Painted Lines by Brei Betzold Read Free Book Online Page B

donated to a charity auction.  I
wanted to give them the best we could do.  We packed everything up, locked up
all our sketches and ideas for the night, then locked up our stall giving the
stall key to the assistant producer and left for the day.
    We
pulled up in front of the rental and I saw my baby sitting there in the
sunlight and squealed. I jumped off my Ducati running to my pride and joy, my
2009 Iron 883.  I squatted down pulling my helmet off so I could look her over,
make sure she was just as I had left her, and let out a breath when I found her
as perfect as when I had last seen her.  I stroked over her flat black tank,
the purple and silver pin striping, all my own custom work.  Saul bought her
after she was totaled in an accident and we completely rebuilt her from the
ground up, then when I turned eighteen he gave her to me.
    “Welcome
back, Stella.” I whispered climbing on and starting her up, her deep rumble
settling me in ways I hadn’t been in days.
    I
heard someone clear their throat and I looked over my shoulder to find not only
the three stooges, but also Cam holding Zadok and Saul watching me.
    “Should
we give you some time alone?” Asked Liam.
    “Yes
please.” I murmured strapping my helmet back on and taking off, I did not plan
to go far, but we needed to reconnect.
    Half
an hour later I pulled up in front of the house, I turned her off, letting my
fingers slide against her tank as I climbed off and headed in.  I went in I
found the house in chaos, and smiled—this was home.  People I loved everywhere,
watching TV, arguing, joking, the only person missing was Cas. I walked up to
Simon and held my hands out waiting for my favorite boy, Zadok, Simon and Cam’s
two month old son.
    “Can
I help you?”
    “Gimme,”
I said wiggling my fingers.
    He
looked up at me, “You’re going to bug me till I give him up, aren’t you?”
    “Yep,
now gimme.”
    He
sighed and handed over my godson. I tucked him against my chest and walked to
the couch to sit down.  He was simply gorgeous, with his café au lait skin,
green eyes like his daddy; he was going to be a heartbreaker.   I rubbed his
back and ignored everyone else, just enjoying the warm bundle that laid against
my chest sleeping.
    Cam
walked in, looking over at Simon, he pointed at me, and she laughed.  Cameron
was a gorgeous, sweet girl, and I had yet to understand what she was doing with
Simon. But I loved her so he was stuck with her for life.
    “Am
I ever getting him back?” She asked.
    “Not
sure,” I replied honestly.  “I kinda like him.”
    “Yeah,
I kinda like him too; unless it’s two a.m. then you’re welcome to him.”
    “Kinda
missing what he wants at two a.m.”
    She
sighed, “Glad we’re here, I missed you.”
    “Missed
you too, Cam,” Then I went back to snuggling with my baby.
    “So
is Stella, okay?”
    “Perfect.”
I whispered getting comfortable to cuddle for a while.
    I
eventually relinquished the baby and went to cook dinner for everyone. Since I
hadn’t made Kale his breakfast last night I decided to make it tonight.  I went
to work on stuffed French toasts and kicked everyone out of my kitchen.  I had
learned to cook as a way to relax, one of my therapists had suggested it, and
it turned out that I loved it.  I lived in a house with two men who couldn’t
boil water, let alone cook a meal so they were more than happy to be guinea
pigs for my creations. 
    I
was working on slicing strawberries when my phone vibrated in my pocket, I
wiped my hands off, and quickly answered, hoping it was Cas.
    “Hello?”
    “Hey,
baby girl,” Cas said over the static, “how are you?”
    “I’m
good, how are you?”
    “I’m
good, but worried about you.”
    I
scowled at the phone.  “Why are you worried about me?”
    “Got
an interesting email from Saul.”
    I
put the knife I had just picked back up down so I did not stab my grandpa.
“What did he have to say?”
    “That
he’s there, and you’re