The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 44

Yup! Exactly what I needed to hear. That was a wake up call.

Athena, you're his sister.

"Yeah, I'm sure he won't." She nodded her head.

"You guys should talk it out when he comes" I stared at her with a smile.

"We will don't worry. Hope Kiara didn't miss me too much" I joked trying to get the conversation off me.

"Of course she did. You'll come around soon, right?"

"Yea I would" we both walked into my office catching out on the day before that I wasn't present.

We walked together toward my office, catching up on the work I'd missed the day before. Leah filled me in on customer calls, parts orders, and the general chaos of running a busy garage.

I was grateful she didn't ask why I'd been absent – maybe because I was technically her boss, or maybe because she could see I wasn't ready to talk about it.

What would I have said anyway? Sorry I missed work because I'd nearly overdosed.

I threw myself into paperwork, using the familiar routine as a shield against my racing thoughts. Invoice reviews, schedule adjustments, inventory reports, anything to keep my mind occupied and away from memories of soft lips and frozen shock.

The morning crawled by at a snail's pace. Every footstep in the hallway made me look up, expecting to see Tristan's tall frame filling my doorway - demanding why I left without a single word.

By noon, I'd almost convinced myself he wasn't going to show up at all. Maybe he was avoiding coming here, to give us both space to pretend last night never happened.

Then I heard a soft knock on my office door.

I looked up from my computer screen, expecting to see Leah with lunch plans or work questions. Instead, Tristan stood in the doorway, one hand gripping the frame, his eyes fixed directly on me.

My heart skipped several beats and then started racing to make up for lost time.

He didn't say anything at first, just stood there looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. His dark hair was slightly messy, like he'd been running his fingers through it. His work clothes were clean but rumpled, suggesting he'd been busy all morning.

I raised my eyebrows when the silence stretched past comfortable and into something awkward.

"Would you like to go to lunch together?" he asked finally.

The question caught me completely off guard. This wasn't the first time Tristan had ever asked me out to lunch – but it felt somehow, intimate.

My first instinct was to panic. Lunch meant sitting across from each other at a restaurant, making conversation, pretending everything was normal when we both knew it wasn't. Lunch meant being alone together, which felt dangerous after what had happened last night.

*Say yes,* Ciara whispered urgently in my mind.

"I... I'd love to," I started, and I could see something's that's looked like hope flicker in his eyes, but I knew it was my imagination.

*That's my girl,* Ciara whispered with satisfaction.

"But..." I continued, and I felt her immediately tense with frustration.

*Don't you dare. Don't you dare say no to him.*

"There's a lot of work to catch up on. I'm sorry, maybe tomorrow?" I finished with what I hoped was an apologetic look.

I watched his face fall slightly, the hope dimming like someone had turned down a light switch. The sight made my heart twist painfully in my chest.

*Why did you say no to him? You want to go on a date with him. That's what we've always wanted since we were kids, so why are you refusing now?*

Ciara's voice in my head was a mixture of disappointment and anger. She was right, of course. I did want to go to lunch with him. I'd been wanting to go places with Tristan for most of my life.

But that was exactly the problem.

Tristan turned like he was going to leave, accepting my rejection with the same quiet grace he brought to everything else. But then he paused at the threshold and turned back around.

"Athena," he said, and my name sounded different in his mouth than it had that morning. More serious, more weighted with meaning.

My pulse quickened. Was he going to bring up the kiss? Was this the conversation I'd been dreading all day?

"Yes?" I raised my face from the papers I'd been pretending to study and met his eyes directly.

"Why..." I could see him wrestling with himself, debating whether to ask whatever question was on his mind. For a moment, I thought he'd decided against it and was going to leave after all.

Instead, he walked fully into my office and settled into the chair across from my desk – the one meant for clients and important visitors. He placed his hands on both armrests and leaned forward slightly.

"Are you avoiding me?" he asked quietly.

The question left me completely speechless. My mouth opened and closed a few times before I managed to form actual words.

"I don't understand," I said weakly, which was partially true and mostly a stalling tactic.

"Why did you leave this morning without telling me? You're always ready to ride to work together, but today you were gone when I came out."

His voice was gentle but direct, cutting right through any pretense I might have tried to maintain.

I scrambled for an answer that wasn't a complete lie. "I didn't leave because I was trying to avoid you. I left because I'm tired of feeling like I can't do anything on my own."

It wasn't entirely false. Part of me did want more independence, more proof that I could function as my own person instead of always needing protection and guidance.

I saw his expression soften immediately, understanding replacing suspicion.

"I get that," he said, nodding slowly. "We just want to be there for you. Don't push us away when we're only trying to help."

The sincerity in his voice made guilt settle in my stomach like a stone. He was being completely genuine, worried about my wellbeing and our friendship, while I was sitting here lying about my motivations.

"Alright," I said, making a decision. "How about we go to Orion's place after work? I haven't seen enough of Lily and Liam lately."

"Or," he said, standing up with a small smile, "how about we go grab lunch right now? I'm hungry, and I really don't like eating alone."

He didn't need to say anything else. The simple honesty of his request, combined with the way he was looking at me – hopeful but not pushy, friendly but not demanding – broke down my remaining resistance.

I stood up, walked around my desk, and took his hand, tugging him toward the door. "Come on then, before I change my mind."

His fingers were warm and slightly rough. When he squeezed gently, I felt that familiar electric current that always seemed to run between us.

The one only I notice.

*Finally,* Ciara said with deep satisfaction.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked as we stepped outside into the afternoon sunshine.

"Doesn't matter," Tristan said, pulling on his sunglasses. "I just wanted to spend some time with you."