The Biker's Fate Chapter 527

Tate

After I rang off with Flash, I floated down the stairs to find my mom pulling vegetables from the fridge. "Whatya doin'?" I asked.

She closed the door and smiled. "Figuring out what to throw in the slow cooker with the meat."

"You're not putting asparagus in there, surely."

She chuckled. "No, honey. I know how you and your dad feel about asparagus."

I relaxed and sat at the island. "Not that it really matters. I may not be home for dinner tonight."

"Oh, yeah? Is Flash taking you out?"

"That's the plan," I said.

"Any word on the job?"

I shook my head. "It's only been a day. I doubt they'll make a decision until next week at the earliest."

I hadn't got the one I'd applied for last week, so it was onward and upward for the next opportunity.

"You don't sound excited."

"I'm not," I admitted with a sigh.

"Why?"

"Because it's in Portland and doing that commute home from the interview made me want to choke a puppy."

Mom laughed. "Yes, I remember when I worked in Wilsonville, even back in the day, the traffic was awful."

"Yeah. I wish there were bigger firms on this side of the river, but I may just be stuck with Oregon."

She reached over and squeezed my arm. "You'll figure it out. Adulting is hard."

I grinned. "Yeah, it is."

"Fill me in on Flash."

"What would you like to know?"

She pulled out a cutting board and set it on the island in front of me, then handed me a knife. "Tell me something I don't know while you slice these tomatoes, please."

"Well, since I don't actually know what you do know, that might be difficult." I grabbed a tomato and began to slice. "But good try getting me to spill the beans."

Mom sighed. "You always have been smarter than me."

"Not smarter, Mama, just less trusting."

"Well, that's true." She smiled gently. "And since Flash had a hand in you being less trusting, I'd love to know what changed."

"It was all a big misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding about Madison?"

"Yes," I admitted. "I thought they were sleeping together, so I kind of freaked out."

Mom frowned.

"What?" I asked.

"Why would you think they were sleeping together?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I challenged.

"Because he was always into you, not her," Mom said, matter of factly.

"What?" I squeaked, pausing my slicing.

Mom nodded. "It was always you, honey. And even if you'd had the define the relationship talk and you told him to take a hike, I never got the impression he'd disrespect you by sleeping with her before talking to you first."

I bit back tears. "He really wouldn't have, would he?"

"No, baby, he wouldn't."

"But he took Nora to prom."

"Because he thought you were telling him to." She gave me a gentle smile. "You've always been very careful with your words, sweetheart, which means that sometimes you don't 'spit it out.' You find it difficult to be direct."

"Yeah, but he wasn't into me back then."

"Oh, I don't think that's true, honey," Mom countered.

"Huh?"

She smiled. "I have a feeling if he'd known how you felt, he would have let his true feelings for you take root and grow. Even back then."

"God, I'm so stupid," I whispered.

"You're not stupid, Tate. You were just hurt. Heartbreak can wreak havoc on your emotions and make you do things that aren't logical." She cupped my chin. "Let this guide your future with Flash and make sure you're always honest with him."

I nodded.

"And don't wait that long again to check in with your mother," she ordered. "I could have told you he wasn't tapping that ass if you'd just asked."

"Ew, Mom, don't ever say that again."

"Well, I'm not going to refer to her WAP."

"Stop! Oh my god, Mom, no."

Mom grinned as she raised her hands. "My job is done." I made puking motions and she laughed, handing me three potatoes. "Quarter those, please."

As I helped Mom with prepping dinner, I allowed her unconditional love to fill me with peace. I often forgot that she had my back… I realized I'd forgotten a lot of people had my back, and I vowed I'd do more to change that.

For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel so gloomy. I was looking forward to my time with Flash and could finally see a future for us.

One week later, Flash picked me up with the promise of a surprise. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to show you my house."

"Wait, you have a house?"

"Yep."

"I don't mean to sound rude, but how the hell did you afford a house?"

"My parents."

I raised an eyebrow. "Your parents paid for your house?"

"No. They put aside down payments for whenever we wanted them."

"Wow," I breathed out. "I had no idea your parents were that flush."

He laughed. "Baby, do you not know what my mom used to do?"

I frowned. "I thought she stayed at home while your dad owned successful shops."

"Look up Mann Industries."

I pulled my phone out and did a quick search, unable to stop a gasp as I read. "No fucking way."

He chuckled.

Margaret "Maisie" Mann had once owned the number one sex toy company in the world. She'd sold it for an undisclosed amount twenty-five years ago, but still held fifteen-percent stock in the company and a place on the board.

"Your mom's loaded."

"My parents are loaded," he corrected as we drove down Lakeshore, a coveted area in Felida. "She will brain anyone who tries to separate the money from Dad."

"She doesn't seem the type to even own a vibrator, let alone distribute them."

"She did more of the marketing. Her first husband, Poppy's dad, was the one who brainstormed that side of it until he died. She kind of had to figure it out after he passed but when she met Dad, she just wanted to be a wife and mom. So she did."

"That's amazing," I breathed out.

"Yeah. My mom's the bomb," he said, pulling his truck into a raised driveway in front of a three-car garage.

My mouth fell open. "Oh my god, you're on the water?"

"Don't get too excited, Tate. The house needs a lot of work," he warned, unlocking the front door, and stepping back for me to precede him.

I walked into a giant room with a panoramic view of the river and couldn't stop a gasp. "Wow."

"Rough, huh?"

"No, honey, it's beautiful," I breathed out. "I mean, yes, it's rough, but it's also incredible."

"Yeah," he said. "I've got my uncle scheduled to start renovations next week, but I was wondering if you wanted to help me pick tile and flooring and shit. He said he could meet with us tomorrow at the flooring place to pick stuff."

I spun to face him. "Really?"

"Yeah? Would you mind?"

"No! I'd love it. Are you kidding me? That would be so fun."

"He thinks he can get everything done in about three or four weeks provided there aren't any surprises, and we don't move any walls." He wrapped his arms around me. "I want to put hardwoods throughout so I'm gonna move back in with my parents during the worst of it."

"Hopefully, they don't find any surprises."

"Fingers crossed."

I grinned, looping my arms around his neck. "I have a really important question."

"I have a very important answer."

"Do you have a television?"

"Of course I have a television."

"Do you have E-S-P TV?"

He raised an eyebrow. "That's two questions."

"Okay, well, I can't count, obviously. But they're both just as important."

"Yeah, I think I do," he said. "Why?"

"Because the Melody Morgan biography airs tonight and I'm not missing it." I kissed his chin. "Even for you."

He laughed. "Oh, I see how it is."

"You know how I feel about my queen."

"Oh, I'm aware." He slid my hair behind my ear. "I'll make sure you don't miss the show, baby. I'll even pop the popcorn and pour the wine."

"This is why you're my favorite," I said. "Now, kiss me, then show me the rest of the house."

He chuckled, then obliged.

An hour later, we curled up on the sofa, a giant bowl of popcorn between us and the surround sound primed and ready to deliver the sound of perfection.

The biography began with Melody's back story, pictures of her early life floating across the screen as her music played quietly under them, then a live concert came up and Flash let out a quiet grunt.

"What?"

"It doesn't matter how often I see him, it still blows my mind that Train's in her band."

I groaned. "I still can't believe you're that close to someone who's fucking married to the woman, and I still haven't met her."

"Well, if you hadn't ghosted me for so long, you'd have met her when I did," he pointed out.

I chucked popcorn at him.

He laughed. "I promise that the second they get back in town, you'll meet her."

"Right, she's in Atlanta filming Flowers on Fire."

Her hit song had been the inspiration for a movie, and she'd been approached by one of the best directors of the modern day, which was the only reason she'd agreed to do it.

"I'm a little scared that you know that," Flash said.

"It's public knowledge, honey."

"Well, when they get back, you'll meet her."

I nodded. "Okay. I can't wait."

"Do you want to finish watching the documentary now?"

"Yes. I think I'm going to need the rest of that bottle of wine, though."

He laughed. "I can make that happen."

Leaning down, he kissed me quickly, grabbing the wine from the kitchen, then we snuggled back up on the sofa and we finished the documentary.