“I know I offered the coin toss,” he said, clearing his throat, “but it might be better if you ride pillion first. Having you in my direct line of sight might not be . . . safe.”
“And what about you, Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth asked smugly. She gave her bottom a tiny wiggle. “What will you be wearing on this trip? I don’t think Armani’s appropriate.” She turned expectantly.
Will’s eyes glittered dangerously. He picked up the small bag he’d brought with him, reached inside, and removed a set of old leathers, rolled up tightly.
“Really?” Elizabeth asked doubtfully, as Will shrugged.
Will grimaced a bit. “I had a motorcycle. An Indian Scout. I loved it, but then I had my sister to look after. I couldn’t afford to take any unnecessary risks.” He tossed the leathers on the bed. “But I kept these, and you said you were riding, so I brought them.”
She hoisted herself up on the counter. Will wiped his face with a towel to clean off the remaining shaving cream. “You were how old? Twenty-four?”
“Twenty-three,” he told her. He tossed the towel down. “I was in my second year of the MBA when the accident happened.” His expression was distant. “I guess it’s closer to six years now than five.”
He’s amazing, she thought, swinging her legs back and forth as she waited for him to finish. Buried his parents, took over his sister’s care, made all those decisions about his father’s company, finished another year in graduate school. Founded and ran his own company. And made a success of it all. She gazed at him proudly. He caught the gaze in the mirror’s reflection.
“What?” he asked mildly, eyebrows raised.
You’re not just another pretty face. “You went straight through school, like me,” was all she said.
He nodded, before reaching behind her to grab a shirt. “I knew before I began college that I’d be going for the MBA right away.”
“Your dad?”
“Yeah, my dad. And my Aunt Catherine, actually.”
She thought about that for a minute, pressing her lips together as she saw him pulling the leathers up his legs and cautiously adjusting them. “What did your mom think?”
His lips drew into a thin line and his brows pinched together. “You know, I don’t believe I ever asked.” He tugged at the pants and crouched, trying to stretch them a bit. “I remember these fitting looser.” He grimaced. “It’s a good thing I haven’t gained too much weight, or I’d never survive this.”
“You know, old man,” she teased, “you might be opening up a whole new fan base for yourself in those.”
“Just what I need,” he groused, and tugged on the jacket. It was a bit tight across the shoulders. He zipped it up and turned to Elizabeth, holding his arms out wide for her inspection. “I can barely breathe, but how do I look?”
“Like a rock star, baby,” she said, jumping down from the counter.
Will unzipped the jacket halfway. “Considering the number of seventy-year-old rock stars out there,” he grumbled, “I’m not sure that’s really . . . umph.” His arms automatically moved around Elizabeth as she smothered his complaint with a searing kiss. Before he could recover, she’d slapped his rear and slipped away.
“C’mon, biker boy, let’s hit the road,” she called as she sauntered out of the room, one hand in the air, the other tossing her bag over her shoulder.
Will stood still for a moment, trying to get himself under control. “That was just,” he huffed, fists tight, eyes squeezing shut . . . “Mean.”
Having a pillion rider wasn’t as easy as Will had thought it would be. It made leaning into turns difficult to judge, and he had to brake earlier to compensate for the extra weight. It doesn’t help I haven’t done this in almost six years, he thought with a sigh, wondering whether his considerable weight on the back would even be manageable for Elizabeth. And as they finally reached Interstate 80 and began the long, mostly straight ride to the Midwest, the air whipped around his arms and legs, cutting through his layers of clothing. Even with all their preparation, riding in January was going to be cold. Really, really cold. He felt it most when they descended to the Carson Sinks, and while he found the salt flats and wildlife refuges interesting and had hoped to stop for a while, he found he needed to keep riding in the hopes of finishing early.
Finally, they stopped to get gas and warm up a bit. “Do you want to eat in Lovelock?” Elizabeth asked as she put her phone away. “It’s not that much farther, and if it’s this cold already, we’re going to have to rethink riding all the way to Kansas City.”
Will nodded. “I agree with that. I smell snow. We’re heading into a storm.”
“You smell snow?” she asked with a grin. “What’s it smell like?”
His eyebrows lifted. “Do you really want to hear how the molecules in the air slow down and repress other odors, how the humidity enhances your olfactory system, and . . .?” he asked.
“Ugh,” she said, interrupting him and holding up a hand. “Please, no.”
“Got it,” he said, satisfied. “In that case, I smell snow.”
Will tossed his leg over the bike and held it steady while Elizabeth climbed on the back. She placed her arms around him, and he nearly sighed with contentment. He turned onto the on-ramp and merged onto the freeway. As they were the only ones on the road and his mind was on Elizabeth and the road ahead, he almost didn’t see the SUV behind them until he glanced in his mirror and saw nothing but a grill. At the last minute, he leaned to the left, swerving over into the fast lane as the SUV shot past them.
He cursed under his breath and quickly brought the bike back upright. Elizabeth’s arms had tightened, but they relaxed as the SUV sped away. Getting his heart rate back to normal took a little longer. Moments later, an eighteen-wheeler pulled up next to them, and Will dropped back to let it pass.
They rode another hour, sharing the road with several big trucks, before he spied the exit for Lovelock. They slowly made their way into town and down Main Street until Elizabeth pointed to a small wooden building on the far side of an intersection. When he brought the bike to a stop, he steadied himself, planting both feet on the ground before tapping Elizabeth’s knee. She removed herself from the back and immediately unlocked the hard saddlebag to retrieve her phone. By the time he’d coaxed his cold-stiffened legs into supporting him, her helmet was off and she was taking pictures of the sign on the small porch that read “Eat Here Before We Both Starve.” He removed his helmet clumsily. Even inside his gloves, his fingers were nearly numb. He pulled them off and tried to rub some feeling back into them.
“Quick moves back there,” Elizabeth said approvingly.
He gave her a small smile. “I learned to ride in New York City. I had to use those moves every day.”
She tossed him a bright smile and turned to face the building. “The Cowpoke Café,” she said, reading the sign. “I love places like this. I saw the sign before the exit and was hoping we’d find it.”
Will nodded, and after fishing out his own phone and locking the lid again, followed her inside. He’d loved the ride despite the cold. Having a legitimate reason for Elizabeth to keep her hands on him the whole way had been a bonus, but even without more crazy drivers, it wouldn’t be safe to travel much farther.
Elizabeth made him remove his leather jacket and sat him at a table. “Coffee?” she asked quietly, rubbing one of his hands between her own.
“Coffee,” he confirmed. “And the biggest burger they have.”
“Okay,” she said, taking his other hand and performing the same office. His hands began to tingle.
“Why are your hands so warm?” he asked, feeling unaccountably annoyed. “It was freezing out there.”
She shook her head, eyes twinkling. “You’re kidding, right?” He shrugged. “You’re huge, Will—just the right size to act as a wind block. And I had my hands under your coat the whole time.” She grinned unrepentantly. “I guess that whole rider-pillion thing worked out in my favor after all.”
“Don’t gloat,” he grumbled, relaxing only when she laughed. When some color finally began to return to his fingers, she stripped off her own jacket and nearly pranced to the front of the restaurant to order. He put his hands over his ears to warm them and stomped his feet a bit before checking for weather updates on his phone. By the time Elizabeth returned with two large mugs, he knew for certain their ride was over.
“Will,” Elizabeth said, handing him a cup of steaming hot coffee around which he gratefully curled his fingers, “I asked the cashier, and she says there’s a rental car place just down the road.”
He nodded, glad they were on the same page.
Elizabeth had picked up a broadsheet of town activities, most for the holidays that were already past. She sat, and while she read, she sipped from her cup while she read. When she glanced up at him to say something, a dollop of whipped cream was left on the end of her nose.
“What?” she asked, perplexed and then irritated at his amused expression. “What?”
Will reached over and scooped the offending cream onto his finger, showed her, and then licked it off. “Not bad,” he said while she lowered her eyes to the table and fiddled with her gloves.
“They had hot chocolate,” she said sheepishly. “I haven’t had it in forever.”
The words instantly recalled the image of a curly-headed, gap-toothed child from the photo Ed Gardiner had showed him. He adored the woman sitting across the table, but his heart relished this glimpse of the girl.
He showed her his phone. “There’s a snowstorm moving into Salt Lake,” he said quietly. “If we stay on the I-80, we’ll need to rent a four-wheel drive.”
She nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” She glanced over at him, her eyes serious. “I’m sorry this is turning into a big thing. I just wouldn’t feel right hiring someone else to deliver it.”
“It’s okay,” he told her, and meant it. “We’ll figure it out.”
Elizabeth finished her hot chocolate, stood, and took a step towards the bathrooms. She tapped the leather jacket hanging neatly on the back of his chair. “But don’t give those leathers up just yet. I’m sure we can find a use for them.”
Suddenly, Will was very warm. All over.
Chapter Nine
“So, apparently her idea of ‘close by’ is an hour away,” Elizabeth muttered, searching the Internet on her phone.
Having a chance to sit in a warm room, eat a meal, and drink two cups of steaming hot coffee had put Will in a better mood. He set down his empty cup. “It’s fifty miles of good road, Elizabeth. Straight shot on the I-80. We’ve come this far, it’ll be fine.”
Elizabeth frowned and shook her head. “With the storm coming, they can’t even promise they’ll have a car left when we get there, let alone a truck. That’s a long ride with no guarantees.”
“So, what do you want to do?” Will asked, yawning.
She kept her eyes on her phone’s screen. “The temperature is just going to keep falling,” she told him, and thought for a minute. “Maybe we should stay here tonight and wait out the storm.”
“You won’t be able to find a room tonight, dear,” said the middle-aged woman who’d bustled over to fill Will’s cup. She nodded at the flyer on the table. “It’s the bird-dog Western State Nationals this week.” She held up two carafes and asked Will whether he was still drinking regular or preferred decaffeinated. Elizabeth gave her a sidelong glance. Thin, with brassy red hair and bright lipstick, she was flirting with Will, but not overstepping. It was kind of cute. Elizabeth sighed softly. If she wasn’t so worried about this stupid trip she’d dragged Will on and getting them stranded, she’d have had some fun with him over it. Should’ve just rented a truck in Oakland and forgotten about riding on the bike with him.
“Thanks,” Will said to the waitress. He smiled kindly as a sign she should stop pouring. Elizabeth stifled a laugh at the way the woman’s eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. Okay, there’s no way I can let this pass. She pointedly kept her eyes fixed on the phone’s screen, but she wasn’t hiding her amusement well. As the woman sauntered away, Will sighed and asked, “What now?”
Elizabeth’s shoulders were shaking, but she just shook her head. Will reached out and put his warm hand over hers, covering the phone. “Elizabeth?”
“I told you,” she said. “You’re a rock star, and it’s generating notice.”
Will rolled his eyes and released her hand. “Please. Because she brought me coffee? That’s her job.”
Elizabeth didn’t look up. “She hasn’t offered coffee to anyone else in the room, but she’s stopped by our table twice already.”
“So?” Will shrugged. “Maybe nobody else is drinking coffee.” He turned to survey the room, and when his gaze returned to Elizabeth, she held up three fingers. Three other tables, Will. “Ah,” he said ruefully, then added, without conviction, sShe probably just wants a good tip.”
“Um, also . . .” There was laughter in her voice, though she kept herself from laughing out loud at him.
“Also?” he asked with a scowl.
“On my nine.”
Will glanced across the room. He hadn’t noticed the two schoolgirls sitting at the table across the room. They had textbooks sitting on their table unopened, and when he looked over at them, they immediately turned away and began giggling. Elizabeth shook her head.
“They finished eating thirty minutes ago. They’ve just been mooning over you since,” Elizabeth informed him.
He frowned and turned back to her. “So, what’s the plan, chief?”
She moved her eyes to his face at that. There’s that stony mask. “You’re not even going to talk about it?” she goaded him. “No response at all?”
“What should I say? Can I help it if they’re ogling me?” He sat back, disgruntled. “Maybe there’s nobody else in this town who has all his teeth?”
“Will,” she admonished. “That’s not nice.” She reached up to cup his cheek and gave him a light slap instead. “Don’t get cranky. They aren’t catcalling or getting grabby, they’re just quietly appreciating. From afar. Haven’t you ever admired a pretty girl?”
He reached over and tipped her chin up. When Elizabeth met his gaze, she had to catch her breath as he leaned across the table and planted a tender kiss on her lips. When he returned to his chair, he picked up his coffee cup to take a sip. He smiled at her over the rim, flashing her a look of supreme confidence. “Yes.”
Ninety minutes later, Will wasn’t feeling so smug. Elizabeth had called all the local hotels, but their waitress was correct. The entire town was booked solid. He’d suggested they try to make the rental company an hour away, and they’d walked outside to find that the Harley had a completely flat front tire.
“I didn’t think it was low when we came in,” he said, running his eyes over the tire and looking for the hole. He found it when the light caught a nail head embedded into the sidewall. He’d probably run over it when they had to lean the bike and swerve.
Elizabeth’s cheeks puffed out as she released a sigh. “At least we weren’t on the road when the tire went,” she said. “It could’ve been worse.” She tapped Will on the arm and he stood up. “Let’s just push it to the tire shop.”
“How far away is that?” Will asked. “Do you have it on GPS?”
“I’m not going to pretend that didn’t hurt my feelings, Will Darcy,” she said, touching her chest over her heart.
“Elizabeth,” he said warningly, “c’mon.”
She took him by the arms and turned him around. Will found himself staring at a ten- foot sign on the next block that read “TIRES.”
Will pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, I walked right into that one.”
She laughed lightly. “Let’s get pushing.”
It didn’t take them long to get the bike over to the shop, where the owner mused at how straight the nail had gone in. Without even looking at his inventory, he told Will he’d have to order the tire in. “But it’ll take some
time,” he said sympathetically. “Because of . . .”
“The storm.” Will nodded and waited for Elizabeth to say something witty. When she didn’t, he glanced around. She wasn’t there. He strode to the front window of the shop and saw her talking to several young men. What was she doing?
The owner peered outside from beside him. “Oh, Harry’s been trying to sell that old truck for weeks. He’s kept it nice, but nobody here needs one—we all have trucks already. If you have the money, it might be a good solution to your problem.”
Will walked outside to join the conversation.
The result of it all was that he now found himself standing out in the cold in the parking lot, inspecting the engine of a Ford pickup with a flashlight and trying to decide whether it was road-worthy. He gave it as thorough an inspection as he could, and they took a quick test drive. The cab had four doors and a back bench that folded flat, so there was enough room even for his long legs. He finally nodded to the young man who’d been very patiently waiting for Will’s verdict. “Why are you selling?”
“I’m a mechanic, so I take care of my vehicles,” he replied. “I wouldn’t be selling, but I’m getting married and my fiancée has kids.” He grinned. “I’ve been told we need a family car.”
Will nodded. “Okay,” he said. “What do you want for it?” Elizabeth had given him her top price, but he thought he might be able to get it for less.
The men negotiated back and forth for a while. This was the part Will enjoyed, and Elizabeth had agreed that he could handle this part of things. She’d given him her limit, and he came away with what he considered a fair price. Elizabeth paid the man and they shook hands before she walked away. As he moved around to the back of the truck, title paperwork in hand, he saw that Elizabeth had already recruited help. Two young men jumped up on the bed of a nearby truck to hand down a ramp, and another two carried it to Elizabeth’s new vehicle and began to put it in place. She stood back, giving orders, fully in charge.
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