Wishing On A Starr (7 page)
Read Wishing On A Starr Online
Authors: Adrianne Byrd
The band instantly launched into a snazzy number that had Gia tapping her feet and rocking in her chair. Daniel’s talent left her utterly amazed. Pure unadulterated joy radiated from Daniel and, in turn, she enjoyed herself that much more.
After two head-rocking, toe-tapping songs, a beautiful full-figured woman made her way from behind the drumset to take the front microphone.
“I figured, we would do a little number to get everyone in the mood for the holidays,” Daniel informed the audience from his bench. “A few of you out there know that Christmas is my favorite time of the year.” He glanced at Gia. “So we’re going to do one of my favorite songs.
She smiled back and enjoyed the feeling of those fluttering butterflies.
He tickled the ivories for a brief while and Gia instantly recognized the song.
The female singer cooed seductively into the mike. “I really can’t stay.”
“But baby it’s cold outside,” Daniel’s velvet voice joined in.
“I’ve got to go away.”
“Oh, baby it’s cold outside.”
Gia shook her head and laughed at memory of their brief conversation before coming to the café. It was a great rendition and they received a thunderous applause at the end.
“I guess this is goodnight.” She smiled.
“Sorry I kept you up past your bedtime.”
“I’ll live.”
He nodded and inched closer. “I really had a nice time.”
“So did I,” she managed to respond as the air thinned in her lungs.
“Does that mean we can do it again sometime?” He leaned in another inch.
“Sure. I’d like that.”
“When?” His warm breath rushed again her cheek.
Her brain fogged and scrambled her thoughts. “Huh?”
Daniel smiled. “When would you like to go out again?”
“When?”
“Yes, when?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to come back in a few hours for breakfast, but she knew such a request would make her come off as too eager. “Whenever you’re free,” she finally settled on saying.
“Tomorrow night?” he asked.
His lips now were just inches away from her mouth. She was practically salivating for the taste of him. “Tomorrow will be great.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up at the same time tomorrow.”
Gia opened her mouth to speak, but was caught off guard when Daniel’s lips pressed gently against hers. A soft moan escaped her as her arms drifted up and around his neck. She drew him closer and marveled how he tasted like heaven and sin at the same time.
He’s the kind you keep.
She moaned again though she knew the voice in her head spoke the truth.
He’s the kind you keep.
Gia could feel the tears rising behind her lashes.
He’s the kind you keep.
She sighed and finally ended their kiss. “Goodnight,” she whispered and turned toward her door.
“Until tomorrow,” he whispered back.
She closed her eyes and shivered at the feel of his warm breath against the shell of her ear. “Until tomorrow.” She entered her apartment and closed the door without chancing a glance back. It wasn’t until she secured the locks did she allow herself to exhale.
She was on dangerous ground, she knew. After knowing Daniel for less than forty-eight hours, she already knew that she didn’t want to go back to a life without him. She pondered that thought for a moment. She had completely lost her mind, but the revelation refused to change. “Oh, Jermaine. What should I do now?”
Chapter 7
The streets of Manhattan was a madhouse while Starr, Neve, and Daniel shivered and quaked for nearly five hours on Fifth Avenue, waiting for the lighting of the Christmas tree. As the time neared 9:00 p.m., the night was abuzz with excitement.
“Are you girls ready?” Daniel asked, draping his arms around each of the girl’s shoulders.
Starr nodded. She would’ve answered, but she was more concerned about her inability to feel her toes.
How cold do you think it is?” Neve asked as she tried to huddle closer.
“Like fifty below or something ridiculous like that,” Starr answered and leaned against her dad.
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to come down here,” Daniel reminded her with a chuckle. “We could’ve stayed in the comfort of our nice
warm
home and watch this whole thing on television.”
“Yeah. How come we couldn’t make our wish at home?” Neve asked.
“Because we had to be here in person for it to work,” Starr reasoned with a flash of annoyance.
“Said who?” Neve challenged.
“It’s common sense,” Starr said. “Whoever heard of making a wish via a television set?”
“Girls, girls,” her father interrupted. “Calm down. We’re here, so lets make the best of it.”
The best friends’ narrowed gazes softened and seconds later, they flashed each other smiles.
“We have less than five minutes,” Her dad announced after a glance at his watch.
“So how come you didn’t invite your new lady friend to come here with us tonight?” Starr asked. “And when am I going to meet her?”
“Whoa. Whoa.” Daniel held up his hands. “Please tell me that my daughter isn’t butting her nose in grown people’s business.”
“C’mon. You know you like her.” She elbowed him. “You’ve been out with her several nights in a row.”
He shook his head. “I don’t hear you.”
“Yeah, you like her. I heard you singing in the shower this morning. It must have been some date last night. Where did you go?”
“Starr, I’m not going to discuss this with you,” he reprimanded out of embarrassment more than anger.
In response, she twinkled a smile at him.
A minute later, he nodded. “Yeah, I like her.”
“Ten, nine, eight...”
Starr turned expectant eyes toward the tree. “Don’t forget to make your wishes exactly when the lights come on,” Starr shouted.
“Four, three, two, one...”
The lights flashed on-and the Christmas tree was an instant glorious sight. Starr, Neve, and Daniel all slammed their eyes closed and made a wish...
Gia opened her eyes and sighed into the night.
“What did you wish for?” Bernie asked, leaning toward her. “Please tell me it was for the winning lottery numbers.”
Gia shook her head and exhaled a long stream of white frost. “Don’t be silly. You know I don’t believe in such nonsense.”
“Oh, no?” Bernie’s smile widened. “Then why were your eyes closed?”
“I’ll tell you what I wished for.” Tonya turned and popped into the conversation. “A car.”
Bernie groaned at the major hint her sixteen year-old daughter tossed her way. “The only car you’re getting after those pathetic grades you’ve been pulling is a Matchbox car.”
“Amen.” Bernie’s husband, Vinny, tossed back his head with a hearty chuckle.
Tonya rolled her eyes and then gave Gia a wounded look.
She sympathized with a casual shrug. Of course, she knew Tonya’s one D in a long list of As was not going to deter her parents from buying the hard-working teenager a car. But, her parents got a kick out of making the teenager squirm.
Gia returned her attention to the breathtaking seventy-nine foot Christmas tree and drew in a long, cold breath. When Tonya told Gia to make a wish upon the star, she had at first thought to wish for her company to have a banner year in business, then she thought about Daniel, then Ma Belle-which surprised her.
The only time she thought about her grandmother was when she made out a monthly check to send back home-checks that were never cashed. Maybe this year she would call them on Christmas. When the crowd commenced the countdown, however, another thought bubbled to the top her mindactually it was a seed of hope that grew with each second of the countdown.
The moment the tree lit up, she squeezed her eyes closed and made her heart’s true wish:
I want to be reunited with my daughter.
Shivering in the cold with her eyes fixed upon New York’s finest Christmas tree, she still felt a residue of hope bloom in her heart. But it was impossible, wasn’t it?
Later that night while lying in bed, Gia stared into the darkness surrounding her. Should she dare look for her daughter? What would she say if she found her?
The phone rang and startled her. It was the stroke of midnight and she knew precisely who was calling her.
“Good morning, Dr. Davis,” she greeted, smiling.
“Good morning, Gia. I hope I didn’t wake you,” he said with a note of caution.
“No. Actually, I’m wide awake,” she admitted honestly. “How did your evening go?”
“Great. Despite the fact that I froze my butt off,” he chuckled.
“Ditto.” Gia sat up and leaned back against the headboard. “Bernie and Tonya dragged me down there this afternoon as well.”
“You’re kidding me. You mean we all could’ve gone together?”
“Seems so.”
Daniel’s question implied he was ready for her to meet his daughter. Even though things were going well with them, she was pretty sure she wasn’t ready for that gigantic leap.
Often when Daniel spoke of his daughter it was with a glowing pride that left Gia envious. Her regret was an emotion that grew heavier each year. She was at a point now where she needed help shouldering the load, but asking for help was something she was unaccustomed to doing.
“I want to see you again,” Daniel said.
She closed her eyes and allowed his words to stir her butterflies. “I’d like that.” Mildly, she wondered if this
need
to be around him was such a good thing or was she just setting herself up for an eventual downfall. Too much too fast was a dangerous thing for a new relationship.
A new relationship-was that what they were in? She straightened, suddenly uncomfortable with everything having to do with this man.
“I do have to do some Christmas shopping tomorrow, but after that, I’m free. What about you?” he asked.
“I actually have some work I need to finish,” she admitted. “I have three design boards I have to finish by the end of the week and-”
“Oh, yeah, yeah. You don’t have to explain. I completely understand. We just met and here I am hogging up all your time.”
“No. It’s nothing like that,” she rushed to explain, but her unease wouldn’t go away. “I’ve enjoyed our time together.”
Daniel heard a “but” in the hanging sentence and consequently felt like an ass. Had he been pushing too hard-going too fast? “I’ve had a good time, too.” He drew a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. “Well, it’s getting late. I should let you go.”
“It’s not...I mean, if you have to go…”
“Yeah. Just give me a call if you find some time tomorrow. I should be around here somewhere.” He laughed awkwardly.
“Okay. I’ll do that,” she said softly.
They held the phone for a few long, awkward seconds, and then finally disconnected. Daniel stared at the portable hand unit with a wave of dread crashing against his body. He pressed the instant replay button in his mind and was still unsure of what just happened and how it went wrong.
He didn’t get much sleep that night and Starr accused him of being distracted during breakfast. So this was what it was like being back in the dating arena-a dizzying seesaw of emotions where you’re constantly guessing and wondering what the other party is feeling.
Oh, joy.
But the thing was, he really liked Gia. She was strong, smart, and beautiful. My, was she beautiful. My, was she beautiful. The way her eyes lit up when she smiled or laughed. She even had this way of making him want to drop everything to take care of her when at times she looked so sad about something.
It usually happened whenever he talked about Starr. He pondered that for a while.
“I know I told you I didn’t have any children...but the truth is more complicated than that.”
What exactly did she mean?
On the fourth day he hadn’t heard from Gia, Daniel saw the writing on the wall: she wasn’t interested. Though it was difficult to put the matter behind him, he was determined to forge ahead, put a smile on his face, and prepared to enjoy the holidays with his daughter. Yet, in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder at what could have been.
Chapter 8
“Twelve days before Christmas and you’re not doing anything but staring at the phone,” Bernie accused, plopping down a stack of accounts that needed review. “Why don’t you do us both a favor and just call him?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Gia shifted her gaze to the pile of swatches on her desk.
“Uh, huh.” Bernie cocked her head and crossed her arms. “Then let me tell you what I’m talking about: Call Daniel. What’s the point of pretending that you don’t like him?”
