I never heard Lucy come home last night. Wherever she is, I fucking miss her. She’s the only distraction out here in this sleepy village.

I stare out the window to the ocean while holding Babeen. I can’t fully comprehend how this girl stands living so far away from reality. There’s nothing good on TV and no other form of distraction aside from the cat. It’s when the clock hits five PM and Lucy’s nowhere to be seen that I know it’s time to regain control. My mind’s made up. It’s time for me to man up and find my own way.

Inside one of Lucy’s kitchen drawers I find a map of the small town. I take a minute to trace the roads back toward the tavern, and from there, across to the highway that leads of town. I stop, tapping a sweeping curve with my fingertip. There it is… My ticket out of here. It’s a long walk, but I can make it.

As I walk down the driveway, a reflection of the sun catches in my eye and derails my whole plan. Looks like I won’t have to go hunting for it. There she is. Silver and chrome, still beat up from the accident and resting up against the garage.

How the hell did it end up back here? I jog over to my baby and fall at her side, running my hands down the bent chrome.

She’s hurt bad.

It was worse than I’d hoped. The paint’s scratched, the exhaust is hanging on by a thread, the wheels are fucked, and there’s no damn way she’s going to ride out of here anytime soon. This is no cheap fix. I hunt around and find a blue tarp to pull over her to keep her from rusting.

I’m going to need money…

I’m going to need some kind of job.

“I see you found it,” Lucy shouts, walking up the road behind me. I stop dwelling on my problems and let her beauty distract me a while.

“How’d you get it back here?”

“Wasn’t too hard… A few people stopped to help lift it into the truck. Getting it down was a little harder… I hope I didn’t hurt it.”

“The damage was already done,” I replied, shaking my head. “Thanks for getting her out of that ditch.”

“Yeah… Don’t mention it. You keeping yourself busy? How’s your head?”

“Still fucked… At least I had some reading materials,” I say, gesturing to her studio. “I now know 1001 tricks to try in bed, how to be a boss bitch plus a few unhealthy ways to lose ten pounds in a week. Every day’s a school day.”

“Ah, you found my secret stash of trash mags, huh? Guilty.” She brightens up. “Look, I need some way to unwind after this hectic single girl lifestyle I lead.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

She smiles at me and I smile back. Her mood seems different than it was yesterday. Comfortable… Happier… But still just a little nervous.

And I feel something familiar welling up inside of me again.

Desire.

This girl has an effect on me.

I follow her back inside and I watch her gather a few things from around the studio while Babeen squeezes his way between her legs.

“So, how was your day aside from dragging my scrap metal out of a ditch?”

“Weird. But…I have a surprise for you.”

“I’m not sure my legs are ready for another one of your surprises,” I laugh, still sore from our hike.

“Don’t worry, we’re not going far.”

I extend my hand and she takes it. We exit out the ranch slider into the clearing of her back yard that looks out at a vast expanse of ocean-side cliffs and tundra.

We breach a dense bush-line, curve around some big rocks until we are standing on an overhanging cliff. She pulls a big towel out of her backpack and lays it down on the dirt, laying out a small picnic as I watch.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to keep me here Lucy,” I say, sitting down next to her, my knees aching.

“I’m just trying to help,” she replies.

“I do have to head off tomorrow. I’ve got to get my bike fixed, find my wallet, and figure out what the next step is for me. I can’t do that here… I’ve already overstayed my welcome.”

“You’re no burden,” she says.

“Yet.”

“Never. Honestly, stay as long as you need. I enjoy your company.”

“Lucy, I don’t wanna offend you in saying this. Why, goddammit, why do you want to keep me here so badly?”

“I don’t.” She’s quick to answer. “I just want to make sure you’re fit enough to leave. What if you go back to Jethrow and realize it was a mistake? You’ll be alone.”

“I want you to come with me.”

“What?” she asks, choking on a bite of her sandwich.

“Help me get my bike back to Jethrow. I’m remembering things. Names, faces. I know my club is back there and I know I can fix whatever the hell happened. I’ve got money there… I can pay you back for what you’ve done here.”

“Landon, you know I’d do anything for you it’s just… I can’t go to Jethrow… I mean…” She cuts herself off and her eyes widen. I stare at her for a moment. She’s do anything for me? What in the hell was going on with this girl?

“What about Mia?” she says, derailing my whole chain of thought.

“I might have hit my head, but I do know one thing. I’m not with Mia. I don’t think I’ve ever been with her.”

I pause as Lucy looks me over, her eyes clearly looking for some evidence that I might be lying to her… Thing is, I meant every damn word I just said. Body, heart, and soul.

“I need to tell you something,” she says matter of factly, breaking her silence. “Because you’re leaving and it’s one of the last chances I’m going to get to tell you…”