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somehow played a part in her unexpected appearance on their doorstep last night. She sighed,
deciding to tell them an abbreviated version of things, just enough for them to know her
relationship with Thorn was over.
She was about to open her mouth to speak when the phone rang. Her father got up quickly to
answer it in case it was a parent needing his help with a sick child. He still did house calls
occasionally.
Yes, sheriff, I m fine, what about you? Tara heard her father say. She frowned, wondering
why the sheriff was calling her father. She then remembered the sheriff and his wife were part
of her parents bowling team. He was probably calling regarding that.
She noticed her father s gaze had moved to her and she raised a brow when moments later she
heard him say, All right. I ll let her know.
After he hung up the phone he rejoined her and her mother at the table. Her mother asked
what the sheriff had wanted before Tara got the chance to do so. Frank Matthews leaned back
in his chair with his gaze locked on his daughter while answering his wife s question. It
seemed that Deke just issued a special permit.
Her mother s brow rose. What sort of special permit?
Before her father could respond, the sound of thunder suddenly filled the house. My God,
Lynn Matthews said, getting up from the table. That sounds like thunder. I don t recall the
weatherman saying anything about rain this evening.
Frank Matthews shook his head. That s not thunder, Lynn, he said to his wife while keeping
his gaze fixed on his daughter. Deke issued a special permit for a bunch of bikers to parade
peacefully through the streets of Bunnell.
Lynn Matthews s features reflected surprise. Bikers? What on earth for? Bunnell is such a
small peaceful town; I can t imagine such a thing happening.
A smile touched the corners of Frank Matthews s lips when he answered. It appears one of
the bikers, the one leading the pack, who also happens to be the winner of yesterday s
championship motorcycle race in Daytona, is headed for our house. It seems he s coming for
our daughter.
Tara blinked, not sure she had heard her father correctly. Thorn? He s coming here?
Her father nodded. Yes. It seems he and his band of followers are making their way round
the corner as we speak.
Tara frowned, wondering why Thorn and the other cyclists would be coming here and why
her father thought he was coming for her. Before she could voice that question, the roar of
cycles nearly shook the house.
She sighed deeply as she stood up from the table. The reason Thorn had come meant
absolutely nothing to her. The bottom line was that she didn t want to see him. Send him
away, Daddy, please. I don t want to see him.
Frank gazed lovingly at his daughter. Her heart had been broken once and he didn t want to
see it broken again, but he felt the least Tara should do was to listen to what the young man
had to say. He told her as much.
But there s nothing he can say to change things. I love him but he doesn t love me. It s as
simple as that.
Frank sighed. If that was what his daughter believed then it wasn t as simple as she thought.
According to the sheriff, Thorn Westmoreland was wearing his heart on his sleeve. Frank
knew he had to be firm and make Tara face the fact that she might be wrong in her
assumption that Thorn didn t love her.
All right, Tara, if that s how you feel, but this is something you should handle. If you want
him to go away, then it s you who should send him away. Tell him that you don t want to see
him anymore. I won t do it for you.
Tara met her father s eyes and nodded. That was fine with her. She would just march outside
and tell Thorn what she thought and how she felt. Evidently Dare hadn t delivered her
message. Very well, I ll tell him.
Marching out of the kitchen Tara passed through the living room and snatched open the front
door. Stepping outside she stopped dead in her tracks. Motorcycle riders were everywhere.
There wasn t just a bunch of them, there were hundreds, and they were still coming around
the corner, causing more excitement in Bunnell than she could ever remember.
It seemed the entire town had come out to witness what was going on. And what made
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