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“Friend’s name?”

I shrugged. “No idea. Let’s call and ask. You do know Rico, right?”

“Server? Yeah, I do. But I don’t have his number. I suppose you do?”

I reached into my pocket. “Just getting my phone.”

A few minutes later, it was all straightened out, and the DM even helped me put the bike in my car. “It’s in pretty bad shape,” he mused. “Maybe it would have been better for the ‘friend’ to get a new bike.”

No, it wouldn’t. Rico had said he was attached, and nothing would do but that he get this one back.

At home, I carried the bike inside my garage and looked it over. In bad shape? Sure, but also completely inspiring. Back in the day, I had scoured the thrift shops and yard sales, recycling centers and even a landfill for bikes like this that I could bring back to life. Before I went to bed, I called in to take off the rest of the week. I had plenty of vacation time and nothing that couldn’t wait.

Not like this beauty.

Chapter Six

Lake

I was so glad to be getting home after a week away. Work itself hadn’t been awful. I had presentations to give, or to attend, and meetings. All of that I was used to. The travel extra sucked this time. My plane was late, making me miss a connection, which snowballed into getting into the airport at 5 a.m. when I had a 7 a.m. meeting. The rental agency had given my car away when I was so late, leaving me at the mercy of rideshares and taxis during the early starting rush hour. And the hotel? The room had at one time been a smoking room and they never got it fully cleaned. It absolutely stank.

I couldn’t wait to be home in my own bed, chilling with my dog, complaining to him about everything that happened. My dog could be counted on to listen to me complain and usually responded with kisses. Rico had sent me a couple of pictures during the week, showing me how Dog was getting by, so I knew he was fine, but I missed him.

I tossed my suitcase in the house and then went next door. I nearly waited until morning because it was so stupidly late, but I was selfish. I missed my dog more than I wanted to be considerate. I texted Rico to let him know I was outside. If he was sound asleep, he wouldn’t hear until morning, by which time I’d have given up. Maybe.

Be right out, he texted back.

He opened the door, and I was nearly tackled by my dog.

“Are you happy to see me, sweetie?” I squatted at his eye level. “I missed you too.”

Dog was the bestest-best pup in the whole world. That wasn’t debatable. I gave him a scratch behind the ears.

“Thank you so much for taking care of him,” I said. “I’ll Venmo you the money.”

“You know I don’t do this to get paid.”

“But I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking again if I didn’t pay this time.”

It was the same conversation every time.

“Just curious,” I said. “Was your friend able to bring my bike back here?”

“Oh, my friend took care of it. Don’t worry.”

Which didn’t really answer the question, but I was tired. Maybe I misunderstood.

“Come on.” He walked me back home. “I brought it inside for you.”

When I opened the door, next to my suitcase that had toppled over because I had just tossed it inside, was my bike. Or a bike…

“Wait. Did they buy me a new one?” I didn’t even know who “they” were, so that didn’t make sense, but neither did the wonder that stood in my living room.

It was shiny and in better shape than when I bought it and the same light-blue color that originally came with it. The tires were new. The seat was new. The handlebars didn’t have the little patch of rust I’d been meaning to deal with. The chain looked cleaner, possibly too clean. It had to be a new bike.

“No. It’s yours. He just fixed it up.”

I rubbed my fingers across the handlebars. Yep. It still had the one little divot that came with it, but I wouldn’t recognize my bicycle otherwise.