic gets nuts tomorrow morning, so I’ll make an early night of it tonight.”
I turn into my driveway.
“All right, honey. I’ll let you go then. Let me know where you end up tomorrow night. Not because don’t I trust you,” I quickly add. “But because I’m a mom and we worry.”
Her soft chuckle is music to my ears.
“So noted, Mom.”
Gray
“Go on. Take it for a spin.”
Jimmy, Kyle, and I are standing side by side, looking at our handiwork.
It took a little over a month, but between the three of us we have the Knucklehead rebuilt. Kyle did an amazing job spraying the frame in a deep blue so dark; it looks almost black from a distance.
“It’ll have to wait. I’ve gotta get over to the bar and load the last of my shit in the truck.”
“Damn, I almost forgot,” Jimmy says. “Paige is gonna be here this weekend, right?”
“She’s supposed to start driving tomorrow.”
She’s pulling a U-Haul behind her small SUV, so Robin told her to take it slow and divide the drive over two days.
“She’s driving?” Kyle does not sound pleased.
Jimmy and I look at each other, simultaneously raising an eyebrow before we glance at Kyle.
“What’s it to you?”
His eyes shoot to me.
“It’s hardly safe for a woman alone on the road. What if she hits bad weather?”
“Listen here, kid; if her mother trusts her enough to make the trip, why the hell would you worry?”
“Her mother doesn’t see what I see,” Kyle persists, not so wisely. “Paige could stop traffic, she’s that hot.”
“All right, Valentino,” Jimmy jumps in, throwing an arm around his shoulders and steering him into the garage. “You’re poking the bear,” I hear him mumble at the kid.
I’m starting to rethink the favor I was going to ask of the guys to come and help empty Paige’s trailer when she gets here. Maybe that’s not such a good idea, given the way Kyle talks about her.
I pull out my phone and dial Robin as I head around the side of the shop to the apartment stairs.
“Change of plans,” I tell her when she answers my call.
“What?”
“Kyle won’t be helping this weekend.”
“That’s too bad. Is he busy?”
“No.”
I open the door and let myself inside, flicking on the lights. I’ve left the furniture for Paige to pick through, but other than my clothes and books, there’s not much left for me to load up.
“He said no? Well, that’s a surprise; I actually thought he might be a little sweet on her. Guess I was wrong.”
It would probably be easier to let her assume that.
“He didn’t say no,” I admit anyway.
“Okay, now I’m confused.”
“He thinks she’s hot,” I clarify.
“So I was right. I knew it,” she says triumphantly. “So why isn’t he helping?”
Normally Robin is sharp as a tack, I can’t believe she’s not clueing in.
“Because he thinks she’s hot,” I repeat. “Sunshine, the kid almost bit my head off when he found out she’s driving here by herself.”
“Awww, that’s sweet,” is her chuckled reply. “Almost sounds familiar, Gray. You think maybe you’re being a little overprotective here?”
Now I’m getting a little pissed. Doesn’t she realize I’m just using common sense?
“You wouldn’t say that if you knew what guys his age spend their time thinking about, Robin. They’re horndogs.”
Apparently I said something funny because she’s suddenly laughing loudly. I’m about to hang up on her when she seems to gain control.
“Gray?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you come home and explain it to me. Maybe we can scratch another item off your bucket list,” she teases in a sultry voice.
Fuck. The blood that was trying to keep from boiling suddenly heads south, flooding my dick. Just like that, every argument on my lips evaporates.
“I’m just packing up,” I tell her, as I empty the contents of my drawers straight into the laundry basket.
Her chuckle is sexy as shit.
“I’ll be in the garage.”
Holy crap. We exchanged fantasies last week and enacted hers, but she’s clearly not
