All I Want for Halloween

by Marie Harte

  No way in hell.

  The only good thing to come from the altercation was that April’s case had no merit and had already been scorned by public opinion. Sahara came off as a crazy woman. Her prior claims against him now had doubt, all thanks to Sadie, who’d gotten slapped and mauled for her efforts.

  He groaned and texted her again. No answer.

  She was likely majorly pissed about her face being spread all over the news.

  But even bad press was good press. Motorcycle Madnezz would be airing its first episode of the new season in just a few days, on Halloween, and he had a feeling they’d show the fight footage from the time he’d tried to grab his stuff from the shop.

  Between him and Sadie, they’d end up remaining in the spotlight if they weren’t careful.

  Sofa’s had gotten a great bit of added press. At this rate, he could see them opening up a second store. With the amazing Sofa’s Spookville ongoing, his name associated with the place, and now Sadie’s new fame, the store had been packed since Tuesday morning, the day after the fight.

  Yet Thor told him Sadie had been absent, and Gear regretted that anything he’d done had impacted her job. He had called her, worried and sorry as hell. But she hadn’t responded yet.

  Well, fuck that. She could tell him he’d ruined her life in person. But when he got to her apartment again, as he’d been going daily since Monday, she didn’t answer. Since she had yet to give him a key, he had no way to get in unless he broke through her door. And he’d done enough damage.

  Dejected, he went back home and found Elliot waiting for him.

  “Hey, Gear. Did you—?”

  Gear dragged him inside and shut the door, in the event reporters started hanging around again. He’d found a few Tuesday, but by this afternoon they’d started to trickle away.

  “Is she okay?”

  “Who, Sadie?” Elliot looked around, not paying Gear much mind.

  “No, the queen. Of course I mean Sadie.”

  Elliot waved away his concern. “She’s fine. Took a punch for you, man. I think she’s in love.”

  “I wish she was,” he muttered. Gear sighed and plopped onto his couch. “Elliot, I need help.”

  “Not really. I love what you’ve done with this room.”

  “Hey, focus. Your sister.”

  Elliot sighed. “Yes, I know. Sadie’s miserable without you. She loves you but is afraid to commit. Blah, blah, blah.”

  “Really? You think she loves me?” As sick as he was about what she’d suffered because of his association with Sahara, the notion she truly cared brightened his whole world.

  “I know my sister, and she’s a sucker for big muscles, big hands, and a small brain.”

  Gear laughed, then groaned. “Elliot, what do I do? I brought a lot of trouble to Sadie’s door. Now she won’t talk to me. She texted that she needed some time and space, but come on. I just want to talk to her.”

  “No can do, my friend. She’s in hiding. Witness protection.”

  “What?”

  “Reporters were all over her Tuesday, so she went home. Then a few followed her to her building, so she’s hanging at Dad’s.”

  Gear swore. “Great. He hates me.”

  “You might be right on that.” Elliot sat and kicked back. “Got anything to drink?”

  Gear fetched him a soda and rejoined him. “What can I do to make her okay?”

  “Nothing. This is Sadie we’re talking about. She’ll be okay when she’s ready, and not before.”

  “Yeah, but what can I do to help?”

  “Well, you could send her a big, lovey-dovey care package.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Chocolates, stuff she likes, that kind of thing. And send it to Dad’s.”

  “I can do that.” He already knew what he’d put in the basket. “What else?”

  “Tell her how you feel.” Elliot’s gaze seemed to burn a hole through Gear’s head.

  “I did that. She ran away. Literally. We were at the gym. I let slip I love her. She ran to the treadmill.”

  “That’s my sister.” Elliot sighed. “Pathetic.” After a pause he said, “I don’t know how much she told you about Adrian.”

  “Enough. The dick slept with her best friend.”

  “Yes, he did. The sad thing is Sadie has always been superconfident and open. She fell for Adrian hard. And he took advantage. He was always trying to make her into something she’s not.”

  “I don’t want her to be anything but Sadie.”

  “Then you have to know she’ll freak out if she thinks she’s falling for you.”

  “I get that. That’s why I let it go after I told her and she ran. It’s not easy for me either. I trusted Brian, and he slept with Sahara. Then he stole my shop. My work. All of it. I didn’t expect your sister, and I for sure didn’t want to fall in love. But somehow, her big mouth and big feet ran me over without me realizing it.”

  “She has that effect on people.”

  “She’s great. We’re so much alike. She’s funny, smart, snarky, hot—”

  “I’ll stop you right there.” Elliot slurped from his soda can. “I know my sister has some fine qualities. But the one she’s going to need from you is patience. She’s stubborn and can be a real pain. If you have what it takes to handle that, then you’ll be the luckiest guy I know.”

  “I could use some luck.”

  “Start with the presents. And try to think of things she’ll like. I could tell you, but that would be cheating. If she doesn’t text you back by Halloween, you let me know. Don’t worry. I’ll drag her to your family party if I have to. Like déjà vu,” he muttered and stood. “I’m keeping this.” He swooshed the can.

  “Fine. Just let me know if I can do anything to help her. Or you. I’m really sorry Sahara was such a bitch.”

  “Seriously? We’re selling out of everything every day.” Elliot beamed. “I gave Theo extra hours. People are talking about us, and if everything goes well with the Food Network spot, I might be looking at a cookbook deal. Well, that’s a dream, but I’m going to work hard to make that happen.”

  “Good for you.”

  “Oh, and tell your brother I’ll talk to him at the party. He invited a bunch of us, just so you know. Explain to him I was busy with the Sahara fallout, would you? I texted him, but I want him to know we’re still on board to cater the university shindig.”

  “Catering. Right.” He showed Elliot out, his mind on gifts for Sadie.

  He made a list and smiled, feeling better about things. Still, he wished they could have a face-to-face conversation about the love bubble in the room. Oh well. That would have to keep. He had some time before the party. With any luck, he’d make headway before then.

  Sadie, baby, I love you. Now quit running away!

  Chapter 19

  Her father stared from his laptop to Sadie. “You’re viral, Daughter.”

  She groaned and hid her face beneath a couch pillow. It had been four days since the punch heard ’round the world again. “You’d think a woman had never been in a fight before.”

  “Well, I know you’re better than that. She really took you down with that feather slap to the face?”

  “Dad.” She flushed, not liking her father’s disapproval.

  “She hit you. How do you let a woman that tiny leave a mark?”

  Relieved he wasn’t upset about more than Sahara getting a few licks in, Sadie eased the pillow off her face and stared at the blue running compression socks she’d been given yesterday.

  Gear, that asshole of a sweetheart, had been sending gifts to her father’s house. So far, she’d received a box of her favorite truffles, a DVD of her favorite Halloween anthology, Trick ’r Treat, and a plastic pumpkin full of Halloween candy. She’d been so out of sorts and depressed that even candy shopping ha
dn’t done more than make her want to cry.

  And who the hell cried choosing chocolates over Skittles?

  “He’s trying to make you fat,” her father complained, staring at the pumpkin on the coffee table. He reached in and grabbed a snack-sized Baby Ruth. “What do you think?” He added to the mound of wrappers building next to the laptop.

  “I don’t miss the gym.” But I miss Gear so much.

  “Don’t stay away too long. It’s one thing to lick your wounds. Another to come off as scared and weak.”

  “Thank you, Dad. Inspiring, as always.”

  Tony harrumphed. “You know what I’m saying.”

  “Are you sure you aren’t connected?”

  He laughed. “Are you still on the mob kick? Really? Look at me. I’m fifty-six years old and an accountant. My biggest thrill is cross-country skiing when I visit the mountains. How does that make me a mob guy?”

  “I don’t know. You’re always going on about loyalty. La famiglia e tutto. Family is everything. Bada-bing, bada-boom. What should I think?”

  “That I talk a big game and watched The Sopranos religiously?” He popped the candy bar in his mouth.

  She sighed, wiggling her toes. “He gave me blue compression socks.”

  Her father rolled with her change in subject. “Because he knows blue is your favorite color and that you like to run.”

  “Yeah.” She sighed. “Dad, how did you know about Mom? I mean, that she would be your forever wife?” Her father had loved her mother dearly. And though he’d done his fair share of dating since her passing twenty years ago, he claimed he’d never find another to fit him as well as Marina.

  Tony sat up straighter and studied her. “Your mother… I fell in love with her at first sight. She was a beauty, studying so hard in the university library.” He smiled, lost in the memory. “I just watched her. For hours. And when she left, I offered to carry her books. Unlike some people, she liked to read.” He gave her a knowing look.

  “Dad.” Sadie sat up.

  “She didn’t fall for me as fast as I fell for her. But I won her over.” He smiled at Sadie’s socks. “She liked pink, so I bought her some pink hair bands. That got me a first date, and the rest is history.”

  Sadie knew her mother would have liked Gear. Marina had only cared about what was in a person’s heart. Not looks, fame, or money, but truth of spirit—that’s what drew her mother to people. “I think I really like Gear.”

  Her father sighed. “I know. You keep mooning over the man.”

  “We have so much in common. He works so hard, and he’s been screwed over royally.”

  “So you have infidelity in common, and you’re in love?”

  “No. Yes. Kind of.” She blushed. “He’s the first real, good man I’ve met since Adrian.”

  “Since before Adrian, you mean. That piece of trash didn’t deserve you.”

  “Right.” She stared at her toes. “Gear kind of reminds me of you.”

  “He does?”

  Her father’s look of incredulity made her laugh. “Yeah. He’s a hard-ass. He doesn’t have time for stupidity, and he protects his own. He really loves his brother and sister, and he respects his mom and dad, even if he had to go his own way.” She paused. “Plus, he’s never been intimidated by me. He respects me, and he treats me right.”

  “Well, now. That’s something to think about.” Tony leaned close, riffled through more chocolate bars, and ate a Snickers. “But he’s under scrutiny by the media, and you hate that.”

  “I do, but I know it’s not his fault, and it won’t last forever.”

  “He has a job, then?”

  “Yes, his own new job, not on the show.” She told him about the place Gear had leased. “He’s super talented, Dad.” She turned his laptop toward her and typed in Gear’s name. Then she clicked on Gear’s old website.

  “Oh. These are good.” Her father leaned closer, scrolling through images of Gear and his crew working on projects. “I thought he was just a mechanic with delusions of grandeur. He looks like a thug.”

  “Yeah.” She sighed in pleasure, missing him so much she teared up.

  “For God’s sake, Sadie. If you like him so much, go see him.”

  “I thought taking some time to see how I feel would be a good idea. But I… I think I might really love him.”

  Her father said nothing, just watched her.

  “It feels weird because we met not long ago. But everything about him, even his motorcycle show, fits him. And it fits me. Dad, he gave me the key to his place.” She showed her father the house key she kept in her pocket.

  “So let me get this straight. This man who gave you his key, is sending you socks and chocolates, and who got you involved with the tawdry world of bikers and brawls is who you’d choose to be your husband?”

  She blew out a breath. “I’m not talking marriage or anything. I just know I love him.”

  “Where do you see this going with Gear?” he emphasized the name.

  “I don’t know. He makes me happy. I think we should take things one day at a time.”

  “Okay.”

  She blinked. “Just okay?”

  “Sadie, be happy. This man, no matter what I might think of him, has you more alive than you’ve been in years. Do you think he could hurt you?”

  “I don’t think he’d ever try to. But if he did something like Adrian did, I might never recover.”

  “But you recovered from Adrian.”

  “That was different.”

  “Why?”

  She wanted to put it into words. “I don’t know. I loved Adrian, but life existed without him. I feel so much with Gear. He’s real, and he never wants me to be anything but me around him. With Gear, I’m enough.”

  Her father looked at her. “Enough is exactly right. Your mother was enough for me, and I was enough for her. Expectations can fall flat. If he truly accepts you for who you are, and you can accept him, I would ask how much time you think you really need, and for what?”

  “Huh. Good point.”

  “My daughter isn’t the type to let fear rule her. Your Gear didn’t let me get in his way of pursuing you. He came to dinner. He tolerated my rudeness.”

  “So you admit you were rude.”

  “And he was certainly no pushover.”

  “He’s not.” She smiled. “So you think I should go after him?”

  “If you want him. You’re a Liberato, Sadie. We go after what we want.”

  “Huh. That’s his family’s motto too.”

  “I really do have to meet these people.”

  “I bet I can get you an invitation to a Halloween party, Dad. Are you game?”

  “Do I have to wear a costume?”

  “Yes.”

  He groaned. “Oh fine. The things I’ll do to make sure my daughter isn’t getting involved with a group of rowdy biker thugs.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “Now go see what else is in that basket he sent. Any more Baby Ruths, by chance?”

  * * *

  Smoke seemed to like the idea Gear proposed for the new shop. They stood in the space, measuring it out as Gear wrote down notes.

  “So you want us to work where everyone can see.” Smoke scratched his head. “Kind of like that dog-and-pony bullshit from Madnezz, man. Just sayin’.”

  “The idea for this place is that it’s more than a garage. There’s an art to crafting a bike. And we can make some kind of shades or something to cover up when we just want to work without being watched. It’s just a thought at this point. Plus, we do it right, we sell the brand merchandise up front, but on a much smaller scale than Madnezz.”

  Smoke seemed to consider that. “So we’re going a little more upscale. That’s cool. Do I have to wear a uniform?”

  “Hell no. We’r
e not in private school. We’re fuckin’ mechanics.”

  “Good. For a minute you reminded me a little too much of B-Man.” Smoke ignored the finger Gear shot him and laughed.

  “Funny.” Gear shook his head. “Can you believe they tried getting me to come back to the show?”

  “That place is poison. And yeah, Torch is totally doing Sahara.”

  “I get the feeling everyone knows but Brian. Sad. But you reap what you sow. Or so my mom is always harping.”

  “Hello?” A husky feminine voice came from the front of the shop.

  “Yo, Iris. Back here.”

  She walked back past stacks of leftover pallets and stopped. “This is it? This is all you have so far?”

  He looked around, seeing nothing but wooden pallets and the lone bar table left over from the previous tenants. “Yeah. Consider it a blank slate.”

  Smoke took a hard look at Iris.

  “Oh, hello.” She looked up, and up, at Smoke. “Didn’t you used to be on the show?”

  “Yep.” Smoke just stared at her from beneath the brim of his new Seahawks ball cap.

  “O-kay. Chatty fellow. So Gear, I came up with some ideas.” She opened her bag and placed it on the lone piece of furniture in the place. Then she powered her laptop and waited while Gear and Smoke loomed over her.

  Smoke kept looking at her. “This is your sister? She’s so little.”

  “I know. But she has a big mouth.”

  “Hey,” Iris barked. “Shut it and be positive.”

  “See?”

  Gear saw Smoke smile, then give his sister a thorough once-over. Smoke looked at Gear, saw him noticing, and shrugged. “Just lookin’ is all.”

  “Yeah, is all.” Gear glared.

  “So, what do you think?” Iris asked, oblivious to them.

  Gear looked at several options for color choices, names, and logos, and tended to veer toward the last one she’d designed.

  Smoke nodded. “Why not? It’s your place.”

  “Blackstone Bikes, with a BB logo?” Iris typed. “Colors?”