Chapter 14
After dropping her off, I revved the engine. "Alright, now we ride," I said to my bike, as if it could actually hear or understand.
My poor bike was not used to being so babied. The ride home was much more my style. I tore through the streets like a demon out of hell. I was high on adrenaline, my mind buzzing with fleeting snippets of thought from my night with Mary Ellen. It had been a long time since I felt this way—alive, eager, excited—and it felt damn good. It was one of the most natural highs. It was the first time since I got locked up that I had felt truly happy.
Her kiss was still singing on my lips. I couldn't believe the intensity of the connection we shared, the way her eyes sparkled with mischief and her laughter danced in the air. It was a feeling I had long forgotten, buried beneath the weight of my past. But with her, it resurfaced with a powerful force that left me dazed.
I kicked the bike into the next gear. Mary Ellen had a very innocent quality about her, but I picked up on her inner bad girl. I was convinced she was fiery under that prim and proper cardigan. I saw how alive she felt after the first ride. I wanted to make her feel like that again.
I hoped she would let me. There was so much we could do together. I wanted to take her out to the lake. Take her on a long cruise down the highway with the wide-open road in front of us.
I pulled into the garage and killed the engine of my bike. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. She had made my whole week. Hell, she made my whole year. I couldn't imagine what a second date would do for me.
I walked into the kitchen from the garage and spotted my new roommate rummaging through my fridge. Cole was a stark contrast to me—tall and lean with a rugged, weathered appearance that spoke of years spent behind bars. His hair was cropped short, his eyes sharp and alert, and there was a hardness to his features that a lot of the long-timers had. They were always on alert. They never really let their guard down.
"Hey," I greeted him.
He popped his head out of the fridge. "Hey. Sorry, I was starving and just looking for something to eat."
"No worries," I said. "Just don't eat my protein bars and we're good."
Cole laughed. "Those things taste like chalk, dude. They're all yours."
I noticed he was wearing some of my clothes, which was good. I'd told him to grab whatever. It wasn't like he had any money to go clothes shopping. The guy had just gotten out of prison, and adjusting to life on the outside was hard enough without having only one set of clothes. He walked out of prison with the clothes he wore going in.
I didn't know his whole back story, but I knew he had it rough. He didn't have anything on the outside. The small pittance he got when he left prison wasn't enough to get him an apartment and a wardrobe.
I had been fortunate when I got out. I had socked away some money in a secret account before I got sent away. There wasn't a lot left, but I had a hell of a lot more than Cole.
Most ex-cons struggled to make ends meet once they were released. It was next to impossible to get a decent job. They might have family to return to, but food wasn't free. They had to have a way to earn a living. Most of them had to go back to doing what they did to get themselves put behind bars. It was a gamble. They hoped they wouldn't get caught, but they had to do what they had to do to eat.
That was why I was happy to help Cole get back on his feet. He had been there for me when I was first brought into prison, the only one who looked me in the eyes and told me it would all be fine. He had always had my back, and I had his. My first few weeks behind bars could have been a million times worse. He helped me navigate prison politics so I didn't get my ass kicked immediately.
"Find anything good in there?" I asked him as I took off my jacket. I tossed it over the back of a chair. "I keep forgetting to go to the store."
He looked up, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Just scrounging for leftovers," he replied, closing the fridge door and turning to face me. "Thanks for letting me crash here, man. I owe you one. I don't want to eat you out of house and home."
I waved off his gratitude, my smile widening. "No need to thank me. I've got your back. And there's not much to eat anyway. I'm a terrible host."
He laughed. "Better than my last one."
I nudged Cole out of the way to make room for myself in front of the fridge. "I'll find us something to eat."
"Man, you don't have to do that," he said. "I'll just make a sandwich or something."
"It's fine," I assured him. "How about I make my specialty, steak and eggs? You deserve a decent meal after everything you've been through. Plus, that's all I have, for the most part."
Cole slapped me on the back. "That sounds great, man. Seriously? It's been years."
I nodded, pulling out the ingredients and setting them on the counter. "Consider it a welcome home dinner. And don't get used to it."
As I cooked, the kitchen filled with the sizzle of steak on the pan. Cole settled in a barstool at the kitchen island, his eyes watching me intently.
"Where've you been all day?" he asked, his tone casual but curious. "I thought you weren't working. Got a job?"
I glanced over at him, grinning. "I was with a girl," I replied, keeping my answer deliberately vague. Cole was a good enough guy, but I wasn't about to tell him everything. That was something I learned before I went behind bars. I liked to keep my personal life personal.
Cole whistled appreciatively. "I need to get me a girl, man," he said with a chuckle. "It's been too long. I forgot how they feel. Does she have any friends?"
I laughed, the sound echoing through the kitchen. "It'll all come rushing back to you," I assured him, the memories of my kiss with Mary Ellen still fresh in my mind.
He laughed. "Like riding a bike."
I chuckled, turning back to the steaks as they continued to cook. "Just be patient, Cole. Give yourself some time to adjust. Shit'll turn around."
He nodded thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the sizzling meat. "I hope so. I miss having someone there, you know?"
I could hear the longing in his voice, a yearning for connection and companionship. I knew what it was like to feel alone, to crave the warmth of someone by your side.
"Well, in the meantime, there's a ton of shows to catch up on," I said with a grin.
I plated the steaks and eggs, placing a generous portion in front of Cole. His eyes lit up at the sight of it.
"Damn, man, this looks amazing," he said, picking up his fork eagerly. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I joined him at the island, digging into my own food. I wasn't all that hungry, but I didn't want him to feel weird about eating alone. Besides tonight, I usually ate alone too. I stayed home a lot unless I was out riding.
As we ate, Cole talked about finding a job. "I used to do mechanic stuff. I figure I'll try to get back into that line of work," Cole continued between bites of steak. "I've got some connections still, so hopefully I can land something soon."
I nodded in encouragement, knowing how important it was for him to find stability and purpose after his time behind bars. "That sounds like a solid plan. You've got the skills. No doubt you'll find something."
"Thanks, man. I appreciate the support."
"I'm here to help," I reassured him. "Just follow the straight and narrow, and everything will work out. Don't give into the temptation to take the easy way. We've both got too much to lose."
Cole took another bite, his eyes scanning the lavish surroundings of my house. "It certainly worked out for you, Prep School," he teased.
I chuckled, the nickname bringing back a flood of memories. Not good memories, but not terrible. Cole had always called me that, and at first, I had hated it. But now, I was kind of fond of it, especially when it came from him.
"I'll help you job hunt tomorrow," I promised. "We'll find something for you, no problem."
"Sounds like a plan," he said.
After we finished our meal, I cleared the dishes, and we settled in the living room. Cole kicked back on the couch, looking more relaxed than I had seen him in a long time.
"You know," Cole said. "I really appreciate all you're doing for me, man. Helping me out like this. It means a lot. There's not a lot of guys that would still be friends after lockup. And I know you're not really the kind of guy that hangs out with people like me."
I waved off his gratitude with a smile. "We're brothers, Cole. We look out for each other no matter what. You did me a solid on the inside. You kept my ass alive and nice and pretty. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. I know there are many times I could have been shanked."
"It was all part of the deal, man," Cole said, a hint of somberness in his eyes. "You'd do the same for me if our positions were reversed."
I nodded. We had been through some rough times together, facing challenges most people didn't have to think about. But despite it all, we had each other's backs, no questions asked.
"You're my brother, Cole," I said firmly, meeting his gaze with sincerity. "I'll always have your back, no matter what."
Cole's expression softened at my words. "Same here, Prep School. Same here."
I turned on the TV, flipping through the channels until I settled on a baseball game.
After a while, I got up from the couch. "I think I'm gonna head to my room."
"Cool, I think I'll watch TV for a while."
"Alright," I said. "See you in the morning. If you have any places you want to go, let me know. We'll drive around town, see what the deal is."
"Cool. Thanks."
I headed up to my room, closing the door behind me. Again, I trusted Cole, but it was one of those things. I would never fully trust another person again. Not after my ex. Not after I'd been burned.