Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (14 page)

“
To apologize.”

Nina frowned. Pete took a step toward her. “I was angry at what you did, but I had no right to treat you like that, Nina. I never want to make you cry.”

Nina bit down on her bottom lip. “I’m sorry too, Pete. I was wrong to keep the truth about Daisy from you.”

“
I, well I came because—”

She waited for him to say more, but he stopped. He just stood there staring at her. Was he there to say goodbye? She looked him over: jeans, a hooded sweatshirt jacket. “What is it Pete?”

“
I’m going to California to see Daisy.”

Nina looked away. “Oh, you called her?”

“
No. I’m going to talk to her in person.”

Nina turned away. She closed her eyes. “So you’re going back to her?”

“
I’m going to talk to her, to have the talk I should have had with her five years ago. Nina, look at me. Please.”

“
No,” Nina said dropping her head.

“
Come with me.”

She looked back. “Huh?”

“
Come with me. I want you to come with me. We have to figure this out and you’re a part of this. Come with me.”

“
I can’t just leave work.”

“
A week or two. You can take the time. Last night I proposed to you. I want to keep my promise. But I don’t know if I can. And I owe it to us both to be sure. Come with me. I understand why you would say no.”

“
I can’t.”

Pete sighed; he turned to the door to leave. “Like I said, I understand.”

“
Pete?”

He looked back. “Yes.”

“
I love you, but I love me too. You think you have to fight for Daisy; you have to fight for me. I hope you choose me.”

He smiled and left. It was then the bottom dropped from under her, and her world fell apart.

Chapter Seven

Daisy straightened her suit. Time was running short. Clara called and said she’d meet her at the private airstrip near Grove Beach, six miles from her home. Apparently, McBride Associates had chartered a plane for their meeting. She was kind of excited about the whole thing.

Her diamond studs blinked from her lobes. She batted her long lashes, eyes smoky and darkly lined to bring out the depths of her brown irises. Leaning toward her reflection in the mirror, she cleaned her teeth with her tongue. These people respected power, and she learned that from the master. Having chosen a hunter-green silk blouse under a neatly tailored black suit, she searched for her matching green pumps, wondering if the color would be too much. Slipping her feet in, a smile touched the corner of her lips. Oh yes, she looked the part of The Jahi’s owner and founder.

“
Mommy?”

Daisy turned. Amy stood under the arch of the doorway in a yellow and white
Winnie the Pooh
nightgown. She wiped at her eyes with her doll tucked under her arm. “I want to go to work,” she announced, bottom-lip hanging in a full pout.

“
Come here little one,” Daisy cooed, wanting to feel the sweet love her child gave. It was so complete and pure it made her want to be a better person.

Amy dashed inside and Daisy lifted her into her arms. She placed her on the bend of her hip. Short for her age, Amy weighed like a sack of bricks. It wasn’t easy to lift her up, but how could she resist. Their relationship was very different than the one she had with her mother. Martha Johnson was a strict disciplinarian and a rarely affectionate woman. Daisy didn’t recall many moments of hugs and tender-kisses as a child from her mom. Yes, her house was filled with love. And her mother did love her. She just had a different way of showing it.

Now, a mother herself, she wished she understood Martha’s brand of parenting and could extract the good from the bad to make Amy whole. How she wished she could reach for the phone and talk to her sister, Janette, about it all and get some advice, or laugh about the soaps with her other sisters, Denise and Sheila. It never really dawned on her until she had Amy, the importance of those bonds she took for granted. If something happened to her now, who would look after her daughter? Her mother and sisters didn’t know she existed. That was one of her fears. The other was more pressing. Would the day come when the house of glass built with lies fall down on them both? This and many things kept her up at night.

For that reason, she spoiled and doted on Amy maybe too much. Daisy even went so far as to keep her sleeping next to her until she was three and then bringing her out of her toddler bed to her cold empty one just to feel loved. She had sworn off men, permanently. Amy was enough. Still, some nights, after a glass of wine and a little too much time in her bonus room listening to her favorite crooners, her mind wandered. It strayed to a man who was so sweet that his touch always made her feel desired then to a man so cruel but passionate that her body ached for him. It wandered and she checked herself, swearing to never go there.

Daisy wanted Amy stronger than her, confident, principled, and well prepared for life. It was her promise to her pale-pink baby from the day she was first placed in her arms. During the first two hours, Daisy wept. It was hard having a new life in her care, and it was scary too. Added to her fears was the additional worry when Amy wouldn’t open her eyes. Daisy, alone and exhausted from a six-hour laborious delivery, tried to sweet talk her little girl to look at her. And when she did, it shocked her. Her baby had clear blue eyes that within a month turned hazel with flecks of green. Magnificent and marked, she would forever be reminded of the unknown when it came to her. Who was her father?

From that day forth, she watched little Amy like a hawk, inwardly cringing over how big her imagination was at the tender age of four. Imagination turned into dreams. Dreams turned into desires, and desires could lead you down some dangerous roads. God help her but she couldn’t, in turn, promise those journeys for her little girl.

She walked over to her bed and sat with Amy on her lap, lifting her chin to smile into her face. “Tell mama what’s wrong?”

“
I wanna go to work.”

“
You can’t, sweetie. You have school. Remember? You love Mrs. Brooks.”

Amy nodded. She dropped her head to Daisy’s breast, playing with her doll’s tangles. Daisy considered Mrs. Brook’s warning once more. She stroked her daughter’s leg, soothingly.

“
Amy, mommy wants to talk to you. Mrs. Brooks said you’ve been telling the kids in school that your daddy is coming to your birthday. Is that true?”

“
Yes.”

Daisy swallowed, eyes on her daughter. She tried to mask her alarm.

Where did this come from?

Why now?

Was it normal for Amy to just assume a father she never mentioned existed? “Baby, where did you get that idea?”

Amy said nothing, continuing to play with her doll. Daisy gave her a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of her head. “Sweetie, you know that’s not true.” Daisy released a nervous chuckle. “Remember I told you that it’s me and you. I’m your mommy and daddy.”

“
Bryan has a daddy. Cindy has a daddy, and Casey has two daddies, mama! Two daddies! I want me one!” Amy whined.

“
Yes, well—”

“
Do I have one?”

“
Um…well yes, yes you do,” Daisy said.

“
Then where he at? Do he like me?”

“
Sweetie, of course he does.”

“
Can you ask him to come to my party? Tell him to bring presents?”

Daisy stiffened. Held captive in her daughter’s eyes, her guilt surfaced and put a stranglehold on her throat.

“
Huh, mommy? Where is he?”

She wanted to lie and felt the lie swell over the tip of her tongue, but she held back. This moment was a critical one, and she knew it. Whatever she said would be between her and her child forever. So she told the truth in the only way she knew how for a four year-old to understand. “I’m not sure, sweetie. But wherever he is, I bet he would definitely wanna hug and kiss on you.”

“
And come to my party too?”

She tickled her side and blew kisses into her neck as she bucked and thrashed around laughing on her lap. Smiling, she sat her upright again, wiping at the traces of her lipstick from her innocent daughter’s cheek. “Is it okay if it’s just Mommy and Auntie Clara at the party with lots and lots of toys and friends?”

“
No,” Amy said.

“
Sweetheart, we’ve talked about this. Some families have mommies and daddies and some families just have one. Okay?”'

Amy frowned. Daisy decided to quit while she was ahead. She just didn’t know what to say further on the matter. She leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Amy hugged her neck. “I still want to go to work with you.”

Daisy laughed, “Maybe tomorrow. Okay?”

****

Tacoma Arizona

“
Morning,” Donovan mumbled after a sleepless night. He limped in, balancing on his cane, fedora resting on the side of his head. A member of the staff poured fresh coffee in the mug before Aiden as he took a seat.

Aiden barely noticed. He was too busy skimming the details of Daisy’s business, his mind working on facts that went unnoticed years ago. Two years prior, one of the executives in his company made mention of an up and coming exclusive spa in Mango Grove. The name stuck with him. He proposed they approach the owner and try to woo them to the Shamrock. Two years ago and it didn’t even register. All this time, she was under his nose as Danielle Locke. That troubled him. How was this running if she created a beacon for him to find her in his back yard?

Donovan cleared his throat. Aiden’s head lifted from the page to acknowledge him, and then he returned his eyes to the document he studied all night. It was a night without sleep, a night filled with anxious want for this day.

He closed the folder and set it aside. “Anything?” he asked.

“
The investigator you hired called this morning. He says that he wants to meet with you only.”

Aiden’s eyes returned to his friends. “Why?”

Donovan sighed. “The people you use are self-serving, Aiden. You know that.”

“
Yes, and it serves me well when they have agendas. Greed is the nature of my business.
You know that
,” Aiden smirked. “Maybe that’s why you weren’t able to do shit for five years. Huh? You weren’t hungry enough to please me. I think I might pay you too much.”

Donovan chuckled. “There isn’t enough money to deal with your unique brand of business, Aiden. Oh, I’ve proven my loyalty. You still have my pound of flesh on retainer. Remember? Kept you out of some sticky situations over the years, haven’t I?”

Aiden just gave him a cold stare. He reached for his coffee but only turned the heated mug, stirring the dark brown liquid, causing it to lap upward at the rim. His hand then dropped away, and he rubbed his brow. It was taking forever.
What if she knew something was up? What if she changed her mind? What if I blew it all together?

“
Aiden?”

“
I’m tired of your method. I want results. She’s on her way, and still I feel ill prepared.”

“
The investigator you hired claims to have something. I can’t guarantee if he has valid information. Another risk.” Donovan moved the top of his silver tipped cane under his palm, turning it on its point. “And if she arrives before he gets here? Shall I delay the reunion?”

Aiden smiled. “No. I meet with her regardless, after you make the proper introduction of course.” Aiden rose from the table. He walked over to the large glass paned window. He could feel the heat from the desert seeping in. Inhaling deep, he remembered her, all of her. This day was a long time coming.

“
Too long,” he mumbled. “Is the deal sealed with Clara Andrews?”

Donovan stared on and then shook his head. “She tried to back out of it last night. The deal’s final. You own her. I also threw in a little incentive to make sure she played nice. I think I like this one.”

Aiden looked back over his shoulder, amused. “Do I want to know?”

“
I suggest you not. You know too much as it is.”

Aiden cut his eyes back to the window. “There is that chance that she’ll still walk after today, Donovan. She’s so strong willed. I still remember her final note:
We’re even
… not hardly.”