Roll Me Away: A Smokey's Roadhouse Novel (18 page)

Zach and I talked long into the night after we made love. Everything just seemed to fall into place. That last little corner of my mind that wondered if I was too selfish to be with him slunk into oblivion. But he wanted to talk about
my
future, specifically.

Obviously, if I was going to pursue my career, we’d have to move from Rawlins. I’d burned my bridges with the medical community, and it wasn’t a large town. He was going to have to pursue something else anyway, it appeared, so he was happy to hear suggestions.

“Well, Cheyenne’s a possibility. But I’d like to look into Denver. I’d just as soon get a little distance between us and the Devils.”

“I have no problem with that. Jake’s a loose cannon. They may have a reach in Cheyenne, but I’d be willing to bet Denver’s far enough away to make it safe. Or we could go farther south…Albuquerque, or Phoenix. Somewhere it’s warm all year,” he said.

“I like seasons. After all, I’m a Wisconsin girl. If you think Denver’s far enough away from Jake, I’d like to look there first. It’s closer to your mom, and I’m sure she’d appreciate that. It’s not as far from my folks as New Mexico or Arizona.”

“So you’ve forgiven them?”

“Not yet, but I will. I love them, and as much as I hate their methods, I know they meant well.”

“They thought I was a fling, right?”

“Yeah. To be honest, I didn’t even think that, Mr. Arrogance.”

After that it took a while before we got back to our discussion. By morning, though, we had the skeleton of a plan. If Carl would help us, I’d get some kind of entry-level job until Zach was literally on his feet again, even if he still had to use a walker or a cane. Zach was reasonably sure I’d be able to stay with him in his mom’s house until he was ready to leave, and not pay rent. Instead, I’d save everything I could so we’d have something to start on when we got to Denver.

When he was ready, I’d start applying for jobs in Denver, and we’d wait until I had one before making the move. We had no idea how long it would all take, but Zach estimated at least three more months, while I secretly planned on six.

The next morning, I met Carl and Rose in the kitchen breakfast nook and asked them to join Zach and me in his room for a powwow.

I let Zach do the talking. This future we’d laid out was still new enough that I knew Carl and Rose hadn’t had time to adjust to us as a real couple, even though we’d been making couple noises for a few weeks. Rose had been happy to learn of the potential weeks ago, and now enthusiastically embraced the idea. Until she asked when we planned to get married.

Zach and I looked at each other. We hadn’t discussed that at all. I spread my fingers in surrender and hoped he’d get my meaning. Let him answer that.

“Mom, we haven’t gotten that far yet. We don’t need to talk about it until we see if we can make a go of it.”

“Zach Hayes, I raised you better than that. If you’re going to live with a woman and let her support you, you’d better at least give her your last name.”

All three of the rest of us burst into laughter at that moment, because it was so absurd. In the first place, she’d lived with Carl for over a year before they married, so she had no room to talk. In the second, Zach had every intention of doing his share of supporting. He wasn’t as insulted at the implication as I’d been when my parents made the same assumption in reverse. To me, it was a sign that his natural personality was beginning to reassert itself.

Rose looked from one to another of us, and finally joined in the mirth when she saw Carl. At that point, Zach sent us into hysterics again by putting on a plaintive tone and saying, “Golly, Mom, can I at least wait until I can get down on one knee to ask her?”

I’m pretty sure Carl and Rose were laughing for a different reason than I was. We really hadn’t talked about marriage, and when I looked into the future, there was a big, cloudy barrier keeping me from seeing anything beyond the ‘move to Denver’ sign. Maybe my folks were right. I might not be capable of acting in my own best interest. I was bouncing from one notion to the next without a long term plan, but I knew with no reservations now that I wanted to be with Zach. We’d have to figure things out as we went.

After a while, we settled down and convinced them we weren’t going off half-cocked. Carl promised to do whatever we needed, from driving us to Denver and leaving us with a vehicle there to get us started, to loaning us money if we needed it. He’d already told me privately that he was ashamed of getting involved with the Devils and endangering Zach. He never got a satisfactory answer out of Sarge as to how the evidence in the drug charges had disappeared. We both put it out of our minds and hoped it stayed gone.

The next day, I applied for every job in town that I qualified for. A few rejections came because I was technically overqualified, but an older dentist said he’d take a chance on me. He needed someone to organize his practice so he could sell it when he retired, in just a matter of months. It was perfect, and the best part was it paid better than a fast-food job would have.

Within a week, I was working at my job, and Zach was working hard with the physical therapist that came to the house. He’d graduated from the occupational therapist. It was a foregone conclusion now that he wouldn’t need special accommodations for very long.

“
W
hat the fuck
do you mean? You can’t just quit.”

“I can and I will,” Carl said. “Talk to Sarge if you have a beef. I’m done.”

“You’ll regret this.”

“I regretted ever getting involved with you hooligans. My boy will never be the same, and it’s largely your fault.”

“Me! I didn’t wreck the bike with him on it. That’s on him.”

I knew the arguments he’d make, because Sarge had already been through them with me. If Carl hadn’t recommended Zach for the club, he wouldn’t have been on my bike that day – I would. Therefore, ipso facto, and ergo, Zach would have been safe in his boring little civilian world and would have been a motorcycle mechanic all his life. We offered him glory, and he fucked it up. I couldn’t have cared less.

Chances were the car that clipped him wouldn’t have been able to catch me. I’d still have my bike, I’d still have the money from that deal, and I wouldn’t have both Sarge and my dad up my butt all the time. I was beginning to feel like one of the Bunnies – getting fucked in the ass every time I turned around.

I still blamed that cunt Cricket. My luck had changed when I met her. First that freaky passing out thing, and then she didn’t want anything to do with me or the life I thought she was looking for. Her choosing the fucking prospect over me was a loss of face I didn’t need. I hadn’t felt like my crew was behind me ever since.

Dad didn’t ride much anymore, but when I went to him to ask what the deal was with Carl, he invited me to ride out to a place he hadn’t taken me since I was a kid. I figured I wouldn’t get an answer unless I agreed, so I left my crew at Smokey’s and followed Dad to what I recognized as where he’d told me about men and women and the dealings between them. The old birds and bees talk.

“Been awhile,” I said, as he pulled off his helmet.

“Yep. Figured it was time for a dad and son talk.”

“All right. Are you gonna tell me about Carl?”

“In a minute. Heard a rumor you were mouthing off about teaching that gal a lesson.”

“So?”

“So, I need you to cool off. Smokey and me, we ain’t gonna be around forever. Someone’s gotta take over leadership of this club someday, and there ain’t many left got the smarts or the leadership for it. Smokey’s boy is gone. You’re the logical candidate. You understand?”

“Yeah. So what?”

“Don’t blow this off, boy. You’ve got the personality to lead, but you’re gonna go down before you ever get the chance, you don’t stop makin’ waves. You need to have a good long talk with yourself about what you want outta this life. If you want leadership of this club, you gotta stop thinkin’ with your dick and use that knob on the top of your neck.”

“What you’re saying is bow down and accept this fucking miserable life you geezers have settled for! There’s never enough money. We need to branch out, get into businesses that pay more. Shake things up.”

“Believe it or not, I agree with you. But the businesses you’ve tried to drag us into ain’t the right ones. Use your head, son. I know you’re smart. Show it. Stop wavin’ your dick around and look into somethin’ legitimate. Act your age instead of poutin’ like a damn two-year-old. I’ll back you, even if you want to take over a little early, as long as your plans for the club make sense.”

“You’re serious? You’d back me against Smokey?”

“Let’s just say Smokey and me could maybe come to an understandin’. You in?”

“Hell, yes. Now what’s the deal with Carl?”

“Carl never appreciated our enhancement to his business. For some reason, he was under the impression he didn’t have no choice. Any idea how he got that impression?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, anyways, he got to thinkin’ about how that evidence disappeared, and had him a talk with Sarge. We got us a Mexican standoff. We leave him alone, and he doesn’t blow the whistle to the Feds on your buddy’s pet cops.”

“He’s got no evidence. And that would expose both him and the prospect to charges.”

“Not if he works a deal. Remember, they’ve got no evidence either. No drugs, no chopped bikes. All long gone. But an investigation… that wouldn’t be good for those cops, and it probly wouldn’t be good for your health if Juan Smith hears about it. By the way, we got no prospect no more. He’s out, and he’s none of our business anymore. You get me?”

“Yeah. Shit.”

“Don’t worry, son. I have no doubt you’ll come up with a better idea. One that’s a lot safer for the club and for you. We understand each other?”

“Yeah.”

So, I got my crew together. Told them the new facts of life. And set my mind to forget the prospect, the broad, and any ideas I’d ever had about cartel business. It was time to grow up.

I should have known Zach had a better handle on what he could accomplish than I did. Three months to the day after we made our plans, he walked out of that makeshift bedroom and into the living room with only a cane for support. The physical therapist said it was a miracle. I knew it was Zach’s hard work. And maybe a bit of a miracle, too.

Another miracle was my father’s apology. It came on my twenty-third birthday, only a month after he and Mom came in their ill-advised bid to take me home. I’d kept my word, and stayed in touch. I told them my plans with Zach, and kept them updated when we had milestones, like the first time Zach was able to walk with his walker and one of us supporting him. Or the time the new dentist who bought the practice I was managing asked me to stay on.

I sent texts to my brother and sister regularly, encouraging them in their schoolwork. In short, I was forgiven my sins, and Dad came to realize how wrong he’d been to interfere in my life the way he had.

On the day Zach walked into the living room with that cane, he said it was time for me to start looking for a job in Denver.

“Are you sure, honey? I’ve got a pretty good job here, now. We don’t have to go, if you’d rather stay here.”

“I’m sure. The best I could do here would be working for Carl, and while I’m grateful for that offer, I think I’d like to do something else.”

“Like what?

“I’m not sure. Maybe helping kids stay out of gangs? I can tell them it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he said, smiling.

“That’s a thought.”

“I wouldn’t make as much money as you. Would that bother you?”

“Not if it doesn’t bother you.”

“Well, it might. I was raised to take care of my woman. At least, after Carl came along I was. Maybe I’ll volunteer on that other stuff and find something more profitable to do for a living.”

“Whatever you want, honey. I don’t mind either way, as long as you’re happy.”

“One thing would make me happy, no matter what I’m doing.”

“What’s that?”

I walked right into that one. Apparently, it was the signal for Rose and Carl to stop hiding around the corner and come bear witness to what happened next. Zach moved to the chair where I was sitting, and leaned over, using the padded arm for support. Slowly and carefully, he lowered himself to one knee, as I covered my mouth in shock.

Once he was stable in the position, he took my hand and looked into my eyes. “Caroline Baxter, will you marry me?”

I knew the right answer, and I knew the flippant answer. They warred in my throat as Zach began to look alarmed. Before his smile faded, I blurted my answer.

“Of course! Zach, I love you. I’d be honored to be your wife.” I waited only long enough for him to pull a ring out of his pocket, before adding, “As long as you never call me Caroline again.”

“I think you’ll have to answer to it during the wedding ceremony. Can we compromise?”

“Okay. If you tell me how in the world you got this!” I said, holding up my simple but beautiful ring to admire.

“I wasn’t going to tell you, but okay. Carl and Mom went shopping. I owe them our firstborn, but I think they did a fantastic job.”

“Zachary Baxter! Are you telling me you didn’t pick my ring yourself?”

He grinned. “Ain’t sayin’.”

“I’ll get it out of Rose.”

“Hey, leave me out of this lover’s spat,” Rose said. “And can I hug my new daughter-in-law?”

I kissed Zach before sliding out of the chair around his kneeling form and hugging her. Carl kissed me on the cheek and whispered, “We took him with us. Don’t worry, he picked it.”

“Hey,” said Zach. “I can hear you. And besides, a little help here?”

It turned out Zach really couldn’t get up on his own, so Carl hauled him to a standing position. As if he’d just thought of it, he snapped his fingers. “Let’s go out to eat to celebrate!”

As we trooped out to his car, I noticed for the first time the temporary handicapped tag attached to the mirror. I whispered to Zach, “You really did pick out my ring, didn’t you?”

“You think I’d leave something that important to anyone else?”

I don’t think either one of us had any idea where we were going until Carl pulled up at the best, by which I meant the only, steakhouse in Rawlins. Zach and I were too busy jousting with our tongues.

It wasn’t as easy for Cricket to get a job in Denver as we’d hoped. While she continued working at the dental office, I continued my physical therapy, but I also looked into what kind of assistance I could get to retrain for a career. My high school grades weren’t good enough to get into a regular college, but that wasn’t me anyway. What suited me better was a technical college. I hadn’t messed around with computers much, but I found out I really liked it when I got started online.

Cricket helped me with the basics, and I was able to do distance learning in one of the schools that had campuses in big cities all over the West. When we did get to Denver, I’d be able to do the hands-on classes and finish up. My online instructors said I had a knack for intuitive leaps. Cricket had to explain what that meant.

When one month turned into two, and still no nibbles for her, I told Cricket we might as well go ahead and get married and stay in Rawlins if she was happy. She fluttered around a little and then told me what was wrong.

I didn’t know the bride’s family was supposed to pay for the wedding. Even crazier was she didn’t think she could plan it without her mom, and that was kind of hard when they lived half the country away.

I was able to make that problem go away when I set up a video link on our computer, and her brother fixed one up for her mom on the other end. After that, I had to get her attention after her mom went to bed, because they were on Skype every night for an hour or more after dinner, making these crazy elaborate plans. Sometimes she asked me my opinion, and I had to tell her do whatever she wanted and tell me when to show up. She’d shake her head and tell me that pulling together a wedding in a month was impossible and I needed to help more. I figured I
was
helping, by staying out of the way.

One concession her parents made was that they’d come to Rawlins, instead of making me take the trip to Minneapolis. I still had aches and pains, and a long trip by car and plane wasn’t my favorite idea. Cricket played the handicapped card and got their agreement. They were probably going to have a fit when they saw me walk her back down the aisle without even my cane, which I was working hard on being able to do.

For the last two weeks, Cricket threw me for a loop. No sex. Not even a blow job. She said couples who were intimate did this as a sort of concession to the virgin bride thing.

“That ship has sailed, though, hasn’t it?” I asked. I was rewarded by a punch in the arm.

“It won’t kill you to do without sex for two weeks.”

“You forget – I did without it for a lot longer than that in the hospital. It isn’t fair to punish me again.”

“That wasn’t a punishment, and neither is this. Be good.”

“All right.” I whined my last answer, but it didn’t do any good.

It gave me an idea, though, and I needed Carl to help me pull it off. Cricket would probably kill me when she found out I had let him in on her little secret, but it would be worth it.

Meanwhile, I sneaked in what I could. I’d cop a feel when she got near me, and get lightly punched for my efforts. I was beginning to worry my girl had done a one-eighty on her enjoyment of sex, until the night I sneaked up behind her while she was washing up pans in the kitchen and staring out the window into the darkness. I trapped her between the sink and my erection and pressed it against her.