AllFreeNovel
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We enjoyed a calm silence for some time, observing Max go after a butterfly. Then we opened up about our lives. I told him about my family trauma, at least some of it. He told me that Max’s mom had disappeared from their lives. Once it was all out in the open, I wanted to wipe my mind of it.
Then Boiler suggested, “Wanna come back to my place? We can put Max down for a nap and have some time to ourselves.”
I hesitated for a moment, but the pull towards him was too strong. “Sure, why not?”
Boiler’s place was a surprise, I’d been there but not really seen it. I’d expected the typical biker’s pad—dark, cluttered, and bare. Instead, it was cozy and filled with unexpected touches. The walls were lined with bookshelves, crammed with old, worn volumes. There were houseplants everywhere, thriving in the soft light, giving the space a peaceful, almost serene atmosphere.
“You’re into plants?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Boiler smiled, a bit sheepishly. “Yeah, my mom taught me. She had a green thumb. Helps me relax, you know? A green thumb like you. I saw your garden out back of your shop.”
“Pix and I share it. But yeah, it’d die if not for me. Pix has a black thumb. And what about all the books?” I scanned the titles, noting the mix of classic literature and poetry.
“Helps me unwind. I like reading,” he admitted, his tone casual but his eyes searching mine for any hint of judgment.
I nodded, impressed. “You’re full of surprises, biker.”
Boiler grinned, leading me further into the apartment. Max loved dinosaurs. They were everywhere, from his bed sheets to the walls. He had a million stuffed ones.
“Welcome to Jurassic Park,” Boiler joked, his voice warm with pride.
“Hey, Tank!” Max called out, rushing over with a dinosaur toy clutched in each hand. “Do you like dinosaurs?”
“Who doesn’t?” I replied, ruffling his hair. “I used to be a big fan when I was your age.”
Max’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really? What’s your favorite dinosaur?”
I took a moment, thinking back to my childhood. “I’d have to go with the Triceratops. Those three horns are pretty badass.”
Max’s face lit up with a grin. “I like the Triceratops too! But I bet you don’t know all of them.”
Boiler chuckled, taking a seat on the chair beside Max’s bed, leaving me to sit on the edge of the bed. “Oh, this is gonna be good. Let’s see how much you know, Tank.”
Max scampered off to grab a book, coming back with a hefty encyclopedia of dinosaurs. He flipped it open to a page with a vibrant illustration of a long-necked dinosaur. “Do you know what this is?”
I peered at the image, recognizing the familiar shape. The kid was covering up the name. “That’s an Apatosaurus, right? Used to be called a Brontosaurus, but they changed the name.”
Max giggled, shaking his head. “Nope! This one is a Brachiosaurus. See? It’s got a different neck shape.”
Boiler laughed, clearly enjoying the interaction. “Looks like Max got you there, Tank.”
“Okay, okay,” I conceded, smiling at Max. “What else you got?”
Max flipped to another page, showing a fierce-looking dinosaur with a sail-like fin on its back. “What about this one?”
I squinted at the picture. “That’s a Spinosaurus. Pretty cool predator, one of the biggest.”
Max’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Right! But did you know it also swam? Like a crocodile!”
“Gosh, kid, you really know your stuff,” I said, genuinely impressed. “How old are you? Only four?”
Max put up four fingers suddenly looking all of four.
“Alright, hit me with another.”
He turned to a page featuring a dinosaur with a series of plates along its back and a spiked tail. “And this?”
“That’s a Stegosaurus,” I answered confidently. “Those plates were for display and maybe temperature regulation. And that tail? Total weapon.”
