The Four Stages of Loving Dutch Owen - Debra Kayn Page 0,26

the house if Rachel and Skull were there. The only place she could go was to her job at the feed store in town. The whole situation was crazy.

Just because she'd stayed out all night with Rich and Tony, she was grounded until school let out for the summer. Rachel and Skull even refused to let her get her driver's license for six months—which meant she'd be halfway into her junior year in high school before she was allowed to drive. All because Rich and Tony were in their twenties and too old for her to hang out with— much less stay out partying all night. It was so unfair.

Alyssa leaned forward, peering into the darkness. "Did I miss the road?"

She pointed. "It's right there. You really need to get glasses."

"Ugh." Alyssa turned the truck, getting on the road to the clubhouse. "I look awful in glasses."

"They're hot." She sat back on the seat and put her feet on the dash. "Put your hair up and go for the brainy look. Guys will love it."

"I doubt that." Alyssa glanced at her. "Everyone is going to be there tonight."

"I know." She dug out a lipstick from the pocket of her shorts and spread the tip over her lips. "Remember, Dutch is going to be there, too. I'll probably hang with him if you come looking for me later."

"Are your parents going to let you leave the clubhouse, or do you have to stay inside the whole night?"

"I'm not grounded this weekend. They said I could come to the rally if I followed all the rules." She scoffed. "They'll be half drunk by the time we get there and won't even know where I go or what I do."

"True. They'll probably be with my parents." Alyssa bounced in her seat. "God, look at how many people are here. There must be close to six hundred motorcycles taking up all the parking space."

The yearly rally included three motorcycle club chapters. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and she almost bit her lip before she remembered her lipstick. During her last phone call with Dutch, he'd promised her that he'd come.

Rachel and Skull doubted that he'd show up, but she was positive he'd do it for her, even for a couple hours.

She hadn't seen him for six weeks. He'd skipped the visit three weeks ago because she was grounded and thought it would be easier if he stayed at the clubhouse. God, Rachel and Skull pissed her off.

They always treated her like she was a kid when she was sixteen years old.

She could tell Dutch thought her punishment was ridiculous because when he heard why she got grounded and for how long, he stormed out of the house and bought her a phone.

He wanted her to keep in touch and tell him everything she was up to and how she was doing after discovering she was grounded. She called him every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with the cell phone. Those were the days he made sure he was off the road and available to talk with her.

She liked how Dutch told her to keep the phone a secret. That way, Rachel and Skull couldn't take it away from her if she got in trouble again.

It was lonely being grounded, she'd tried to call him at different times and different hours, but he always let the call go unanswered. She couldn't call Alyssa because her parents wouldn't let her have a cell until she got a job and paid for it herself. If she called her at home on the landline, Rachel and Skull would find out and ground her for longer.

She still wasn't sure what Dutch was doing when he went away. Only knew it had to do with traveling between the three chapters and doing business for WAKOM.

"I wonder where Dutch is right now," she said.

"I can't believe you care. He's not going to let you have any fun."

"Sure, he will."

Alyssa raised her brows. "He's overprotective. Even worse than your parents."

"They're not my parents."

Alyssa glanced at her. "Adoptive parents or whatever. That just makes how Dutch treats you weird."

She kept her opinion to herself. Her friend would never understand her relationship with Dutch. He was the only person who knew everything about her. Out of everyone in the entire world, she belonged with Dutch.

"Park over there near the field. It'll be perfect if we come outside. We can hang out behind the truck, and nobody can see us." She split her hair down the