Colton
“What’s up with you, man?” Daniel asks.
“Nothing, why?”
“Mac asked you three times what you want to drink and you just keep staring at the door. You waiting for someone to show up?”
God, I wish Goldie would walk through that door, but I’m pretty sure I’ll never see her again. The thought of never having her underneath me doesn’t sit well.
“Sorry, Mac. I’ll take a shot of tequila. Actually, make it a double.”
Mac and Daniel look at each other.
“What?”
“The last time you drank tequila, you were nursing a broken heart. Sally Wilson dumped your big ass and you drowned it in tequila.”
They’re right. I always drink tequila when it comes to women.
“Fuck. I met this woman at Cheeser’s last night. We went back to her motel room and I skipped out this morning. I feel like an ass for leaving.”
“That doesn’t sound like something you’d do, Murph. What the hell happened?” Mac asks.
“I don’t know. I went into the bar for a drink after work and this goddess sits down next to me. She’s not from around here, I could tell that much.”
“OK. So, that doesn’t tell us why you skipped out. I mean, was it bad? The sex?” Daniel asks.
The sex? Bad? Jesus. It was the best sex I’ve ever had but it was more than that. It felt like we were both two wayward souls who had personal demons we were dealing with.
“No, man. It was off the fucking charts. That’s not it. She didn’t want to exchange any personal information. No names, no phone numbers…nothing.”
“Shit, Murph. Maybe she’s married or something. Maybe she just needed to let off some steam and you were in the right place at the right time for her,” Mac says, as he pours Daniel a beer.
“I don’t know, Mac. She was definitely running from something.”
“Well, if that’s true, then it’s best you stay away. With all you got going on, you don’t need any more drama,” Daniel tells me.
I know he’s right, but it doesn’t matter much anyway. I’ll never see Goldie again.
“Let’s talk about something else. How have things been since you moved in with Nicole?” I ask, redirecting the conversation away from me.
Daniel shifts on the barstool. “Everything’s good, man. Nicole and I are talking about getting married. Lucy loves her just as much as I do. Things will be a little weird for a while though. Nicole’s sister Alexandra just got into town, and she’ll be staying with us until her place is ready.”
“Shit, Daniel. Sounds like you’ve been cockblocked by your future sister-in-law.” I laugh.
“Yeah, don’t I know it. Between Alexandra and Lucy, my naked time with Nicole will be pretty limited.” Daniel looks at his watch. “Shit. Gotta go meet the sister.”
“Good luck, bro,” I tell him with a pat on the back. “I’m leaving too, Mac. I’ll see ya around.”
Mac nods as I head out the door. I need to get on my Harley and put Goldie out of my mind.
As I ride down Edgewater Drive, my mind wanders to what Vinny told me. Not knowing how it fits into my father’s murder, I tuck it away for now. Feeling the warm humid gulf air on my face, I slow down to savor the scene.
Pulling into a parking area, I notice the way the lights of Clearwater illuminate the water. Of course it makes me think of the woman I walked out on this morning. Even though she is hiding something, when I had her naked underneath me, she had a light in her eyes. I’ve never been in this situation before. There’s something about her that got under my skin. I’m not sure if it’s the anonymity of last night or the fact that I want to make it all better for her.
I stroke my beard, forcing my thoughts back to my own demons. I want to make my father’s killer pay for what he or she did. My dad would never have committed suicide, that’s not who he was.
Buzz is what everyone called him, even me. He was a big burly man who loved his club and his family. My mom couldn’t handle the life so she took off, leaving Buzz to raise me on his own. He kept me safe from the club’s dealings. Even though he loved the life, he didn’t want it for me.
I miss my father every minute of every day, and I’ve made it my mission to avenge his death. Vinny’s been working with me for the last year and it seems as though every time we get a lead, it goes nowhere. I promised my dad I wouldn’t give up and if it takes me to my dying breath, I’ll find his killer.