Read Online A Time to Move On by Karolyn James - Free Book Online Page A

Mack to a block from
Steph’s house and had him pull over. Mack looked around and turned the
motorcycle off.
    “Where’s the house?” he asked.
    “A block away,” Laura said. “Sorry.
I just wanted you to stop for a second.”
    “Why?”
    “Why were on that road?”
    Mack shook his head. “I offered to
help you, Laura. Just be glad I was there when I was.”
    “Okay. I’m sorry for asking. You
just seem… sad.”
    “Sad,” Mack said. “That sounds
childish.”
    “Maybe,” Laura said. She climbed
off the motorcycle and took the helmet off.
    “What are you doing?” Mack asked.
    “I’ll walk,” Laura said. “It’s only
a block.”
    “Like hell. Get on the bike.”
    “Tell me why you were there.”
    Mack looked like he was snarling at
her. Big and tough, scary looking, but Laura wasn’t going to back down. She
couldn’t figure out what was going on in her body, but she wanted to stand
there all day and ask Mack a million questions.
    “Today’s a shit day for me,” Mack
said. “I don’t want to talk about it. I’m not going to talk about it. You were
stranded and trying not to be the normal ass that I am, I decided to help. Good
enough?”
    Laura put the helmet back on and climbed
back on the motorcycle. Mack turned the bike back on and rode down the street.
Laura pointed to Steph’s house and Mack pulled up into the driveway. This time
he didn’t turn the engine off.
    He turned his head and asked, “Is
this the real house?”
    “Don’t trust me?” Laura teased.
    “I’ll sit here until you go inside
then.”
    Laura gave Mack his helmet and stared
at him. Was he flirting? Was she flirting with him? What was happening?
    “Thanks for the ride,” Laura said.
    Mack put his helmet on and nodded.
“Sure. That road is dangerous, Laura. Make sure you get your car. And put a
full tank of gas in it.”
    Laura smiled. “I’ll keep that in
mind. I don't really need the car right now since I'm unemployed, remember?”
    “Then I guess I can’t ask you to
make this up to me,” Mack said.
    He quickly turned his head and started
to walk backward and Laura chased him down. Something was burning deep inside
her. If she let Mack go right now without saying something important… their
encounter would have been for nothing.
    Laura grabbed Mack’s leather. He
stopped walking. There was a pause that felt like days. With his sunglasses on,
Laura had no idea whether he was angry or just as nervous as she was.
    When Laura knew her time was up,
she had to do something quick or just let him go. Laura moved forward and
gently pressed her lips to Mack’s cheek. The scruff on his face felt like
tickling sandpaper.
    She moved her lips up to his ear
and whispered, "Mack… I’m sad too. Don’t be ashamed of it.”
    Laura turned and ran up the steps
to Steph's porch. When she rang the doorbell, Steph opened the door a few
seconds later.
    “What in the heck…”
    That was all Steph got out before
Mack backed out of the driveway and the motorcycle roared to life. Steph’s
mouth hung open as she stared at Laura.
    “I needed a ride,” Laura said. “He showed
up.”
    “Who is he ?” Steph asked.
“And why did you call and hang up? I called you back four times, Laura.”
    “I know. But he showed up. His name
is Mack, I guess?”
    “Mack…” Steph looked down the
street and then her eyes went wide. “No! No way! That can’t be right.”
    “What can't be right?”
    “My mind is thinking crazy things,”
Steph said.
    “Why?”
    Steph looked right at Laura.
“Because you said his name is Mack. Something about him seems… famous.”
    “Really? Who?”
    “You know Jeff and I and our love
for music. Well, that guy that brought you back here looked a lot like the
drummer from the band Fallen Tuesday.”
    Laura turned her head. The
drummer …
    Laura then heard Steph switch back
to reality. “What were you thinking getting on the back of a motorcycle like that?
And where is your car?”
    Laura's thoughts