Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 58

CHAPTER 35-2

CHAPTER 35-2

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+25 Pong

The afternoon sun hung low enough to paint everything with warm golden light and gentle breezes

carried the scent of eucalyptus and freshly cut grass across the open landscape.

I rested my chin lightly against Jace’s shoulder and simply enjoyed the ride.

There was something calming about being on a motorbike.

The constant vibration beneath me, the endless ribbon of road stretching ahead and the quiet rhythm of the engine somehow chased every lingering worry from my mind.

Neither of us felt the need to hurry and we stopped once at a small country bakery where the owner greeted Jace by name before insisting we take homemade slice of the road.

Apparently everyone knew him and everyone also knew I was with him. Small towns had

remarkable communication systems.

An hour later we reached a quiet hill overlooking wide stretches of farmland.

The only sound came from birds drifting overhead and the occasional distant tractor working somewhere beyond the trees.

Jace parked beneath a large gun tree and we sat on the grass while sharing the slices we’d bought

earlier.

The peaceful silence lasted several minutes before he spoke.

“You’ve been tense lately.” Jace said and I looked toward the distant hills.

“I’ve been trying not to be.” I said.

“The motorbikes?” He asked.

“I keep telling myself nothing has happened.” I nodded.

“But something feels different.” He said.

“Exactly.” I said and he looked toward the horizon for a moment.

“We’re being careful.” He said.

“I’ve noticed.” I said.

“You weren’t supposed to.” He said and I smiled faintly.

“I notice more than people think.” I said.

“I believe that.” He said.

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CHAPTER 35 2

The breeze stirred the long grass around us while another motorbike rumbled somewhere far below before disappearing into the distance.

Jace picked up a small stone and rolled it thoughtfully between his fingers.

“Can I ask you something?” He asked.

“You just did.” I said and a quiet laugh escaped him.

“You always have an answer.” He said.

“I like being prepared.” I said.

“Have you ever fired a gun?” He asked with a lingering smile.

For the smallest fraction of a second my heartbeat stumbled.

Images flashed through my mind before I could stop them.

Uncle Will standing beside me at an isolated property years earlier. His patient voice correcting my grip and tin cans balanced on an old fence. Long afternoons learning discipline before accuracy.

He hadn’t taught me because he wanted violence in my life. He taught me because he believed every person should know how to protect themselves if they ever had no other choice.

Very few people knew that part of him and I intended to keep it that way so I looked back at Jace and forced myself to answer.

“No. I’ve never had the chance.” I lied slipping out far more easily than I expected. He nodded without any hint of suspicion.

“I figured that might be the case.” He said.

“I spent most of my time fixing bikes.” I said.

“Fair point. If you ever decide to learn, I’ll teach you.” He said resting his forearms across his knees and I turned toward him.

“You would?” I asked.

“I’d rather you know how and never need it than need it one day without knowing.” He said.

There wasn’t a trace of pressure in his voice. No expectation or insistence. He was simply

offering.

The same way he always did and I smiled to myself while looking back across the countryside. If he only knew.

Uncle Will would probably be laughing somewhere if he could hear this conversation.

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CHAPTER 35 2

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He’d spent years making sure I understood that confidence came from preparation, not bravadó and those lessons never left me.

I kept that thought to myself. Some memories belonged exactly where they were.

The ride back to town felt lighter somehow. The uneasy weight that had settled over the previous

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