The line at the store is long as fuck, but Kitten's sick and upset, and I want to get some muffins to cheer her up. The thought of her staying with me is thrilling. The second thing that made my shitty afternoon better is my convo with Dakota.

I head home as soon as the muffins are mine, barely waiting to dash upstairs. When I enter my room, I halt in the doorway.

Leah isn't there. My clothes she must've worn are folded and lie in a neat pile on the straightened comforter.

Leah doesn't answer my call, which gives me no other choice but to go see her. She's home alone, so I knock on her front door.

Leah opens it. She doesn't meet my eyes, lowering her gaze to her feet instead.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Kitten's a shitty liar. She says, "Nothing," but keeps looking elsewhere.

"You said you were gonna spend the night with me."

"I changed my mind."

"Why?"

"Because I don't feel well."

"I bought some muffins. We can watch a movie, and you'll feel better. Come on; let's go."

Leah shakes her head. "I can't. I'm sorry."

"You can't, or don't want to?"

Silence is the response I get, and I hate it.

"Whatever you want." I pivot to get out of there, but she doesn't try to stop me, doesn't want to tell me what the fuck happened for her to treat me this way. I feel shitty all afternoon and spend yet another night staring at the ceiling in my dark bedroom.

***

Pops notices my crappy mood the following morning. I make too much noise with the tools, and a scowl is glued to my face. He doesn't say anything, and I'm grateful.

I don't even put the music on, choosing to replace the levers in silence. That's until an ear-splitting whistle breaks it, and someone yells, "Tiny dick!"

Pops chuckles. "That must be for you, little fucker."

Perking up for the first time in hours, I rush out of the garage. "Don't expose me like that, D," I say.

Dakota hops off her Harley, takes off her helmet, and squeezes the shit out of me. The chick's slim but hugs like a dude who lifts.

I pretend to be hurt and cough.

"Pussy." She slaps my back. Then, we both snicker.

"Good to see you," I say, putting an arm around her shoulders as we strut to the shop.

Dakota smiles a megawatt smile. "Same, baby boy. We'll hopefully hang out more often now that I'll live only a couple of hours away."

"I'm so fucking proud of you. Your own business at twenty, doing something dudes would usually do."

"Enough of the sexist shit. I'm as good as them."

I wink. "Nah. You're way better. Come on; Pops is waiting."

Dakota and I walk into the shop. Dad jumps to his feet and wipes his hands with a clean rag before shaking Dakota's hand. "The famous Dakota."

The chick chuckles. "The one and only. Thanks for agreeing to see me and help me out."

"It's my pleasure," Pops says. "Since we don't have much time, let's get straight to it. Will you finish the job, Son?" Dad nods toward the bike he's been working on.

"Sure thing," I say and grab the wrench, leaving Pops and Dakota to their convo. They go to Dad's office and reappear almost an hour later. Pops shows D the workspace while she asks tons of questions, as eager as ever. That's one of the many things I like about her.

"You must be thirsty," I say when they're done with the tour.

Dakota shrugs. "A bit, but don't worry."

I grab two bottles of beer from the cooler. "Let's sit on the porch."

Dakota and I stroll to my porch and make ourselves comfortable on the swing.

"So?" I ask, taking a sip from the bottle.

She winks. "The family's doing well, I see."

"Yeah. Fortunately. What about your dad?"

Dakota sighs. "Happy for me and sad that I'm gonna live so far from him. Dad asks me about you a lot."

We burst into a fit of laughter. "Fuck," I say, wiping my eyes. "I'll never forget that shit."

"You mean when he sat you down, put a hand on your shoulder, and said, "Son, I'm sorry, but my daughter's cheating on you with a chick?"

Dakota's mimicking of her Pop's voice has me laughing harder.

She goes on talking, "You didn't help the case, Brian. Didn't you tell him, "I'm sorry, Sir, my dick is small; she wasn't getting what she needed?"

My grin dies when I spot Kitten standing on the lawn, staring at me with hurt in her eyes.

"That's your Leah, right?" Dakota whispers just as Kitten turns around and runs away.

"Wait here." I rest the bottle on the floor and hurry after my chick. Is she mine? I don't even know anymore.

"Kitten! Wait!"

Of course, she doesn't. Kitten's almost home when I catch up with her and throw her over my shoulder.

"Brian, let me go!"

"No," I say and bite Kitten's ass that's level with my face now.

She squeals. I carry her to our yard and put her down by a pile of logs.

"You've got some nerve!" Kitten slaps my chest. "Go to the one who knows how to ride 'em. What do you even want from me?"

Of-fucking-course Kitten snooped and saw my Instagram. I should've figured it out earlier.

"Dakota knows how to ride 'em bikes, Kitten. She serviced Fat Boy," I say, gripping Kitten's waist. She's about to cry, and I don't know if I should do the same or be mad. "Not my boy, Kitten, my boy's thick, not fat. Fat Boy's my bike. Dakota hasn't touched or even seen my boy, let alone serviced it. The chick's one hell of a mechanic, and she used to be my go-to person in the city I lived with my mom. That's how we became friends. Friends, do you hear me?"

Kitten rolls her eyes. "Right."

"Yes, good friends. There wasn't anything between us. Ever. Dakota's into chicks. I'm the one who should worry, not you. If you don't believe me, ask her. She's been waiting to meet you since I told her about you."

"You told her about me?" Kitten squeaks.

I hug the silly chick and kiss her hair. "If you'd talked to me, we could've spent last night together instead of this bullshit. Communication's important, babe. You can't assume things without asking me about them first."

"What's she doing here?"

"She's going to open her bike repair shop in the city where Jim lives. She used to work with her dad, but now she'll do it on her own, and she stopped by to see how Pops manages the business so he could give her some pointers. She'll spend the night in the guest bedroom. Is that a problem?"

"No."

"Good," I whisper, leaning in for a kiss. "Now, let me kiss my girl, will you?"

Leah blushes. She's hesitant at first, but then she circles my neck with her arms and her soft lips touch mine. I draw an arm around her waist and press her to me, opening my mouth to kiss her deeper.

"Are we okay?" I ask after a while.

"Yeah," Kitten says, flushed. I take her hand and return to the porch.

"Leah!" Dakota beams, jumping off the swing. I let them get acquainted, and relief floods me when they chat as any two girls would. Dakota tells Kitten the same story I did and mentions how we met. "Leah's coming to that place with us, right?" she asks, glancing at me.

"I was about to tell her."

Kitten's eyebrows lift. "What place?"

"The Temple. I want Dakota to meet Mac and Lenny. Annie, too."

"Oh...not Annie, because we're going to study for a quiz together. Mom will be at work, so I invited Annie over. I'm sorry. You two should go. Don't change your plans because of me."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

Leah kisses my cheek. "Yes. Go, Brian. It's okay."

"Stay for lunch, at least."

"I'm eating with Mom today. Maybe tomorrow before you leave?" Kitten asks Dakota.

"Sure. It was nice to meet you."

Kitten smiles. "You too."

When she's gone, Dakota frowns. "I'm sorry, baby boy. I didn't think she'd be jealous."

"Am I really such a shitty guy?" I say. "I've never lied to her, and she assumes the worst just by seeing my pictures. Will the shit I did always haunt me? Maybe I'm not made for a relationship."

"Stop it." D groans. "You're a great guy. I'd do you if I liked you in that way."

"Maybe I don't want anyone to do me. Maybe I want more for once in my goddamned life. I thought Leah and I could have it, you know?"

"And you can—enough of self-loathing. You did what lots of guys your age do. You had your fun like I had mine. Show Leah there's more to you, although I'm sure she already knows that."

I sigh. "I hope she does."

***

Dakota refuses to go on my Harley — she rides hers, and I'm the passenger for once.

We're early, but Lenny's bike is parked under a tree, and Mac arrives at the same time Dakota, and I do.

"'Sup, dude! Who's your friend?"

Dakota waits for Mac to come closer and says, "Dakota."

"Mackenzie, but call me Mac. What have you guys been up to?"

"Pops showed D his business," I say.

Dakota grins proudly. "I'm opening my shop, and Mr. O'Brien helped me out a lot. Tomorrow, I'm going to the city — the garage needs some work before I open it. I hope you two will come to the celebration when I do. I'd be happy to see friendly faces there."

"Count on it. Well, let's meet Leonard." I motion to the clearing. The three of us don't stop walking until we're next to the bonfire. Some guys and girls are already there. Chatter and laughter fill the evening air, echoing in the woods.

"The fuck?" Mac says and halts.

Both Dakota and I look at him and then in the direction he's pointing at.

Bella's sitting on a guy's lap with her tongue shoved down his throat.

The guy is none other than fucking Ferdinand.