Page 38 of My Single Dad Biker

"You're okay with that?"

"Yes. I trust you."

I kiss her forehead. "I really need to go."

"I know."

"I'll call you later. After I talk to Louis."

"Okay."

I make myself step back and walk to the door. She follows me and when I turn to look at her one more time she's leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around herself and her eyes bright.

"Holt?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for coming over. For telling me."

"I needed you to know where I am."

"I know now."

I leave before I do something stupid. Get in my truck and sit there for thirty seconds just breathing. Then I drive home faster than I probably should.

Louis is awake when I walk in. Sitting at the kitchen table in his pajamas with a bowl of cereal he poured himself. He looks up when I come through the door.

"Where were you?"

"Had to run an errand."

He frowns. "It's Saturday. You don't do errands on Saturday morning."

"Had to do one this morning."

He studies me for a second like he's trying to figure out if I'm lying. Then he goes back to his cereal. I make fresh coffee and sit down across from him. He's got milk on his chin. I hand him a napkin without saying anything and he wipes it off.

We sit in silence for a minute while he eats. I watch him and try to figure out how to start this conversation.

"Louis."

He looks up. "Yeah?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

His whole body tenses. "Am I in trouble?"

"No. Nothing like that."

"Then what?"

I take a breath. "It's about Ms. Hayes."

His expression changes immediately. Goes from wary to worried. "Is she okay? Did something happen?"

"She's fine. This is about me and her."

He tilts his head the way he does when he's processing something new. "What about you and her?"