It took us about 50 minutes to make it to O'Malley's.
We were basically in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of some small town that looked abandoned. If that wasn't creepy enough, Greyson had been on one of the main roads for 5 minutes before he pulled off onto this old, broken-up road, where we spent another 10 minutes riding before we reached an open field with a large abandoned building.
I hopped off first before Grey could even shut off his bike.
I slipped off my helmet, and I took in my surroundings. There was a massive crowd of people, more than I thought would be gathered here.
People were roasting marshmallows and drinking beer around bonfires. That seemed like an odd combo, but okay. I heard music off into the distance, but I couldn't pinpoint the location.
But all in all, this place wasn't half bad.
Grey turned off his bike, took off his helmet, and rested it on the bike seat before taking mine and doing the same.
"So, what do you think?" He gestured to the land.
"I like it," I told him.
"You would. You're like those good girl characters in the movies who go somewhere they've never been that has trouble written all over it, but you're oddly excited about it." Grey sighed, shaking his head.
I narrowed my eyes at him, "Whatever," I responded teasingly. "Where's the track?" I asked since I couldn't immediately spot it.
"Down there." Grey pointed over my shoulder.
I didn't realize we were parked on a hillside until I walked to the edge and looked down.
My mouth opened to form an "O."
"It's a legit track!" I exclaimed.
It was a little run down, much like the bleachers on both sides, but it had authentic stadium lights.
"What you thought I raced on a dirt track with this baby?" Grey patted his bike. "This isn't a dirt bike, Mia."
"I know that. I just don't know. I don't know what I was thinking!"
It was safe to say I didn't know anything about motorcycle racing.
"You figured we'd be racing on dirt since we're in the middle of nowhere?"
"Yeah. I guess so," I mumbled, feeling a little dumb.
Grey chuckled.
"But how do you guys not get caught?"
"Well, I don't know the exact details, but supposedly, the cops around here don't make much, and O'Malley cuts them a profit when he does, so they don't bother us. I even heard that sometimes the off-duty cops come here to gamble, drink, and have a little fun with a side piece or two in one of those tents." Grey pointed to one of the various tents scattered across the hill.
I shook my head in disbelief. "This is unreal."
He released a harsh sigh. "Tell me about it," he muttered.
"What was this place before?"
"No clue. All I know is that the city could care less about it. Anyways, come on, let me introduce you to some people." Grey reached for my hand and led me over to one of the larger tents a few feet away. "O'Malley!" he called out.
A man about my height of five-foot-seven with long shaggy red hair and the equivalent of a Santa Claus beard turned to greet us.
"Hey, champ," he said to Greyson. When his eyes landed on me, he asked, "This your girl?"
"Yes. This is Mia." Grey gestured to me with his free hand.
"Mia, this is O'Malley."
O'Malley sticks his hand out for me to shake. "Nice to meet you, Mia. But you can call me Finn like all the ladies do." He smiled.
Yeah, I wasn't going to do that.
"So when you tell me you're busy...." O'Malley started, but Greyson cut him off.
"I'm busy with her. Or you know, I'm at work since some of us are still employed."
O'Malley chuckled under his breath. "How long will you keep rubbing it in my face that I lost my job?"
"Until the end of time."
"You two worked together? At the warehouse?" I asked curiously. Grey never told me how they had met.
"Yeah. We did, but I got fired a few months back."
"What did you do?"
Greyson exhaled a long breath through his nose, then proceeded to shake his head as if to say, "You don't wanna know."
O'Malley's smile stayed in place. "Nothing too serious. I only seduced the boss's wife in the back stockroom. It wasn't the first time we fooled around like that. Just the first time we did it at the warehouse."
My jaw dropped, but then I quickly composed myself. "Oh. Okay," I replied, not knowing what else to say.
I instantly regret asking.
O'Malley continued. "Listen, in my defense, if she had been getting the attention she needed from her crappy ex-husband, she wouldn't have come to me. Plus, I'm probably the best lay she's had. Anyways, when the boss man caught us, the jig was up, and I was fired on the spot. I swear it was one of the janitors that ratted us out," he mumbled a curse.
"It's not like you guys were quiet or anything." Greyson threw that reminder out there for him.
O'Malley flicked his wrist. "I told her to be, but..."
"I couldn't help myself?" Someone interjected. I watched a woman step out of the tent behind him, pulling down a super skimpy, almost see-through black dress that only fell mid-thigh. She smoothed down the front of her hair and walked over to stand next to him. "Is that what you were going to say?" she asked, slapping his shoulder and making him wince.
I took a good look at her. She had dark curly brown hair that fell to her shoulders and olive skin. She was a tad shorter than me and age-wise, I'd have a hard time believing she was anything over 25.
"Would I be lying if I did?" O'Malley tilted his head in her direction.
"Eh," she replied with a shrug. "You'll have to remind me later so that I can be sure."
"Will do. Will do." O'Malley told her before placing a quick kiss on her lips.
Then she turned her attention to Grey. "Hey, Greyson. What's up? Who's the bombshell blonde next to you?"
I spoke up, "Hi, I'm Mia." I gave a quick wave.
"Nice to meet you, Mia. I'm Caroline. This idiot right here," She bumped her shoulder into O'Malley's. "Is my boyfriend." she smiled.
"So, what brings you out tonight, Greyson?" Caroline said.
"Just squeezing in one last race before it's off college."
"Huh? You think you can give up all of this?" She used her arms to make a wide circle. "After one last race?"
"I'll miss it, but I got bigger and better things to do." Grey's eyes cut to me.
Caroline nodded. "I get it. Anyways, I'm going to get some beer and see if I can convince one of those guys to share their s'mores with me." She walked by us.
O'Malley called out. "I can make you a whole damn tray of s'mores if that's what you want."
"I can make you do just about anything I want, which is why that's too easy and no fun." She blew him a kiss.
"That woman will be the death of me," he said low enough for us to hear still. Grey glanced around the open field. "So, who's racing tonight?"
O'Malley stuffed his hand into his pockets. "Only the best of the best."
Grey rolled his eyes. "I'd like some names."
O'Malley took out a lighter and then a cigarette. "Would it matter?" He brought the cigarette to his lips and lit it. He took a drag and added, "You'll beat them all anyway. You always do. That's why..." he poked Grey's chest, "you're my best racer." He slapped his back.
I glared at the side of his face. "You never told me that!"
Grey bit his bottom lip.
"Yup. Your boyfriend makes me a lot of money when he comes in. He places the largest bets and gives me a more than generous cut."
"He's not my boyfriend," I quickly corrected him, ignoring every other part of what he just said.
O'Malley's eyes looked between the two of us for a few seconds. "If you say so." He smiled.
"How much do you want to put up tonight?"
Greyson looked at the people standing a few feet away from us as they whispered. He pointed to the dimly lit abandoned building beside us. "Let's go inside and talk about it."
"Sure. Step into my office." O'Malley nodded in that direction.
I was about to follow when I heard my phone ringing. I didn't recognize the number, but I've seen it call me before. I think it was earlier, after graduation. I wondered who it could be.
"I got to answer this," I told Grey.
He looked hesitant to leave me standing outside by myself.
"I'll just be right here. I won't move from this spot."
"We have chairs set up inside the tent. You can take a seat in there if you want. We won't be long." O'Malley told me.
I nodded. "Thanks."
I answered the phone as I watched them walk off together. "Hello?" The line was quiet. "Hello?" I said again, a little louder than before in case they hadn't heard me.
I was about to hang up. "MIA! WAIT! Don't hang up. Please." The woman desperately pleaded.
"Who is this?" I couldn't place their voice, but I knew it was familiar somehow.
"It's me. Your mother."
If I could have gripped the phone any harder, it would have crumbled to dust.
Mom?