Ride With Me

CHAPTER 3

I stood in the apartment doorway with one hand resting on the grocery bag with all the food inside of it and every a packet of my favorite chocolate biscuits sat neatly tucked inside.

For several long seconds I simply stared because nobody had ever left groceries outside my door before.

My first thought was that whoever lived nearby had accidentally left them outside the wrong apartment. It had to be a mistake. But that didn’t make any sense because they had to climb over a chainlink fence to get to my apartment and get onto the property around the garage.

I knew one thing for sure. People didn’t just buy good for strangers. At least, nobody I knew ever had.

I carried the bag inside anyway, mostly because I didn’t want someone stealing it before I found its owner.

The apartment felt even smaller with the groceries sitting on the kitchen bench and I unpacked everything carefully before stopping.

There was no receipt, no note at the bottom of the back, nothing.

“This is weird.” I frowned.

After making another cup of coffee I spent nearly twenty minutes convincing myself the groceries couldn’t possibly be for me.

There had to be another explanation. There always was.

Growing up in the Lawson household had taught me one thing better than anything else. Nothing came without conditions.

Every compliment came with criticism, every gift came with an expectation, every mistake somehow became my fault.

Charlotte had learned that lesson differently. She’d figured out how to make every situation work in her favor.

If she broke something, I’d somehow end up apologising. If she lied, my parents believed her before I ever had the chance to explain myself.

If she wanted something I owned, my mother would smile sweetly and tell me sharing built character.

It never seem to build Charlott’s. Only mine.

I remembered one birthday when Uncle Will had spent weeks rebuilding an old minibike for me. It wasn’t expensive but it was beautiful.

Charlotte had decided she wanted it the moment she saw it. And by dinner that night she’d convinced our parents that I didn’t appreciate it enough.

Three days later the minibike sat in Charlotte’s room.

Nobody asked how I felt or cared. Uncle Will had quietly taken me out for ice cream instead.

“Sometimes people show you exactly who they are, kiddo. Believe me.” He smiled at me.

I’d believe him and that was why I was living above an old motorcycle workshop instead of inside a mansion.

The apartment upstairs might have been tiny but every single thing inside belonged to me.

Nobody could take it away. The thought made me glance back toward the grocery bag.

No. There had to be a catch.

I locked the apartment and headed downstairs and Lawson Customs was already busy.

By mid morning I’d nearly forgotten about the groceries until Hunter wandered into the office carrying paperwork.

“Wrench.” I said and he grinned.

“You remembered.” He said.

“I remember everyone who brings me six motorcycles at once.” I said.

“Fair.” He said and he leaned against the counter.

“So…” He said.

“So?” I asked.

“You like bananas?” He asked and I looked at him confused.

“What?” I asked.

“The bananas.” He said.

“What bananas?” I asked.

“The ones Jace bought.” He said and I stared at him.

“Excuse me.” I said still confused as f**k.

“You didn’t know?” Hunter frowned.

“Know what?” I asked.

He immediately realized he’d said something he probably shouldn’t have.

“Oh.” He said.

“Oh?” I asked and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I thought he told you.” Hunter said.

“Told me what?” I asked and Hunter smiled nervously.

“I should probably go.” He said and he disappeared before I could stop him.

I stood frozen for a moment. Jace. Of course. I looked around the workshop before grabbing my keys.

Ben wasn’t working yet, so locking up for half an hour wasn’t exactly difficult.

The Iron Viper’s clubhouse sat only fifteen minutes outside town.

I parked outside the large timber building and looked around.

It wasn’t anything like I’d imagined. There weren’t motorcycles scattered everywhere or men yelling at each other.

Children were chasing footballs across a large grass area and several women sat together on picnic blankets while chatting.

Someone was cooking on a barbecue and the smell of grilled sausages drifted across the yard.

It looked…normal.

A little girl noticed me first and she could have been more than seven.

She smiled brightly before running toward the building.

“Paige’s here.” She sang out and several heads turned.

Great. Exactly the attention I’d been hoping to avoid.

Wait. How the f**k did she know who I was.

When I looked up I saw Hunter coming outside first.

“You found us.” He said.

“I came to return something.” I said and he smiled.

“I figured.” He said.

Jace walked out a few seconds later carrying a mug of coffee and his expression remained as calm as ever.

“You drove all this way?” Jace asked and I held up the grocery bag.

“You left these outside my apartment.” I said.

“I did.” He said.

“I think you’ve got the wrong address.” I said.

“No. They’re yours.” He said.

“I didn’t order groceries.” I said.

“I know.” He said and I held the bag toward him.

“I’m giving them back.” I said.

He looked at the bag but made no effort to take it.

“They’re payment.” He said.

“I already got paid.” I frowned.

“You skipped lunch yesterday.” He said.

“So?” I asked.

“So mechanics needs food.” He said.

“I had coffee.” I said and Hunter laughed.

“I don’t think coffee counts as lunch.” Hunter said.

“It did yesterday.” I said.

Jace finally reached for the bag before setting it gently back on the picnic table.

“They weren’t charity.” Jace said.

“They certainly weren’t repairs.” I said.

“They were thanks.” He said and I folded my arms.

“I don’t need people buying my groceries.” I said.

“You needed groceries.” He said.

“I could’ve bought my own.” I said and his eyes briefly met mine.

“Could you?” He asked.

The question stung because we both knew the answer. I couldn’t afford groceries until he’d paid me for the full repairs.

But before I could reply a woman with dark hair approached carrying a tray of drinks and she smiled warmly.

“You must be Paige.” She said.

“I am.” I said.

“I’m Emma.” She said as she offered me a glass of lemonade and I accepted it automatically.

“Thanks.” I said.

“My husband talks about motorcycles almost as much as these lot. Since yesterday all they’ve talked about is the mechanic who embarrassed half the club.” She said laughing softly and Hunter called out from the barbecue.

“Only Derek.” Hunter yelled.

“I heard that.” Derek shouted back and Emma smiled again before lowering her voice.

“You don’t have to give the groceries back.” Emma said.

“I can’t accept them.” I said.

“Why?” She asked.

“Because people don’t give away things for nothing.” I said and Emma studied me for a moment.

“They do sometimes.” She said.

“Not where I come from.”: I said.

She looked toward Jace before returning her attention to me.

“Sometimes people are simply kind.” She said.

I wasn’t sure how to answer that. Kindness had always come with conditions in my family.

Uncle Will had been the exception but everyone else had expected something in return.

I glanced around the clubhouse again and the children were laughing while the wives were chatting while preparing salads.

Several club members argued over who had burned the sausages but nobody seemed nervous or looked frightened and nobody treated me like an outside. It was actually unsettling.

“I should get back.” I finally said and Emma nodded.

“The groceries are still yours.” Emma said.

“I…” I started but she smiled back at me.

I thanked her for the drink before walking back toward my truck.

As I climbed inside I looked once more at the clubhouse and for the first time since leaving my parents’ house I felt completely out of placer.

Not because people had been rude but because they’d been nice.

I wadsn’t sure which feeling was more confusing and by the time I drove away, laughter had already started behind me again.

Hunter had slammed Jace lightly across the shoulder.

“You bought groceries?” Hunter asked and Jace didn’t even look embarrassed.

“So?” Jace asked.

“You’ve got it bad.” Hunter grinned.

Several members laughed and Derek shook his head.

“I’ve never seen the boss buy fruit for anyone.” Derek said.

“She skipped lunch.” Jace said picking up his coffee.

“Whatever helps you sleep.” Hunter smirked.

The teasing continued long after my truck disappeared down the road.

Meanwhile, back at Lawson Customs, a sleek black luxury car rolled slowly into the workshop yard.

Charlotte Lawson climbed out wearing designer clothes that cost more than most people earned in a month.

She looked around the quiet garage before a slow smile spread across her face.

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding.” She murmured to herself.