Page 8 of Finish Line
He laughs. “Sorry, darlin’. I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s okay. Come on in.” I pull the door open wider and step aside, letting him in.
“You didn’t happen to call the clubhouse earlier, did you?” he asks.
I glance at my feet, avoiding eye contact as I close the door. “Um, yeah. I did. Some woman answered and sounded mad, so I hung up.”
I mentally face-palm myself for blurting that out. I risk a glance at his face. He looks amused.
I fold my arms across my chest. “What’s so funny?”
“That woman was my daughter,” he admits.
“So, you are married?” Again, just blurting words out.
“No.” He shakes his head. “My wife died a long time ago. And before you ask, I don’t have an Ol’ Lady of any kind.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” I really need to start thinking before I talk when he’s around.
“I promise you I wouldn’t have flirted with you so much last night and this mornin’ if I had an Ol’ Lady,” he tells me with a small smile. “I may be a dirty, ol’ biker, but I do respect women.”
There’s something about him that makes me believe I can trust him. Bull sits at the bar while I walk around to get us something to drink.
“I believe that,” I say, pouring him a Coke and an iced tea for myself. “So, a daughter, huh? How old is she?”
“She’s just turned twenty-four a couple months ago.” His face lights up as he talks about her.
“Is she your only kid?” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret them. “I’m sorry, it’s really none of my business.”
“No, no, it’s okay. Ask whatever you want.” He chuckles. “She’s actually the baby of four. She’s my little princess.”
“Twenty-four isn’t so little anymore.” I giggle.
“Ah, don’t remind me,” he says, shaking his head.
“So, what brought you back out here so soon?”
“After you called, I was tryin’ to think of who it was that would be callin’ me. Then I realized I was missin’ my wallet and I guessed it was you who had called,” he explains. “And instead of tryin’ to call back, I decided to come get it.”
“I thought about mailing it to you,” I admit.
“You what?” He laughs. “Are you serious?”
I nod. “I thought I caused a rift with you and your lady when I called. Now that I know it was your daughter, I feel silly.”
“Her mom passed away when she was really young, and I haven’t been with a woman since. So, she was a bit surprised that there was a woman callin’ the clubhouse for me,” he tells me.
“You really haven’t been with another woman all this time?” I ask, surprised.
“I won’t lie, I’ve slept with women here and there. That’s not somethin’ my daughter needs to know about. But as far as an actual relationship, no. Not a one. That’s not to say I’m opposed to a relationship; I just haven’t met the right one.”
I nod my head, taking in his words. My phone vibrates in my back pocket. I pull it out, expecting it to be Rusty. Instead, it’s an unknown number. I stare at it until it stops buzzing.
Chapter Seven
Bull
Not long after Raze and I talk, Minx waltzes into my office. She closes the door behind herself, stopping just a couple feet in. One hand on her hip cocked to the side and the other holdin’ the phone. “Why is there a woman callin’ the clubhouse for you?”
