Page 47 of Hard Corps (Selected Sinners MC 7)

I suspected as close knit as the family was he may have such concerns, but I didn’t expect him to express them prior to giving me permission to go on a date with Katie. I lowered my chin, shifted my eyes from his finger to face, and responded.

“Well, Sir. I have been offered a job at the gym. I intend to teach a women’s self-defense course as well as a hand-to-hand combat course. Kelsey and Joe made the deal with Mike and me last week. I’ve already started scheduling people. Short of the men I ride with, I have nothing in Kansas, and I’ll stay here as long as your daughter will have me,” I responded.

“Does that job at the gym pay you enough money to survive?”

“I suppose not, Sir. The United States Government does. I get a check monthly. A very healthy one, I might add. Being shot half a dozen times pays pretty well, I suppose,” I said with a grin.

He chuckled and nodded his head. “I suppose so.”

He cleared his throat and raised his middle finger. “Alright, number two. Sunday dinners. We have ‘em here, on Sundays. I realize there are times when you may not be able to come. Hell, things happen. But you’ll never miss more than two weeks in a row, is that understood?” he asked as he slowly raised one eyebrow.

The thought of attending that fiasco on a regular basis was not only entertaining, but something I would look forward to. Since my mother’s death, I missed the feeling of having a meal with family. My mouth broke into an immediate smile at his choice of is that understood, because it was exactly what I asked my Marines on a regular basis.

“Yes, Sir. I like to eat, and your wife is a great cook,” I said with a nod.

It seemed, in some respects, that he felt as if I was asking his permission to marry Katie. I suppose it was possible he was merely doing his best to look out for what he believed was in her best interest. If the things that were important to him were not important to me, he probably saw no value in letting me take her on the first date. As he began to rub his chin again, I waited for his approval.

“Well, I lied,” he said as he lowered his hand and leaned forward. “There’s one more thing, and I’m afraid although I might discuss it, I won’t bargain much.”

I pressed my palms along my jeans from my upper thighs to my knees. “Yes, Sir.”

“My understanding is you’re a smoker, and you smoke a lot. I don’t want my future son in law, who by the grace of God almighty has made it out of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan unscathed, to die of lung cancer. I’ll need you to figure out a way to give up those cigarettes, Son. I’ll need that to happen here real soon. No exceptions. We have a deal?” he asked as he stood from his chair and extended his hand.

I stood from my chair and proudly shook his hand. “Deal.”

“Well, I must say, I couldn’t be happier for you or for Bug. She’s a damned fine girl. I like it that you came here like this, Son. It was downright respectful of you. I’m anxious to see how this thing pans out,” he said, gripping my hand firmly in his.

“Can you excuse me, Sir? I have something on the bike I need to give you. I’ll need to go get it,” I said as I released his hand.

He widened his eyes, smiled, and tossed his hand toward the door. “Sure. Hell, whatever you need to do. And when you come back in, don’t bother knocking. Family doesn’t knock.”

I walked back to the front porch and out of habit, almost knocked. I grinned at the thought of being family, as he said, and reached for the door handle. I walked toward the living room rather eagerly, and upon walking in, noticed he and Katie sitting across from each other talking.

I walked to his chair and extended my hand.

He furrowed his brow and looked at the pack of cigarettes.

“What are you doing, son?” he asked.

“Take them. If I ever want to smoke one, I’ll ask you for it. Other than that, I’ll never smoke another, Sir. Fair price to pay for what’s on the port side of your living room, sir,” I said as I motioned toward Katie.

He smiled and accepted the pack of cigarettes.

“Now, the last thing,” I turned to face Katie.

“Katie, would you like to accompany me on a date this Saturday night?” I asked.

She crossed her legs, placed her hands on her knees, and smiled as she cocked her head to the side. “Possibly. At what time?”

“I expect, Ma’am, I would like to pick you up around six o’clock. And bring you back at let’s say,” I hesitated and turned to face her father.

He held one finger in the air.

“One o’clock in the morning,” I said.

“I’d love to,” she responded.

“Great. Well, I’ve got to get to work now, Sir,” I said as I extended my hand toward her father.