Page 9 of Holly's Christmas Biker

Translation, I’m not a hit and quit kinda gal. My estimation of him goes up even more, because I’ve got my share of baggage, plus two little girls who are my priority above everything else. While I’m tempted to say yes, I need him to understand that their needs will always come first.

CHAPTER

FOUR

Rebel

Her face is so fucking expressive, I hope she never plays poker. I see interest, fear, excitement, and acceptance in her eyes as I wait for her to reply. “I don’t want to take time away from what you spend with Mina and Ruby, though, so we can work out how to do that, okay?”

“You’re okay with me having kids?” Her voice is quieter, almost hesitant, and I realize there’s a lot she’s leaving out about her daughters’ father. I make a mental note to have Data do a search and see what he can find out about her ex.

Looking her square in the eyes, I encouragingly convey, “Absolutely, but I know you’ll probably want to limit my exposure to them until we get to know each other better.”

The relief that crosses her face is brief but telling. She’s definitely interested in exploring something with me but doesn’t want her girls to get hurt in the process. That makes her a responsible mom as far as I’m concerned.

I see her peek at her phone before she starts cleaning up her dinner trash. “I need to go back in, Rebel.”

“Go ahead, Holly, I’ll take care of this,” I reply, waving at the picnic table.

“Are you sure?” She looks leery, as if leaving her trash behind is a hardship for her. I doubt she’s had a man willing to not only pick up after himself, but her as well.

“Absolutely.” I don’t say it because I don’t want her to be embarrassed, but she probably needs to hit the restroom before she goes back behind the bar, since she’s actually going in about ten minutes early.

“Thanks, Rebel,” she says. “See you back inside.”

Nodding my head, I tell her, “I’ll be back in shortly.”

When I go back in, I settle in the corner with a fresh beer in hand so I can keep a keen eye on the bar, as well as watch Holly do her thing. She’s intelligent and friendly while conversing with the patrons, but not to the point where they’ll get the wrong idea and think she wants something outside of what she’s currently giving them. The more I chat with her, the more I’m entranced but I know she has hidden depths beyond what she’s said; it shows in her eyes. They’re leery and cautious when an unknown person approaches her. I’m also concerned that despite the makeup she’s wearing, I can see the faint bruises that tell me she’s exhausted.

Yet… she’s a mom on a mission, and I can respect what she’s doing. Her work ethic is obvious, and Morris has bragged on hersince she started working. I wasn’t kidding when I told her that she’s the best bartender we’ve ever had working for us. Morris can do basic mixed drinks, but Holly brought in some recipes for ‘specialty’ drinks, and they’ve been selling well.

What I haven’t shared with her is the fact that the club is made up of current and former first responders, from cops to firefighters to paramedics. It’s one of the reasons we’re so heavily involved in the community; folks already know us and know we’re going to do the right thing wherever possible.

My experience as both a civilian and military cop tells me that Holly was in an abusive relationship. It’s evident in how hypervigilant she is while working and in the way she expresses herself. She pulls away, not enough for anyone else to notice, but I have, whenever a customer reaches out to touch her. She smiles but the only time I’ve seen it reach her eyes is when she was with her girls. She’s friendly but not flirtatious. But the biggest tell is earlier, a customer bumped Marnie when she was walking through with a tray loaded down with two pitchers of beer and four mugs. The resounding crash when the tray hit the floor had Holly jumping in fear, until she realized what had happened.

I detest men who use their brute strength and power to abuse women, and from the sound of it, Holly was likely immersed in it for too many years. It’s something for me to keep in mind as I work to make her mine.

Because whether she knows it or not, and in spite of my own past, she’smine.Lock, stock, and barrel. Now, I need to put in the time and prove it to her.

I switched from beer to water a few hours ago but have totally enjoyed watching Holly work. Even as busy as we’ve been tonight, she still manages to swap out the stock when needed and keep up with the never-ending requests. Now that we’re closed, I decide to pitch in so she can get out of here, go home and get some rest.

“You don’t have to help, Rebel,” she says as I walk over to a table and wipe it down before putting the chairs on top so the overnight cleaners can mop without an issue.

“Sweetheart, I know you’re exhausted, and if me helping means you get home and in bed sooner, I’m gonna do it,” I reply.

I watch her face flush at my words before she says, “Thanks. I appreciate it more than I can express.”

Wanting to keep our communication open, I try to think of something so I can get to know her even better. “How busy is your CPA business?” I ask.

As she finishes up the table she was working on, she informs me, “I’ve got ten clients whose books I regularly do, but during tax season, I do tax returns as well.”

“So, you’re pretty busy starting at the beginning of the year,” I muse out loud, planning our future dates around her busy season. I’m trying to figure out how I could be helpful and not come across as overbearing in the meantime.

“Pretty much, which is why the girls are in daycare during the day. Otherwise, I’d never get anything done.” Her giggleafterward has me cracking a grin, because just the little bit I’ve been exposed to Mina and Ruby tells me that she has her hands full. They’re little pistols, yet I want to be around to see what they become in life.

And where that might’ve put me off not too long ago, right now, I can’t see a downside. I feel confident, based on my past, that the girls were probably seeing some of the abuse, whether or not Holly is aware of that fact.

Looking around, I see that the waitress is finishing up the last table, so I take Holly by the arm and lead her to the employee break room. “Get your purse, sweetheart, and clock out.”

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