by Kris Bryant
* * *
I was driving when Marisa called. When I answered, she said, “I’m seeing Jason this weekend. Want to get together for breakfast or lunch Saturday?”
“Sure, that sounds great.” I wasn’t going to ask if he was staying with her. She would give me the details later.
“He and his family really enjoyed our visit and said that we are welcome anytime.”
“I liked it, but I can wait a while. My horse hated me.” I scowled.
“Betsy didn’t hate you. Everyone just wanted you to be on a safe horse so that you didn’t fall and hurt yourself. It was sweet of them,” she said. It sounded like scolding.
“I’m sorry. I’m tired and cranky today. I didn’t sleep the greatest.” I did that thing where every couple of minutes I’d check my phone to see if Piper texted. When she finally did, the surge of adrenaline pushed me an hour past my bedtime. I understood Piper’s need for a connection. That was my defense. If Marisa gave me a hard time, I was going to pull out that card. Marisa rarely felt lonely.
“Want to go out for happy hour tonight?”
“I can’t. I’m going on a bike ride.” It was better to just blurt it out.
“Oh. Okay. Weird, but okay. First yoga, now bike riding. Good for you, though.”
I thought I was going to get away without having to provide an explanation. I was actually getting ready to change the subject, but she stopped me before I could.
“Do you even have a bike? Did you buy one?”
Busted.
“No. I’m actually going on a ride with Piper.” I cringed, waiting for the barrage of judgment.
“That sounds fun. Are you borrowing one of her bikes?”
I treaded lightly. Why was she being so understanding? “Yes. There’s a biking camping trip that she invited me on with a bunch of her friends over Labor Day weekend. If I survive tonight, then I’m going with them.”
“When was the last time you camped?”
“Let me think. It was the time you and I hiked to Nowhere and we camped at Never.” We both laughed. Even though we lived in Colorado, we weren’t sporty outdoor girls. Skiing was a requirement, but we’d never had the urge to hike. “I’ve never been, but I have this need to try new things.”
Marisa and I’d had deep conversations about my new outlook on life. She knew I cared about my job less and my life more. I wasn’t devastated if I didn’t get a deal or if my client signed with another company. Although I did get more business once people found out I survived the plane crash. It was still a hot topic around Denver, even three months later.
“I think it’s great. Jason explained to me how he had this urge to not only stay on the ground but to try new things because he was happy to be alive.”
I rolled my eyes. Sure, believe an almost stranger, but not your best friend. I exhaled slowly. “Yeah. So, when Piper invited me, I said I’d give it a try. There’s an instructor at Bodhi who is really into biking. She’s really cute, too.”
“Oh. Is she gay?”
“I honestly don’t know. She was in and out of Piper’s office in a flash, so I didn’t get a vibe. She’ll be on the trip, though. I’m sure I’ll find out more then.”
“I guess you are unavailable that weekend to head up to Doogan ranch?”
“Sorry, buddy. We leave Saturday morning and come back Monday afternoon. Are you okay going up there by yourself?” I said.
“Oh, I’m completely fine. I trust Jason and I love his family.”
“Well, you can arrest him if he gets out of line.”
“Or just use my handcuffs,” she said.
“Stop it. He’s like my brother or something.”
“So, you don’t want details if and when we hook up?”
“Oh, I do. I just have to better prepare myself for them.” I parked outside Piper’s building. “Okay, I’m here. I need to go. I’ll see you this weekend. I’ll keep my Saturday open. We should do lunch. You might have a late night Friday.”
“Good point. Lucy’s at noon?”
“Perfect. See you then.” I ended the call and grabbed my water bottle. I wore yoga pants and a white sleeveless T-shirt. It was the end of July in Denver and the sun was blazing. My hair was braided back and out of my face just in case Piper made me wear a helmet. I wasn’t sure what shoes I should wear, so I grabbed my running shoes and headed up to the third floor.
Piper opened the door. “You’re early,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I can wait out here if you aren’t ready.” I was eight minutes early.
“Don’t be silly. Come in. Move, Clifford,” she said. She blocked his escape with her foot and ushered me inside. “I’m going to give you the Raleigh because it’s the most forgiving.”
“Damn. I thought we were just going for a ride. What hell are you putting me through?” I smiled. I helped her pull a silver and blue bike off one of the hooks. Piper and I were the same height so she didn’t have to adjust much on the bike.
She pulled a red Norco bike down and set it next to the one I would be riding. “Okay, so I’m going to give you a helmet, even though we’re going to take it easy today. I also recommend one on the trip.” She handed me a bright yellow and blue helmet.
“This is totally going to clash with my outfit,” I said. She looked me up and down. My body throbbed. These yoga pants were too tight. “I’m just kidding. I had a feeling I would have to wear a helmet.”
“Your hair looks cute braided back. Gives you a carefree look.”
I blushed and looked down. Since when was I shy?
“Thanks. I had to wear pants to cover the scar. It’s still pretty sunny out there.”
“Are they rubbing on the scar? Should you wrap it with gauze or something?”
I melted at the concerned look on her face. “No, I’m fine. Thank you for worrying about me, but it doesn’t hurt.” I stopped because I felt like I was always talking about my scars. Mine weren’t permanent, but hers were. “Are you ready?”
“Let’s see what you can do,” she said.
Nope, wasn’t going to go there in my mind. I followed her out to the car and let her put the bikes on the rack. I was afraid of scratching the paint, but I watched to see how it all worked. I tried not to notice her sinewy forearms or the way she centered her body to lift the bikes up and strap them into place.
“Ready?”
We were at the park in less than ten minutes. We could’ve biked there, but Piper was being kind and taking her time with me. When we mounted the bikes, she reached over and tightened the helmet strap under my chin. Just a simple touch instantly awakened every chill bump in my body. They raced over my skin and I didn’t even try to hide them.
Piper cleared her throat and pulled her hands away from my neck. “That should do it. The rules are pass on the left and announce it if you see people ahead of you on the trail.”
“Will the trip be on paved trails, too?”
She laughed. “Absolutely not. Baby steps, Shaylie. Baby steps.” She winked and pulled out ahead of me. I had to pedal hard to keep up. She was not taking it easy on me and I fell behind her several times, but to be fair, the view didn’t bother me at all.
Chapter Twelve
I knew the second I walked into Lucy’s that they had sex. Marisa was glowing. I’d never seen quite that look on her before. She and Jason were holding hands and waiting at the booth for me.
“I’m sorry I’m a few minutes late. The parking around here is a hot mess,” I said. I slipped into the booth across from the lovebirds. I avoided looking at Marisa because I knew we would bust out laughing and I was trying to be mature for her sake. “Jason, how are you? It’s good to see you again.” I didn’t really give him time to answer. “What looks good? I’m starving.” I picked up the menu and perused it even though I almost knew it by heart. “I’m going to have the turkey club.” I closed the menu.
Katie, the waitress who was on a first-name basis with us, slipped an iced tea, no lemon, in front of me. S
he took our orders and was gone before we could exchange any pleasantries. It was busy at Lucy’s and very noisy. We had to lean in just to hear one another.
“I’m great. You look good. Betsy sends her love,” Jason said.
I rolled my eyes. “Next time I’m going to sit on the porch and sip lemonade with your mom. Or your niece. She’s adorable.”
“Come on. It wasn’t that bad, was it?”
“No. I’m teasing. It was fine. You have an awesome ranch and are doing a great job with it.”
“Shaylie, ask us what we’re doing today,” Marisa said.
I looked at her for the first time. We smiled at one another. I knew she was dying to tell me about her night, but we couldn’t have that talk right now.
“Okay, I’ll bite. What’s going on?” I took my first sip of iced tea and regretted that I didn’t ask for a strong coffee. The hot morning was combatted by the owners of Lucy’s cranking the air to polar conditions, and I was freezing.
“We’re going on a motorcycle ride. Jason brought his bike down.”
“Did you ride it here?” I looked at Marisa’s head, but it looked perfect. Not a hair was out of place.
“No, I hauled it down with my truck. I wanted to make sure Marisa was up for it,” Jason said. He put his arm across the back of the booth and I almost sighed when Marisa scooted more into his embrace. It was so adorable.
“That sounds like fun. Wear a helmet,” I said.
Marisa rolled her eyes. “That’s the point. Total freedom.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “I still need you in my life. It doesn’t make sense for Jason and me to survive from a fall thousands of feet up and have you splattered over the highway at ground level.”
“Not to be a total downer, but did you hear back from your lawyer?” Jason asked.
Charles had been persistent about suing. When the initial report came back that it was mechanical failure, he drafted letters to the airline and the manufacturer of the left engine’s fan blade, a company called Millennial Works. I honestly didn’t care what Charles got out of them. I was alive and the money wasn’t important. I’d told him to settle for whatever he thought was fair.
“Yes. Now that they have an idea of what happened, he’s already started his plan of attack,” I said.
Marisa reached out and touched both of our hands. “I know you both want to move on, and physically you’ve healed, but emotionally, the crash almost destroyed you. Shaylie, you can’t even imagine getting on a plane anytime soon, and you travel a lot. It’s affected you, and there is no reason you should suffer.”
She had a point, but I never wanted to be a person who sued other people. Maybe if I was incapacitated for the rest of my life, but I wasn’t. I felt alive and in better shape than I had been in a long time. I wanted to forget the crash ever happened.
“So, let’s get back to what’s important. Helmets are important. That’s why I bought two. I’ll make sure she protects that beautiful face,” Jason said. He placed a soft kiss on Marisa’s lips. I turned away at their intimacy.
“Well, I’m sure you both will do what’s best for you,” I said.
Marisa caved and agreed to wear it.
I would call Jason later to discuss the initial report that was released by the airlines. I didn’t want to bring down what obviously was an amazing night. “When are you headed out?”
“I think right after lunch, right?” Marisa looked at Jason, who nodded.
“That sounds like fun. Estes Park?”
“Something easy the first time. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get lucky and see a black bear,” Marisa said.
We had gone to Estes Park and hiked a few of the trails several years ago, but it was too crowded and hot. I didn’t know how they were going to survive all of that on the back of a motorcycle.
My phone chimed with a text from Piper. Are you up for a bike ride this weekend?
My heart jumped. I tried to disguise my reaction, but they both caught my excitement.
“What’s that smile for?” Jason asked.
“Oh, nothing.” I tossed my phone back on the table like it wasn’t a big deal.
“Is that Piper?” Marisa asked.
“Yes. She asked if I wanted to go on a bike ride this weekend.” I turned to Jason. “I’m doing a camping and biking thing with Piper and a few other instructors from her yoga studio over Labor Day weekend. I haven’t been on a bike in forever, so Piper is helping me get into shape for it.”
“I think that sounds like a great idea. I’m glad she’s getting out there and doing things given everything that’s happened. And I’m glad she found a friend in you,” Jason said.
At least he didn’t think anything was wrong with us being friends. I was saved from defending myself when Katie brought our lunches to the table.
“How’s your mother?” I asked Jason.
“She wants you to come back to the ranch. Oh, we should invite Piper. I bet she would like that,” he said.
“She only has Sundays off,” I said.
“You know her schedule?” Marisa asked.
“Yes, we’ve talked about her work. She has to close down the studio for the long weekend when we all go camping, so I learned about the hours then.”
In other news, how do you feel about Lani?
That was a text I couldn’t ignore. She seems nice. Why? Does she not want me to go on the trip?
Oh, opposite. She wanted to know if you’re single and wanted your phone number. I said I would find out.
Well, shit. My heart sank and my appetite disappeared. Yeah, Lani was beautiful and seemed nice, but it wasn’t her I thought about nonstop. It wasn’t her that kept me up at night, or the first thought I had in the morning. I’d given Lani maybe a few fleeting thoughts since I met her, but I was interested in the pretty girl who was quiet and sweet and heartbroken.
“Well, that’s interesting,” I said.
“What?” Jason and Marisa asked in unison.
“Apparently Lani, one of the instructors at Piper’s studio, wants my phone number.”
“Oh, you said she was cute,” Marisa said. She was entirely too excited about this. “Are you going to give her your number?”
I shrugged. I didn’t want to, but I knew that I should. To get Marisa off my back, to get Piper out of my head, to just move on with my life. “Maybe. Let me get more info on her.”
Is that a good idea? I mean, we’re going to be camping in close quarters in a few weeks. What if we don’t get along? Then it will be awkward. I hated that Piper was okay with this. A part of me wanted her to say no. A very large part.
That’s true, but then what if you do get along? Then it will be more exciting. Right?
“I hope you’re telling her yes. Because you were pretty excited when you were telling me about her,” Marisa said.
I took a deep breath. I had to do this for more than just myself.
I guess if you approve, then sure, give her my number. I slipped my phone back in my purse because I didn’t want to have this conversation right now in front of Marisa and Jason.
“Did you tell her yes?” Jason asked.
I nodded.
“Attagirl,” Marisa said. “I’m proud of you. And I want all the details.”
Jason, once again, paid for the meal. We wove our way through the crowd. It was nice to be outside and away from all of the people even though the sun was blazing.
“It’s going to be really warm today. Be careful on the bike,” I said. We hugged and parted ways. I held my thumb and pinkie up to my head, reminding Marisa to call me later. She winked and slipped into the truck. They were headed back to her place to get the bike and change clothes. I slipped into my car and started it to get the cool air circulating. I pulled my phone out to read any and all messages Piper sent.
I approve. You both are sweet. Hopefully you’ll hear from her soon.
And do you want to ride this weekend or is it too hot for you?
I wanted to sul
k and ignore her, but I couldn’t. Sure. I just had lunch with Jason and Marisa but I have zero plans the rest of the weekend. That didn’t sound too desperate, did it?
How about tomorrow morning? We can hit a trail and really get you prepped for the trip.
Sure. What time and what should I bring? I would have to hit a sporting goods store if she wanted me to have something specific.
Water, snacks, extra socks, wear good shoes.
What constitutes good shoes? I panicked. I had running shoes and hiking boots, but could I ride wearing hiking boots?
You jog, right? You can wear those if you don’t mind getting them dirty. Some runners don’t like to use their shoes for anything but running.
I snorted. I wore my jogging shoes to McDonald’s. And when I wasn’t running. I can wear them. I only jog when I feel blechy about myself.
Stop. You’re not blechy in any way, shape, or form. She threw a mean face emoji just to let me know she was serious.
What time do you want me? I waited five minutes and gave up. I pulled into traffic and headed home. Saturday afternoon working wasn’t how I wanted to spend my day, but I didn’t have any other options. Besides, I was falling behind at work and it was starting to show.
“Hello?” I couldn’t see my caller ID on the screen because of the brightness of the sun, but I figured it was probably Marisa.
“I decided to call instead of texting forever. I hope that’s okay.”
I held in my gasp. It was Piper.
“No, no, that’s fine. I’m driving anyway. How are you?”
She laughed. “I’m good today. Thanks. Since you aren’t doing anything, do you want to go see a movie tonight or something fun? It would be nice to get out for a bit that doesn’t involve exercising.”
I almost missed my turn. I slowed down and made a quick right. I deserved the honk from the guy behind me.
“Are you okay?” she asked.