“Julian is a lovely place to come for a ride, although like you said, it gets crowded. There’s a bar northwest of here that gets even busier when the weather is nice. We’ll stop there on the way home since it’s on the alternate route we’ll be taking. You’ll see motorcycles lined up and down the highway when we get there.”

  “It sounds like an interesting place. Taking the motorcycle out for a ride was a great idea, even though you had an ulterior motive. And before you get your hopes up, I should mention you still haven’t swayed me to move to the West Coast.”

  “I will in time. I’m not done yet.”

  “I’m sure you aren’t. So, any idea what you’d like to do this evening since it’s my last night here?”

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I took some steaks out of the freezer this morning. I’d like to barbeque and sit on the patio with a bottle of wine while we watch the sunset.”

  “I’d like that.”

  An employee called the number on Shane’s receipt, indicating our order was ready.

  “I’ll get our food.” Shane got up and went into the restaurant. He returned a few minutes later with a tray in each hand and set them down on the table.

  We chatted about Julian and the surrounding area while we ate, with Shane confessing he liked San Diego better than he’d thought he would. Finished with lunch, we left the motorcycle in the parking lot and took a stroll along Main Street, checking out a quaint-looking antique store and several shops.

  Shane stood behind me while I browsed a jewelry window display. “Are you ready to head out? If we plan to stop at the other place you mentioned, we need to get going.”

  “I’m ready. We’ve seen everything here.” I held Shane’s hand as we strolled back to the motorcycle. After slipping my helmet on my head, I stepped to the back of the bike. “When you get to Santa Ysabel at the bottom of the mountain, make a right instead of going straight. There will be a turnoff on your left to another highway a couple of miles up the road. Take the turn off. The bar and restaurant will be on that highway. You can’t miss it.”

  “Sounds good.” Shane put on his helmet and gloves and started the motorcycle. He took off as soon as I got situated on the back.

  When we reached the roadside bar, Shane looked for a place to park, finding a spot between two motorcycles in front of the outside beer garden. He made a U-turn in the street and pulled up parallel to the space, waiting for me to climb off the back. Then he maneuvered the bike backward, pushing it with his feet until the rear tire was a few feet from the fence.

  I was standing next to the bike, removing my helmet, when someone called my name. Startled, I scanned the beer garden. “Oh, shit. That’s not good.” I spotted Nicole waving at me from a picnic table full of my old motorcycle friends.

  “Who is that?” Shane was still sitting on the motorcycle and had turned to look behind him when he heard my name.

  “It’s Nicole. She’s the one you talked to on the phone yesterday while we had breakfast. The big guy next to her with the dark hair and beard is her husband, Kurt.”

  “I guess we’re about to find out if there are any hard feelings about my riding the motorcycle.” Shane got off the bike and removed his helmet. He had a frown on his face as he hung it on the handlebar.

  “It looks like Nicole and some of the others are coming over here. I’m so sorry. They must have stopped here on the way back from their weekend get-together in Borrego.” I hung my helmet on the other handlebar and turned to face the group of people walking toward us.

  “Liz, you didn’t tell me you were coming out here.” Nicole leaned over the four-foot-tall wood-and-chicken-wire fence and hugged me.

  “It was a last-minute decision.” I took a half step backward.

  Kurt leaned over the fence and gave me an unenthusiastic hug as he eyed the motorcycle. “I’m surprised to see that bike out of your garage.” The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable.

  Britney was standing slightly behind Kurt. Tall and slender, she looked cute with her blond hair in braided pigtails. She grinned as she stepped forward and hugged me. “Girl, it’s about time we got to see you. Where have you been?” She looked me up and down and then glanced at Shane.

  “I’ve been working and staying busy. Nothing exciting beyond that.” I turned my attention to Britney’s husband, Glen, standing next to her. Also tall and blond, Glen wore his shoulder-length hair in a short ponytail. “Glen, it’s good to see you. I’ve missed the two of you.” I gave him a big hug.

  “We’ve missed you too, Liz.” Glen glanced at the bike. “I’m glad to see her back on the road.”

  “I am too.” I turned to Shane, waiting patiently at my side. “Shane, these are some old friends of mine. This is Nicole. She’s Alex’s sister and the person you talked to yesterday.” I pointed to the man next to her. “This is her husband, Kurt, and the two people next to him are Britney and Glen.”

  “It’s nice to meet you all,” Shane said, addressing the group.

  Britney raised an eyebrow when Shane spoke. “I like your accent. Where are you from?”

  “I was born and raised in Ireland. These days, I call Washington, D.C., my home.”

  “Nice.” Britney grinned at me.

  “How did the bike ride?” Kurt said, still eyeing the motorcycle. He had a bitter expression, his arms folded across his chest.

  “Good.” Shane’s short response sounded guarded, and his jawline had hardened.

  “Liz, the guys can stay here and talk about the bike. You need to get over here and fill me in on what’s been going on with you,” Britney said.

  “Go ahead. I’ll be over there in a few minutes.” Shane pulled me toward him and kissed me. Then his mouth was at my ear. “It’s okay. I’ll come and find you.” He pulled away and smiled at me.

  I paused a moment and then reluctantly left him, heading toward the bar’s front door. I was walking through the building when someone grabbed my arm. Startled, I swung around, finding myself facing Danny. He and Alex had been like brothers, together since they were small boys.

  “It’s about damn time you decided to show yourself.” Danny looked down at me, his eyes gleaming behind a pair of black-framed glasses.

  “Danny. Oh, my God, it’s good to see you.” I leaped into his arms, pulling away after a long, warmhearted embrace. “You chopped your hair off. I don’t think I’ve seen it short since we were kids.”

  “My boss promoted me at work, and I supervise the day crew now. So I figured it was time to get rid of the ponytail.”

  “It certainly looks different but nice. So, where’s Yvonne?”

  “Honey, I’m right behind you,” Yvonne said.

  I turned around, Yvonne suddenly pulling me into a mini bear hug. “Yvonne. God, I’ve missed you.”

  “Aren’t you a sight? Damn, we’ve missed you too. When did you get here?” Yvonne held me at arm’s length, her thick black braid draped over her shoulder.

  “I got here a few minutes ago. We rode up on the Knucklehead.” I was thrilled to run into the two of them. Besides being good friends, I trusted Danny and Yvonne more than anyone except Mel.

  “When you say ‘we,’ I assume you mean you and your fiancé?” Yvonne arched a brow, suggesting she was well aware of Shane. “Honey, don’t look so surprised. Nicole has been telling everybody you’re engaged. I wish that girl would keep her mouth shut for once. Where is your man, anyway? I want to meet him.” Yvonne glanced around the crowded and noisy bar.

  “Shane is out by the motorcycle. Nicole spotted us pulling up, and Kurt was questioning him about the bike when I left.”

  “Was Kurt pissed when he saw the Knucklehead?” Danny said, with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

  “I don’t know about being pissed, but he certainly didn’t look happy.”

  “Good. It serves the asshole right.” Danny’s jaw suddenly tightened. “Kurt’s been shooting his mouth off saying that Alex would have wanted him to have the bike, and you should give it to him. So far, his bullshit has been nothing but talk. I’ll nail his ass if he tries anything. That bike meant a lot to Alex, and there’s no way he’d want Kurt to touch it.”

  “There you are.” Britney was standing a few feet away. “I was waiting outside for you.”

  “Sorry. These two sidetracked me.” I glanced at Danny and Yvonne.

  “That’s cool. At least you’re with two of my favorite people.” Britney squeezed between Yvonne and me and put an arm around each of us. “The three amigas are back together. I wondered if I’d ever see that day again.”

  “Looks like you’re having fun.” Shane was standing behind Danny. There was a sound of humor in his voice.

  “And, there he is—Liz’s hot-looking fiancé. Check him out.” Britney had lowered her voice so only Yvonne and I could hear her.

  “Shush.” I nudged Britney with my hip.

  “Oh, no shit. Damn, your fiancé is fine.” Yvonne uttered her comments under her breath as she raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Shane, you already met Britney. These two are Danny and Yvonne. Danny was Alex’s best friend, and they grew up together. I’ve known Danny since I was fourteen.” I stepped away from Yvonne and Britney and moved next to Shane.

  “Nice to meet you.” Shane extended his hand to Danny.

  “Same here.” Danny shook Shane’s hand. “Can I get you and Liz a beer?”

  “Sure. I’ll take a Budweiser. Liz?” Shane looked at me.

  “I’ll take one too.” I turned, spotting Yvonne walking toward Shane.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Shane,” Yvonne said. “You must be a good guy if Liz likes you. Congratulations on your engagement. She’s one hell of a lady, besides a good friend.” She gave Shane a welcoming hug.

  “Thanks, and, yes, she is.” Shane smiled at me when Yvonne stepped back.

  Danny got the bartender’s attention and held up his beer bottle and two fingers from his other hand. The bartender nodded and retrieved two beers from the cooler. Danny walked over to him and paid for the beers, handing one to Shane and the other to me when he returned.

  Shane and I followed the three of them to a pair of picnic tables outside. Glen was sitting by himself at one of them, so we joined him. Kurt, Nicole, Jesse, and a couple I didn’t know were sitting at the table next to us. Nicole introduced Shane and me to the couple, identifying them as Todd and Julie. They were friends of Jesse’s. Unable to help myself, I stared at them for a moment, intrigued by their matching bright orange hair and faces full of freckles. They looked like brother and sister rather than boyfriend and girlfriend.

  Jesse was sitting at the far end of the other table. He was a tall, strikingly handsome man with a muscular build, shoulder-length dark hair, and blue eyes. Tattoos covered his arms, and he wore a small hoop earring in each ear. Women usually swooned over him, but I pitied anyone unfortunate enough to enter into a relationship with him. I’d seen firsthand how cruel and disrespectful he could be. Jesse had had his eye on me when Alex was alive. After he’d died, Jesse had thought he could swoop in and take me, getting frustrated when I refused to fall for his charms.

  Nervous, I glanced over my shoulder at Shane. I needed to introduce him to Jesse. It wouldn’t look good if I didn’t. I waited for a break in the conversation and turned toward Jesse, becoming startled at the coldness in his eyes as he stared at me. I forced a smile. “Jesse, this is Shane.” I turned toward Shane. “This is Jesse. I’ve known him for a long time.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Shane said. He nodded pleasantly at Jesse, but there was a tenseness in his body.

  Jesse nodded but said nothing in return.

  “Shane, how long have you been riding?” Danny said, his inquiry easing the tension in the air.

  “I rode my first motorbike when I was six. I competed in motocross for ten years when I was a kid and rode in two Irish road races when I turned eighteen. I sold my Harley about five years ago.” Shane put his hand on my thigh and took a swig of his beer, his demeanor looking more relaxed.

  “Irish road racing? I’ve heard of that.” Glen looked down the table at Danny. “That’s some crazy-ass shit. It’s a sanctioned motorcycle race, but it’s on a public road instead of a track. I’ve seen videos where bikes fly over the tops of hills, crash into walls on sharp turns, dodge livestock, and maneuver around potholes while the spectators are only a few feet away.”

  Danny cocked an eye at Glen and then looked across the table at Shane. “How bad is he exaggerating?”

  “He isn’t. It’s that crazy and dangerous.” Shane grinned. “That’s why I only did it twice.”

  The guys got into an animated conversation about Harleys and racing, with Danny and Glen appearing impressed with Shane. I figured this was an opportune time to visit the facilities.

  I touched Shane’s hand. “I’ll be right back. I need to run to the restroom.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Yvonne said, getting up from the table.

  We walked to the bathrooms housed in a separate structure behind the main building. Only one of the stalls inside the women’s restroom was available, so Yvonne told me to go first. I took care of my business, washed my hands, and exited the building, intending to wait for Yvonne outside. As soon as I walked out the door, someone grabbed me from behind and dragged me around the corner, shoving me against the wall.

  “Let go of me,” I shrieked, trying to push Jesse away from me.

  “Who do you think you are? I’ve made it pretty fucking clear I want you, and all you’ve done is blow me off. Then you tell Kurt you’ll ride out to Borrego with me, only to be a no-show, and now you end up here with this asshole. You’re a fucking tease. You’re my bitch, not his.” Jesse’s face was inches from mine as he snarled at me.

  “You ass. I never said I’d join you in Borrego, and I’ve never misled you. Now let go of me.” My voice was shrill as I fought to get out of Jesse’s grasp, his forearm across my chest as he pinned me against the wall.

  “Let go of her,” Yvonne shouted, grabbing Jesse’s arm and trying to pull him off me.

  Jesse shoved Yvonne aside, and then someone ripped him away from me and threw him against the hill behind us.

  “Keep your hands off her,” Shane growled. He stood there with his fists clenched, glaring at Jesse.

  “You piece of shit.” Jesse got up and rushed Shane, trying to grab him.

  Shane maneuvered out of his grasp and punched him, sending Jesse reeling backward several steps.

  Jesse shook his head to clear it. “You’re going to pay for that.” He charged Shane, his feet and body in a boxing stance, hands in the air in front of him. Jesse threw a punch, and Shane dodged it.

  “Come on. Is that all you got?” Shane said, taunting Jesse.

  “I’m going to fuck you up.” Jesse lunged, taking another swing at Shane.

  Shane pivoted out of the way, responding with a jab from his left hand, followed by a devastating right hook. A crunching sound hung in the air.

  Jesse toppled to the ground. He was out cold.

  Several people rushed to Jesse’s side, trying to revive him. Danny and Glen pushed their way through the crowd of onlookers to see what had happened.

  “Are you hurt? Did he hit you?” Shane was at my side, checking to see if I was all right.

  “He pinned me against the wall.” Shaken, I launched myself into Shane’s arms.

  “What the hell happened?” Danny was standing in front of us, his gaze swinging from Shane to Jesse, who was still out cold in the dirt.

  I turned in Shane’s arms. “Jesse grabbed me. He wouldn’t let me go.”

  “That’s true.” Yvonne nodded her head. “I could hear what was happening when I was in the bathroom. Jesse had Liz pinned against the wall when I came out. I tried to get him off her, and he pushed me away. That’s when Shane pulled him off Liz.”

  “Liz, what did he say to you?” Danny’s gaze was intense as he stared at me.

  “He said I was supposed to go to Borrego with him…Kurt told him I would go.” I paused, trying to catch my breath. “But that was a lie. I told Nicole I wasn’t going.”

  “Care to explain?” Danny glared at Nicole. She had walked up behind us and was standing next to Britney.

  “I’m so sorry, Liz. I told Kurt what you said, but that’s not what he told Jesse. Kurt made him think you’d ride out to Borrego with him and then told me I had to get you to change your mind. Jesse looked pissed yesterday when he found out you weren’t coming. I didn’t know it would blow up like this. I’m sorry.” Nicole gave me a pleading look.

  Danny marched over to Kurt. He was standing with Jesse, who was now on his feet and leaning against the building. An argument broke out between the three of them, and then Glen rushed over to back up Danny. It ended quickly, with Kurt holding his hands in the air and backing away. He and Jesse disappeared around the corner of the building, and Nicole hurried off to join them.

  “They’re leaving.” Danny looked at Shane and shook his head. “You throw one hell of a punch. No one’s knocked Jesse out before. I need to buy you a beer.”

  We walked back to the picnic tables, and Danny ordered a round of beers from one of the servers. The conversation quickly turned back to the subject of motorcycles.

  After we’d been there for a while, Shane put his hand on my thigh. “We should head back, mo ghra. It’s getting late, and we still want to barbeque those steaks when we get home.”

  “You’re right. We should go. We have a bottle of wine to share and a sunset to view.” I leaned against Shane as he kissed the top of my head.

  We got up from the table and said our goodbyes to the group. After a round of hugs and handshakes, Yvonne came up behind me.

  “That name your man calls you is driving me crazy. What does mo ghra mean?” Yvonne said.

  “It’s an Irish endearment.” I smiled at her. “It means my love.”

  “That’s sweet. You’ve found yourself one hell of a guy.”

  “I did, and he’s one of a kind. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever be this happy again.”

 

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