Free Frequent Traveller (Cathy Dixon #1) by Pandora Poikilos

wanted to keep going on as a couple was another reason for this trip. Nicholas put his hand in his pocket and felt for the little velvet box. This was the other ring which had his attention. Weeks ago, he had made arrangements for the little sapphire ring to be resized but could not find the right moment and did not have the right words to pop the big question. How does one ring give you a person's heart?
     
    Karen was the first person he had seen when he had walked into Saint Martin's Art School all those years ago. He had been completely uncertain of what he would achieve and if he would ever finish. She had provided him direction, first when she pointed him to the orientation hall and second, when she became his best friend and helped him cope with the loss of his father.
     
    Ironically enough, she hated bikes and it took much convincing to get her on this trip. But Karen knew the record meant the world to him and after all, what was the meaning of achievement if you had no one to share it with. Nicholas crossed the room in a few strides and stood next to Karen. He put his arm around her and held her close. Again, he realized that she was the best thing to have ever happened to him and deserved the best he could offer her.
     
    A trip like this for Karen was literally a breath of fresh air from the daily routine of her job, as a personal assistant in a private firm. On the road together for two weeks without the urgency of getting from point A to point B, she also had the opportunity to meet new groups of people and could leisurely indulge in her favourite past time, photography. More than ten years before, she had met a dishevelled teen biker finding his way. He was forced to take a sculpting course because he had no options left. Today she saw the love of her life and the owner of a small art gallery.
     
    Without a doubt she recognized the inner wish to spend the rest of her life with him but would he ever ask? They lived together for the most part and their daily lives twined together like any other married couple. But the white dress and the church ceremony would be a delight to share with family and friends.
     
    Over the years, finances had been a rough road for the couple. His father losing the battle to lung cancer had taken another toll on their relationship. She refused to push him towards a responsibility he was not ready to accept, so she waited. Secretly, she hoped a proposal was in the works and was the very reason he had taken great pains to convince her to make this trip with him. It was close to 3:00 a.m. before they made it up to their room, each comforted in their thoughts of each other.
     
    All they wanted to do was to have a long, restful sleep. By far, this was one of the better stops to Green Hell which was approximately an hour away. The bikes needed to be washed and checked before they left for their final destination the following day. Nicholas could hardly contain his excitement when they were ready to depart. A five year old on Christmas morning might have been less excited than he was. Those taking part in the practice sessions had to be at the Green Hell before 7:00 a.m. for registration and vehicle inspection. It was definitely an early morning wake-up call, for everyone.
     
    It was customary for the associates at the MoonStar Inn to take a picture with every troop of bikers who left the property. Today was no exception. Nicholas and Karen stood among forty other bikers, he had one arm around her and the other in his pocket, fingers wrapped around the ring.
     
    Barely thirty minutes had passed before a biker from the group was seen racing back to MoonStar Inn. Out of breath, he ran to the check-in counter and screamed for someone to call for an ambulance. He said they had been riding on the main road for no more than ten minutes when a trailer lost control and rammed into several bikers who were leading the group. The others had pulled over, doing their best to get the injured ones to