It was an absolutely beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, and the temperature was perfect for riding. When Cotton told me it would be crowded, I had no idea it would be like this. There were hundreds of bikes lining the streets, and even more people roaming around, talking on the sidewalks and visiting the different vendors. Music from the band was blaring as I searched through the crowd, looking for Cotton. I finally found him standing at the front and center of all the bikes, directing oncoming traffic and motioning bikers to their place in the line. He’d decided to leave his cane at home, telling me that lately, he only really needed it when he was tired, but I put it in the trunk of my car just in case he needed it later. I don’t know why I bothered. He’d be too stubborn to use it. He wanted to be back to his old self, but he just wasn’t there yet. I hated it. I saw the look in his eyes as he looked at his brothers preparing for the ride, and my heart ached for him. He’d worked so hard, pushing himself to the limit every single day over the past week, but the doctor refused to give him the okay to ride, even for a little while. Even though it was killing him, I knew he’d be back on his bike soon enough, and then his life would be back to normal… well, as normal as life could be for Cotton.
I ran the tips of my fingers over Cotton’s name on my property patch, remembering the expression on his face early that morning when he’d given it to me. He said he wanted me to wear it during the charity run so everyone would know I was his old lady. I told him with the way he acted around me, I didn’t need a jacket for everyone to know. I smiled to myself as I thought about how his eyes gleamed with pride when he watched me pull the leather jacket from the box. He helped me put it on, then kissed me and reminded once again that I was his-in every way. I was completely lost in my thoughts until Henley walked up, nudging me with her shoulder as she stood next to me. I turned my head towards her and watched as her face lit up as soon as she noticed Maverick. When he noticed her standing there, he got off his bike and walked over to her. He had an intense look on his face as he leaned over her and said something only she could hear. Tears filled her eyes as a bright smile spread across her face while she listened to him. He placed the palm of his hand on her belly and gently kissed her before heading back over to Dusty. By the time he got reached him, Dusty was about to burst with excitement. He watched as Maverick got on the bike, and anyone could see by the huge smile on his face that Dusty was thrilled he was going to get to ride with him. I laughed to myself when I noticed a similar smile on Maverick’s face. Dusty was a lucky little boy.
Henley motioned over to Dallas as she said, “She looks a little anxious.”
“She’s just a little overwhelmed. This is a lot. All these people and not having Skid here to share it with her has to be hard on her.”
“I’m sure it is, but she’d never say anything.”
We watched as she went over to Dusty and secured his helmet before helping him onto Maverick’s bike. Her eyebrows cinched together as she leaned over him, explaining once again about all the rules of riding. He nodded his head as he listened to her, and as soon as Maverick started the engine, she stepped back and watched Dusty put his arms around Maverick’s waist. Dallas smiled at them and then started back toward the crowd. Henley was about to call out to her, but stopped when she saw that Dallas’ parents were standing at the edge of the sidewalk, waiting for her.
Seconds later, all the different engines roared to life as they prepared to leave. The sound was almost deafening when several of the bikers revved their engines and started inching forward. Cotton eased to the side as he waved them forward, signaling them to begin their journey toward Olympic State Park. They had five stops, each one with its own theme, and it would take them most of the day to complete. The final stop was the clubhouse, where a huge party had been planned for everyone who participated in the run. While Cotton went with Doc to check out the first couple of stops, I went back to the clubhouse with Henley to finish getting things ready for the party. All of the cooking had already been taken care of, so when we got to the kitchen, there wasn’t much left for us to do.
We were walking toward the bar to restock when Henley yawned and said, “Mind if I go take a nap? I’m wiped.”
“Sure. I’ve just got a few things to put in the cooler anyway. You go get some rest,” I told her.
“I won’t be long. Just need a power nap,” she yawned again.
I could tell by looking at her that she needed more than a quick rest, so I said, “The guys won’t be back for hours. Take your time.”