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“Mhmm, I need to give the mailbox a good old fashioned hand job, too,” I nodded sagely, while demonstrating my waxing technique on the air.

“Get the f—” Cole abruptly stopped, his eyes smiling and a throaty chuckle eventually coming. “Alright, just thought I’d ask.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t go, I was just wondering why you thought your brother was more of a reason to go than my interest in you.”

The screen door banged, but I didn’t bother looking, I knew it was Victor leaving us to it.

“You got an interest in me?” His lopsided grin grew until he gave a restrained nod, “Then I’ll pick you up at six?”

“You bringing the hound?”

His gaze dropped to the dog, as if he’d forgotten he’d even brought it along.

“Ol’ Bert is usually snoring by dusk; that’s way past his bedtime.”

“Bert, huh?”

“Mhm, best tracking dog you’ll find around here.”

I laughed, unable to picture the long-eared, lazy-looking critter tracking anything but a biscuit.

“It’s true. The hunters around here, in deer season, offer me big money to bring him out and help track their kill.”

“Why would anyone pay money for something like that? Don’t they know how to look at the forest floor and track the blood by sight?” I was always amused by the difference in people up here.

“You’d think, huh? What tickles me best, is when they pay the price, we track the deer down, and it ends up being something that still has milk on its lips. Especially when some big city hunter has been exaggerating about it being a ten pointer all the way up to discovery.”

I laughed, shaking my head as I tried to wrap my head around men and their antics.

“Anyway, I’ll pick you up then?”

“Sounds like a plan, Mr. Steel Disciple.”

He cocked his head, tipping it back like I’d gone into the foul zone. He didn’t deny it, nor did he seem to take offense, he just backed away slowly, giving a little tug at Bert’s leash when he did so.

I was playful and confident when he was standing in front of me, but the minute he disappeared around the corner of the house, reality came crashing down.

Did I really just agree to go to an outlaw gathering?

What the hell was wrong with me?

I felt the bump on my head, and half wondered if I shouldn’t go get checked out again.

“He’s a decent guy,” Victor quietly mumbled from behind the screen door.

I sucked in a sharp breath and flinched in my seat.

“What are you doing? Eavesdropping back there?” I accused with a laugh.

“Nope,” he simply denied, before bumping the door open, and dropping down to plant a kiss on my cheek, “I’ll be back shortly.”

“Alright, I’ll–” My tongue failed me as he moved along, the back of his Steel Disciples jacket staring back at me.

“I–I’ll be here,” I managed, once I recovered myself.

He fired up the engine, and I startled all over again. He slowly navigated the driveway and pulled out onto the road, taking my ability to breathe right along with him.

I couldn’t do this. I’d been foolish, naive, and vulnerable. I couldn’t embrace a man whose existence revolved around an outlaw organization. Especially one that my son had sullied his good name with.