Dirty Thoughts - Megan Erickson Page 0,40
not their place. That was a little too much of the past. And today was about the present.
She looked at him and smiled, although it was a little strained, and nodded.
They took off on the path, with Cal’s eyes on Jenna to make sure she didn’t slip. They’d left the leather jacket back at the bike, so she was wearing a pair of jean shorts, a T-shirt, and old black motorcycle boots.
Cal didn’t come here often; he was busy working or taking care of his house. But with Jenna at his side and the morning sun creeping through the filter of leaves above them, he knew he probably wouldn’t be back again, no way. The whole place would remind him of Jenna now.
He shook his head. No “future” talk. No “future” thinking. He was here with Jenna now. Today. So he grabbed her hand, accepted the warmth of the smile she shot his way, and kept on walking.
JENNA HAD NEVER ridden on a motorcycle. At one time, she thought that would be her future. All Cal talked about as a teenager was getting a bike. It was his dream, so seeing him on the back of that red-silver-and-black beauty made her heart sing.
He’d gotten that dream, at least. They hadn’t killed that one.
They sat on new wooden benches in a clearing on Flannery Trail to eat. A breeze rustled through the trees, which helped break up the humid air. She sipped her coffee and picked at her cranberry and orange muffin. “I’m so glad you got your bike.”
Cal smiled at that and crumpled the empty wrapper of his chocolate-chocolate chip muffin. “Yeah I had an older model before this that I bought cheap. I saved up for the Softail so I wouldn’t have to take a loan out. Insurance is outrageous, but it’s worth it.”
“Do you work on them at the shop too?”
His smile immediately twisted into something bitter. “You’d think, right?”
She propped a knee on the bench and leaned forward. “Wait . . . so you don’t?”
He shook his head. “My dad’s being stubborn about it.”
“A Payton, being stubborn?” She gasped dramatically.
He chuckled a little at that and smacked her thigh lightly. “I prefer the term decisive.”
“So what’s going on with Jack?”
Cal crossed his arms over his chest and squinted up at the forest canopy above them. “I want to expand Payton and Sons to repair bikes, and he’s being a stubborn bastard about it. He said he doesn’t want to change the shop.”
“Why?”
“Why does he do anything he does? He says he needs me for the cars. I told him Brent said we could afford another hire. But he’s so committed to the way things are, he doesn’t want to change. I went out and got the certifications to work on Harleys anyway. That was a fun fight.”
Cal had loved bikes for so long that Jenna ached a little that he wasn’t able to do what he really wanted to do. “So what’s your plan?”
Cal was silent for a long time. “I don’t want to leave him or Brent, but I might have to open up my own place if he keeps this up. I don’t want to stop working on cars, but this town needs a certified bike mechanic in business.”
“There isn’t one?”
Cal shook his head. “I think the closest one is in Brookridge.”
Jenna frowned. “And you told your dad that?”
“He doesn’t give a shit.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged and waved a hand. “It is what it is. I’ll figure it out.”
But it bothered her. A lot. And she wondered if there would ever come a time where she would no longer be emotionally invested in Cal Payton.
“So how’s work for you?” he asked. And it didn’t feel like small talk, like he was asking as a returning favor. His eyes were focused on her, those irises a little more blue than normal in the sunshine.
“Dylan’s a dick,” she said in reply.
He laughed.
She grinned at him. “Delilah still calls him Dill Pickle.”
“With Delilah, I’m sure she says it to his face.”
“She does. So anyway, I’m working on employee morale, since Dylan is close to running that into the grave.” Cal didn’t answer, and she eyed him. “I guess you heard about it?”
“Brent read the newspaper articles about the lawsuit. He likes the letters to the editor, especially.”
“Yeah, so I’m planning an event for the employees. Like a big dinner—a thank-you. Maybe hold it at the country club.”
Cal nodded slowly. “You could get the community involved—like give away local gift