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He turns, not quite looking at me. “Yeah?”
“And I don’t care. I love you, brother.”
“Love you too, man.”
23
Wynn
I sitby myself in the cafeteria.
Liam wasn’t in bed when I woke up and I couldn’t find him anywhere. I stare down at the ham sandwich wrapped in clear plastic, unenthusiastically reaching into the bag of potato chips and popping one in my mouth as I wait.
The chair next to me screeches as someone sits down. I lift my head and meet Lanston’s warm gaze. His hazel eyes are soft and comforting, his smile even more so.
“Good morning, Wynn. How’d you sleep?” He looks as tired as I feel. He hands me a paper cup of coffee and the biggest smile forms on my lips. We’re kindred souls, he and I.
“You’re the best. I slept okay, I guess. How about you? Have you seen Liam?”
Lanston takes off his baseball cap and sets it on the table. His shiny light-brown hair falls perfectly over his forehead in small waves.
“Yeah, he stopped by my room this morning. He didn’t go back to yours?” His brows pinch with worry and he searches my eyes for reassurance.
I shake my head. “No, he didn’t. Do you think he’s okay?”
He looks down at his hands as if in deep thought. Then he snaps back up. “I bet he already took off to town. Our appointment is in a few hours.”
* * *
The underground garage is cleaner than I expected it to be. The cement is uncracked and smooth. Every vehicle down here costs more than what I made in a year at my old corporate job. Sad.
I sold my soul at that job and what did it get me? More depression and more heart pills.
Lanston wears his black leather jacket. His crisp scent is earthy and pleasant. He glances back at me with a boyish grin.
“You ride, right?” He nods over to two black crotch rockets. One is mine, I can tell by the silver handles and the small, pink heart-shaped sticker on the side. The other must be his.
“You have the exact same model I do.” I laugh. It’s been ages since I’ve taken my motorcycle for a drive. Lanston picks up my black helmet off the seat and hands it to me, but when I try to take it from him, he doesn’t let go. I quirk a brow at him.
“Think you can keep up with me?”
I yank the helmet from his hands and smile. “We’ll see who’s keeping up with who.”
He laughs, and it actually reaches his eyes. He looks at me for a few moments before murmuring, “You’re going to be the end of me.”
We secure our helmets and he tosses me a pair of spare gloves. His helmet is black too, but a white line runs down the center. He revs his engine, flips me off, and peels out of the garage.
I smile beneath my helmet and giddiness fills my entire body. I haven’t felt this excited in a long time. My bike purrs between my thighs and when I jerk the throttle, my tires squeal as I tear down the runway after Lanston.
Laughter that no one else can hear pours from me and the cold air welcomes me entirely, breathing new life into my exhausted soul.
Lanston circles the driveway a few times until I pass him, then he hits his gas and races after me. I squeal and speed up to stay in front of him.
These are the perfect roads to fuck around on, long and free of traffic. I turn right once I reach the highway. We head toward Bakersville with our throttles pulled toward us, accelerating to dangerous levels. Lanston has his choked as far as it will go and flies by me at a reckless speed, putting his hand up to his helmet and motioning it like he’s blowing me a kiss.
Cocky asshole. My cheeks hurt from smiling.
I’ve needed a person like him in my life for a really long time. HimandLiam.
