“I’m right here, assholes,” I growl. “And I know it’s the fucking bike I want, but what is this?” I wave the paper in front of Ricky’s face.
“It’s not the bike you want,” he says, grabbing the picture out of my hand. “It’s the bike you’re going to get. It’s already in production. It’ll probably take me about six months or so, but you’ll have it by next summer.”
I’m at a complete loss for words. “I…I can’t afford this right now. You should’ve talked to me first, Ricky.”
He shrugs. “It’s already paid for.”
Blood starts roaring through my ears. “What do you mean, it’s already paid for?”
“Lennon paid me for it. She’s—well, you—are the first client of Custom Cycles. And she didn’t hold back, brother. You’ll have the best of the best.”
A wave of dizziness washes over me, and I reach for the closest thing to hold on to, which happens to be Mikey. I can’t believe this.
“Why would she do this?”
I don’t even realize I’ve spoken the words aloud until Mikey answers.
“Because she loves you.”
My head snaps up.
“Don’t look so surprised,” he says, laughing.
“Why didn’t she back out after we broke up?” I ask, my world spinning faster and faster.
“Wait. You guys broke up?” Ricky asks.
Mikey waves him off. “They’re just taking a break. Noah here is about two seconds from realizing he made a huge fucking mistake, at which time the break will end and the prince and princess will live happily ever after.”
“You watch too many Disney movies with Nova,” I mumble.
“Your fault, dude. You made a such a cute freaking kid. I can’t tell her no. Now, what about Lennon?”
“I can’t do this, Mike. All of this is great. The shop and the bike—which I can’t accept—but it doesn’t change anything.”
“It could change everything.”
“You believe her?” I ask hesitantly, because I already know the answer.
“I do, because I know her.”
“She was arrested for drugs, Mikey.” I shake my head, still in disbelief over that one. “How can I believe her when she says they weren’t hers? That’s just what Kim used to say to me. How do I put someone like that in my daughter’s life?”
Mikey looks at me in utter disbelief. “When are you going to stop making excuses and realize that Lennon isn’t Kim? Son of a bitch, Noah, I’ve never known you to be such a prick.”
“This is my life, Mikey,” I yell, jabbing a finger into my chest. “This is my daughter’s life.”
“Yes.” He nods. “I get that. So do the both of you a favor and pull your head out of your goddamn ass and bring that woman home.”
I run my fingers through my hair as prickles of regret stab through my chest. Suddenly I realize I can’t hide anymore—and that’s what I’ve been doing. Hiding. All this with Ricky and the bike confirms what I should already know—what I should never have doubted. The Lennon I got to know is the real Lennon. She’s kind and good, and she came to Heaven doing her best to move past a difficult situation. In the midst of everything else, I lost sight of what I already knew.
I look at the clock. Nova should be home any minute. Suddenly I’m even more anxious to see the dress Lennon made for Nova.
“What if I—”
“No what-ifs, man. You can’t do that to yourself, and you can’t do that to her. You have a decision to make. You either believe the girl, in which case you need to apologize your ass off for being such a fucking dick, or you don’t believe her, and you let her go for good.”
I swallow hard.