20

ADDIE

The café had beencrazy busy all morning. I’d been rushed off my feet and that’s the way I liked it, but it was clearing out now. Grabbing a tray, I started cleaning the free tables. I was stacking the plates onto my tray and wiping the table when the growl of Harley pipes echoed down the street, rattling the café windows.

Two bikes roared past.

Riff was one of them, and Manic was the other.

He’d put his bike away for the winter, but they’d obviously decided to take one last ride. It was a beautiful day, cold but clear, probably the last ride they’d get in before it snowed.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he rode by. I wanted to be on the back of that bike, my arms wrapped around him. He turned, then, and looked right at me, our eyes clashing and holding, and I sucked in a breath. His lips curled up, then he turned away.

My heart smacked around in my chest.

He’d held me all night again last night. He’d been doing that for the better part of a month.

What the hell do you think you’re doing with him?

I’d told him I couldn’t be with him, and I knew it wasn’t fair, but I couldn’t seem to stay away.

Manic still sent me a text every night and every morning, and besides my sneaking into his bed in the dead of night, that was all the contact we had. We didn’t even speak when I went to him. He didn’t ask for anything, just pulled back the covers, and I’d climb into his arms. He never mentioned it in his texts. I got my good-morning message and that he hoped I’d have a good day. Then another at night, telling me about his day and to say good night.

I was the one who sent him away, but only because it was what I had to do, and I missed him so damn badly.

The sessions with my therapist were exhausting but exactly what I needed. I’d talked to her a lot the last few weeks, and the new medication she’d prescribed at my first appointment seemed to be finally helping. I was sleeping better, at least, and I didn’t think it was all because of Manic, though I knew that was definitely part of it. And my appetite had returned with gusto—all good signs that this medication might work for me. But best of all, I hadn’t had a panic attack in a couple of weeks.

I wanted to tell Manic about it, but I wasn’t sure that was a good idea, not yet, anyway. I’d been down this road before, thought I was getting better, then everything fell apart.

The door opened and Lila walked in. She spotted me and smiled wide. Rushing over, she pulled me in for a quick hug. “Hey, I haven’t talked to you in a couple days. I thought I’d come and get Riff and I some dessert for later and visit my bestie.”

“You got time for a coffee? This place has finally quieted down, and if I don’t get some caffeine into me stat, shit will get ugly.”

“Oh my god, yes,” Lila said. “The painters are arriving tomorrow to start on the library, and the girl I hired from the high school to help me pack the books never stops talking.” Lila shoved up her glasses. “And the confidence. I wish I’d had half of what she’s got going on back in high school. She’s sweet, but yeah, she’s a lot.”

I laughed. “I was that girl once. I never shut up, overconfident, loud, can you believe that?”

“So not much has changed then,” Lila said and poked her tongue out at me.

I laughed again as we walked to the counter and I got our coffees. “If I remember correctly, it was my confident ass that dragged your shy one to the clubhouse that night. Yes, Riff kicked me and Trix out, but it ended pretty well for you.”

Lila giggled. “Okay, you got me there. I still owe you for that.”

“Damn right. Naming rights for your first born should cover it.” Then we were both laughing again.

We took our seats, and Lila smiled, giving my foot a little nudge with hers. “It’s good to hear you laugh, Adds.”

I rested my elbows on the table. “It feels good to be laughing again.”

Lila’s phone chimed, and she checked the screen. She smiled her secret smile, which told me who was texting her. Riff.

But then the smile slipped and her alarmed gaze sliced to me.

My heart stopped instantly. “What is it?”

“He’s okay, Addie,” she forced out and stood. “He’s going to be fine.”

I shot to my feet. “What happened?”

Tags: Sherilee Gray Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net