CHAPTER FOUR
Andrea almost threw her phone away, but she knew that would only make the situation worse. She walked around her smoking car, holding her cell-phone up to try and get some reception to get a tow truck. So far she was getting no bars and it was making her frustrated. She ran a hand threw her hair. She was about two miles back from the diner. She could keep walking there and use their landline.
Andrea went into her vehicle that had thankfully stopped smoking but she was sure it wouldn't work and she didn't particularly want to test that out. She grabbed her purse and opened the trunk to get her flashlight so people could see her on the road and she could see the road. And she grabbed her pepper spray, just in case.
She sighed before shutting the door and locking it before she put her keys in her pocket. She turned and began to walk back towards the diner. She hoped that it wouldn't take too long. Andrea hated the dark. It was childish and it was an embarrassment that she had, a grown woman scared of the dark like a five year old. The flashlight that she had was very large to give out a lot of light and it was slightly heavy, but she wouldn't want to go without it. Not for a second.
She tried to hum to herself to calm down her nerves as she looked around, using the flashlight as a guide even though most of the streetlamp lights were working and they were on.
She felt her heels clicking against the pavement and she made a mental note to buy more flat shoes.
About a mile down the road, she heard the sound of motorcycles. She gulped, but also for whatever reason felt comforted. She knew one man who rode motorcycles, but she knew that he could not be there and there was definitely a group of bikes coming down the road, going towards her. She just hoped that they would either go past her and not bother her or would help her.
Call it stereotyping, but she was wary of men on motorcycles.
Soon enough, the echoes turned into headlights and although they were far down the road, she knew they would come up to her sooner or later. She took in a deep breath, still walking as she saw them almost clearly in the headlights. Perhaps they saw her or the flashlight, but they slowed down a bit when seeing her. Her heart began pumping in her chest. Would they help her or attack her?
She stopped below a streetlight and the bikes slowed down to a stop. She stopped a bit as well, getting prepared if she needed her fight or flight response. She saw in the light one look over at her and she almost smiled when she saw him.
"What are you doing out here Andrea?" Happy asked her, the gruff and rough voice was almost heavenly and it helped to calm her heart rate.
"You know her?" another man asked. She looked over at him and saw the next guy on the bike wearing a helmet but she could see the large mat of curly black hair sprouting out of it like an overcrowded weed garden.
Happy looked over her shoulder at him and nodded. In the dark she could see a heavier set man and she could see the scars on his cheeks. A Glasgow Smile. She knew about that in her work. Andrea looked at Happy and she answered him, "my car was on fire and smoking. Couldn't get reception so I thought of walking back to the diner."
Happy told her, "that wasn't a good idea. These streets aren't safe in a car."
"I couldn't stay there." Andrea answered him.
She could see something flash in his eyes and he nodded, "how far back are you?"
"About a mile." Andrea answered.
"We work at a auto repair company in Charming. We can get ya a tow," the one with the scars said. So he was Scottish. Andrea couldn't particularly tell with the scars if he was English or Scottish.
Andrea looked down a little bit embarrassed, "if you wouldn't mind."
"We're ride to Charming and come back to ya. Still on this street right. We'll probably go past it on our way." The Scottish one said.
Andrea nodded and Happy told them, "I'll stay with her. Get her back to her truck."
The tow nodded and Andrea heard them rev up the engines again before they rode off quickly, or maybe it just looked like it was quickly in comparison. Their bikes echoed again and Andrea turned to look at Happy, "you really didn't have to stay. I could walk back by myself." Andrea looked down and turned off the flashlight. Happy shook his head and he answered her, "it's not a problem." He moved behind him and took out a helmet and held it in front of her. Andrea looked at it and shook her head. She told him nervously, "I don't know…I'm…I'm not to comfortable on a bike."
"All you'd have to do is hold on tight to me or the bike." Happy answered, "and if it's only a mile down the road it wouldn't be too long."
Andrea stared at the helmet and the bike again, swaying a little bit from nervousness before she nodded and took the helmet. She was glad that she normally didn't wear skirts or dresses or else she definitely would have said no. She put the flashlight into her purse before she moved to put her helmet on. Happy held out his hand and she gave him the purse before she saw him put it in one of the bike bags so that she wouldn't lose it or any of its contents. Andrea carefully got on the back of the bike, a bit awkward and not knowing how to sit or where to put her feet or anything. Happy looked over his shoulder athere and said, "you can wrap your arms around me or you can hold tightly to the bars beside you. I won't go too fast."
"You can tell I'm nervous?" Andrea asked a bit sarcastically.
He grinned and Andrea moved to hold onto the bars. She knew she would feel a while lot worse about awkwardness if she clung to his back. When Happy saw her take the bars, he reved the engine a bit and Andrea braced herself for when he left.
Truthfully, it wasn't as bad as she thought that it was. It even felt a bit nice. She looked out beside her and in front of her as he rode, her hair flying behind her. It felt nice. It even felt calming and fun. She had a small smile on her face. She could definitely tell that he wasn't going too fast. She was sure she had gone faster in her car, but she was glad that they were going slower for her first time.
She soon saw her car and felt the bike slow down. Happy didn't pull over until in front of her truck. Once the bike was completely off, Andrea carefully got off, her legs a little bit wobbly. He grinned and told her, "see, wasn't so bad."
"You went slow though," Andrea told him as she began to take off the helmet.
He shrugged and got off the bike as well, going to his bag and getting out her purse. She gave him a small smile before taking the purse and giving him the helmet. Happy asked her, "can you hand me your flashlight?"
She went through her purse as he walked up to the hood of her truck and opened it. She got the flashlight out and turned it on as Happy set up the hood. He took the flashlight and looked into it. He asked her, "what happened?"
"There was a loud grumbling sound and then the front of the car was smoking dark grey and black. I got out and looked out and saw there was light under the hood. I turned off the car and went to the other side of the road, tried calling a tow truck." Andrea explained.
"Cell service out here is terrible." Happy commented as he looked around the hood, "I think your engine and wires overheated. Fire sounds a bit dangerous, but something might be leaking in here too. Can't really see with just a flashlight." Happy answered, "but the good thing was the stop the car and turn it off. And good thing you didn't open the hood. You wouldn't believe how many stupid people had done that. Most of them would get burns."
Andrea nodded and she looked around, "you didn't have to stop. Or get a tow for me."
"Isn't a problem. They'll be fast. Tig has a bit of a heavy foot." Happy joked before he shut the hood, "I can still feel the heat."
Andrea nodded and she moved to open the truck door and the light went on. She sat on the drivers seat sideways so she could still talk to him, "seriously though, you didn't need to."
He shook his head, "aren't you usually back home by now. It's almost one." Happy said.
Andrea hadn't seen him for a couple of weeks. Things changed a bit. She got off earlier, had to go in earlier. Andrea shrugged and said, "gave me new hours. I just came from the diner. Didn't get too far as you know."
He nodded and she crossed her legs.
"You work as a 9-1-1 officer right?" he asked, trying to make conversation.
Andrea nodded, "yeah."
"Sounds like a tough job." Happy commented.
"You wouldn't imagine. Prank calls are rare. Never had one on me, or a misdial. You deal with a lot of heavy stuff with that job."
"Then why did you decide to do it?"
Andrea sighed and shrugged, "personal reasons, personal motives."
He nodded and she was glad that he didn't press on that. She wasn't particularly in the mood to reveal something so personal about her past to someone that she barely knew. Although it was weird. They had barely seen each other and she felt safe around him, another paradox because he was in a motorcycle gang.
"Would you be alright if I just took you home on the bike as the guys took your truck? You can give me your number and I'll take a look at it tomorrow. When do you start work?" Happy asked.
"Six." Andrea answered.
He nodded, "I'll try and get it working by then. If not then I'll pick you up in a truck and drive you to work. That sound fair?"
"Seriously, you don't need to do that." Andrea told him.
"It'll be fine. A taxi would cost you a lot I'm guessing. Where do you live?" Happy asked her.
"Bay Point." Andrea answered.
He nodded, "not too far from Charming, but you work far away from where you live."
"Just how the cookie crumbles I guess. I liked my little neighbourhood. And since my boss requested me he will help pay for my gas."
"Your resume is that good?"
"That good."
Andrea gave him a small grin and he smiled as well, "Bay Point is on my way to Charming. I'm fine giving you a lift home tonight. Does that plan work for you?"
Andrea sighed before she nodded. She caved, but it was the better deal. She trusted Happy to know what he was doing. She told him, "yeah…thank you so much. I don't want to be a bother."
"It wouldn't be a bother. Don't worry about that." Happy promised.
Andrea gave him a smile and she leaned against the seat a bit. Trying to make small talk, she said after minutes of silence, "so…the Sons of Anarchy."
He grinned a bit and nodded, "the Sons of Anarchy."
"How long have you been in the gang?"
"We're a club."
"Crap, sorry. I'll try and debrief myself on the terminology."
He chuckled, "Since I was twenty-one."
Andrea nodded again and yawned a bit.
"Tired?" Happy asked.
Andrea nodded again, "kind of in the mood for my bed."
Happy chuckled and Andrea soon heard a truck coming down the road. Happy chuckled, "I'm going to bet that's them."
"That was fast."
Happy shrugged and soon enough, Andrea saw the tow truck pull up. When the doors opened, she saw the familiar faces of the two men on the bikes from before. Happy looked at me and asked, "do you want to head out now?"
Andrea looked over at the men and she nodded, "yeah sure."
Happy turned and called out to the guys, "can you take her truck? I'm going to drive her home."
"Yeah, man. Sure." The curly haired one said. Even in the dark Andrea could see just how wild his hair was. It made her smile a bit.
Happy looked at Andrea, "you ready to go?"
"Can you take my purse again?" she asked.
He nodded and held out his hand. Andrea gave him the purse and he put it in his bag before handing Andrea the helmet again. Andrea was beginning to put it on as Happy moved his bike a little bit away so that the other two could prepare the tow truck and put it into position.
Happy got on the bike and he looked over his shoulder to wait for her. Carefully, Andrea got on it again and she held tightly to the bars again. Happy nodded to the guys in the truck, who nodded back to them. After, Happy pressed forward and they rode, this time going the speed limit. The speed made Andrea a bit nervous to get used to, but when she did she found the trip just as peaceful as the first one had been.
The ride was still a lot longer, but soon, after going down the highway, she saw the lights and signs to turn off into Bay Point. Once off the highway, Happy slowed a little and yelled back so that Andrea could hear him, "where do I go?"
"Keep going straight. Three streets down turn left and keep going until you see a small grey bricked house." Andrea yelled back.
Happy sped up a little again, going in the direction that she told him. The place was more peaceful than the highway. He slowed down after seeing the house and he pulled into her driveway. Andrea looked up and immediately saw her dog, Nala, in the front window. At the sight of the unfamiliar motorcycle, she began to park and sit up on the windowsill.
Andrea smiled a bit and Happy kept the bike on, but the roar was at a much lower volume. Andrea moved off the bike and took off the helmet. She looked at the window and when the dog noticed it was her, she stopped barking and began to whine excitedly. Andrea grinned and Happy asked her as he began to get her purse out for her, "what kind of breed is that?"
"A Kooikerhondji." Andrea answered.
"Kinda girly." Happy commented.
"Kinda cute. She loves to cuddle." Andrea grinned a bit and took her purse from him when he held it out to her, "Thank you again for the ride and for the tow."
"Like I said, no problem." Happy told her before he gestured to the dog, "you better go in before that thing dies of disappointment."
Andrea couldn't help but giggle. She went through her purse and got out a piece of paper and a pen before writing down her home and cell number, "here's how to reach me."
"I'll be sure to contact you before you need to go to work." Happy told her.
Andrea nodded and she gave him one more smile before she walked back up to the house. She unlocked the door and heard Nala whining at the other side. She gave Happy one more wave and he gave her a nod. She didn't hear him leave until she was in the house and put her light on. Nala instantly attacked her and Andrea leaned down to hug her and so the dog could lick her cheek. Afterwards, she looked around and saw her twin cats, a fluffy orange cat Monty and a light grey and white fluffy cat named Minnie. She gave both cats some strokes of their hair before she turned around and locked the door again.
With her animals following her, Andrea made her way to her bedroom. She was going to admit it to at least herself that somehow, she was hoping that Happy wouldn't have her car done on time so that she would be able to see him again.