Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ian
I looked over at Eliza lying next to me in bed. She’d stayed over the night after we’d made up, and we’d spent another full day and night together. The only time we’d been apart was for her to go home and get some of her things. And just those two hours had been torture. It was as if we were making up for lost time, squeezing in as much time together as possible. Now it was Monday and we were both going to work. But for a little while, I just watched her sleep. Then I kissed her gently on the mouth and smiled when she opened her eyes.
“Good morning, sleepyhead,” I said. How was it possible that she looked even more beautiful first thing in the morning? I thought that was the time when people were supposed to look their worst. Clearly, I’d been hanging out with the wrong women.
“Morning. Ah, I slept so well,” she said. “I didn’t even know I was sleeping so badly until now.”
“Yeah, me too. How about I make you some breakfast?”
“Is it peanut butter?” she asked.
“Of course. Only the best for my girlfriend.” We’d decided the night before that we were now officially going out, and it felt fun to say the word out loud.
She grinned. “Then yes. I’d love some.”
“By the way,” she asked before we got out of bed, “how many girlfriends have you had in the past? And this is not a loaded question. I honestly don’t care. I’m just curious.”
“Uh, none.”
She raised her eyebrows at me. “Sure, pull the other leg. No seriously, Ian. How many girlfriends have you had? You don’t have to lie about it.”
“Seriously. None.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Well, I’ve been with a lot of girls. And I guess I’ve seen some for longer than just a night. But I’ve never actually had a girlfriend. I’ve just been with girls. And there’s a big difference.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’m not.”
“How come?”
I looked at her and pinched her nose. “Because I was waiting for you, Lashes. And you sure took your time to come into my life.”
She smiled. “Wow, that was not what I expected you to say. So I’m the lucky girl that gets to be your girlfriend. Cool!”
“I’m very pleased with your enthusiasm,” I said. I didn’t ask the question back. I knew that she’d been with Raymond for a long time, and I didn’t feel like talking about him again. I knew she didn’t want to, either.
We made our way to the kitchen. I made the peanut butter on toast while she made the coffee. We grinned at one another the whole time. Ever since we’d gotten back together, we hadn’t stopped smiling. It was as if we were on some sort of level that nobody else was. I put the toast onto two plates and walked over to the table.
“The most extravagant breakfast in the world,” I said and bowed.
She chuckled. “It’s like being in a five-star hotel. So, have you decided whether you’re going to speak to your father or not?”
I took a bite of the toast and considered the question. I’d told Eliza all about what my father had said to me and how he’d given Patriot the new role. She’d been horrified and said that it wasn’t fair at all to me. I’d been willing to just sit back and ignore the whole thing, but now I wasn’t so sure. Eliza was teaching me that it was good to stand up for what I believed in. And I certainly believed in that club.
I nodded. “You know, I think I will. I was a bit nervous about the idea at first. I mean, my father might just laugh at me. He was pretty clear that he didn’t want me to be the head of the club anymore. But it’s worth a shot. I really enjoyed being head of the club, despite the fact that I didn’t think I would.”
“I’m glad. I knew you’d rock it. You’re got the sort of personality that makes people stand up and take note. I know you don’t think you do, but you do. And it’s pretty obvious how much that club means to you. What do you think Patriot will say?”
I shrugged. “I get the feeling that he doesn’t really care one way or the other. Like he’ll do whatever my father asks him to do, but I don’t think he has any serious feelings about the club like I do. I could be wrong, but that’s the impression I get.”
“From what you’ve told me, I get the same feeling. And I’m glad you’re going to talk to you father, no matter what the outcome is.”
The two of us got ready for work and headed out together. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to have her around. There were no airs and graces, and we both just slotted right into each other’s lives. I felt as comfortable at her house as I did in my own, and I knew she felt the same.
“Any chance you can drop me off at work?” she asked suddenly.
“Of course I can. But why? Is there something wrong with your car?”
She shook her head and smiled at me. “No, I just feel like going for a ride.”
“I don’t think you can get any cooler, and then you go and say something like that. Yes, I definitely want to take you to work. Let me get a helmet for you.”
I grabbed a helmet for her to wear, and she hopped on.
At work, I walked through the doors with a huge smile on my face, which Chris immediately noticed.
“Let me guess: you made up with Eliza?” he said.
“How can you tell?” I asked, although I was sure the constant grin on my face had something to do with it. I was generally not a very smiley person.
“Oh come on, it’s pretty obvious. You can’t stop smiling. You’re usually such a grump. I like this Eliza chick. She’s turned you into a happy person, and I never thought I would see the day.”
I laughed. I couldn’t even deny what he was saying as it was every bit of the truth. “Okay, you know me too well. Yeah, we made up. And we’re officially going out.”
“It’s about time!”
“I know. I’m a bit slow with things like this.”
“I’m happy for you, man.”
“Thanks. Well, my smile might be turning into a frown soon. I’m about to confront my father about the club.”
“You serious? How come?”
“I want to run it while my father is recovering. It’s my job. Not Patriot’s.”
Chris grinned. “Good for you. I tell you what: if you can convince your father that the job needs to be yours, I’ll join.”
“You’ll join the club? Really?”
“Really.”
“Oh man, you’re on!”
I couldn’t believe it. I’d been badgering Chris about joining the club for years. There was no way I was going to let my father say no to me, although I was a little worried about the outcome. My father was even more stubborn than I was when he had made up his mind about something.
I walked right in without knocking, and my father looked up in surprise.
“Hi, Dad,” I said and sat down in front of him. “Before you say anything, there’s something that I want to talk to you about. Please hear me out.”
My father looked at me strangely, and then nodded. “Go ahead.”
“I love our family business. I love working at the shop and being around bikes all day. But I also love the community that we’ve been involved in since I was a little boy. I love that club. And I know you don’t like speaking ill of family, but I have four brothers and six cousins who are part of that club and who never do a damn thing for it. I have never missed a meeting. And sure, I messed up recently, but I would do it all over if I had to. Eliza is my girlfriend, and her ex-boyfriend was a scumbag who was harassing her. I punched him because I wanted to, and I’m not sorry for it. But what I am sorry about is that I didn’t stand up for this job. I’m sorry that I pretended like I didn’t care. Because I do care. I care a whole lot.”
I took a deep breath and wished that I’d brought in a glass of water. My throat felt dry. But I continued regardless. I was on a roll, and I couldn’t stop before getting everything I needed to say out. I could see that my father was surprised. It wasn’t like me to talk this much. Usually I was just grunts and nods or shakes of my head.
“And I did so well at the meeting the other day. I stood up there and held a meeting, just like you would’ve done. And people listened to me. They responded to me. And you know what? I really enjoyed it. I’ve always thought that I could never do what you do, but I was wrong. I can do it. And I have done it. And now you’re taking that all away from me? That’s not what you taught me. You taught me to stand up for myself. So this is me, standing up for myself. I want that job back, Dad. At least while you get better.”
I looked at my father with defiance and waited for him to respond. For a while, he didn’t say anything to me. He just looked at me in surprise. Then he smiled.
“Ian, I cannot tell you how long I’ve waited to hear that from you. I knew you had it in you. I knew this was the right job for you.”
“Wait? What? You’re not mad?” I’d been gearing myself up to be thrown out of his office. Praise was the last thing that I had expected.
“Mad? No. I’m not mad. The only reason I’ve been so hard on you all of these years is because I knew you had more potential than the other guys. And I’m not going to get upset with them for their lack of interest. It’s their life, and just because I love this lifestyle, doesn’t mean they have to. But I wanted to push you because I knew that one day you would take over for me. For now, I’m only looking for someone to help out while I’m in recovery. But one day, I’ll want that person to look after it for good. And you’re the right guy for the job.”
“I am? But what about Patriot?”
“Grant? Ah, he’s a good boy. But he doesn’t love this as much as you do. I wouldn’t mind if he did the job, but I’d way rather you did it. He’d be fine at it, but it wouldn’t be the same. And he knows it too. He’s not as bad as you think he is, Ian.”
I laughed. “I seem to think everyone is bad until I give them a chance. It’s a terrible habit.”
“You get it from me. Anyway, I just want to tell you that I’m proud of you.”
It was the first time that I had ever heard my father say those words to me, and I wasn’t too sure what to do with the information. Was this really happening?
“Proud of me?” I whispered.
“I’ve always been proud of you. But never more than in this moment. And I’m going to need a lot more help from you then just at the club, my boy. You and Chris are going to have to run this shop for a while too. Can you handle that?”
I grinned. “Of course we can. But, maybe we should get someone to come in and give us a helping hand too. You know, just while you’re away.”
“Are you finally admitting that you need help?”
I stood up. “I’m walking out this office now. I’m not admitting to anything.”
I grinned and walked out his office with my father’s words still playing through my head. I’m proud of you. Then I walked into the shop and looked straight at Chris.
“Looks like you’re joining the club!”