Page 5 of Finish Line
The scent of cherries fills the air. I whip my head back and forth, trying to find the source, when a tiny hand lands on my arm. I turn around and come face to face with . . .
“Cherry!” I wrap her in my arms, covering her face with kisses as she giggles. A sound that sends a pang straight to my heart. “Damn it, baby, I’ve missed you.”
I set her back on her feet and she brings her hand to my cheek.
“It’s time, Jase,” she says with her million-dollar smile. A smile that reminds me of . . . no, I can’t think about her.
“What do you mean? Time for what, Cherry?” My eyebrows knit together.
“I know you still love me, but it’s okay. It’s time.” Her hand drops from my face.
“What are you talkin’ about, baby?”
Her smile doesn’t falter as she takes a step away from me. I try to move toward her, but my feet won’t budge.
“It’s time . . .” she says one last time before she fades away.
My eyes shoot open. My head is pounding, and I can’t remember where the fuck I am. I slowly sit up, glancing around the room until my eyes land on Athena. She’s sitting behind a giant desk, well, giant to her because she’s so damn small. Her eyes lift from the laptop she’s typing profusely away at, and everything from the night before hits me like a freight train.
“Well, hello, Sleeping Beauty.” She smiles. That smile . . . “Hope you don’t mind, I had Tito move you in here after I found you passed out in the booth. I didn’t think you would be able to ride your bike back to your clubhouse in that condition.”
“Nah, that’s fine. I appreciate it,” I respond. I reach inside my cut for my cell phone, only to find it dead. “Fuck, can I borrow your phone? I need to check in with my brothers.”
“Yeah, of course.” She stands from behind the desk, grabbing a cordless phone and a coffee before walking over to me. She hands them both to me. “I thought you might want this when you woke up. I just made it, so it should still be hot.”
“Thanks, darlin’.” I grin.
“I’ll give you some privacy for your phone call,” she tells me. “If you need anything, I’ll be in the kitchen, checking inventory on a few things.”
She hurries out of the room before I can respond to her. I shake my head with a chuckle. The woman goes from shy to confident and back again in a split second. I dial Ranger’s cell number and wait.
“Hello?” He’s pissed.
“Hey, fucker, it’s me,” I say.
“Bull! Where the fuck are you?”
“About an hour away from the clubhouse. I stopped for some food last night and ended up havin’ a few too many shots and my cell died,” I explain.
“Saint has been tryin’ to reach you. Says it’s important,” he tells me. “And your daughter has been freakin’ the fuck out worryin’ about your ass.”
“Let her know I’m fine. I’ll call Saint as soon as I get back.”
“Which will be when?” he asks.
I sigh, my head still pounding. “Hour and a half. I gotta get somethin’ to eat before I ride back.”
“Got it. Ride safe, brother.”
We hang up and I take a sip of the coffee Athena gave me. It’s hot, but not too hot, so I down half of it in one go. Standing from the couch, I set the phone on the desk and go search for Athena. It’s early and the bar is completely empty. She said she works as much as Rusty will let her, but as late as she was here last night, I’m surprised she’s here so early. Unless she’s only here, because of me.
“Fuckin’ dumbass,” I whisper to myself. I walk into the kitchen, where she said she’d be to find her at the stove cooking. I lean against the wall and watch her work. She’s got bacon and scrambled eggs on the griddle. She turns around to the counter, where two plates sit and jumps when she sees me.
“Holy shit! How long have you been standing there?” she asks, clutching her chest.
I laugh. “Not long.”
“A-are you hungry?” she stutters out. “I made some breakfast.”
