Ride to Restoration (Ride Series Book 2) (38 page)

Chapter
74

G
io
was hobbling down the hallway away from me when I reached their room. Mile, by
all indications, was still in process. “Gio, I’m right behind you. Let me get
the door.” I helped him negotiate the three outside steps and watched him mount
his trike. It was hilarious. He had to approach the bike from the right, back
into it, stand on the footboards and swing his right leg the opposite
direction, before settling down on the seat.

Gio
huffing,
“
Doc say cast off Friday. Happy ... Happy ... Change to
strap on.
”

I
choked
—
I could just
see him in a strap on. Then I could call him Two Dong Long.
“
Yep, I got it,
”
I smirked.
“
You can take it off to shower or do Mile without her riding
sidesaddle.
”

“
Si
”

“
It
’
s a good time to talk since the girls aren
’
t here. Ignore my texting.
It
’
s
questions I need answers to. I
’
m sending them to you one at a time. So ignore the text
alerts you hear going off in your pants right now.
”

“
First, as I told you, I
’
m coming to the party. Candi
doesn
’
t
know it. Let
’
s keep it that way. Second, I need you to go to the hotel
on Friday and personally ask, bribe, forcefully persuade the General Manager to
turn off the fire alarm system Saturday night at precisely 8 PM for twenty
minutes. The hotel will not be in danger. Tell him it
’
s to set up a prop that
’
s part of our skit for the
ball. I don
’
t want the carbon monoxide alarms going off. I plan to make
a grand entrance, one that will make you proud. Third, I need you to email me a
copy of the video Candi made of Joseph. I mentioned it, but she didn
’
t seem keen on sharing it.
Fourth, how many people will be at your table? Joseph, Candi
’
s mom? How many more? Will
they have muscle? Will they be armed? Don
’
t worry; you don
’
t have to remember all this.
That
’
s
what the texts are for. Answer them when you can. I know this is short notice,
but I need all this by noon Saturday. Friday, late, would be even better.
”

“
You ask lot ... I get ... I send. You tell me plan?
”
asked a considerably perplexed Giovanni.

“
When it comes together, pal, you
’
ll be the first to know, I
promise.
”

Mile
appeared on the stairs, toting one bag over each shoulder, followed by Candi
with my day bag and her backpack.

Standing
in the doorway, D, lost in conversation with Gio, seemed oblivious to us. I
huffed,
“
Don
’
t just stand there like a big stiff prick. Come carry Mile
’
s bags!
”

Giovanni
shifted his gaze towards me. I glared at him in return.
“
Gio, I don
’
t resemble that remark. I
think Candi is talking specifically to you, stud muffin.
”

Standing
up on the boards of the trike,
“
Cuz, leg no good
…
no help.
”

“
Shut up, Giovanni, I
’
m not talking to you.
”
I was trying my best to keep from laughing.
“
Let me rephrase that. I
’
m talking to the stiff
little prick beside you. How
’
s that?
”

“
Oh, why didn
’
t you say that to begin with?
”
I laughed all the way to the steps.
“
Prickly this morning are we,
Candice?
”
I
asked, snatching all the bags in both hands.
“
BOA let you down?
”

“
Needs batteries
—
fresh batteries
—
but, mostly it needed you.
”
I winked.

“
Copy that. If you have the time
—
I have the chaps and the thong and the ride...
”

There
’
s that look. He
’
s serious!
“
Not now!
”
My skin tingled.
“
Maybe later, baby.
”
I squirmed ...
He saw it. Good!

I
stowed and strapped our gear, fantasizing about our last ride in chaps and
thongs along the Beartooth Highway in Montana. Thrilling, as I remember it,
would be an understatement.

“
D, I think I know where your mind is.
”
I blushed.
“
I can tell by the looks of your bulging jeans.
”

“
You caught me,
”
I confessed.
“
I do promise you, I am more
than ready to recreate the ride with you, anytime
—
anyplace
—
anywhere.
”

“
You
’
re always ready to do it again, anytime, anyplace,
anywhere. Slut that you are.
”
I
grinned.
“
Right now, I
’
m hungry ... let
’
s ride,
”
I chimed, climbing onto the bike behind him.

“
Your wish is my command, precious,
”
cranking my engine with Mile and Gio following suit.
“
We ride.
”

I
took us over the same route we had walked earlier this morning, across West Bay
Street and along River Street, before catching Abercorn and riding it four
blocks to Clary
’
s Cafe. Experiencing only a ten minute wait, we settled
into a six top far away in the back. Hanging on the wall behind us were
numerous autographed pictures from the stars, cast and crew of the movie; the
most recognizable, Clint Eastwood standing with Patricia, the owner, and a
native Tennessean.

“
Does this seem oddly familiar?
”
Not waiting for an answer,
“
It should, you saw this
setting last night multiple times. What you didn
’
t see is their food. My favorite
is their Eggs Benedict Florentine. Gio you might like the Elvis ... Peanut
butter and banana, stuffed French toast.
”
Mile chose that instead. Gio ordered Hoppel Poppel made of
scrambled eggs with chunks of Kosher Salami, potatoes, onion and green peppers.
While Candi ordered Corned Beef Hash, eggs over easy, grits and whole wheat
toast.

Thirty
minutes later, we were stuffed and ready for a nap. I ordered a carafe of
coffee and three mugs.
“
Driver
’
s beware, we need a caffeine fix before we get on the road.
”
Mile and Gio happily agreed.
Candi wouldn
’
t allow coffee to cross her
lips if my life depended on it. Thankfully, she
’
s not too particular about
the other things that cross her lips ... number one of which was me.
I gloated.

“
D, Clary
’
s deserves a five-star rating on Trip Advisor. Wouldn
’
t you agree?
”
I asked, logging onto the website, checking all 5 stars
while raving favorably in the comment section.

“
I
’
m glad you liked it. I can only hope you
’
ll say the same about dinner
tonight. We
’
re going to the world famous Tybee Island Crab Shack.
”

With
a generous tip on the table equal to our tab, we left Clary
’
s much lazier than when we
arrived. Riding through the streets of Savannah, I zigzagged our way to U.S.
Highway 80 east, before taking the Islands Expressway to Tybee. Disregarding
the GPS for the moment, I led us to the end of the island, now a virtual ghost
town since the tourists were gone and only the locals remained.

Quaint,
costal small town, that
’
s how I
’
d describe Tybee Island. Tapping D on the helmet,
“
Baby, I could live here.
Couldn
’
t
you?
”

My
heart skipped a beat.
“
I could, actually. Or some place much like it,
”
I replied.
“
Be careful what you wish for baby doll. Remember with me
dreams have a strange way of coming true.
”

Paying
attention to the GPS again, we rolled down Tenth before hanging a right and
driving straight to the ocean and our condo just beyond the black iron gates.
Using the universal code provided when I booked them, the gates swung wide
welcoming us to our home away from home. I could say that many times over.
“
Candi, do you realize over
the last few days this will be only the second time I
’
ve stayed anywhere more than
one night?
”

Patting
him on the shoulder, I whispered,
“
poor baby,
”
into his ear.
“
For the next two days, I promise,
you can relax, unwind, drink beer and screw.
”

“
Screw? If we
’
re gonna screw, we have to eat. You whose whole world
revolves around food.
”

“
By all means, D, that too.
”

Chapter
75

F
or
the next two days, Candi was true to her word. The four of us relaxed on the
beach, drank beer and — well, with Candi, the third one was a given
— and fourth, we ate far too much seafood.

Watching
pods of Dolphins, not 75 yards off the shore trail the shrimp boats through the
bay was enjoyable, as well as relaxing. We parked Giovanni under a large beach
umbrella in a reclining lounge chair and there he remained. Mile, in between
waiting on him hand and foot, a beer readily in hand, worked to bronze her tan,
before they returned to Italy next week.

By
the morning of our third day, I felt used and abused ... in a good way for a
change ... and rested. Soaking up the suns
’
rays of our last morning here, I followed up with Candi on
our earlier conversation.
“
Baby, did you mean what you said when we arrived at Tybee
that you could live in a small town like this, especially if it was on the
coast? There are no large hospitals here. What would you do?
”

“
There are many things still on my bucket list, D. Nothing
is set in stone. I could set up a free medical clinic. Thanks to you, it
’
s not like I have to work.
Besides, if I don
’
t like it, I can always pick up and go somewhere else.
”

“
What about your family?
”

“
They
’
ll get by with or without me. As far as I
’
m concerned, the farther
away the better.
”

“
You say that now.
”

“
I mean it, D. Why the third degree all of a sudden,
especially about my family?
”

“
Choices, Candi. Sometimes we have to make hard choices
—
spur of the minute choices
—
and live with them. Could you follow your gut and just do
it?
”

“
What exactly are you saying, baby?
”

“
I
’
m saying, sooner or later, there is going to come a time in
your life when you have to move out of your families shadow, live your life for
you and let the chips fall where they may.
”

“
I did that when I came looking for you.
”

“
Not true. You always knew they were there to fall back on
if you failed or ran into a problem that you couldn
’
t overcome. Remember when
you tossed your mom
’
s name around, telling me she could control Standford? She
didn
’
t.
More than likely, since I was involved with you, she didn
’
t want to. Standford has
been and is my problem. He has become the monster of my making. I will have to
deal with him straight away at some point. Especially since all this running is
making my head hurt every damn day.
”

“
I was only trying to help.
”

“
I know you were. I don
’
t fault you for that. Last
question and then we need to get on the road. If you had no Family ties that
could deal with Standford and he remained a threat to me ... to you ... what
would Candice Parker do?
”

Don
’
t let him see
you hesitate, you know the answer, say it,
“
No question, I
’
d take him out anyway I
could.
”

“
That
’
s what I wanted to hear, Candi.
”

“
Now please rouse Gio from his three day nap and release
Mile from her servitude. I
’
m sure he can
’
t wait to get his cast off
tomorrow.
”

I
chuckled.
“
Two to one, I bet Mile wants it off a whole lot more than
he does. After the last three days, she needs a break from him.
”

“
Good point. We could leave him here,
”
I said in jest.
“
Then again, because of his
propensity to breed, Tybee Island would never be the same.
”

Our
three and a half hour ride back to Daytona Beach down I-95 went fast and was
surprisingly uneventful. No one wanted to leave the ocean. I got it. Sadly,
reality knocked more than once in Tybee. But I didn
’
t want to answer it. Today,
once I dropped them off at the dealership, I had to.

With
Gio and Mile turning in their bikes, Candi readily assisted me in loading mine,
handing me the cinch straps while I tied it down.

I
’
ve ignored this long enough.
Here goes
,
“
I can stay here with you, D.
Gio and Mile can go back without me.
”

“
No you can
’
t. Marcy is due in tonight. Remember? To have a friend, you
have to be a friend.
”

I
relented.
“
OK, you win. They all fly out Sunday after the All Children
’
s Hospital Gala. I
’
ll come back then. Where
will you be?
”

“
Candi, remember, I
’
m a non-entity at the
moment. Besides, you
’
ve single-handedly accomplished all you originally set out
to do. You retrieved the ledgers and collected the reward. Realistically, there
’
s nothing more I can do for
you at the moment except involve you in my madness.
”

“
That
’
s not true. I wish ... I wish I could rewind the clock and
never left Florida. Then again, I
’
d never have met you.
”

“
What does your gut tell you to do?
”
She looked troubled and perplexed. I had put her on the
spot.
“
You
don
’
t
have to answer right now. There will come a time soon enough when I ask you the
same question again. Think long and hard, then answer with the same conviction
you conveyed this morning toward Standford. But, be prepared to live with it.
”

I
heard the clanking and clopping of Gio
’
s crutches approaching.
“
Give me a hug, baby. We
’
ll talk soon. By the way,
where
’
s
your passport?
”

“
In my purse. I
’
ve yet to take it out from
our ride. Why?
”

“
Just wondering. I ran across mine earlier and that made me
think of yours.
”

“
Are you going on a trip? Excuse me, are we going on a trip?
”

“
Baby, I
’
ve been on a trip all day, every day, since I met you.
”
I grinned.

Moving
to change her train of thought, I walked off the trailer and picked Mile up in
my arms, kissing her squarely on the lips.
“
Thank you for not laying
your bike down on this trip. It
’
s bad enough taking care of Gio, let alone taking care of
you, too.
”
Ha,
Mile kissed me back.

“
D, happy. Good guide, good food, good fun,
”
shared Gio, while giving me an Italian man hug.

I
whispered,
“
Don
’
t forget tomorrow. Whatever you have to do, make it happen.
”

“
I will, D. You see.
”

Watching
the three of them drive away pulled at my heartstrings. Over these last six
weeks, the four of us bonded through the throes of adversity and formed ties we
would carry to the grave. Gio cared deeply for Candi, that
’
s why he joined us on our
ride in Sioux City. My saving his leg and possibly his life didn
’
t hurt, either. He has my
back and I have his, of that I am sure.