The Arrangement Anthology 1(105)

“Did you find something you like?” Kenny is an older guy that seems too twitchy. Sean told me that he’s afraid that I’ll knock a row of bikes over. Kenny has gray hair and a fluffy beard like Santa Claus, but he frowns too much.

“Yes, I did.” Sean’s gaze is resting on me as I’m making an ass out of myself, pointing at the bike and moving my mouth in slow motion, forming silent words. It makes me stop. I purse my lips and give him a look, but Sean breaks my gaze quickly and addresses Kenny. “I’ll take this one. Get it ready and set us both up with riding gear—jackets and whatever else you have.”

“You are not buying me anything.” I fold my arms over my chest.

Kenny looks at me and then back at Sean. Sean tilts his head toward me and adds, “I want a pair of pants, too. Leather – her size.”

Kenny nods. He takes the tag off the bike and starts the paperwork.

After he leaves, I walk over to Sean. “What the hell was that?”

“What?” Sean is walking away from me, slowly walking back to the helmet displays.

I grab his arm and turn him around. “I don’t want you to buy me stuff.”

“And that’s why I’m buying it. Besides, I want to take you for a ride and I’m not doing it if you plan on riding around in a sundress with nothing to protect you. I like this nose. I want it to stay on your face.” He presses his finger to the tip of my nose when he says it and then turns and walks away. It’s such a sweet gesture that it makes renders me silent.

So much for protesting, I guess I’m getting leather pants, boots, and a helmet. I’m a little excited about looking badass. I skip behind Sean and still pretend to be angry with him for ignoring my wishes, but I’m secretly saying vroom! vroom! in my mind and squealing like a lunatic.





CHAPTER 7





It’s late by the time I get back to the dorm. I walk up the stairs to my door room and get some enthusiastic whistles from a group of guys heading down the stairs and out towards the intermural field. Apparently my butt looks mighty fine in my new leather pants. I left my helmet with Sean, but took the pants and the boots. The boots are awesome. The make me feel like Godzilla. The urge to stomp down the hallway, slamming my feet into the floor consumes me. I say screw it and stomp twice, taking two huge steps with my arms dangling in front of me like T-Rex.

“Where the hell have you been?” When I look up Mel is standing in front of me with her arms folded across her chest in the middle of the hallway. Her eyes sweep over my jacket and then down to my pants and boots. She lifts an eyebrow at me and shakes her head. “You spent the day with him, didn’t you?”

The smile is still on my face. I don’t care what Mel says, it’s not ruining the day I had. Sean and I rode out east after he bought his bike. We ate dinner at little local place that overlooks the bay, and then he dropped me off at the dorm. It felt normal and I desperately need normal right now.

I open my mouth to reply, but Mel holds up her hand and shakes her head. “Save it, Cinderella. I don’t want to hear the stupid shit going through your mind.”

“Mel,” I groan. I try to push past her to go to my room, but she catches the crook of my arm.

“Damn it, Avery. I’m serious. You nearly got crushed by a semi the other night. You gotta be more careful, and hanging out with that demented biker is not anybody’s idea of careful. I already screamed at Fairy-boy for letting you go. Sean is off limits. Got it?” Mel’s in my face and her manicured finger is poking me in the chest.

My eyebrows disappear under my bangs as I swat her hand away. “Throwing himself under a truck didn’t redeem him, did it?”

“No,” she snaps. “And one good act doesn’t undo all the other stupid shit he’s done. The man is bad news. He’s messing with your mind and you’re letting him.”

I sigh, and push past her. Mel follows me down the hallway. “Avery, I’m just watching out for you. So much stuff has been going on. Damn it, listen to me!” Mel grabs my shoulders and spins me around. “I’m the only one who knows what you’ve gone through and what you’re doing. Don’t waste it like this. If Black finds out that you’ve been seeing him, you’ll lose everything.”

My smile is gone. I don’t say anything for a second. I know she’s right, I just wish she wasn’t. I need that job to dig myself out of the ever-increasing hole I keep digging. As it is, I’m sure I’m on her shit list. I close my eyes and say it, “Fine. You’re right.”

“Don’t try pulling that reverse mind shit on me, I know I’m right!”