Cross chuckled. Turning to Ranger, he said more seriously, “I do have an ulterior motive to coming tonight. I feel like I’ve been neglecting my sponsees, and I want to make it up to you.”
Ranger waved him off. “No, man. Don’t you even think about it. You do so much for us already, and it wasn’t like you didn’t have a good reason. You can’t be everywhere at once. And not toknock your impeccable sponsor skills, but I actually figured out that I can cope without you even on bad days by relying on my friends and family.”
“As glad as I am to hear that, others did not have such a smooth time. I know we usually get together on Sundays, but I didn’t want to wait the week to do so. So I’m trying to gather you all together tomorrow for dinner at my house. And please don’t tell your wonderful mother,” Cross added. “My guilt is high enough currently without her feeling like she has to cook for us after she’s done all this.” He gestured to the bar. “I’m ordering pizza and we’re going to have a nice mini meeting.”
Ranger bounced the idea around in his head. “It’s Toni’s day off tomorrow. We’d planned on spending it on the bike.” He hated disappointing Cross, but he also didn’t want to ditch Toni on her day off. Plus, if they were already out and about, he’d have to drive her home then go back out to Cross’ before heading back to pick her up before a meeting.
“Bring her,” Cross encouraged. “In fact, I’ll tell the others to bring their spouses or significant others, too. What’s a few more pizzas?”
Ranger didn’t want to be a bother. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. Trust me, I am just delighted I get to catch up with all of you after being absent.”
“Then sure. I’ll verify with Toni, but I don’t see it being an issue.” He reached across the bar to shake Cross’ hand. “Thanks a lot.”
“Always,” Cross said with a cheerful smile. “Now, if you’ll point me in the direction of your lovely mother, I’d like to say ‘hello’. Oh, look! There’s Colby, too.”
Stifling a groan, Ranger pointed to his left where his mom, Dee Dee, and Louisa had set up an L-shaped buffet table of goodies in front of the kitchen door.
* * *
165 Days Sober
“We’re going to be late.” Toni tried to sound reproachful through her new helmet’s Bluetooth, but it ended up coming out like a wanton plea—even to her own ears.
The responding chuckle that echoed through her head was like the torch that lit the already primed bonfire. They’d been driving all day, just cruising through the mountain and surrounding farmland. Ranger took them on the most obscure path, all to avoid the highway. It was beautiful and surreal, andexactlywhat Toni had needed to decompress after a long work week.
The trial for Jett Deininger was about to start, and even though it wasn’t her case, Toni was trying to keep an eye on it for the club. Her other caseload was building up faster than Toni could ever remember happening before, but as Gwen pointed out, that’s what happened when she was actually keeping normal work hours now that she had someone waiting for her at home. It was just another reminder of how she’d allowed her work to take over her life. With Ranger now in her life, she needed to find a balance between the two. It might result in her taking on fewer cases or spreading them out more. Some might consider it a sacrifice at the height of her career, but Toni didn’t.
Susie was thrilled for her, loving that Toni was finally breaking away from her heavy workload and was starting to finally experience life. And the fact that Toni had found a man willing to follow her around a bookstore for hours just watchingher pick out books because it put a smile on her face…? Yeah, Toni had certainly hit the jackpot in that department.
But it was days like this where they would just drive, where it was just them, the bike, and the road, that were the most incredible. Cathartic even. Toni wouldn’t trade them for all the books in the world.
Within the first week of their relationship, Ranger had insisted on taking her to the club’s motorcycle dealership and getting her fitted with proper gear. He would not have her driving around in shorts, a tank top, and flip flops. Not that Toni argued. She’d seen far too many cases, most involving reckless driving, where injury and death occurred. And while she understood that a leather jacket wasn’t going to prevent major injury, her gut reaction to many of those cases was wondering why anyone would get onto a motorcycle withnoprotection. Even the safe drivers, like Ranger, were not impervious to harm. Accidents, unfortunately, happened. But Toni was also going to do everything in her power to keep herself, and Ranger, safe. Including learning how to properly fall off a motorcycle, which was something the club taught their kids, too.
She knew that he’d have to put the bike away for the winter soon, but she desperately hoped he kept it out as long as possible for them.
Sometimes they talked, sometimes they listened to music, and sometimes there was nothing but the wind and the roar of the engine—butalwaysRanger’s hand was on her thigh. Just like that first ride when he’d taken her away from her house. Even through her new aramid fiber lined jeans and his riding gloves, she could feel the heat and pressure of his hand.
Like a possession, a claim.
Between that knowledge, the feel of his strong back against her sensitive breasts, and the rumble of the bike between herlegs, Toni was a useless pile of heat by the time they arrived anywhere.
Not that Ranger minded in the slightest. He had his limits, which they both respected, but he was just as greedy for her as she was for him. Toni never thought gas station bathrooms would be a place she would ever have sex, let alone frequently. They’d gotten quite inventive on private places while out on the road.
But here, in the middle of nowhere, on a dirt road surrounded by trees? Their options were quite limited. Not to mention that they were still miles from Stuart Cross’ house. She was already feeling unsure about her attendance, and did not want to add tardiness because they stopped to fuck to what she feared was going to be an awkward dinner.
Toni liked Ranger’s sponsor. He seemed extremely attentive to his sponsees, especially when one was really struggling. Maybe if Charles or Edema had been more like Cross, her parents wouldn’t have slipped through the cracks. Not that she blamed them any more than she blamed herself, but if her suspicions behind her mom’s relapse were accurate, then her mom’s decision to use wasn’t sudden. It was preventable, and they’dallmissed the signs. Yet Cross had practically moved in with one of his sponsees to help him cope with his struggle.
Toni still felt odd calling him ‘Cross’. ‘Mr. Cross’ or ‘Stuart’ felt more natural, but she also respected his wish on how he wanted to be addressed.
But there was absolutely no further protest in her as Ranger pulled off into the trees. Leaves and branches replaced dirt under their tires, and while anticipation ran hot through her veins, Toni’s logistical brain couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if one of the bike’s tires hit a rock.
Thankfully, she never had to find out as Ranger slowed the bike once they were sufficiently hidden from the roadway. Theymight end up having a lot of sex outside the bedroom, but other than that first time when they’d been caught by Susie, Ranger was always extremely careful to ensure that no one else saw her naked.
Toni noticed him doing something with his foot before throwing the kickstand and settling the bike.
“Get off,” he ordered, doing that low husky thing with his voice that he knew Toni couldn’t resist.
