Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (69 page)

“
Do they know you’re off the market?”

“
They who?”

“
They who? The blonde and the redhead shooting daggers this way.”

“
To hell with them.”

The visit, make-up session, reconnecting all of it was too short. She found herself in his arms with a hard to say goodbye. A car horn blared from a passenger van. Bulbs flashed from honeymooner’s lens taken by the aide of a stranger as they posed outside of the Shamrock. There in front of a driver, valet and arriving conventioneers with luggage being tossed from the backs of cabs, he kissed her. Oblivious to his surroundings, Aiden dropped his head on her forehead, held her face with both hands and said it again.

“
I love you.”

“
I love you too, Aiden, jeesh.”

“
You better, Daisy, I got a lot riding on this.”

“
And Aiden Keane always plays to win.”

“
Give the lady the gold coin.”

“
Too late. Amy has it. She keeps it close to her heart…I got this instead.”

“
I plan to give you more. You have no idea the things I plan to do for you and to you.”

“
I think I might."

"Bye," he said.

"Wait, my mom and sisters, the jet? Can I send them home in it?"

"Sure, sweetness, what's mine is yours. I'll update the pilot to fly them out."

"Thank you, Aiden."

"Call me."

"Bye."

Still, the feeling remained. That glorious feeling of something new—hers after all this time. Daisy Johnson could officially say it again:
she was in love
. The pilot’s voice echoed their descent. She inhaled and exhaled slowly. With her long lashes barely parted, his voice became a cackle of static in her ear from the speakers in the headrest.

Ms. Johnson, we are approaching Mango Grove. Please remain fastened in your seat for landing. The temperature this morning is 78 degrees. Mr. Keane has arranged a car for you upon arrival; I trust your flight was a pleasant one.

“
Yes it was,” she said softly.

The morning rays slipping in from the side window did remarkable things to the gem on her ring finger. Prisms of light danced before her eyes as blinding as his mischievous smile when he placed it on her finger and stumbled through the sweetest proposal. Surely her mother would be pleased. Her sisters were going to die. No longer a jezebel, this proved it. She and Aiden Keane were for keeps.

Daisy set the seat upright. Feet planted to the floor, purse in lap, she rummaged through the taupe Marc Jacob’s clutch, fingers knocking aside tubes of makeup and her wallet. There at the bottom of her bag, she located her phone. The jet bounced into a landing on the travel-worn tarmac. Ears popping, the cabin became a vacuum of pressure as the pilot braked along the runway. The flight was quick. She was barely in the sky long enough to finish her drink or her daydream. But she was admittedly excited about being home. She missed her baby-girl.

Daisy pressed the side button to her phone. Immediately, the LCD blinked on with announcement of missed messages.

“
Hmm... three missed calls? Two from the house and one from Pete?”

Instead of listening, she dialed.

“
Morning.”

“
Hi. Did you get my message?” His yawn through the phone had her suppressing the urge to join in the action. She looked out the window. Trees, cliffs, all zipped by along the private airstrip as the jet taxied to a stop. “No. Just called as soon as I landed.”

“
Good. I was wondering if I could take you and Amy to breakfast. I rather do this in neutral territory.”

“
Oh that’s a good idea. How was dinner last night? Everything go okay? Mama didn’t show out, did she?”

“
Fine. It was okay. I have news.”

“
News?”

“
I have to leave today.”

“
Huh? Today?” she frowned. He was so adamant about his role as Amy’s father, she figured he’d be around much longer. But Pete wasn’t rich. He worked a 9 to 5. So did Nina. She should have guessed that their lives would call them back to Hollow Creek soon.

“
Yeah. I got to take care of home. I… don’t just want to tell her and go. I hate that. I really need to spend more time with her. Especially after today, but this can’t be helped, and I’m not sure how soon I can get back."

“
Pete, I understand, really.”

She thought she heard him expel a breath in relief. She could hear the strain in his voice. Part of her wanted to press. The other part of her knew it wasn’t’ her place. Still, she cared for him. Did he know that? No matter what, she still cared for him. “Pete?”

“
I have to ask something, Daisy.”

“
Okay.”

“
What if Amy came to Hollow Creek? For a week or two. To stay with me.”

“
Huh?”

“
She and I need some time together. You know she’d be okay with Nina and me. I just need to have her with me so we can get to know each other.”

“
Whoa, Pete. Wait a second.” She gave a nervous chuckle. Daisy never even allowed Amy to stay with other kids for sleepovers. She’d never spent a night away from her baby until her father died, then this impromptu trip to see Aiden. But a week? A week and thousands of miles between them? She got dizzy just thinking of it. Plus, her business has been running without her for days now. She barely checked in. She had a life to manage.

“
She’s just a baby. I mean I know she’s older, but I don’t want to do this just yet.”

“
Daisy, it’s only a week.”

“
Amy has never been away from me. Let me think.” She closed her eyes, chewing on the inside of her jaw. “I… I’ll come down so you can spend time with her. A visit maybe. Yeah, I can um…work it out but—” She looked down at the ring on her finger. “I got things going on too, Pete. Something to tell you.”

“
That would be perfect. How soon can we meet this morning? I’m ready now,” he cut in.

“
I need to get home and changed. Can you be at my place in an hour? There’s a House of Pancakes off Mango Drive. It’s her favorite, relatively quiet during the week. We can go there.”

“
I’ll see you soon.”

She lowered the phone. Heart hammering in her ears, this was the beginning of the end. No longer was it just she and Amy— her baby and her against the world. Now Amy had a father, she had a fiancé and they both had family. Part of her still wanted to resist such change so soon. There were parts of her that didn’t want her baby to grow up, or her business to grow out. It was essentially the part of her that wanted small doses of the hard stuff and double scoops of all the good times. Pete’s number blinked off the screen.

“
Ms. Johnson?”

The pilot hovered. She hadn’t realized he waited. “Oh, sorry.”

Daisy grabbed her purse, hurried out into the isle, and out of the craft. A car, candy apple red convertible corvette, waited for her. A driver stood next to it. She knew instantly who had sent it. Still in yesterday’s dress with high winds blowing her frizzy ponytail behind her, Daisy put on her sunglasses as she approached.

“
Your keys, mam,” he offered, palm opened.

“
Thank you,” Daisy acknowledged, door opened for her to slip in. Aiden got her a two-seater? With her little girl, how exactly was she supposed to manage that? The man may be in love, but as a father, he remained clueless. That is until she gave him a little one of his own, maybe, possibly. She had to laugh. The thought of him trying to fit a car seat into his Ferrari was hilarious. Daisy smoothed her hand down the curve of the wheel. Things were definitely looking up.

****

The casino is bustling. This week
The Shamrock
hosts a Telecom Conference nearly booking the hotel solid. Guests were arriving from as far away as Australia and as close as LA, all of which crowded the lower level. Many talked in cell phones, grumbling over lines, greeting colleagues with luggage blocking the entry.

Aiden returned to his suite after Daisy left to make some calls. Now, hands in pockets, he rode down the glass elevator, looking over the marks. Too much gathering and not enough gambling dominated his casino floor. He hated that Vegas was home to conventioneers more and more now.

The Shamrock was the
pot of gold
. He was there to empty their pockets to keep the business filled. Not become some fucking entertainment park. Bastards were even bringing kids to his hotel and his managers wanted to do ‘family oriented’ events. Bullshit! He glared at his people milling about. They were under strict orders to push the guests away from the registration desk into the casino.

“
Bullshit,” he grumbled and then checked his watch. The minute hand ticked slowly along the diamond bezel. She was gone. It had been only three hours and he missed her already. Aiden dropped his hands in his pockets and granted himself a distracted moment. Daisy Johnson was one-of-a-kind. He had to be careful with her and Amy, his girls. He liked the thought of it.

The elevator gave a soft beep and the doors parted. He turned from the view and stepped out, rushed by two staffers that had evidently spotted his descent.

“
Mr. Keane, Sheik Ahkbab and his entourage have arrived. We’ve set his purse at 10. He, however, is requesting your presence.”

Janice elbows past the young manager. “Excuse me, Mr. Keane. I’ve been asked to bring you to Mr. McBride.”

Aiden stopped. “Donovan’s here?”

“
The office to the poker room, sir. He’s asked you meet him there.”

Aiden peeked over to the Casino entrance. “Tell the Sheik we’ll meet tonight.”

The questions and protests were drowned by the voices of the crowd and the dings of the slots. He strolled through his casino. Gamers at tables and machines all had that wild look in their eyes, that familiar hump in their back and that desperate grip to a final chip or playing card, waiting for that lucky break. A smile dawned his lips.
Now that was more like it
. His mood was improving, despite his confused anger over Donovan’s actions. The old man was going to give him answers. Now.

Climbing the steps to the poker room, he found only two tables seated. The other eight were empty with waiting dealers. There went his mood. In the back, the doors were closed and only opened to the high-roller games; like what drew Sheik Ahkbab. Those games he kept off the books. This one in particular kept him in town tonight. If it weren’t for this private session, he would have gone to Mango Grove with Daisy despite her objections to explain himself to the little princess.

But alas, these games took place twice out of the year and his presence was required. In truth, they were the only ones that got his dick hard and palms sweaty.

Aiden opened the door. His eyes moved across the room to the far corner where Donovan paced near the bar, aided by his cane. The old man looked up at him, a slack expression on his face. To this, Aiden smiled.

“
Well, it’s about damn time,” he said, shutting the door behind him.

****

“
I’m home!”

“
Mommy!”

Amy ran out of the kitchen like a bullet. In a blue jean skirt and green cotton shirt, her hair bounced on either side of her face in oh-so-familiar pigtails. Growing up in the Johnson house, every girl child wore two pigtails to the front and one to the back of their head. One of the many reasons why folks would say they all looked the same.

“
Hey, sweetie.”

“
Mama!! I missed you soooo much! Where you been? Oh, guess what! I made panty-cakes! Uh huh! I did! Did daddy come with you like you promised?”

Daisy gave a light smile as Amy removed her sunglasses from her face and put them on hers. “Oh sweetie, um, no, but we will talk about that.” She looked up to see her mother turn and head back to the kitchen. The house smelled of maple syrup and fried meat. Suddenly, the vodka and orange juice breakfast she had didn’t seem as wise.

“
How about we go to breakfast, baby, with Pete?”

Amy grinned. “Okay.”

“
Hey, Daze,” Denise said, coming down the stairs with Sandra right behind her. She didn’t see Janette following them. “Hi,” Daisy said, rising.

“
Grandma! Nevamind. I’ma go to breakfast with mommy and Pete!” Amy yelled, running for the kitchen.

Denise walked straight to her. “So? How did it go?”