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“I wasn’t being mean when I told you what I did earlier in the car. It was just honest.”
“I know. That’s why I’m not mad at you. I’m not even angry at Joelee because she was right. June has been a bitch to her and plenty of other girls from school. She hates your brother, even if she tries to tolerate him for my sake. She doesn’t hide what she’s feeling well. It’s all telegraphed for anyone who happens to be paying attention.
I didn’t know what to say without adding fuel to the fire, so I chose to stay quiet instead. I turned my back to the fire as we stood there because my front was getting a bit toasty. It was far too warm for a fire, but drunk boys liked to burn shit, so here we were. Sweltering at a field party.
“I like that about you,” Tripp muttered. I turned my full attention to him, to try to figure out what he meant.
“What’s that?”
“You say nothing when you don’t have something nice to say,” he explained. I knew he was okay with it when he gave me a knowing smirk too.
“Not always, but it seems like you’ve had enough grief about your girlfriend for one night. Besides, I already said my peace and it wasn’t personal. I don’t know her. She could be a really nice girl and maybe the two of you can…” I stopped just short of encouraging him to work it out with her because if I said those words, I’d hate myself.
Tripp chuckled at me, then gently tugged on my arm to back us further away from the blazing inferno. “You ever find that you’re blinded to some things because you’re treated differently?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“When I met Junie, she was this sweet, shy thing. I’ve watched her come out of her shell and grow into something more, but with me, she’s always that same sweet, shy thing I first met. I’m only just realizing she’s not that same person away from me. You refused to say anything negative about her, even though I’d bet my whole paycheck that Mack has told you enough about my girlfriend that you could fill a whole damn book with insults.”
“Okay?” I questioned tentatively, trying to figure out where he was going with this, because he wasn’t wrong. Not that I was going to admit to anything.
“Joelee was a reminder that if June was here right now, she would pitch a fit about you hanging anywhere near me. It wouldn’t have mattered that I needed a ride, and you gave it to me, or that I wanted to hang with you so we can have our safety in numbers thing,” he teased. “June would take pot-shots at you about your clothes, hair, and even your car because she thinks all of hers are better, even if they’re not. Poor Joelee would have left the whole party when June was done with her.
“First, I need to clear something up. I’m not Joelee. You’ve praised me for being far kinder than I am. The energy I give out is equal to what I get. I wouldn’t have left the party in tears if someone talked to me like that. I’d have knocked her teeth down her throat and dared her to speak to me that way again. Not because I’m mean or violent, but because I don’t let people beat me down without fighting back. If they choose words to do battle with me, that’s fine. I don’t have to choose the same weapon to make a good damn point and teach a valuable lesson, though.”
Tripp liked something about my answer because he couldn’t stop grinning at me. “Okay tough girl. What’s second?”
“Second?” I had to think for a minute about what I’d been saying before my little tangent. “Oh! Yeah, I know!” I ignored the way Tripp’s light laughter made me feel warm inside as I pointed something out to him. He probably already realized it, and that was the point he had been trying to get across, but damn, how could he not have seen it before? “You basically said that your girlfriend is a bitch to everyone but you.”
“Pretty much.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“Like I don’t know where we’ll stand when she gets back. What if she acted that way in front of Ratchet, Wayland, or any of the other club members? She already thinks it’s okay to act out in front of Mack.”
“I’m going to let you in on a little secret about my brother.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“He won’t say anything to her, no matter what she does or says. He’ll look to you. Watch for it. When he does, that’s my brother telling you to do something before he unleashes hell on earth down on your girl and destroys your friendship in the process.
Mack doesn’t have a quick temper, thankfully, but when he reaches his flash point, it will get ugly. She’s your woman. Do something about her behavior. If you can’t, then she shouldn’t be your woman because that behavior will reflect on you. Like you said, there are important people like Ratchet, Wayland, and the rest of your future club brothers who will be watching.”
He sighed. “We’ve been together three years. Part of me thinks she’s just insecure because I used to have more time for her.”
I shook my head, knowing he was going to keep talking himself in circles about this girl. “You have the summer to really consider everything and make a decision that works for both of you.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” he reluctantly agreed.
“If you were told to make a choice right now – your club or your girl – what would it be?” It almost made me sick to ask him because I wasn’t sure I could stomach the answer. His lips turned down into a frown before he sighed.
“My club.”
“Why?”
“It’s my job,” was his first answer, but he wasn’t done. “It’s also my family, my security, my passion, and my sanity. I may be just a prospect, but I grew up around most of the older guys. I could never give them up, even if I could find a decent job that would pay enough to live comfortably. What is that comfort worth without family?”
I really hated myself for putting this thought in his head, but I had to know. “Don’t you consider June to be your family?”
