Chapter 17
Diesel
There was nothing worse than waiting, especially when my future with Ellie was hanging in the balance. I’d called Cotton more times than I could count, hoping that he’d heard something from MJ, but there was no news. The charges against Ellie were still in full effect, and the prosecution was continuing its investigation. Big had been using his hacking skills to keep tabs on anything that they might uncover, and as far as he could tell, they’d found nothing. MJ assured us that even if the chief didn’t do as Brady had asked, the lack of evidence would make it nearly impossible for them to prove that Ellie had actually done anything wrong. Even so, I prayed that we’d never have to find out. I wanted the charges dropped and for her to be free and clear of Brady for good.
While neither of us had said it out loud, Ellie and I were both feeling pretty anxious, and just sitting at the house wasn’t helping any. Hoping if we kept ourselves distracted, we might ease some of the tension, I suggested, “You up for getting out for a little while?”
“Sure. Where do you want to go?”
“I thought I might take you out to Smokey’s place.”
“What’s at Smokey’s?”
“His folks had an apple orchard when he was growing up, and after they died, they left the place to him and his sister. They’ve built it up to a really cool place, especially the barn. I thought we might go check it out.”
“So, this doesn’t have anything to do with MJ?” she asked with a knowing smile.
I shrugged. “Well, if we happen to see her, it wouldn’t hurt to ask if she’s heard anything.”
“Okay, but I’m pretty sure you’re driving everybody crazy at this point. You’ve already called Cotton like ten times since we left,” she teased.
“I’ve only called him three times, thank you very much. I can’t help it if I’m a little on edge. This is my girl we’re talking about. I need to know everything’s gonna be okay.”
“Your girl, huh?”
“Yeah. My girl. Now, quit giving me a hard time.” I put my hands on her hips, pulling her towards me, and after a quick kiss, I said, “Grab your coat.”
When we got outside, I noticed that it had finally gotten warm enough to clear off the roads. It wouldn’t be long until the tow company had gotten Ellie’s car pulled from the ravine. Since it was totaled, we’d have to find her something else to drive, but that was a task for another day. We both needed some time to decompress, and as I started towards the truck, I found myself wishing it was warm enough for us to take the bike. Ellie must’ve noticed my hesitation and asked, “Do you want to take your bike?”
“I’m afraid it will be too cold for you. It gets pretty chilly when you’re going down the road at sixty to seventy miles per hour.”
“Well, I thought a biker was always prepared for whatever kind of weather came their way,” she mocked.
“We are.”
“Alright then.” Her voice was full of sass when she asked, “Don’t you have some more warm stuff I could put on?”
“Yeah.” I nodded with a smile. “I’ve got some heated gear you could use.”
“Great. I’m up for taking the bike if you are.”
“I’m definitely up for it,” I told her, trying not to sound overly excited. “Let me go get my gear.”
I went into the garage and grabbed my heated jacket and pants for her and an extra layer of thermal wear for myself. Once we were both dressed, I gave her a hand with the helmet, hopped on my Harley, and helped her climb on. “Have you ever ridden before?”
“Just my brother’s moped.”
“Not quite the same thing, angel.”
“Okay. Then, what do I need to know?”
“Just hold on tight, lean into the turns, and try not to wiggle when we’re coming up to a stop. Follow my lead with the rest, and you’ll be fine.”
“Got it.”
With Ellie clinging to my sides, I slowly backed out of the driveway and out onto the main road. It had been weeks since I’d been able to ride, and just feeling the engine roar to life gave me a rush. It wasn’t hard to describe the intense feelings of riding a motorcycle. It was the best high I’ve ever had. There was something about the wind in my face, even when it was freezing-ass cold outside, that made me feel alive. All of my senses were magnified—I became one with the road and the world around me, with all its different smells and breathtaking colors. It was simply incredible. Absolutely nothing beat the thrill of riding a six hundred pound, two-wheeled machine, and knowing the risks involved, only heightened my enjoyment. It was the best therapy known to man, at least for me it was.
As we drove down the old, country road to Smokey’s house, I was worried that Ellie might not be feeling the same way, but then she leaned forward, her lips close to my ear, and shouted, “This is amazing!”
“Glad you think so. Are you warm enough?”
“I’m freezing! But I love it!”
I didn’t like the fact that she was cold, but I hoped she’d be able to warm up once we got to Smokey’s. When we pulled up their driveway, there were several cars parked in front of the barn. Even though it was off-season, people still came to buy Liv’s canned goods, along with other little odds and ends. As soon as we were parked, I helped her off the bike and out of her gear, and we entered the barn. They were still remodeling, but the place already looked amazing. I couldn’t believe how much MJ had gotten done, especially since she was still working part-time at the law office. Seeing how well they were doing, I figured it was only a matter of time before she’d be working at the farm full-time.
Smokey was in the back, talking with one of his field hands, and as soon as Ellie spotted him, she looked over to me and whispered, “Is it just me, or does Smokey remind you of a mountain man?”
“A mountain man?” I chuckled.
“Yeah. With his dark eyes and big, bushy, black beard, he reminds me of a mountain man ... especially with that flannel shirt he’s wearing.”
“Never thought of it before, but now that you mention it, I guess he does.” As we started walking towards him, I said, “How’s it going, Smoke?”
“Hey.” He smiled. “I didn’t know you were coming out today.”
“We were getting a little stir crazy at the house and decided to get out for a bit. Ellie hasn’t had a chance to see the place, so I thought we’d stop by.”
“Glad you came by, but MJ isn’t here. She had a doctor’s appointment, and then she was gonna run over to her office for something, but it shouldn’t be much longer.”
I nodded. “Mind if I show Ellie around for a bit?”
“No, not at all. Why don’t you take one of the UTVs and go for a spin around the orchard? There are a couple of blankets in the back of mine that you’re welcome to use.”
“We’ll do that. Thanks, brother.”
We headed outside and over to Smokey’s big, red UTV, and, like he said, there were several blankets in the backseat. I handed one to Ellie, and once she’d covered her legs, I started driving out towards the orchard. Even though they weren’t blooming, the fields of trees were beautiful. One row led into the next, making the farm seem even larger than it really was. We hadn’t been riding long, when Ellie said, “I’ve never been to an apple orchard before.”
“Well, what do you think?”
“It’s beautiful. If I was Smokey, I don’t think I would ever leave.”
“Believe it or not, he’d told me that he wasn’t exactly thrilled about taking the place over.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Too many memories and too much work, although, he’s got good people working for him. That always makes it easier,” I explained.
“I’m sure it does. I imagine it’s a lot of hard work, but I think I’d love it.”
“Well, I know the boss.” I gave her a quick wink. “If you ever decide you want to work out here, I could put a good word in for you.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve always wanted to take a few classes, but I think that time has come and gone.”
“What kind of classes?”
“Just some art classes. Maybe, using watercolors or even graphic design. There was a time when I was pretty good at it. My high school teacher said I had a lot of promise, but that was years ago.”
“Why’d you stop?”
“I don’t know. I guess I lost my inspiration.” She turned and looked back out at the orchard. “But I think I’ve found it again.”
“Then, we’ll find you some classes to take,” I told her as I started driving back towards the barn.
“You make it sound so simple.”
“It is simple. If there’s something you want to do, I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen. Easy as that.”
Tears started to fill her eyes as she said, “Diesel.”
“What’s with the waterworks? Did I say something wrong?”
“No. You said everything just right. You always do.” She leaned her head on my shoulder as she whispered, “I don’t know if my heart can take much more.”
“Meant every word, Ellie. You’re mine, and I take care of what’s mine.” I felt her tremble and worried that the cold was getting to her. I reached behind us for another blanket, and as I handed it to her, I said, “I better get you back before you turn into a popsicle.”
When we got back to the barn, there was still no sign of MJ, but Smokey was done working and asked us inside for a cup of coffee. I figured it would give Ellie a chance to warm up before the ride home, so I took him up on his offer. Ellie’s eyes grew wide as we stepped into his house. I couldn’t blame her. It was really something. The house came with the farm, and as soon as he took it over, Smokey had Guardrail and the guys completely remodel the entire house. Every room looked like something out of a magazine, but even with all the fancy touches, it still felt welcoming, like a home should be. Once Smokey poured us each some coffee, he said, “I heard you two had a pretty interesting visit with the Saints.”
“Yeah. You could say that.”
“Maybe it’ll all pay off soon, especially since the chief knows his son is still alive.”
I shrugged. “You’d think that, but we haven’t heard anything from the prosecutor. Gotta make you wonder what’s taking so long.”
“If it was my guess, I’d say he’s out there looking for him, but we both know he’s not gonna find him. Maybe, it’s just a matter of getting it out of his system.”
“Maybe so, but I gotta tell ya, this waiting is for the fucking birds, brother.” I looked over to Ellie and sighed. “We’re both ready to get this thing done.”
Ellie looked over to Smokey and said, “It’s just hard to think about making plans for my future until all this gets settled. I guess I should’ve thought about all this before I turned myself in, huh?”
“We all get why you did it, Ellie,” Smokey told her. “Took a lot of balls to face up to that, and I got no doubt that it’ll all work out in your favor, especially with MJ and the brothers having your back. You’ll see.”
“You’ve all been so good to me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“Glad you don’t have to find out.” Smokey smiled. “How are you liking it out at Diesel’s place?”
“I love it there, and the views are incredible.”
“Yeah, they are. He really lucked out the day he found it.”
We were just finishing up our cup of coffee, when we heard a car pull up in the driveway. Smokey tilted his head and as he looked out the window, his eyes lit up. “There she is.”
As badly as I wanted to rush out that door to talk to her, I stayed planted in my seat and waited for her to come inside. When she finally walked in, it was clear from the way she tossed her bags on the table that she’d had a long day.
“Hey, guys. Smokey didn’t tell me you were coming by.”
“They haven’t been here long. Diesel brought Ellie over to see the orchard. How did the doctor’s appointment go?”
She ran her hand over her full belly as she smiled. “Good. The doctor says she’s doing great.”
“I told you.” Smokey boasted.
“Yes, you did, but you know I’m gonna worry. It’s what I do.” MJ walked over to Ellie and said, “I have some things to talk to you about.”
“Okay.”
MJ took a step back and cocked her head to the side. “So, what do you want first, the good news or the bad news?”
The moment had finally arrived. Even though it hadn’t been all that long, it seemed like we’d been waiting a lifetime to find out if Ellie’s charges were going to be dropped. Not knowing what she was about to say, I tried to mentally prepare myself for the worst. Apparently, Ellie was doing the same, because she said, “Give me the bad news first.”