Fiona nodded sympathetically. “You definitely have been a friend to her. But now it’s time to let her know you think of her as more.”
“Not sure I’m her type.”
“Sounds as if she doesn’t know her type either. If she keeps going back to a man who treats her like crap, all she knows is what she thinks she deserves.”
“She deserves a hell of a lot more than that,” he burst out.
Fiona smiled. “I know that and you know that. But does she?”
“Are you saying she’s settling for this bum because she thinks she deserves him?”
“Maybe. Lots of people do it. We go back again and again. I almost didn’t give Dixon a shot because of my own issues with attracting gearheads on power trips.”
Tank grinned at her. “He does tick the gearhead box. And he does his share of fighting.”
“But always for the right reasons. There’s a difference.”
“Yeah.” He thought about Catarina and how he could possibly get her to see that she could move on from that douchebag and seated on the back of Tank’s bike.
“You’re a great guy, Tank. Any girl would be lucky to have you. And I know how you’d shower Catarina with everything a woman could ever want. You’re a softy when it comes to some things.”
He groaned. “Why does everyone keep referring to me as soft?”
She patted his chest. “Teddy bears can have claws too. And big teeth.” She tipped her head toward the door. “Come get something to eat.”
He followed her out and found a full-blown party happening in the parking lot. Someone had brought coolers filled with soda and water, and a keg had been tapped off to the side. Sawhorses were set up with sheets of plywood as a makeshift buffet table, and people milled around, even some who weren’t in the club.
One guy approached him, shirtless, tattooed, with a hammer hanging from his belt. “You’re Tank.”
He arched a brow. “Who’s askin’?”
The guy didn’t take offense and held out a hand. “I work for Patriot on his construction team. He roped me into siding the clubhouse. He told me you started up a bike shop and build custom.”
“That’s right. You ride?”
“I have an old Harley that could use some work. Wondered if you’d be interested in taking a look? It’s got some aftermarket parts on it that I don’t like, and I want something more authentic, ya know?”
“I’ll definitely take a look and give you my opinion.” Inwardly, Tank felt a burst of excitement at the prospect that he really would have this job as a way of life. Once he got his name out among the people of Mersey and to some of the other MCs from outlying areas, he hoped more orders would roll in and keep him busy.
They set up a time for the guy to drop off the bike. Tank grabbed a plate of food and a water and sat with his spine against a tree trunk, away from the party. He had a lot to think about. Between the shop, the clubhouse and what Fiona said to him, a lot of changes were happening.
At last, things were looking up.
“Unit 3, what is your position?”
Catarina grabbed the CB radio, throwing Nicole a look. “One mile outside city limits.”
“We’ve got a twenty-eight-year-old man claiming difficulty breathing at 168 Maple.”
“We’re on it.” Catarina said the words without even registering the address.
Then it hit her. She sucked in a deep gasp and whipped in the seat toward Nicole. “It’s Chad!”
Nicole’s eyes flew wide. “You’re sure?”
“That’s his address and his age. Step on the gas, Nicole!” She grabbed her phone and dialed Chad’s number. He didn’t answer, which fueled her fears.
In minutes they pulled up to the house on Maple. “He’s not even supposed to be home. He must be ill and didn’t go to work today.” She grabbed her bag and ran to the front door with Nicole right behind her.
The minute she knocked, he opened it. He stood there looking as healthy as ever, wearing shorts and a muscle tee, like he’d just gone for a run, in fact.
She examined him from head to foot. “What’s going on? You called in for breathing difficulties?”
He stepped up to her and cupped her cheek. “I can’t even breathe without you in my life, baby.”
“Oh Lord,” she heard Nicole mutter from behind.
She threw a look over her shoulder to see Nicole turn back for the unit.
Anger hit her. “You can get into a lot of trouble for false calls, you know.” Catarina moved inside and closed the door.
Then she really saw the bruise he sported around his eye that she somehow missed during her first glance. “What happened to you?” She started to touch his eye and then retracted her hand.
“You wanna kiss it and make it better?” Chad sidled closer, until their bodies were almost touching.
Tank’s face leaped into her mind, hovering there like a ghost shaking his finger at her. Why did she suddenly feel that being in Chad’s presence betrayed Tank? That’s ridiculous.
She reached for the door handle again. “I actually am on the job, and I don’t appreciate your little trick.”
“Aww, baby, I’m sorry. It’s just that you’ve been ignoring my calls and texts.”
She had to talk to him. What she would say, she had no idea, because she wasn’t altogether sure how she felt about him anymore.
“Okay, I’ll let you get to work, and I’m sorry for calling you over here. At least meet me at your favorite restaurant for dinner tonight.”
She thought of the last time she’d been out for burritos—with Tank. How intense his eyes had been each time he looked her direction and the fluttering in her belly that resulted.
She shook her head. “Not the burrito place.” It felt too weird now. “Italian.”
Chad smiled. “See you there, baby.”
Huffing with irritation, she returned to the unit and slammed the passenger door. Nicole started to speak, and Catarina threw up a hand to stop her. “Don’t say a word. I know.”
Wordlessly, Nicole pulled away from the curb, and they finished their day, picking up a few more calls for various injuries or illnesses. The day seemed to drag now, though, and Catarina’s dread grew when her shift came to an end.
When she and Nicole walked to their vehicles together, her friend threw her a pointed glance. “I don’t know what that was all about with Chad, but please tell me you’ll be careful, Cat.”
“You know I will.”
She contemplated her. “That’s just it—I don’t know that you will. You’ve been in and out of a relationship with him for how long now? What you need’s a man like my Charles. Someone who wants to take care of you. Who’s there for you through thick and thin and at the end of the day, you step into his arms and all your worries fade away.”
And he feeds you burritos and has your favorite movies at the ready.
Tank.
Her heart gave a little flip.
She nodded and embraced Nicole. “I’ll see you tomorrow and fill you in on everything. Okay?”
“All right. If you need me, you know how to find me.”
“Thanks.” Catarina offered her a smile and then drove home to change out of her uniform into street clothes. The prospect of sitting at the same table with Chad felt increasingly wrong, now that she knew which direction her feelings swayed.