Page 17 of Ironside
Keely patted my shoulder.
“See? You’re a natural. I’ll be right back.”
Then she hurried down the corridor to the restrooms and out of sight. Dot grasped at my cut with her little fist. I offered my finger to cling to instead. She latched on, staring up at me.
No wonder Keely was so enamored with Dot. I could stay like this for hours, just gazing at her, studying her fingers and toes, her eyes, her little nose, her wispy golden curls that she inherited from her father.
After a minute or two, I became aware of voices nearby, and my ears pricked up when I heard my name.
“Look at him.”
“I know. He’s taking on the role of Grandpa Ironside like he was born to it.”
“That little girl will have the old man wrapped around her finger in no time.”
“Can you imagine what a cranky bastard he’ll be when she starts dating?”
“Oh, he’s going to scare the piss out of every boy she ever brings home.”
Without making any sudden movements so I didn’t disturb Dot, I slowly turned to find out who was speaking. Trooper, Hades, and Brass stood off to one side of the clubhouse, watching me with amusement.
A few months ago, those smug assholes had placed bets that I would be the next one in the club to get married or remain a bachelor for the rest of my days. Trooper, especially, seemed to be overly confident in his declaration that I would find a wife soon.
Never mind the fact that I hadn’t entertained a serious relationship since Denise, over two decades ago. Pesky facts like that didn’t matter when Trooper was so cock-sure of himself that he was right.
“Hey, Jenny,” Brass called, beckoning to her. “Ironside is a captive audience at the moment. He can’t escape because an itty bitty Dot is pinning him down. Why don’t you tell him about that lovely lady that you want him to meet?”
“Bastard,” I grumbled under my breath.
He knew damn well that Jenny and Keely had been trying to set me up on a blind date for weeks. And I had been doing everything in my power to avoid it.
Jenny rummaged around in her giant floral purse until she found her phone.
“Oh, Reuben, she’s perfect for you. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.”
Brass and Trooper snickered. Hades wasn’t paying attention though. He was entirely focused on Jenny, watching as she crossed the clubhouse to join me. Judging by the scathing look she briefly directed at him, things were still frosty after their fight a few days ago.
Jenny turned her phone to me, playing matchmaker, rambling about all the qualities of this attractive middle-aged woman and how we would be a perfect fit.
But I didn’t hear a word of it.
The only woman I was interested in was Lena. And I couldn’t stop replaying our date in my mind. The way she shuddered and fell apart for me. The sweetness of her moan on my tongue when she came.
“You’re not even looking,” Jenny protested.
“Nope,” I replied, stroking Dot’s cheek with one finger. “I appreciate the effort, Jenny—I really do. But I’ll know the right woman when I see her.”
Jenny made a skeptical noise and smoothed Dot’s wispy curls back from her forehead.
“I’m convinced that you keep your eyes firmly shut, so you never see her in the first place.”
The memory of Lena’s shining gaze and soft smile filled my mind.
I saw her in that flower shop. And I saw her in that restaurant two nights ago, when she told me about her condition, when she expected me to leave just like every other man who had abandoned her before.
“Wait a minute,” Jenny said, searching my face. “You’re…smiling.Have you already met someone?”
Shit. Caught red-handed.
