Terra’s eyes go comically wide. “And you think he’s a good bet as father material?”
She’s only said what I’ve been wondering myself. I simply shrug. “He is good with Alicia.”
And good with that guitar of his. I get goosebumps as I remember. His voice, so deep, so full of emotion when he sings, and those long fingers of his... I snap myself out of it. I’m at work.
“From that faraway look you got just there, I’d say he’s got something going for him. Tell me, has he any other hot biker friends in his age group?”
“I don’t know.” I laugh. “I’ll have to ask him.”
The volume of our voices has increased.
“A younger one for me, please,” Kristen cries out.
Terra and I look at each other and burst out laughing.
Seeing Art approaching again, Terra and I buckle down to our work. I’ve been given something complicated, so I lose myself in the ins and outs of zoning restrictions and the like, checking and double-checking facts to make sure what I’ll be telling the client is right. Before I know it, it’s clocking out time and I can go home. Stretching my arms over my head, I let out a yawn.
Terra nudges me in the ribs. “Ouch.”
“Best make that hunk let you sleep tonight. You’re not young enough to burn the midnight oil anymore.”
“Speak for yourself.” I wink at her.
“Don’t forget to ask him about any hotties for us!” Kristen calls out when I give her a wave of my hand.
I’m fine until I get to the underground parking lot and sit in the driver’s seat of my car. Then everything comes back to me. Will Grumbler be cross I’ve not gotten the morning-after pill? Did I make a conscious decision not to get it? Should I stop off on the way home and get it now?
I stare at the steering wheel in the hope that it might give me some answers.
Surely a baby at my age is not what I want?
How does Grumbler really feel? I wish I could read his mind. But, if I can’t read my own, what chance have I got?
At last I switch on the engine, put my car into drive, and head out into the traffic. I go straight home, wondering what time Grumbler will arrive.
Well that’s one puzzle easily solved as soon as I park on the drive. He’s already here, or at least, that’s his bike.
Putting my key in the front door, when it opens, I step inside, coming to a halt at the sight in front of me. Grumbler’s crouched down in front of the couch, patiently positioning Alicia’s fingers on the fret board of her guitar.
“You’ve got it. That’s C. Now go to G, then back to C.”
“It sounds better when you do it.”
“Feel that?” Grumbler holds out his fingertips to her. “Feel those callouses? Your fingers have got to harden a bit, then that guitar will be ringing out.”
Alicia looks up and sees me. She beams. “Grumbler bought new strings, Mom. Only, when they’re new, they stretch at first. It needs tuning a lot.”
“Only for the first day or so,” Grumbler explains. “Want me to do it again?”
“I got this,” Alicia tells him, then slowly proceeds to tune it herself. Experimentally, she goes to try a chord she just learned, then grimaces, and starts her tuning again.
“She’s got a good ear,” Grumbler tells me. “Now she knows what it’s supposed to sound like, she knows when it’s wrong.”
I place my purse and keys on the side, then frown. “You been here long?” I realise he must have been to have restrung the guitar.
“’Bout half an hour.”
“I’ll leave you to it.” Alicia suddenly jumps up. “Got homework to do.”
As she disappears in the direction of her bedroom, I raise my eyebrows. “Who was that, and what have you done with my daughter?”
“Told her to give us five minutes when you got home, babe. Bargained with her with those new strings I got.” He picks up the guitar she’d left leaning against the couch and replaces it on its stand.
“How much were they?”
Grumbler’s eyes widen. “Fuck, woman. You don’t have to pay me back. Her smile was all the payment necessary.” He walks forward and takes hold of my hands. He stares down into my face for a moment, then, releasing one of mine, lifts his now free hand up to caress my cheek. “You okay?”
“I didn’t get the pill.” I wait for his reaction.
He doesn’t use words, in fact, he pulls me to him. “You know anything coming of this is very unlikely, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t mind letting things ride. See where they take us. But it’s easy for me to say, isn’t it, babe?”
“I can find out in about ten days, I think.” I’m not totally sure. “If I am, I’ll need to think about the implications. But, as you say, I’m certain I’m not.”
“Been doing some thinking today,” he tells me. “Let’s just say, I won’t be disappointed whichever way this turns out. Hey, babe. Boys voted you in. You’re officially my ol’ lady. If that’s what you want.” He adds the last fast.
Do I?
At work it had been back to normality after the fiasco of the weekend and a relationship with a biker seemed so out of place and out of character for me. Now, faced with Grumbler, I know I don’t want to turn him down.
He holds out his hand. “Come, I’ve got a surprise for you.”
I half expect him to take me into the bedroom, but instead he leads me outside and indicates his bike. I stare at it for a moment, trying to see what he’s pointing out.
“Is that new?” The seat looks different.
“Fitted it for you, babe. Want to go try it out?”
“Me? I…?” My voice squeaks as I try to think of an excuse.
“We won’t go far, just around the block. See how you take to it.”
“I can’t. Alicia…”
He chuckles in that deep sexy
