Grabbing Hold (The Motorcycle Kid #1)

57. Fiestas and Farewells, Part Two

A very late, very overdue chapter. I wish I had the energy to explain, but I don't.

Enjoy the fluff (and angst). Please watch and listen to the video linked.

"This is crazy," Ryder told Emmett under his breath. "How did you guys find the time to pull this off?"

"Why are you bothered? Relax and enjoy yourself! Have a beer!"

Almost immediately, Dickson appeared, popping a Smirnoff bottle into the other boy's hand.

"Vodka? I hope you can hold your liquor, Joseph."

"Pfft," Dickson scoffed. "You better finish that before Tulesa sees it."

Ryder chuckled, taking a big swig. "I got this. Plus, if you see the amount of beer in that fridge, it's a wonder the old lady hasn't kicked Will back to New York yet for facilitating my underage drinking habits."

Emmett laughed, and the statement even got a smirk out of the usually stoic Dickson. It was true, Miss Tulesa had just about given up on keeping her grandson completely within the law. To his credit, Ryder wasn't a big drinker, for obvious reasons. He had an incredible alcohol tolerance when he did drink, something that made him equally proud and annoyed with himself.

The liquor burned as it went down, and Ryder shook his head, eyes squeezed shut as he lifted the bottle above his head.

"That. That right here just hit the spot!"

"Ryder!" yelled a reprimanding voice he knew was his grandmother's. He grinned sheepishly, hiding the bottle behind his back. Emmett and Dickson exchanged a sneaky high five, smirking to themselves.

"Dicks," Ryder muttered before smiling as he took another swig of vodka. Gosh, it burned. He was definitely going to need to take his time with the drinks. He hadn't been drunk in years, and the strongest alcohol he'd had all summer was the stuff in the cheap beer Will and Jonathan were obsessed with.

As if Ryder had thought them into existence, he spotted his twin uncles, the charismatic duo that they were, flitting around the room like social butterflies. Will caught his gaze, and raised his beer in a silent toast. Ryder nodded at him with a grin.

Some time later, ears stood up across the room as they registered the metallic clanging of a spoon against a glass. Sure enough, when Emma looked towards the source of the sound, she saw her mother, wineglass raised, rapping a spoon to get the room's attention.

"Alright, alright, everyone! So sorry to interrupt your evening, but, Ryder, honey, would you care to share a few words?"

Shyly, Ryder nodded, slowly joining Charlotte in the middle of the room. He didn't exactly want to give a whole speech, but after all the effort everyone had put in, it would've been rude not to.

"Floor's all yours, darling," the older woman coaxed.

"Damn it, Charlotte." Ryder groaned internally before stepping to the middle of the room.

"Hey, guys. Gimme a break now, okay? I'm not good with words."

"That's not what you said last night!" Dickson yelled from the side, making the teens snicker and laugh while the adults shook their heads in amusement. Ryder winked at the other boy.

"Worry not, Dickson honey. They don't have to know!"

Snow-pale Dickson James turned the colour of a beet, and Emmett and Brady were full on laughing as they tried to hold their friend back from pummeling Ryder into pulp.

"Be grateful you ship out tomorrow, brat."

Ryder blew him a kiss before returning to the task at hand. He grinned as Miss Tulesa sent him a pointed glare.