Chapter 3
Jack
Okay, I might be a bit of a mischievous prick. I had a day off from Teddy’s garage when I saw the mailman swan up to Summer’s house with her package. As luck would have it, it was too big for the post box so he decided to leave it with a neighbor. When I saw him walking up to the house next door I ran over and stopped him before he could knock. After spinning a yarn about the neighbors being out, I talked him into leaving the package with me. He looked like he had a few doubts about leaving the package in the care of yours truly, but after I clenched my jaw and cracked my knuckles he was quick to change his mind.
So that was how I got my opening with Summer, and that’s also how I found out one of her dirty little secrets.
I feel a bit guilty, I didn’t mean to embarrass the girl. I thought we could just have a little friendly neighborhood banter. Still, I know her name now at least – and she knows mine. It won’t be much longer before she’s screaming it into the night.
After working at Teddy’s one night I decide to stop at a diner on my way home. My stomach’s growling at the thought of hunger and I need to eat something fast. It’s not easy staying the size I am, a lot of people assume that 300 pounds of muscle comes from lifting heavy shit all day, but truth is there’s a lot more to it. Like eating a fucking metric shit ton of food to keep the machine fueled.
I roll up to the joint on a Harley that I’ve borrowed from Teddy. It’s not my first choice of bike, but until I get my bike fixed it will have to do. It ticks over loud enough to turn just about every head as I ride into the parking lot.
As soon as I step inside the diner I can’t help but laugh. Looks like I picked the same joint that Summer works in.
“Welcome to Blaze Burgers!” She starts all chipper, in automatic mode like I’m just a regular customer. Then she looks up and finally recognizes me. “You.” She practically spits the words out at me. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me?”
I hold my hands up, trying to side step the accusation. “Hey, I’m just a guy looking for a burger. God’s honest truth.”
Summer eyeballs me for a second, trying to figure out if she believes me or not. Then she realizes she has to do her job either way, she hasn’t got much choice.
“Whatever. Table for one?”
“No, the Dalai Lama is just out front parking the truck.” I laugh and Summer looks at me with fire in her eyes. “I’m kidding, relax. Give me a table in the corner.”
Summer escorts me over to a corner table reluctantly and asks me what I want. She’s in a bad mood and I fucking love it. She really thinks I followed here, like I’m some crazy stalker. I order a beer with a burger and fries and she slinks away before disappearing into the kitchen. She comes back out at once with a beer and then she’s gone.
About fifteen minutes later another waitress comes out with my order. Guess Summer’s not working my table anymore. The new girl is about the same age, but she’s a blond cheerleader looking type. As she places the food down onto the table she tries hard to get my attention.
“I like your ink.” She says, tracing her eyes over my torso and biting her lip. “Do you come here with your girlfriend at all?”
The waitress twirls a finger through her hair and pushes her breasts out. I pick up my burger and take a bite, responding with a mouthful of food.
“Not interested, scram.”
The waitress drops the flirting instantly and sulks away. It’s obvious she’s not the type that’s used to being turned down. I don’t care though, I’m only interested in one girl and that’s Summer.
After I finish the food the waitress comes back and I pay the bill. Her mood is distinctively sourer since I turned her down, but she’s till eager to please.
“Is Summer not here?” I ask as I stand up and pull on my leather jacket.
“She had a break and now she’s about to go home. You might catch her outside. She normally has a smoke before she leaves.”
I make my way outside the diner, taking a moment to stretch in the hot parking lot before getting on my bike. I look around for Summer but can’t see any signs of her; she must have head off home already. I’m about to fire up the engine, when I hear someone shouting.
“Look I told you creep, I’m not interested, so just leave me alone!”
Summer. Her voice is coming from behind the diner. I clench my fists and make my way around the back quickly. There I see Summer backing away from two dick head frat boys.
“Stop being so uptight bitch, just come and get in the car and party with us!”
Summer tries to back away but she’s got nowhere left to run. There’s just brick wall behind her. She’s trapped. One of the frat boys grabs her wrist. Big mistake pal.
“Come on, we’ll show you a good time. Stop being so frigid!”
“Get your fucking hands off her.” I growl, take my jacket off and walk up to them.
The frat boys spin around from Summer to face me and smirk.
“Hey Jared, get a load of steroids over here. I think he wants to try his luck–”
I walk towards dick head number one and sink my fist into his face. He hits the floor like a sack of shit. I turn my sights on the second asshole, the same one who grabbed Summer’s wrist.
“Hey man, we were just playing around!” He starts to try and crawl his way out of it, but I don’t give him chance.
I grab his head in my left hand and smash his face into the brick wall. He falls onto the floor in a heap beside his friend. Summer looks at me in shock.
“Let’s go.” I hold my hand out and Summer takes it, stepping over the dweebs on the floor. As we walk back through the alley I pick up my jacket and put it over her shoulders, she’s shaking slightly, and I can’t blame her. She’s probably full of adrenaline.
We walk back to the front of the diner and I rock up to my bike.
“Get on.” I tell her. “I’ll give you a lift back home.”
“That’s okay.” She stammers. “I can walk.”
“Get on.” I tell her again. “It’s not negotiable. You’re in no fit state to walk back.”
She nods and climbs on to the bike, wrapping her arms around my solid body.
“Hold on tight.” I warn her as I fire up the engine. “I ride hard.”