Page 29 of The Biker Needs A Nanny

I look at Brick. It’s a pussy move, but neither of us is looking for a fight. If we can slip out, we can be back in Alabama in seconds, since we’re only about fifty yards across the border.

I stash the tickets in my cut and give a nod. Brick leaves his bottles on the counter, and we follow the broad to the back room.

Pausing, I give the old gal a hundred. “Thanks, doll. Any chance you could get them to the back of the store and out of sight of those windows?”

She slides the bill into her bra and gives me a wink. “You got it, handsome.”

I grin, and we ease out the door.

Moving to the corner of the building, I dart a look in time to see them stepping through the main entrance.

Jerking my chin to Brick, we dash to our bikes. We fire them up and roar out of the lot just in time to see the two Death Heads running out the door. I flip them off as we peel out onto the highway and notice a couple of cops parked in the lot of WaffleHouse. They look up, and we slow down but point behind us. They see the other two bikers gunning it toward the state line and immediately pull out, blocking them.

I turn and grin at Brick.

We keep under the speed limit until we’re out of sight, and then hit our throttles, passing through the state park land that borders the Gulf.

By the time we get to Stillwater, it’s dark, and I know I missed dinner. If I push it, I might get back home in time for the girls’ bedtime.

At an intersection, Brick and I go our separate ways. When I pull in the drive, I text Case that I got the tickets.

When I trudge up the steps and into the house, it’s quiet, and I stroll into the kitchen to find a note propped against the toaster.

Lucky—

There’s a plate warming in the oven.

—Grace

I open the door and lift the foil cover to see a big slice of lasagna and a piece of garlic bread. It smells delicious. Setting it on the counter, I leave it for later and go upstairs.

Grace is braiding Poppy’s hair, and both girls are already in their jammies. Ella is sitting on her bed, flipping through a book.

“How are my pretty girls?” I ask.

“Daddy!” Ella jumps up, bringing the book with her to give me a hug. “Daddy, can you read me this story?” She holds it up excitedly, and I can tell right away it’s a library book.

“Where’d you get this?”

Poppy is sitting with a doll in her hand while Grace finishes her hair. “Grace took us to the lie-berry. We got lie-berry cards and Christmas books.”

“Did you, now?”

Ella runs to her bed and crawls in. “Read mine first.”

Grace finishes with Poppy’s hair and gives her a hug, then Ella. “Night, angels. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She leaves, and I sit next to Ella. “Scoot over, sweetie.”

She makes room, and Poppy crawls up and snuggles in.

I take the book and look at the cover.The Night Before Christmas.

“Daddy, did you read this story when you were little?”

“I think your grandma read it to me, yes.”

“Did you believe in Santa?”

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