The Good Provider (23 page)

“Because we usually are.”

That, of course, set off a great debate which made William shake his head and chuckle. He was still smiling when he reached his room, but his expression turned serious when he pulled up Daria’s number on his phone. She’d sent this video without running it past him for a reason. In contract talks, this sort of overture meant negotiations were still on the table. Or was this Daria’s classy way of saying goodbye?

He held his breath as he waited for the call to go through.

She picked up right away, even though it was very, very early in California. “William. I was hoping you’d call.”

“Your video is amazing. Not a dry eye in the house. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

There was a momentary pause, then they both spoke at once.

“I’m so sorry, William.”

“I’m such an idiot, Daria.”

William’s heart filled with hope. “I love you, Daria. I truly, honestly, completely love you. And, some day, when all the dust from your divorce has settled and you’re ready to try again—”

She interrupted him. “I’m up early this morning packing and cleaning and getting ready for a giant yard sale, William. I put my house on the market the Monday after I got back from our romantic getaway. I figure it will take months to sell given the current economic climate, so I’d better start right away.”

“You’re moving?”

“Yes.”

“Where to?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet. In fact, I was hoping you might help me. Is there a chance you could do me a huge favor and pick up my grandfather in South Dakota on your way home? Any time will work for him. We’re totally flexible.”

“Of course. I’d be glad to. Is Cal coming out to help you move?”

“Actually, we’re talking about moving together. He wants to winter in California with me and the girls, and in the summer, we’ll go to the Black Hills. I was inspired by your parents’ story, William. I loved how they weren’t limited by society’s confines or simple geography. They made the family that worked for them. I want to do that, too.”

“Is there a place in that family for me?”

“The answer is, bet on it.”

He coughed. “What?”

She laughed. “I’ll explain when I see you. And, William, I can’t wait to see you. I was such a boob at the B and B. Talk about panic attack. I almost turned around halfway home, but then I decided maybe I was smart to give us some space. Dare I say I was under the influence of magazine therapists?”

Her tone was so Daria he couldn’t help but feel hopeful. “And now you’re not?”

“Exactly. I’ve put my faith in a much higher power.” She laughed again. “I’ll tell you all about it when I see you. I can’t wait. But please, spend as much time as you can with your father. Is everything okay?”

“Amazing. And you’ll see me sooner than you think. I’ve had to change my plans slightly because I have a client who needs me.” He couldn’t apologize for doing what he did best. After all, he was his parents’ son. And he helped people. It’s what he did. “But I’ve promised Father to return in a few weeks. When is Miranda and Hailey’s spring break? Maybe we could bring the girls over at the same time.”

Daria sniffled softly. “William, that’s so sweet. I would love for them to meet your parents. We’ll talk about it when I see you.”

They pinpointed exactly when that would be so she could alert Cal and make her plans, then he hung up. But he called her right back.

“Did I remember to tell you I love you, Daria?”

“You did. And although I’d rather say this in person, face-to-face, I love you, too.”

Face-to-face.
He liked the sound of that.

“You mean except for Lucas,” she said, fussing with her seat belt.

“Don’t mind him. He’s blissfully content to listen to whatever comes across his noise-canceling headset,” William told her. “But I picked the rear seats for a bit more privacy.”

She let her head fall back against the plush upholstery. “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

The chaos surrounding their meeting a few hours earlier hadn’t allowed either of them a chance to say what most needed to be said. William’s attention had been swallowed up by Hailey, who explained that she was the one who’d fixed things between him and her mommy. “Asking the Magic 8 Ball was my idea,” she’d bragged.

That had been William’s first clue to Daria’s strange comment about betting on them as a couple.

Miranda, not to be outdone, had described the scene in detail. “Mom was so sad after she came home from your date that Hailey and I decided you were to blame. But when we asked the Magic 8 Ball if you were to blame, it said no. So we asked Mom and she said the reason she came home early was because she was confused and thought it was too soon to fall in love again.”

“So you consulted a higher power,” William had guessed.

He approved of the end result, but his nerves went haywire when he thought about his fate hanging on a silly kid’s game. But then he realized that wasn’t the case. Daria, good mother that she was, simply let her daughters participate in a decision she’d already made.

“So your folks liked the video?” Daria asked over the revving of the engine. “They sent me the most gorgeous bouquet and a ridiculously over-the-top gift card to Macy’s as a thank-you.”

The latter had been Notty’s idea. “New frocks for the girls when they come to visit,” he’d said.

“My parents are madly in love with you. If you think Father’s health improved knowing I was coming to visit, you should see what the possibility of meeting you three did for him. He even decided to try the clinical trial Mum was advocating.”

Her jaw dropped. “Really?”

He nodded.

“But…” she hesitated. “Did you tell them about me? The real me, not that girl on the pedestal me? Divorced, single mom, nearly homeless—” She put up a finger to add, “And let’s not forget that I invited my ninety-year-old grandfather to move in with me.”

He glanced out the window as the plane began to level out and released the tension on his seat belt. “Daria, I promise, no more pedestals. If you catch me trying to put you on one, you can hit me over the head with it. And face it, when it comes to family craziness, you’ll never win. Two gay fathers and a crusader mother trumps anything you can do. Did I mention Mum is opening a free clinic in our old carriage house?”

Daria shook her head, marveling at the changes she saw in William. He seemed lighter, freer. As if releasing whatever grudges or sense of failure had weighted him down had opened new windows, allowing him to see views of life he’d missed before. “How did it go with your client?”

He shook his head and sighed. “It didn’t. JoE refused to listen to me. He decided his career was more important than his recovery. He checked out of rehab against my advice and doctor’s orders and a court edict. Hopefully he’ll get arrested before he ODs.”

She made a small sound of horror.

“I know that sounds callous, but I realize now that, like Bianca, he’s going to make his own mistakes. This time, though, I’m not turning off my phone. If he calls, I’ll be there for him.”

She reached out and took his hand. “You’ll be there for him even if he doesn’t call. That’s one of the things I love most about you.”

He leaned over to kiss her. “Thanks.” He glanced toward the nose of the plane. “I’ll try to thank you properly when we truly are alone. Now, tell me about your plans.”

“I decided I can’t stay in Fresno. Too many memories. The girls and I want to make a fresh start. I feel strongly about staying in California so Bruce can see Hailey and Miranda on a regular basis, but I also know Cal is at a point in his life where he needs family. Spending our summers in South Dakota seemed like a compromise we could all live with.”

“I like the staying in California part of that plan.”

“Then you’ll like it even better when I tell you I’m meeting with a real estate agent to look at homes in Santa Barbara. Which, coincidentally, is quite a bit closer to Malibu,” she added.

“Even better. Does that mean you’re not quite as mad at me as you were?”

“It wasn’t you,” she said seriously, then rolled her eyes. “Okay, it was. For a minute. I thought you were another Bruce. But even when I was freaking out, I knew that wasn’t true. I know why you did what you did. Bruce could make God’s patience snap.”

He wiped his forehead as if relieved to have dodged a bullet. But she wasn’t completely letting him off the hook. “That doesn’t mean I want you making decisions for me. If we’re going to have a relationship, I need to know that you respect me and value my input—on the big things and the little things.”

“I do. I will. How little?”

She gave him a look her daughters knew all too well. He merely grinned and changed the subject. “Did you just say we’re going to have a relationship?”

“It’s a given…when you love someone. Don’t you know that?”

He reached over and unsnapped her seat belt then pulled her onto his lap. “I do now. Say it again.”

She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I love you. I tried to deny it, but I was flat-out miserable thinking I’d never see you again. That’s when Miranda and Hailey decided to consult the Magic 8 Ball.”

“So they told me. I’ve never tried one. Is there a chance it could have said, ‘Run for the hills?’”

“I don’t believe that’s an option, but according to Miranda, four out of four tries came back with the same answer.
Bet on it.
”

“What was the question?”

“Does Mommy love William?”

The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. She might have forgotten how to trust in love, but her daughters hadn’t.

“So Miranda and Hailey were the ones who did the asking? You didn’t actually participate in the séance or whatever it’s called?”

She shook her head. “They were giving me permission to try again. That was the
higher power
I was talking about.” She’d immediately tossed all her women’s magazines and post-divorce advice books in the garage sale box. Her daughters were telling her it was okay to risk her heart one more time. On a man with a bit of a hero complex. But heroes had their place in the world so long as one had a strong heroine to keep him grounded.

William’s kiss said more than words ever could, but all communication stopped when Lucas hollered, “We’re at the Grapevine, William. Do you want to take her from here?”

“I certainly do,” William said, his gaze never leaving Daria. He helped her up, then kissed her hard and fast before walking to the pilot’s seat.

Before donning his headphones, he called out, “Buckle in tight, Daria. Things can get a little bumpy from this point on.”

She did as directed, grinning the whole time. Things had already been a little bumpy. But without lows, how could you appreciate the highs? And the best part of the journey was having someone to travel with.

She was ready to fly—anywhere—with William.

THE GOOD PROVIDER

Copyright © 2010 by Debra K. Salonen

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