Page 79 of Bone’s Choice

“Exactly.” She laughed.

I took the last drag off my cigarette and dropped it to the pavement. “Ever been on a bike?”

Hazel blinked at the change in subject. “A motorcycle?”

“No, Hazel. A bicycle.”

She rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

I pushed away from the wall. “Come with me sometime.”

Hazel looked at me. “Where?”

“Ride.”

“With you?”

“That’s generally how it’d work. I guess you could run alongside if you want, but I don’t think that would be very fun for you.”

She glanced toward the parking lot as if my bike might somehow be visible through the building. “I don’t know.”

“You scared?”

Her head snapped toward me. “No.”

I smiled. Wrong thing to say to Hazel. “Then come.”

“When?”

“Whenever.”

“That’s vague.”

“Next time the weather’s good and I’m heading out.”

She studied me. “Is this how you lure women onto your motorcycle?”

“Don’t have to lure them.”

“There’s that confidence again.”

“Is that a yes?”

Hazel smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

Not a no. I’d take it.

The door opened again, and this time Crystal stuck her head out. “Hazel.”

“I know!”

Crystal looked at me. “Hi, Bone.”

“Crystal.”