Page 5 of Biker Daddy

Chapter Two

Addi

Addi drove up the winding campground lane, flicked off the air conditioner in her rental, and rolled down the windows. A small rush of humid air filled the car with the scent of evergreens, damp earth, and wood smoke. She felt the tension she’d had since pulling into theLast Resort Bar and Grill ease.

It was lucky the bartender had given her directions, otherwise she’d still be in that bar stewing over the rude, dark-haired biker with the bearded, square jaw, set so tight she was sure it might crack at any moment.

He’d obviously mistaken her for someone else. Someone who hadn’t needed to talk herself into entering the biker bar in the first place—who hadn’t been hyperventilating like a ‘fraidy-cat over thoughts of being made a drug mule, or getting stabbed or dragged into the bathroom and defiled. She shivered.

Addi wrinkled her forehead in thought. Who had the biker thought she was? An aggressive woman with a thing for bad boy bikers? Maybe that’s why the blonde biker chick had sneered at her. Perhaps she thought Addi was encroaching on her territory.

Uh, no way in hell, lady. You can have him and all the other scary bikers!Note to self: no biker bars from now on—not even if you’re desperately lost and starving. She smiled to herself as she imagined what her write-up onLast Resort Bar and Grillwould be.

Last Resort Bar and Grill has charm only a masochistic, leather-clad hillbilly with a fetish for pain, abuse, and bad whiskey would appreciate. Ambience you need only experience if you stopped for chili cheese dogs at the roadside food truck two towns back and needed to use the facilities or ruin the seats of your brand-new Mercedes. And if for a second you’re fooled by a brooding, unbelievably rugged, gorgeous man—run. His anti-charm will peel the good-naturedness right from your DNA. The name says it all—only go in as a Last Resort.

She chuckled, reminding herself she had a real article to write for Charm & Adventure Magazine and the bar didn’t fit either category. Although it certainly was an adventure for her. Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. She glanced down.

Dear old Dad.

She ignored it for the moment to take in the scenery. It was his fourth call since she’d left home, and not a single one about how she was doing after the sudden death of her uncle. He’d already asked her where his blue sweater was, what channel his favorite show was on, and if she knew how to fix his printer remotely. Oh, and he’d ended each call asking if she thought she could wrap things up sooner and get home early.

Another buzz made her growl and she glanced down even though she secretly hated herself for it. Thankfully, it was Daniel this time.

“Have you made it?” Her editor and best friend’s voice sounded slightly panicked. He was a bit of a worrier. But at least he was worrying about her and not about himself.

“Hey, Danny, I’m just pulling up the drive. I had a little trouble getting directions. I’ll call you back and tell you about it when I’ve got a minute.”

“I just needed to know you arrived safe. Take your time, okay? And call me if you need anything. Even if it’s just to complain about mosquitoes, snakes, bears, or any sexy country boys.”

“Thanks, Danny.” She chuckled. “Especially the sexy boys part, I’m sure.” Her chest filled with warmth for her friend and she almost, almost, got emotional.

“Talk to you later, hon.”

Daniel and his husband, Steven, were Addi’s closest friends. Steven owned the magazine she wrote for but he also wrote some of the adventure articles. And although Addi had done many an interview for Steven on his adventure pieces, she only wrote the charm stuff. There wasn’t an adventurous bone in her body.

Steven had written a piece on Uncle Ray’s camp five years ago when it changed from a sleepaway summer camp for boys to a family campground.

She had only stayed at Tonalonka for one summer when she was sixteen. It was supposed to be one of the last summers of carefree adolescence before she had to start worrying about university, but her mother had died that spring and she was plunged into a dark place. Addi thought of the tall dark-haired camp leader who’d let some light back in. Drew Trigger had been her first kiss. Addi’s teeth clenched, anger replacing the nostalgia. He’d ended up breaking her heart and wrecking the camp with his biker club though.

Addi had been closed off from the world before camp; she’d gone to school, done her work, and come home. She’d made supper, cleaned the house, and done laundry because her dad was always buried in his office. And a broken heart only added to her need for solitude.

Shaking off the memories, Addi concentrated on her surroundings. The driveway was more than a kilometer in length and through dense forest. It was also gravel and full of holes that jolted Addi around in her seat. Her empty stomach churned and she reached for her bottle of water.

She hoped her uncle had something in his cupboards, otherwise she might not make it down this path again without ruining the interior of the shiny rental. She was only there to drop off her bags before heading to the funeral home.

The forest canopy opened and Addi removed her foot completely from the gas pedal, letting the car idle into the clearing. As she rolled slowly, she got her first view of the camp in ten years. She drew in a breath. It was still beautiful, but nothing could have brought her back except the phone call from her uncle’s lawyer telling her he was dead.

“I’m sorry, Addianna. Your uncle’s had a stroke.” The words had hung on the line as she’d fought for air.

“I—is he okay?” She’d told herself not to panic until she’d heard everything but the fact that Uncle Ray’s lawyer was calling had her head spinning and heart plummeting.

“No, hon, I’m sorry. He didn’t make it.”

“Oh, God.” She sucked a rapid breath through her teeth. “Uncle Ray. I was—I just booked my holidays last week to come see him. He’d asked me to come. He wanted to talk to me about something.” Addi clenched her jaw to keep the howl of pain inside.

They had always been close—he was more of a father than her blood one. Uncle Ray had been at her house for every holiday, special event, or just simply when she’d needed him, and they Skyped weekly, sometimes more. Now he was gone. She closed her eyes and buried the pain. There would be things to do. Arrangements to make, people to call, an obituary to write…

“Yes, I know. He’d told me. I’m so sorry. Can you come earlier?”

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