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He smiled. That smile of his tugged at something in my chest, something I pushed way back down under a pile ofnope, not gonna go there. He gave up waiting for me to take his arm and gestured for me to follow.
“Not far,” he said. “Just to our ride.” I let him lead me around the side of the house.
Just before we turned the corner, I remembered. The old carriage house. Set back from the front facade of the main house, a separate building, covered in climbing vines and surrounded by manicured hedges and rosebushes, the old building now housed the family cars. On the rooftop, a bronze dragon rotated on a post, its tongue flicking out of its open mouth, pointing into the direction of the wind. We walked toward the twin tall oak doors. Liam lifted the crossbeam and swung one open.
The scent of leather and oil hit me as I stepped into the darkness. Light filtered in from a few high windows, tinged green by the vines climbing up the exterior walls. Dust swirled in the sunbeams and a layer of sandy dirt covered the concrete floor.
“Which one’s our ride?” I asked, glancing back and forth between the two vehicles parked inside. One was a sleek black sedan, and the other a dusty, muddy, older-model Land Rover.
“Neither,” he said, walking between the two cars toward the back wall of the carriage house. I followed him, wondering if there was enough room back there for another, maybe smaller, car to be hiding. Instead, I rounded the back of the Land Rover and found him standing next to a sporty motorcycle with knobby tires. He had a helmet in each hand, and was holding one out to me and smiling.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. The last thing I wanted to do was climb onto the back of a motorcycle with a guy I barely knew. Those things were death traps.
He squinted at me. “What’s the problem?”
“Can’t we just take one of the cars? I can go ask my aunt. I’m sure she’ll let me borrow one.” I took a step backward and reached for the back of the Land Rover.
He took a step closer to me, the offered helmet suspended between us. “Are you scared?” His smile was gone, and he gazed down at me with a look of serious concern.
“No.” I stood up straighter, looked past him, and stuck out my chin at the offending beast. I wasn’t scared, I was sane. And sane people didn’t ride motorcycles.
“Well, what’s the problem, then?” He shook his shaggy hair out of his eyes and leaned his head into my field of vision until I was forced to meet his eyes again.
“It’s just…” I scowled and glanced at the back wall. Motorcycles were dangerous. I’d seen those crazy riders zipping between cars on the highway back home. “I like my body parts where they are, thank you very much.”
He snorted. “I agree.” He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “And I have no intention of harming any of your body parts.” He cocked his head to one side and offered me the helmet again. “I’ll go slow. Promise.”
I wondered if maybe we were no longer referring to this motorcycle ride. But I pushed that thought out of my head and placed my hands on the helmet. “Slow,” I said. Was I really agreeing to this? What was I thinking?
“Promise,” he said. I took the helmet from him and held it. When I didn’t move to put it on right away, he narrowed his eyes and added, “You have been on one of these before, yes?”
I shook my head.
“I see.” He rubbed the scruffy hairs on his chin. “We can take the car if you want.”
I shook my head again. “No. I trust you.” As the words escaped my mouth, I realized that I had no idea where they’d come from. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t even know him, and he was clearly up to something that had nothing to do with helping my aunt and uncle. Still, this was why I’d come here, to escape the mess I’d made of my perfect life and try something new.
“Let’s do this,” I said.
“Okay, then. Meet me outside.”
I turned and walked with the helmet back toward the doors. The short journey gave me way too much time to think about what I’d just agreed to do. I swallowed my fear and stepped out into the surprisingly bright sunlight filtering through the overcast skies. I blinked down at the helmet in my hands until my eyes readjusted. Then I fiddled with the straps and visor while I waited for Liam.
I didn’t look up until I heard the crunch of tires on the gravel. Then, before I could change my mind and chicken out, I pulled the helmet over my head and busied myself with fastening the straps.
Liam leaned the motorcycle on its kickstand and placed his helmet on the seat. “Here,” he said, walking over to me. “Let me help you with that.” He tested the straps, then placed his hands on the helmet, one on either side of my head, and tried to move it, but my head moved instead. “Good,” he said. “It’s not too loose.” He smiled at me and lifted the visor. “Okay in there?” he asked.
I nodded.
“All right, then.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and steered me over to the motorcycle. “See this peg?” He pointed at a piece of metal and rubber sticking out from the side of the motorcycle. I nodded. “I’m going to get on first. Then you put your foot there and climb on behind me. Got it?”
“I’m not an idiot.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’ve ridden a bike before. Same concept.”
“Hey.” He held up his hands. “I’m just trying to make sure you feel safe.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. The helmet muffled my voice, but he nodded once like he’d heard me.
He pulled his helmet over his head and buckled the strap with practiced ease before swinging his leg over the seat to stand, straddling the motorcycle. When he turned the key, the motorcycle rumbled to life.
