‘Welcome to the twenty-first century, boys,’ Echo hoots, before he’s beckoning me over once more. ‘Come,’ he says, just to me, giving my shoulder a squeeze. ‘Wanna show you a hog I’ve been working on.’
Reyes and Nicole appear in the doorway.
‘Happy birthday, AJ!’ Nicole says with a wink, Reyes’ arm around her waist. She’s wearing a yellow low-cut tee that has the wordEastvalecrossed out andLittle Rapturescrawled over the top. Seems like Echo might have had something special printed for opening night.
‘You wanna show me right now?’ I ask Echo.
‘Right now. Come on, it’s out back.’
Hollie slides her fingers in mine. We file out behind Echo, with Reyes and Nicole, Chase and Aubri following.
‘We’re still reserving the pool table though, right?’ Chase asks.
More people are showing up. We weave our way through the crowd until we reach a back door, opening out onto a yard that’s dressed up with picnic tables and fairy lights for the folk who wanna have a smoke outside. Behind a line of wattle fencing, we reach a small parking lot.
Katerina’s waiting for us. Next to her, under the light from the streetlamps, is a shining Harley-Davidson.
‘Woah,’ I say. ‘Dyna Super Glide Sport. Nice.’
‘This one’s from ’02,’ Echo says. ‘Fixed her up myself.’
I walk around the bike. I resist the urge to ask a bunch of technical questions about the spec. She’s a beauty. ‘I don’t get how you had time,’ I say.
He winks at me. ‘Oh, I’ve been working on her for a while.’
‘Sweet ride, Echo,’ I say, hands on my hips as I admire his latest work.
‘She’s all yours, son.’
His words take a moment to sink in. Suddenly there’s a lump in my throat, and when I look up, everybody is grinning at me, Echo included. Even my mom has appeared from somewhere, looking like she might be about to cry.
‘Wait, what?’ I say quietly.
‘I said she’s all yours, son. Happy twenty-fourth, AJ.’
Tears sting my eyes. I was never any good at the emotional stuff, but lately, and with Hollie’s help, I’ve gotten better. ‘Are you serious?’ I say, and there’s a tremor in my voice.
‘’Bout time you got a real man’s ride, I’d say. Can’t be a steel horse cowboy without no steel horse. Go on, give her a try.’
I swallow the lump in my throat.
‘Climb aboard, man,’ Reyes hollers.
I run my finger down the handlebars. My heart’s beating fast. ‘You can’t just gift me a motorcycle, Echo.’
‘Seems I just did,’ he says, to hoots and applause.
I don’t need any further persuasion. I swing my leg over and get comfortable in the saddle. Cheers go up. There’s a second ripple of applause as I admire all the fittings.
‘Wait, wait,’ Hollie says, sounding so British compared to everybody else. ‘He has to have his last present!’
‘What is it?’ I say with a grin.
I see her glance over my right shoulder. ‘Look behind you,’ she says.
I’m confused, but I turn my head. A second wall of emotion hits me hard.
‘No way,’ I breathe.