Read Love's Hope (The Unknowns Motorcycle Club Book 2) for Free Online

out.”
     
    “Agreed,” Chester said. “Now… if that concludes the business portion of this meeting, why don’t you tell me how things have been going for you?”
     
    From that point on, the two of them shared small talk. Alex found it refreshing to speak to a man that had dutifully served the Unknowns for nearly five years and then made it clean as he came out on the other side. Chester now worked as the manager at a Jiffy Lube—not the most prestigious job, but much better than running drugs and constantly watching for blue lights in your rearview mirror.
     
    They stayed there for another hour, catching up and sharing stories about their time with the Unknowns. When it was over and they walked out into the small dusty parking lot, a sudden clear thought struck Alex that made him happy and uncertain at the same time: this was the longest period of time he had spent away from Amanda since coming to her house that first morning. He couldn’t wait to get back to her even if he would be carrying the harrowing news that he might very well know who killed her husband and why he had been killed.
     
    Of course, he wouldn’t even consider telling her any of that until he knew for certain.
     
    He and Chester shook hands as they parted ways, Chester leaving in his very basic Honda Accord and Alex pulling out to the comforting growl of his Harley.
     
    He hit the road and was reminded once again of why he had joined the Unknowns in the first place; scaling the road on his motorcycle felt like flying in a way, particularly on the often deserted secondary roads along the stretches of Nevada desert that he had come to know as home.
     
    Now that he was in a different part of the country, he was relieved to find that it felt the same. With a woman that he cared about waiting for him along this stretch of road, it made the ride all the more pleasant.
     

 
    CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    It was just after seven o’ clock when Alex pulled his bike alongside the curb in front of Amanda’s house. It was nearly dark, and he wondered if she had worried about him. When he had left, he had not given her a time that he would be back, and she had not asked. He assumed it was far too early in their relationship to be setting such boundaries if this was in fact a relationship.
     
    It felt like one, but it had been so long since Alex had been involved, that he couldn’t tell for sure. What he did know was that when he walked in through the front door, he was beyond glad to be back. The smell of something cooking greeted him. Music was playing somewhere, and he could hear Amanda singing lightly along with it.
     
    He walked through the living room and into the kitchen when Amanda was standing by the stove, stirring something and swaying her hips back and forth to the music that was coming from the iPod dock on the counter. She heard him come in and turned to see him, slightly embarrassed.
     
    “I’m not the best singer in the world,” she said.
     
    “Or the worst,” he added.
     
    When he walked to her and kissed her, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
     
    “I got wrapped up in work and almost forgot that I’d have someone here for dinner,” she said. “So it’s quick and simple tonight. Spaghetti and salad.”
     
    “Sounds great,” Alex said. And it did; having skipped over most of his burger, the ride back had made him ravenous.
     
    He helped her with finishing up and setting the table. As they did, she filled him in on her day. She’d spent most of it chatting with clients and working on one project that might have the potential to take her to the next level. While she was doing slightly better than scraping by, she was also very aware that she could be doing much better. This job might do that for her. Her excitement was evident in the way she carried herself around the kitchen. Alex was happy for her and noticed how, in her excitement, she took every chance she could to touch him – placing a hand on his hip