Ride Everlasting (Demon Riders MC Book 3) by Evelyn Glass Read Free Book Online Page B

her brain jumpstarted again. She feels like her heart had all but stopped at Dane’s words.  It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him; it was more that she wasn’t used to seeing this romantic side of him, the side that actually talks about how he feels.
     
    “And then what happened?”  Joyce looks at Elyse this time for an answer, probing her with her all-knowing motherly eyes.
     
    “Mom, tonight was supposed to be about me getting to know Nick better, not you giving us the third degree.”  She smiles at her mother, trying to communicate with her eyes for her to back off a touch.
     
    “There’s time for both.”  Joyce doesn’t even pause, her gaze shifting between Elyse and Dane, like she’s trying to figure out what it is that she’s missing.
     
    “How about we order, and then we get to interrogate each other?”  Elyse keeps her tone light, slipping her hand out of Dane’s and concentrating on the menu.
     
    “Sounds like a plan to me; I’m starved.”  Nick seems to sense the tension between the two women and dives straight into his menu despite the fact that he probably already has it memorized.
     
    “Me too.  It’s been a long day at work.”  Dane takes his cue from Nick and looks at the menu, not even wincing once at the eye-watering prices.
     
    “What sort of work are you in, Dane?”  Joyce jumps on the opening, and Elyse rolls her eyes at her mother’s inability to let anything go.
     
    “I work in a body shop.”  He doesn’t elaborate, and Elyse feels compelled to.
     
    “Actually he works in the body shop.  The place is known worldwide. If you’re into cars or bikes, then you’ve heard of it.”  Elyse doesn’t try to hide the pride in her voice, and she sees Dane’s surprise out of the corner of her eye.  What, he didn’t think that she was impressed by what he did?
     
    “We do alright.”  Dane shrugs, coming across as endearing and modest at the same time.
     
    “He’s fixing up Dolly. She’ll be good as new in a couple of weeks.”  Elyse frowns at Dane, wondering why he’s holding back so much.  She knows how proud he is of The Shop.
     
    “Dolly?”  Nick looks blankly at them.
     
    “It’s the name the guys have christened the car that Mrs. Pow…I mean, Joyce, gave to Elyse…because she needs a little dolling up.”  Elyse’s mother smiles at the explanation.  “A ’75 Mustang…she really is a thing of beauty.”
     
    “I loved that car.”  Joyce’s voice gets a faraway quality.  “It was the one good thing that came from my ex-husband, apart from my beautiful daughter.”  Joyce squeezes Elyse’s hand to signal that she hadn’t forgotten about her.  Her eyes get all misty, but she recovers well.  “Now, let’s eat before I start embarrassing Elyse more than I already have.”
     
    Elyse looks at her mother gratefully, and they all set about choosing appetizers and entrees.  Elyse looks around the table and feels a sensation that she has never experienced before.  There’s something special about having two of the people that she cares most about together, in the same room.  But it’s not just that, they’re getting along like a house on fire.  Joyce seems charmed by Dane, and Dane and Nick have no problem finding common areas of interest.  All in all, the night couldn’t be called anything but a great success.  Elyse is almost disappointed when the check is called, and it’s time to leave.
     
    “So, you ride?”  Nick and Dane lead the way towards the parking lot.
     
    Elyse stifles a laugh. She’s probably had a little too much to drink, but she’d worry about that in the morning.  “Dane learned to ride a bike before he could walk.”
     
    “You’re into bikes?”  Dane gives Nick a surprised look, ignoring Elyse’s interruption.
     
    “I love them, but I don’t get a chance to get out as much as I’d like.”  Nick shrugs as if to say ‘But that’s life’ and the two men lapse into talk about