Riding Bitch by Melinda Barron

door, empty-handed.
    “Tomorrow,” he replied. “Today’s going to be full.”
    Yes, it was. “I need to get a dress for the opening. Can you take the bike and leave me the keys to your truck?”
    “Nope.” She was shocked by his answer. “You’re staying here. I have something in mind for our evening attire. You talk to your dad, take a shower, and get to know the place. I’ll be back around four, and we’ll have to work hard to get dressed, so make sure you’re all clean and shiny for me.”
    He crossed the room and hugged her tightly. “I love you. Now call your father.”
    “That goes double for me where you’re concerned.” She kissed him gently. “Thanks for last night. It was amazing.”
    “It’s only the start, Fee. I have lots more things for you to discover.” He pressed his index finger into the tip of her nose. “You just have to let me lead you.”
    “Sounds like a plan.”
    He chuckled. “Now stop stalling.”
    She picked up her phone and hit the Power button. The log showed her father had called five times but had not left a message. She supposed he wanted to yell at her instead of yelling at her voice mail.
    After hitting Redial, she waited. He answered on the first ring.
    “Good morning, Daddy.” She looked over at Ash. He stood with one hip propped against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. The look of concern on his face made her feel better.
    “Felicia.” Then, as if it was an afterthought, he said, “Good morning.”
    “How are you?”
    “Well…I would be better if my daughter had been the one to tell me she’s getting married.”
    The disappointment in his voice made her cringe. “Did Courtney’s parents call you?”
    “Actually, Mrs. Chee called. She wanted me to talk some sense into you.”
    Your mother called , she mouthed to Ash.
    Great , he mouthed back.
    “How nice of her.” Felicia picked up her blanket with one hand. She put the phone down and wrapped the warm wool around herself as if to ward off evil. After she’d picked the phone back up, she said, “Talk away, Daddy.”
    She could almost see him sitting in his chair. He would be shaking his head very slowly, like he usually did when he was angry. “I wonder if you and that boy have thought things out.”
    “He’s not a boy,” she said forcefully. She cleared her throat and said, a little softer, “He’s a man, Daddy, and I love him. I’ve always loved him.”
    “Have you considered your children? How will you help them deal with being half-breeds?”
    It was like she was seventeen all over again. The night her father had the sheriff arrest Ash, she’d been furious, had thrown things at him and called him names. It took every ounce of control not to repeat those events tonight.
    She cleared her throat again and said, “The only half my children will be is half Ash, half me. Yes, they will be black-haired and brown-skinned, but if you can’t handle that, it’s your problem to face, not mine.”
    From the prolonged silence, she thought he’d hung up on her. Instead he said, “Here’s your mother.”
    Tears flowed down Felicia’s face as her mother said, “Hello, dear.”
    “Mother.” Felicia tried to control her crying, but it was hard. Finally, Felicia got herself under control enough to ask her mother to mail her birth certificate. But then the crying started back up again. She tried several times to stop. When she couldn’t, Ash took the phone from her with one hand as he used the other arm to pull her into his chest.
    “Mrs. Montrose?” She couldn’t hear her mother’s low voice, but she heard Ash say, “Yes, ma’am, the wedding is Monday, at our house.” There was a pause. “Can you overnight it, please?” Another pause, and then Ash gave his address. “Thank you. No, I’ll take care of her.”
    He shut the phone off. After he’d put it down, he gathered her against his chest.
    “I hate him,” she mumbled against him. “I hate him for what he did to you, and