Rebound Biker by Bijou Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

last girl was
always upset. People were mean to her. No one understood her. Not her coworkers
or friends or family. She was always an emotional mess. That stuff seemed more
fun when I was younger. At the end, I just looked at her and thought why
couldn't she pull her shit together? I guess, my mom was right. The behaviors
that are cute when you're young have an expiration date. These bad girls had
stopped being cute too. I'm tired of it all. This last one always thought I was
cheating. Drama girls always think that about their men. I used to think it
meant they were really into me. Now I see it as an insult. I've never cheated.
My mom raised me with two rules for women. No hitting and cheating."
    "It's
possible what you need is simply a break from those sort of women."
    "Nope.
I made a big fucking deal out of finding a good woman. Declared it from the
mountaintops. My family laughed at me and my friends rolled their fucking eyes.
I believed in my plan then you walked into a bar I rarely visit. That's a damn
sign."
    "I
don't believe in fate."
    "Don't
have to believe in something for it to be real. My uncle is pretty convinced
gravity is a fraud, but I never saw him float away."
    Meredith
can't help laughing. "That's not quite the same thing."
    "You
think too much. That's how you ended up with your sissy ex-husband. Sometimes
you need to let go and feel. I'm doing that with you. I'm not thinking about
your cookie cutter house or big fancy degree. I'm not worrying about your
yuppie parents. All I'm doing is feeling. Since you walked into Pete's, I've
been feeling really good too."
    Smiling
softly, Meredith places her free hand on mine. "Me too. I try not to think
about the why, but I can't help it."
    "I
know, but for now, just enjoy things. After so long with a douche, embrace the
good stuff. I know I am."
    Meredith's
expression makes me feel like a million bucks. In her eyes, I'm a reward. She
stops thinking about our differences and begins embracing the parts of my life
that are new for her. I figure I ought to take things to the next step and
introduce her to my club that weekend. If she doesn't run away screaming, she
might be strong enough to endure my family.

Chapter Nine
    Meredith
    Zulma's
Ultimatum
    Zulma
created two tiny physical versions of herself. Five-year-old Amaya and
two-year-old Alejandro might look like Mommy, but they have Julio's calm
demeanor. Unlike every other kid at the grocery store, Zulma's remain quietly
at the cart. I look at the kids and imagine what mine with Winston might look
like.
    "I'm
falling hard for Winston. Tell me to stop," I say as we walk down the
bread aisle.
    "Why?
Is he no good?"
    "No,
but I might be his rebound. I don't want my heart broken. Every day, I want him
more. No, I need him more. While I'd like to believe the way we feel is real,
I'm not his type."
    "Type
means nothing. Men want what they want. Julio liked shy girls until me. He
didn't want a woman with a big mouth and too many opinions. He even said that on
video. I saw it and he wasn't drunk either. He meant it, but he met me and here
we are."
    I
grin at Zulma and her beautiful kids. "I was ready to start a family. Even
if I wasn't really in love with Sandy, we had a decent life and I wanted a
baby."
    "Good
thing you didn't make a baby with Sandy. He has a really big forehead. You
don't want no big foreheaded babies, Mere. Trust me. My cousin's daughter has a
big forehead and it's all you see. The rest of her face is smashed together to
fit that giant forehead. Not cute."
    "Don't
underestimate the value of foreheads. My old neighbor has a son without much of
a forehead. The poor child's eyebrows and hairline nearly touch. Freaky."
    Zulma
caresses Alejandro's head after setting him into the cart. "I dodged a bullet
with my beauties."
    "Yes,
you did. I can only hope my babies are half as cute."
    "Especially
after you made fun of ugly babies. I think you might have jinxed
yourself."
    Shaking
my head, I ignore her warning and