Faith: Biker Romance (The Virtues Book 2) by Davida Lynn Read Free Book Online

degrees.”

    I sat up and looked out the window at the fine layer of white covering everything. I rolled my eyes. Sixty-eight degrees.

    She lowered her voice just enough that I could tell the change in conversation, “So, besides school, how are you holding up?”

    “I’m doing better, actually. Things are good.” Esther shared my parents’ faith, but not the zealot status. She also wasn't dumb. She knew that it wasn’t for me. Esther understood that my life was a minefield, and I loved her for accepting me and understanding my struggle.

    She gave me the usual pep talk. I always appreciated it.

    “I know it seems hard now, Faith, but strength in the Lord will get you through this troubling time.” To anyone passing by or listening in, our talk sounded just like Bible study, but our words had far different meanings.

    We had to be vague. Once just after my sister moved, I was talking to her, telling her I couldn't wait to move out and stop going to the church with all the nuts, and my mother overheard. Through her tears, I had to beg her not to tell my father.

    “How’s Bible study?” She knew the right questions to ask, and I knew just how to answer so that she could understand my struggle. Only this time, my answers had a different tone to them.

    I had a smile on my face. “Bible study is... great, actually.”

    I don't know how, but I had given myself away. Esther could hear it in my voice maybe, or maybe it was that pause that was just a split second too long.

    “Oh my goodness!” She reined it in. “There’s someone new at study, isn’t there?”

    Part of me wanted to change the subject, but I had to tell someone about Eddie. “There is. He’s new to our church, as a matter of fact.” I did what I could to tell Esther about him, but still keep it in code.

    “What’s he like?” She sounded thrilled.

    “Well, he’s definitely new to church. He’s there every Wednesday and Sunday without fail. Mom and Dad like him, actually.”

    “Wait, what?”

    I almost laughed. They had hated Matt when they’d first met him. When Esther turned eighteen, they’d basically given her the choice to leave him or leave town. That was just another reason she’d ended up in Cali.

    “Yeah. I don't know what it is, but Mom and Dad both think he’s great.”

    “And what do you think?”

    I didn’t know how to tell her that he was a bad boy liar with a motorcycle and quick hands. There really was no code for that, but I did my best. I thought of how I could describe him.

    “He’s a fast learner. Very eager. He sits next to me, and I don’t want to vomit.” I paused while she laughed. “He comes up and talks to Mom and Dad after we get done on Wednesdays, and they let him drive me home. Oh, and they’ve started having him over for dinner.”

    I could imagine that last part really throwing Esther off. Matt’s family had lived next door for the entire time we’d lived in Colorado Springs, and my parents had never warmed up to them the way anyone would have liked.

    “Over for dinner? After a month? What is this guy’s secret, Faith?” Esther had long grown past caring about our parents. She would never forgive them, but at least she could live beyond her upbringing. I could still hear a hint of jealousy in her voice, though.

    “I wish I knew his secret, but it works just as well on me.”

    “When are you coming to visit?” There wasn’t anything more about Eddie to talk about, and Esther knew it. Maybe if I were with her, I could tell her about how wild Eddie was, how each night he drove me home, we did something dangerous. He was teaching me how to drive the motorcycle, which I liked, even though I wasn’t very good at it.

    Things had escalated from the candy bar and soda. I had managed to steal a man’s wallet through some clever misdirection and a little bit more skin than I usually show. He was one of the wealthier Springs residents, and I didn’t feel bad about taking the two