Chapter Seventeen

Compass

“This is the fourth place Kate has shown us. You think the girls are going to like this one? Or do you think they’ll nitpick it to death like they did the last three?” Fade asked and leaned against the counter next to me with his arms crossed.

I took a deep breath and ran a hand over my face. “I don’t know, brother. If it were up to me, I would have picked the first place we saw because this shit is just not fun for me.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you aren’t the one making the final decision,” Yarder called out from the kitchen area. His voice carried as he poked around the space.

I shot Fade a look, but there wasn’t much I could say. Yarder was right. This whole process was way too tedious for my liking, but I’d promised Fallon I’d be involved, so here I was, standing in yet another potential location for The Cakery with the camera crew following our every step. I had hoped that Clay wouldn’t come, but he was here.

At ten this morning, we’d met with Kate, the realtor, and had started our search for a new home for The Cakery. So far, it wasn’t going great.

The space we were in now was... well, it was fine. Not ideal, but it could work. It was small, but the location was decent. However, I knew Fallon was hoping for something more than “decent.”

Kate pushed through the swinging doors with Yarder, Poppy, Fallon, and Adalee trailing behind her, along with the camera crew. “You do have a dispensary next door, which I think will bring in a good flow of business,” Kate said, all business and glancing at the camera with a practiced smile.

“You’ll have people with the munchies in all day long,” Fade laughed.

“Maybe you guys could do a collab with the dispensary,” Poppy suggested and grinned at the thought. “Yummy cake with a bit of a surprise.”

I smirked at the idea. That would definitely bring in a crowd, but it felt a little too far out since we didn’t even have a location yet.

Adalee was the first to speak up, always the practical one. “I think having them next door would be good for business, but I’m not sure this space will work for us,” she confessed and folded her arms. “There isn’t a freezer or walk-in cooler. We’d have to put those in, and that’s going to take up a lot of space that there isn’t.”

Fallon nodded in agreement, her face a mix of concern and calculation. “Adalee’s right. We need a bigger space for what we’re planning. This just feels too cramped.” She glanced around, and her eyes darted to the walls, the countertops, and the doors. “This won’t work, not for the vision we have.”

I could see it on her face. Fallon had a clear picture of what she wanted, and she wasn’t about to settle for something that didn’t meet her standards. I admired that about her, even if it was starting to make this whole process feel like a never-ending battle.

Kate gave a nod, though she seemed less than thrilled. “I can understand that. But we’re working with limited options in this price range and area. You might have to compromise on space or price for the right location.”

I let out a quiet grunt and rubbed the back of my neck. “I don’t care about the location as much as the space. We need something big enough for the whole operation. I don’t want you guys crammed into some tiny back corner while you’re trying to make this thing work.”

“Exactly,” Fallon said and stepped closer to me. She looked up at me with those wide, trusting eyes. “We need to have room to grow, Compass.”

“How much more in price are you talking?” Yarder asked Kate. His tone was cautious but ready to tackle the problem.

Kate quirked her lips. “Well, in terms of owning, at least another fifty thousand will get you into the space you want. If you’re willing to rent, I have a place in mind that will run you about three to four thousand a month.”

“God damn,” Fade muttered and crossed his arms.

I was pretty shocked, too.

“Show it to us,” Yarder said, with his no-nonsense demeanor kicking in.

“Let me take a look.” Kate moved to one of the tables and opened her briefcase. She pulled out a stack of papers and a slim tablet. “I need to make a call to see when they’ll be available for us to take a look at it.” Without waiting for a reply, Kate stepped outside to make the call.

I leaned back against the counter and let out a low groan. “Does that mean we’re done today?”

Fallon slapped a hand against my chest. “You’re acting like this is torture.”

“It kind of is,” Fade muttered and earned a sharp look from Adalee.

“I’m not looking to buy a place we’re going to outgrow in a year,” Yarder drawled. “If this place for rent is right, I think we can make it work.”

We all turned as Kate walked back in and slipped her phone into her pocket. “How does Monday at ten AM sound?”

“Works for us,” Yarder said with a nod.

“Great. I’ll send over the address and meet you guys there Monday morning.” Kate’s smile widened, the kind of grin that suggested she was about to sell us on this place no matter what. “I think that space is going to be perfect for you.”

With that, we headed outside.

The camera crew piled into their van while the rest of us made our way to the bikes. Fallon was practically bouncing with energy as she put on her helmet.

“I wish we could take the good things from each place and put them together,” she said.

I chuckled and shook my head. “I wish too, babe, but I don’t think that’s how this works.”

I swung my leg over my bike, settled onto the seat, and gripped the handlebars. The familiar feel of the bike beneath me was like home. Fallon stepped up behind me, slid onto the seat, and wrapped her arms around my waist.

Her body molded to mine, and her warmth seeped through the layers of leather and denim. This—right here—had become the number one reason why I liked riding. Having Fallon pressed against me like this was fucking perfect.

Yarder pulled out first, and Poppy held on tight behind him. I followed, Fallon’s arms firm around me as we joined the line. Behind us, Fade and Adalee brought up the rear, with the camera crew’s van trailing at a safe distance.

On the ride here, the crew had been getting roller shots, with their cameras capturing us from every angle. I had to admit, even I thought that was pretty cool. Watching them maneuver their equipment and coordinate the shots while keeping pace with us on the road was impressive.

The hum of the engine beneath me and the wind cutting past us drowned out any lingering doubts or frustrations from earlier. This was where I felt most at peace—on the road, with Fallon holding on like she’d never let go.

The ride back to the clubhouse wasn’t long, but I enjoyed every second of it. This morning had been Fallon’s first ride on my bike, and she loved it.

Now, there was only one more thing she needed to ride to really become mine.

When we pulled into the lot, everyone parked their bikes in near-unison like we had done this a thousand times before. Fallon climbed off first and pulled off her helmet to shake out her hair.

“You like riding, babe?” I asked.

“We’ve only gone about fifteen miles total, but I freaking love it.” She smiled wide, her cheeks flushed from the wind. “Do you think we can go for a longer ride later?”

I nodded and reached out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Soon,” I promised.

The rest of the crew dismounted, and Yarder clapped me on the shoulder as he passed. “I think it’s time for a drink.”

Fallon held up her hands. “Um, I think I am going to stick to lemonade today.”

I grabbed her hand and threaded my fingers through hers. “How about a spiked lemonade?” I suggested.

“Are you trying to get me drunk, Compass?” she laughed.

“Just one drink to loosen you up.”