AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes.” I hop on and rest my feet on the passenger pegs. I’m not lying. Back when Ensley and I were sharing a car, I often caught a ridehome with a bouncer named Horace. Zipping along the freeway on his bike was a feeling I could get into. I can’t wait to do it across the island.
Horace’s bike was an extra-wide hog with a backrest and a grip. Gabe’s is lean and narrow. I’m going to have to hold on to him.
He glances back at me. “Hang on.”
Here goes nothing. I wrap my arms around his waist. There’s no lift in my seat to help me see over his shoulder, so I rest my helmet against his back.
Yeah, I could really get into this.
The bike roars to life, and I feel the rumble in my thighs. He taps my leg to let me know we’re taking off, and then we’re speeding onto the main road.
Nowthisis vacation. The condo complex falls behind us. To the left is nothing but trees and brush. I turn my head. At first, I see more rentals, but then the view opens up and there’s the ocean, blue-green and endless.
The wind whips the loose ends of my hair and rushes along my exposed knees. The world sharpens like a prism splitting into color. Sky. Sand. Sea.
I feel open, like the world can finally sink in.
It’s a moment I never want to end. Gabe is sturdy and strong. As we lean into a curve, the ocean air is suddenly saltier and tart, like I’ve bitten into the lime from the rim of a margarita. I grip him more tightly, the edges of his shirt flapping against my thighs.
Birds swoop alongside us, then wing out over the waves. The beach spreads out, endless and empty. Judging by the lack of buildings and the crumbled edges of the road, we must be riding through some less-used part of the island. I spot several chickens scratching about and wonder who they belong to.
Then civilization returns, storefronts and parking lots and brightly painted beach houses. We approach our first stoplight, and the roar of the motorcycle shifts down. I smell asphalt and industry.
Gabe turns his head. “You all right?” he calls out over the engine.
“I’m great!”
He points up the road. “The wholesaler is ahead.”
Boo. But I look forward to the ride back.
The light turns green, and we roar through the intersection, past a strip of cozy shops, then a recessed line of businesses housing a Realtor, a tech repair company, and Joe’s Wholesale Liquor.
When Gabe kills the engine, I pull off my helmet and fluff the hair on my scalp, hoping I don’t look horrible.
He waits for me to swing off the bike, then puts both of our helmets away. “We’ll grab the booze first, and then go down to the farmers’ market.”
Oh, right. We have two stops. I’m thrilled. This expedition is better than any tour. I get to see the real La Jarra.
The door jingles as we head inside. It’s not as air-conditioned as a shop would be in Georgia, retaining the salty, clammy feeling of the outdoors.
The bald, gray-bearded man behind the counter lifts a hand in greeting as he checks out a woman with an entire cart filled with boxes.
“Hey, Joe!” Gabe calls.
Joe’s eyes follow me even as he turns the credit card console around to the customer. I get the distinct sense that my arrival with Gabe is 100 percent strange.
“Liqueurs are over here,” Gabe says. “We might have a different selection than you’re used to. Not everything gets imported.”
I scan the line of bottles for familiar names. “As long as I get a chance to adjust the ratios based on the flavor notes, it will be fine.”
“The bar will be slow early afternoon, so you’re welcome to hang out ahead of the challenge.”
“I think I will.” A thrill darts through me. I’m seriously into this man in a way I’m not used to.Roll with it, Tillie. You already have a flight home. No chance for attachment.
I pull two bottles off the shelf and hold them up in the direction of the windows to get a bead on their color. I go with the darker one.
I set the reject on the shelf. “This is good. You need anything yourself?”
