4.
As Holly pulled into the parking lot at the diner, a plume of sandy dust sprayed out behind her car’s wheels. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and the only person she wanted to see was Elle. She jumped out of the driver’s side and ran up the steps to the front door and pushed it open. The little bell tinged above her head, and a few of the truckers on their stood turned slightly to clock who was coming in. She walked in swiftly and made her way straight to the kitchen. One of the other girls, Abbey, was front of house and taking orders. She waved to her as she passed.
In the kitchen, Elle was stacking up plates at the side of the sink for the pot washers.
“Hey, doll,” she smiled with her big lipstick smile as Holly burst in.
“I need to talk to you!” Holly hissed as she grabbed Elle by the elbow and pulled her out of the kitchen and into the service hall. It was dark in there and cold. Probably the coldest place in Red Creek as it was flanked either side by huge walk-in freezers.
“What’s the matter?” Elle looked stunned.
“Have you seen what’s going on out there today?” Holly asked as her voice shook. “It’s crazy.”
“No,” Elle said nonchalantly, and then, “Do you mean with the bikers?”
Holly looked at her with her mouth agape.
“Yes, of course I mean with the bikers!”
“That’s not something to worry about,” Elle said with a laugh. “This is exactly what we’ve been waiting for our whole lives!”
“What do you mean?” Holly asked, completely confused, not for the first time that day.
“Holly, come on. Both of us are single twenty-five year olds, looking for Mr. Right… Don’t you think there’s a good chance that this new bunch of wild men may bring something good our way?”
Holly stopped and thought about it for a moment. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that a biker might like her.
“I guess I hadn’t really thought about it… I’m more worried about what they’re going to do to this town.”
“They’re going to keep us safe, that’s what,” Elle guffawed. “The old people, they don’t understand that times have changed and crime is everywhere. These guys may be badass and dangerous, but I’d rather have them here than not if another rival gang comes looking for a small town to take over.”
Holly listened to her and could kind of see her point, but it was all so new to her, she didn’t really understand.
“Listen,” Elle said as she rubbed her arm reassuringly. “These outlaws were run out of town years ago, for what reason I don’t know, but I know that not everyone thinks them coming back is such a bad thing, and I’m one of them. I think it’s exciting and just what this place needs. The majority of people who live here are all over fifty, and it’s basically God’s waiting room.” She laughed at her own joke. “I mean come on, did you not get a good look at any of them? I bet some of them were hot, right?”
Holly thought back to what she had seen in the street. The screech of tires, the rumbling of engines and all that leather, muscles and ink.
“I didn’t really get a good look, but yeah, I mean, I guess so.”
“Exactly,” Elle said with a huge grin on her face. “Some strong, hot men who could look after and protect us? There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with that to me.”
Holly knew her friend was right, but she was still worried about what kind of trouble they might bring to the town. She knew what men like that were all about… and most of it was illegal.
“And,” Elle said as she wrapped her arm around Holly’s waist and led her to the farthest end of the service hall, “I know where they’re all going to be tonight.” She wiggled her eyebrows and grinned from ear to ear.
“Oh no,” Holly said. “That is just going looking for trouble!”
“Don’t be such a bore,” Elle teased. “I’m not taking no for an answer, anyway.”
“I thought you were working?” Holly tried to shake free.
“I’m getting off at six, and I’ll be over to pick you up at eight. Now get yourself home and get ready!” she laughed.
Holly looked at her friend. Her enthusiasm and excitement was infectious and even though Holly had a bad feeling about it, her curiosity was also building.
“Okay,” she finally said, defeated. “I’ll come… But where are we even going?”
“They’re having a party down by the lake,” Elle smiled.
“Seriously?” Holly laughed. “That doesn’t sound very outlaw-ish.”
“Oh it will be,” Elle nodded. “Trust me, it’s going to be wild.”
Holly drove home, her head swimming full of possibilities. When she had woken up that morning, she had just been expecting another dull day in Red Creek, with her trying to pass the time in the quickest way possible. Now she was on her way home to get ready for a wild party with a bunch of bikers. She couldn’t help but smile at her predicament.
Holly was a good girl, but on this occasion her curiosity was definitely getting the better of her. For the first time in her life, she thought, Why the hell not?
Back at home, she ate her fruit as she had planned and flung open her closet doors. She’d decided that if she was going to party with men like that, then she was going to dress the part. She hadn’t been out to a club or a bar in such a long time. She didn’t even know what people wore anymore, but she still had a tight little black dress and some killer heels that she could slip into and still look like she had when she had bought them at nineteen.
She looked in the mirror and smiled. Elle was right—this little bit of excitement was exactly what they both needed.