Page 41 of Wilde About You

"I'm even better on a dirt bike. I lived in the Philippines for six months, and that was how we got around. Even mastered riding through an unpaved forest with camera equipment strapped to my back."

"Why am I not surprised?" As Colin pulled over to where an old truck and a vintage Mustang were parked, his phone rang. Ace's name showed up on the screen. Colin gave me a questioning look. "Think your dad found out he's been duped?"

"I'm sure of it. Unless he thinks he's getting threatening notes because of a puffin photo." I reached forward and tapped the green phone icon. "What do you want?" I asked.

"You're back with Wilde? Fucking figures. Dad is throwing a fit, and somehow, I'm on the receiving end of it because his daughter conveniently doesn't turn on her phone. Or is that cuz you're avoiding being tracked down by whoever the fuck is chasing you? And Wilde, we're through for good."

"I think I told you to lose my number, so yeah, I'd say so. But you're still calling, like some annoying spam caller."

"Look, I've got a meeting with Rick and Larry about the team," Ace said, snidely. "I'm going to let them know that only one of us can be on the team next season, and I think we know who they'll keep. Besides, with that knee, you'll be as slow as a grandma on that board."

"Wouldn't count on that, but do what you need to do. Obviously, you consider me a threat or competition or whatever. I'll be a much bigger one if I'm competing against you from a different team."

Ace's laugh was grating. "I'm real worried about that. Sadie, call Dad. I'm done acting like a middleman in your crappy loser life. And you're going to be sorry you ever hooked up with that guy sitting next to you." He hung up before I could tap the red phone icon.

I sat back with a huff. "What a fucker." I looked over at Colin. "Don't you dare break my heart and prove that asshole right."

"I have no intention of doing either."

I touched his arm. "I'm sorry about the team thing. He might just be talking big. My brother is a blowhard."

"Figuring that out the hard way. I'm not worried. I'll be fine. Let's go inside. You can meet the crazy person we call Dad. You might even decide you're lucky to have your dad instead of one like Finn Wilde."

I laughed. "If fucking Charlie Manson was standing inside your house with a bloodied knife in his hand, I still wouldn't consider myself lucky. Besides, I think I'm going to like your dad."

"I'm going to remember that statement." We got out of the truck.

A big yellow dog with bouncy jowls came trotting off the front porch. "Hey, Lenny, what are ya up to?" Colin stopped to give the dog a hearty rub. "My dad found him on the side of the road a few months ago, wet and dirty and about ten pounds thinner." Colin patted the dog's belly. "Seems like the old man has been feeding you too many pieces of his steak, buddy."

The screen door pushed open, and a big man with a barrel chest, a soft belly, thick white hair and green eyes stepped out. His forearms were as thick as tree trunks, and each one was covered with a collage of tattoos, including one long dagger with blood dripping off the end. I smiled thinking about my dad example. He was older and slightly hunched, but the aura around Finnegan Wilde was filled with an electric charge. I instantly got a sense that this was no ordinary man.

"She's smiling and I haven't even said anything yet," Finn said. "Guess I've still got it. Colin, you always bring home the hottest women."

Colin's face turned a darker shade. "Dad, I haven't brought home anyone in a long time."

"No? Then I must be thinking about Nate. Well, this one has my approval. Come on in, sweetheart."

"Thank you so much for letting me crash here for a bit," I said.

"Glad to have you. Colin, let's order a pizza. I'm fucking starved. Rio's coming over for a riding lesson." Finn turned around. "You ride?"

"I do."

He nodded in approval. "Colin, I can already tell she's too good for you." He walked away.

"Yep, thanks, Dad. Always good to be with ya." Colin motioned for me to follow him into the house. We passed a vast sitting room with a vaulted log ceiling and worn-out leather couch and chairs. A dark brown easy chair that looked as if it had seen better days was parked in front of a giant flat-screen. A dog pillow, newer and in far better shape than the chair, sat in front of a massive stone fireplace. The dog, Lenny, trotted past us and plopped down on the pillow. The whole scene looked wholesome and not the least bit what I expected.

Colin and I walked up the stairs. "Bathroom's in here." He waved his hand, then pushed open a bedroom door. "This was Ronan's and my room growing up." A big Irish flag was draped across one wall. There were two twin beds in the room and not much more.

I placed my bags next to one bed. "I approve. Like the old days when couples had separate twin beds."

"Uh yeah, we'll be pushing those together." Colin walked across the room and pulled me into his arms. "In fact, I'm thinking we should say hello to this room just like we said goodbye to the last one."

I pushed a hair behind his ear. "Normally, I'm the first person to say yes to that sort of plan, but there was mention of pizza and I'm hungry and I have now seen and smelled horses so I'm going to show you my true horse girl colors and visit them first. Not that you aren't just as fun, but, well, I mean, it's horses."

Colin sighed. "Yep, the horses are always the show stealers. Stupid four-legged assholes. Let's get changed. We can saddle up, and I'll show you the ranch. Or at least the part that's ridable. Dad has let a lot of it go back to nature."

"And then pizza?" I asked with a hopeful bat of my lashes.