Christmas in Casper

Chapter 3

LANDON'S POV

The trip to Casper is supposed to be my escape—a break from the constant feel of the spotlight. Instead, it feels like punishment. This town is so small it might as well not exist, and I hate the thought of my parents settling here like they're auditioning for some "normal life" reality show. Nothing exciting ever happens here; I'd bet my Ducati on it.

But hey, maybe I'll have a break from the relentless paparazzi while I'm stuck in this ghost town. Small blessings, I guess.

The second I step off the plane, though, my mood sours even more. They sent someone to pick me up, and not just anyone—her.

Clarissa.

She's everything my parents dream of for me: sweet, polite, and probably reads a hundred books a week while knitting sweaters for stray dogs. The kind of girl who'd look great in a family Christmas card. I take one look at her and I already hate her.

This has their matchmaking fingerprints all over it.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I focus on the airport officials again.

"Sir, we've got procedures," one of the officials says, barely looking at me.

"Procedures? This isn't a damn suitcase!" I snap, running a hand through my hair. "Alisha is worth more than this whole airport."

"Do you always talk to people like that?" Clarissa interrupts, stepping closer with her arms crossed.

I look at her in disbelief "Excuse me?"

"You're holding everyone up," she says, tilting her head. "We should get going."

I laugh bitterly. "Did my parents hire you to babysit me or just annoy me to death?"

"Neither. But if you're done with your temper tantrum, the car's this way."

The nerve. I've actually never had a girl talk to me this way before. Most people bend over backward to keep me happy. But not her. I hate her attitude, but damn, it's...refreshing? No. She's just a pain.

Eventually, the officials let me take Alisha out and I wheel her outside. Clarissa follows, somehow managing to keep up.

"I don't know what they're paying you," I say over my shoulder, "but it's not enough."

"They're not paying me," she retorts. "I offered."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to help."

"Help?" I scoff, turning to face her. "Don't kid yourself. You're just another pawn in their game to make me settle down."

Her jaw tightens "Not everything is about you but I have a feeling that you think everything is."

I smirk, leaning against Alisha. "Oh, but this is. They want me to marry some 'nice girl,' right? Someone exactly like you. Sweet, proper, probably a babysitter or something."

"Wrong," she snaps. "I play hockey."

For a moment, I'm stunned. Hockey? I definitely wasn't expecting that. That's...impressive.

"Even better," I say mockingly. "Bet you look so great in those oversized clothes"

She glares at me "You're insufferable."

"And you're uptight," I shoot back. "This is going to be fun."

She huffs but doesn't rise to the bait, which disappoints me more than it should.

"Get on," I say suddenly, patting the back of Alisha's seat.

"What?" She blinks at me.

"On the bike. We're not taking your boring little car."

"No way. That's a death trap," she protests, taking a step back. "I'll take a cab, thank you."

"You scared?" I tease with a grin. "I thought you wanted to help. Plus I don't know my way around here. Imagine how happy my parents would be to realize you left their son half way"

Her eyes narrow, and I know I've got her.

"Fine," she says through gritted teeth. "But if I die, I'm haunting you."

"Deal," I say, handing her a helmet.

I get on, steadying myself. Once she's on behind me, I rev the engine and take off. The wind rushes past us, and for the first time all day, I feel alive. Alisha hums beneath me as we glide through the roads. As we move, I admire the scenery.

"This place doesn't totally suck," I say over my shoulder

As we move up a hill, I glance at her reflection in my side mirror. She's gripping my waist tightly. I expect to see her looking terrified but she looks like she's enjoying herself. There's a small smile playing on her lips.

For the first time since we met, she's not bossy or uptight. She's...real.

"Enjoying yourself back there?" I call out.

She surprises me with a grin "I actually am"

The rumble of Alisha's engine fills the air as I guide her along the open road. Clarissa clutches my waist behind me. Her grip is tight—probably tighter than necessary—but I'm not complaining. There's something satisfying about having her hold on to me like her life depends on it.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I just think that?

The town stretches out ahead. I see empty streets, some shopping malls and farm houses. It's quieter here than I'm used to, but the wind in my hair and the steady growl of the bike make it bearable. For now.

I increase my speed and I can feel Clarissa's grip tighten even more.

"Relax back there," I call out over the roar of the engine.

"Relax?" she yells back. "We're going way too fast!"

"This is cruising speed," I shoot back with a grin. "Don't worry, I've got you."

She mutters something under her breath that I don't catch. Probably another complaint.

As we round a bend, two bikes appear in the distance, parked squarely in the middle of the road. The riders lean against their machines. Their jackets have patches that I recognize all too well. My grip on the handlebars tightens as Alisha slows to a stop.

The older of the two bikers steps forward. His jacket bears the insignia of a local club, one I haven't crossed paths with in years but still remember all too well.

"What brings you two out here?" he asks. His eyes dart between me and Clarissa.

Clarissa pulls off her helmet, shaking out her hair.

"Elton Joe," she says "it's me. Clarissa."

The man's brows furrow before his face softens in recognition. "Clarissa? How are you doing, sweetie?" His gaze shifts to me, and the warmth in his expression fades. "And him?"

"This is Landon," she explains quickly. "He's new in town. He's the son of the Smiths. Just passing through."

"Passing through on that?" Elton Joe points at Alisha, his eyes narrowing. "You know the rules, Clarissa. No outsiders riding without clearance. I'm afraid the bike's gotta stay."

"Like hell it does," I snap before I can stop myself, swinging a leg over to stand between them. "Alisha isn't going anywhere."

Elton's posture stiffens. His hand twitches toward his belt like he's ready for trouble. I sigh, weighing my options. The last thing I wanted was to draw attention to myself here, but it seems like I don't have much of a choice.

Rolling up my sleeve, I expose the ink on my forearm—a mark that identifies me as one of them. Elton's eyes widen slightly, then a slow grin spreads across his face.

"Well, well," he says, stepping back. "Why didn't you say so, brother? Didn't know we had family coming into town."

"Didn't think it was necessary," I reply evenly. "But I'm not about to let you lay a finger on my bike."

"Fair enough," Elton says. He sticks out a hand. "Name's Elton Joe. Welcome to Casper."

"Landon," I say, shaking his hand firmly. "Thanks for the warm welcome."

While Elton and I talk, the younger biker approaches Clarissa and leads her a few steps away. She throws me a glance over her shoulder before turning her attention back to him back again. I narrow my eyes, but Elton distracts me by lighting a cigarette.

"She's a good kid," Elton says, nodding toward Clarissa. "Known her family for years."

"She seems... capable," I reply, keeping my tone neutral.

Elton chuckles. "Oh, she's more than that. Don't underestimate her. She's got more fight in her than most men I know."

I glance over at Clarissa again. She's deep in conversation with the younger biker. Her arms are crossed defensively. Whatever they're talking about, it's making her agitated.

"What about you?" Elton asks, pulling me back to the present. "What's your story?"

"Not much of one," I lie smoothly. "Needed a change of scenery, and my parents thought Casper would be a good place to start."

"Well, you've got the ink, so that earns you respect around here. But you'll find Casper's got its own rules. You planning to stick around?"

"For now."

Elton nods, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Fair enough. Just watch your back. Small towns have long memories."

Clarissa returns before I can respond. She looks at me and Elton.

"We good here?" she asks.

"All good," Elton says with a grin. "Take care, love"

"Bye Elton" she says, giving him a side hug.

"Let's go." She says to me.

I mount Alisha again, offering her a hand up. She hesitates for a split second before taking it, climbing on behind me. As we take off down the road, I can feel the tension radiating from her.

"You okay?" I ask.

I don't know why I even care in the first place.

"Fine," she replies, though the edge in her tone says otherwise.

I don't push it. It's none of my business. I don't even like her.

As we ride, I wonder what exactly I've just stepped into and why I can't shake the feeling that Clarissa is going to make this stay a hell of a lot more interesting than I bargained for.