Not in my Job Description - Avery Clavens Book 1

Chapter 10 - Putting around

When we arrived at his friend’s house, I was immediately introduced to Rick. From what I could pick up, Nate and Rick had known each other since they were in diapers, which was an interesting tidbit to know because I instantly tried to picture the two of them in diapers. My imagination wasn’t that good and the images that came to mind were rather scary.

Rick stood a little shorter than Nate, so about six foot even, but he had Nate beat in the muscle mass department. He worked as a detective for the NYPD, so it paid for him to look big and intimidating. He definitely fit that bill, with his jet black hair and piercing bright blue eyes.

I couldn’t remember ever seeing eyes that particular shade, but at the same time, there was something really familiar about them. There was something familiar about Rick as a whole, and even though I was sure we’d never met, I could’ve sworn we had.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Avery. This knucklehead has told me so much about you. I was starting to think maybe he was making you up. There was no way a woman could be as perfect as he described, and yet here you are.”

I gave Nate a look that indicated he had some explaining to do. I didn’t like the idea of him blabbing to his friend about me, especially when there wasn’t anything between us.

“Really? That’s interesting since we have only been acquainted a few days and he knows next to nothing about me.” Giving Rick a flirty smile, I winked at him.

“Okay, you got me. Maybe not your life story, but he has mentioned you on a couple occasions. You do know he’s smitten with you, right?”

I scoffed at Rick’s words. “Smitten? That is pretty funny. Mr. Work Relationship is definitely not smitten with me. I’m pretty sure I frighten him.” I leaned in and whispered that last part conspiratorially to him.

“You guys do notice I’m standing right here. It’s not nice acting like you’re revealing my secrets when neither of you have any idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re right,” I said, giving him a sincere compassionate look before turning back to Rick and saying, “I think someone missed his nap time, so we better hit the road.”

“You’re impossible,” Nate exhaled and went to sit on the bike he’d be using. Compared to mine it was rather plain, with a black paint scheme and only a few accessories, like a custom derby cover and foot pegs.

Nate seemed ready to go, so I was too. Even though spending a few minutes talking to Rick about what Nate had told him about me also sounded like an interesting way to spend the afternoon. Since I couldn’t carry a conversation, and eventually Rick would run out of things to report, going for a ride sounded like the best idea.

I waved goodbye to Rick and we headed out. We ended up taking I-87 towards Saratoga Springs. It was less than two hundred miles, so it’d be a nice easy ride. After about fifty miles my gas indicator light came on, so I signaled that I needed to stop.

After a quick refueling, we didn’t stop again until we hit Saratoga Springs, a couple of hours later. We pulled into a gas station to top off the tanks.

“How about we grab some sandwiches and chips for a picnic over in Saratoga Spa State Park?” Nate suggested.

“I’m hungry and can’t remember the last time I had a picnic. It’s probably been ten years. I want some cookies for dessert though. We can’t have a picnic without cookies.” Grinning, I followed him into the store.

Once we attached the food to his sissy bar with some bungee cords I kept in a little tool bag on my forks, we cruised over to find a picnic table.

“This is really beautiful,” I said taking in the area. “I tend to stay indoors so much that I don’t get out in the wilderness often enough.”