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Derrick was smiling from ear to ear, enjoying his dad’s discomfort. All Race could do was shake his head and grin.
They enjoyed the chocolate cake with ice cream before Race decided to call it a night. It wasn’t late, but his kids still needed to get homework done if they had it, get showers and get ready for bed since they had school in the morning. Bellamy walked them to the door.
Race handed Derrick the house key and stopped to thank Bellamy. “Thanks again for letting my kids hang out here until I got home. Wednesdays are mine and I’d have been pissed if they’d had to go back to their mother’s because they couldn’t get inside.”
“It really wasn’t a hardship. They’re great kids. They’re welcome here anytime.” Bellamy stood a couple of feet away, her arms crossed beneath her breasts.
“And thanks again for dinner. The chili was really good and the cake was amazing. You really shouldn’t have sent the rest of the cake home with the kids. They’ll either finish it off tonight or try to eat it for breakfast in the morning.” Race stood with his hands in his front pockets.
“It’s really no big deal, but you’re welcome.” Her eyes rounded as something occurred to her. “Hang on. I keep forgetting to give you this.” She pulled an envelope out of her purse and handed it to Race. At his questioning look, she said, “The bill for the refrigerator.”
“Ah. Gotcha. I’ll take care of it. Thanks.” With that, he saluted her with the envelope and headed for home.
As soon as he walked through the door his kids were suspiciously diving for the couch, the chair, anywhere that wasn’t near the window they’d been spying on him out of. He laughed and shook his head. “You guys are nuts.”
Derrick grabbed up the remote and turned the television on, flipping through the channels.
“It’s getting late. Don’t find something that’s going to keep you up too long.” Race toed off his boots and was starting on getting his cut off when Liza opened her mouth.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I think Dad might have the hots for his neighbor,” she teased.
“Why do you say that?” Race would play along and see what she was getting at.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it was the way you stared at her mouth when she was talking.”
“Maybe. But I think it was more the way he stared at her ass when she walked away.” Derrick chuckled.
“Funny.” Race folded his cut and placed it on the back of his recliner.
“You should go for it, Dad.” He thought Liza was still teasing him, but found she was serious.
“Go for it?” he asked.
“Yeah. You clearly are interested in her. Ask her out.” Liza pushed.
Ask her out? Like on a date? He didn’t do dating. He’d dated one girl and that was their mother. After that ended, he hooked up whenever he wanted, but he didn’t stick with one woman for more than a few quick fucks, not wanting them to get ideas that they could ever be his old lady. No. He was too old and set in his ways.
“First, I don’t need your permission to pursue a woman. Second, I’m not that sure she’s into bikers. And third, even if she was, she’s not the kind of woman to stay with a biker for long.” Race laid it out there.
“How would you know unless you try? I saw the way she was watching you when you weren’t looking. She’s interested. Trust me.” Liza got up and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, Dad. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Shannon quickly followed suit and dropped a kiss on her old man’s cheek and headed for bed. Derrick waited until the show he was watching was over, then ambled off to bed. He didn’t kiss his cheek but he did tell Race goodnight and he loved him.
Dropping his head back on the headrest of his recliner, he heard a crinkle. He reached behind his head and pulled out the envelope with the bill Bellamy had given him as he was leaving. He opened it and pulled out the slip of paper. “$1,700!” He reread the receipt, thinking he must have read it wrong. No. He did not. “She paid $1,700 for a refrigerator?” What the hell was she thinking? Why would she spend so much money on a refrigerator? Was this payback for taking so long to come fix her water heater?
A slow smile spread across his face at the very idea that she was trying to push his buttons to get back at him. Well played, Princess. Well played.
* * *
Bellamy madeit home a little after eight the next night. After work, she’d gone to get her hair done. She’d had her highlights touched up and layers trimmed. Her normally straight brown hair was boring so she kept long layers in it to keep it interesting. Plus there was the added bonus that her hair fell in beautiful waves when she wore it down.
Letting herself into the kitchen from the garage door, she flipped on the light switch and dropped her purse on the island. She kicked off her heels, bent to pick them up and shuffled off to her bedroom. She hated to admit it, but coming home to an empty house was getting old. Maybe she should get a dog or a cat. Yeah, maybe a cat. There was less work involved with a cat. With her hours, a pet that didn’t have to be let out regularly would work better. Maybe she’d visit an animal shelter and see what she could find.
She’d spoken with her grandmother since she’d left a week ago to put her house up for sale. And she still hadn’t made up her mind as to where she wanted to live. If her grandmother wanted a place of her own, Bellamy was completely fine with that. She’d still be able to see her more often having her in the same town. Whichever way she went, Grandma Martha had said she wanted to work part-time at the store when she moved to Redemption.
It had been so nice to have company around that when she’d spotted Race’s children sitting in their car with no lights on in the house, she’d jumped on the opportunity to invite them over to her house to wait for him. She hadn’t been lying when she told Race spending time with them was no hardship. She had really enjoyed their company. His kids were well mannered, respectful and funny. The youngest one, Shannon, was on the quiet side, allowing Derrick and Liza to dominate the conversation.
