“Say what?”
“Say that I should stay out of it. Seriously, Dad, if I would’ve listened to you last night, we would’ve missed out on learning about Claudia.”
Daniel raised his brow. “You don’t think we were imposing by staying?”
“No, Bianca’s our friend, and she wanted us there.”
Daniel took a sip of his coffee and set it back down on the table. He didn’t know what to think about sitting with Bianca during what was a private moment.
And why in the world had he told her she had a cute nose? What had that been about?
This is why you’re so awkward with women, he told himself. Especially women you really like.
*
At church, Daniel sat in the back row by himself while Joy joined the choir. Although his daughter didn’t have the greatest singing voice—something he would never tell her—he was proud of her effort. It took a lot of courage to do something you weren’t good at.
Behind him, he heard Kate Tate’s voice. Hopefully, she wouldn’t want to sit with him again.
While Daniel was sure most men found the divorcée attractive, Kate wasn’t his type. For one thing, she was way too high maintenance for his tastes. And second, he didn’t like the smell of her perfume or the color of her nail polish. Did that make him shallow? He hoped not. She just didn’t do it for him.
“Hey, stranger,” called a friendly voice behind him that thankfully didn’t belong to Kate.
Relieved, Daniel turned to see Bianca standing with her mother. Coming to his feet, he said hello.
“Daniel.” Luella gave him a huge hug. “It’s so good to see you. How’s Joy doing?”
“She’s doing great.” He gestured toward the front of the church where Joy was studying her music.
Luella followed his gaze and pressed a hand to her heart. “What a sweet, sweet child. You must be so proud of her.”
“She is sweet, and I am proud of her.”
A beat of silence followed in which Daniel found himself staring at Bianca. She looked so pretty this morning in her blue and white dress. He wanted to ask how she was feeling about everything. Had she found out any more about Claudia? Had they spoken on the phone or talked via text?
Interrupting his thoughts, Luella tugged on Daniel’s arm. “Come on, Daniel.”
“What?” he said, confused.
“You can’t hear your daughter sing when you’re in the back pew. You need to sit up front with us.”
“Mom,” Bianca warned, looking embarrassed.
“Don’t tell me not to meddle.”
“That’s exactly what I was going to tell you.” Bianca gave him a quick glance. “I’m sure Daniel is perfectly happy sitting back here by himself.”
Bianca’s reaction surprised him. He studied her carefully, trying to figure out what she was thinking. Did she feel uncomfortable that he’d been there last night? Had he embarrassed her with the cute, little nose comment?
Daniel smiled at Luella. “Thank you for the offer, but this church has great acoustics. I can actually hear just fine in the back.”
Bianca nodded. “Plus, you don’t have to worry about getting caught nodding off when the sermon goes into overtime.”
Daniel laughed as Luella responded with mock outrage. “Bianca Grace Morgan, hush. What a horrible thing to say.”
Bianca’s eyes danced with amusement. Then, she smiled at Daniel in a way that caused a strange feeling to settle in his gut. A strange warm feeling he actually liked.
“Won’t you please join us?” Luella pleaded. “I really don’t like the idea of you sitting back here alone.”
Hearing Kate’s voice approaching, Daniel nodded. “Okay, Ms. Luella. If you insist.”
“I absolutely insist,” the older woman said, beaming.
He glanced at Bianca, hoping she didn’t mind. Avoiding Kate was only one of the reasons he’d agreed to Luella’s offer.
*
Joy’s eyes widened as Daniel joined the Morgan family in the front row. Walter and the others quietly greeted him, and he took a seat between Bianca and her mother.
Although there wasn’t a lot of room, Daniel didn’t mind. It was actually nice being able to see Joy. And sitting next to Bianca, who smelled amazing, was nice too.
After church, Luella and Walter scooted out quickly because they were meeting some old friends. Keith and Jillian also left right away because the baby was throwing a fit and the boys had a lot of homework to do.
Before Joy and Daniel could say their good-byes, Vicki introduced them to Ambrose, her date from last night. Joy said hello before hoisting her backpack on her shoulder and joining her friends in exiting the church.
Ambrose turned to Daniel and asked what he did for a living. That sparked a conversation about a new software program Ambrose’s law firm had recently implemented. As the men talked, they slowly moved down the aisle, following Vicki and Bianca.
Every few minutes, they had to stop walking because someone wanted to say hello to Bianca or give her a hug. Bianca was a people magnet, something Daniel deeply admired given how awkward he could be around people. Everyone loved Bianca, and Daniel didn’t blame them. Being around her just made you happy.
She was fun and exciting without the drama. Well, maybe she had a little drama, but it was fun drama. Not exhausting drama if that made any sense.
Maybe he should encourage Joy to reach out to Claudia. Bianca deserved to be happy. If anyone could change Claudia’s mind about meeting Bianca, it would be Joy.
On the steps outside the church, Vicki asked if Daniel had plans for lunch. “Ambrose, Bianca, and I are going to walk over to Juanita’s. You and Joy should join us. Have you ever been there?”
“I have, and it’s delicious.”
“So you’ll come?” Vicki asked.
Daniel shook his head. “Unfortunately, Joy and I have a lot of work to do today. Maybe another time, though.”
Bianca frowned. “I thought you didn’t work on Sundays. Are you cheating on me, Daniel?”
“Busted,” Vicki said in a low voice.
Daniel’s face grew warm. “Oh, I don’t work on major projects on Sundays, but that’s the day Joy and I catch up on our laundry, clean the house, make a menu, and go to the grocery store. You know, all that life stuff you never have time for during the week.”
“Wow,” Bianca said, teasing him. “And I thought my life was exciting. Laundry, cleaning, and going to the grocery store. You really know how to live on the edge, Daniel.”
“Don’t forget menu planning,” Vicki said.
Bianca laughed, and Daniel did too. Then, he stopped being stubborn and agreed to join them. “When you put it that way, I kind of have to accept.”
“We don’t want to force you,” Bianca said.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Of course, it’s fine. It’s lunch at a Mexican food restaurant. What’s better than chips and salsa on a Sunday afternoon? Besides, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried Juanita’s carne asada.”
“Well, I definitely can’t turn down carne asada.” Daniel called to Joy and told her about the plan for lunch.
“Actually . . .” Joy offered an apologetic smile. “I was hoping to go down to the beach with my friends. Is that okay? We’ll grab lunch at one of the food trucks, and Kayla said she could give me a ride home.”
Daniel glanced at the group of girls Joy had been talking to, recognizing most of them. “Yes, that’s fine.”
“Why don’t you have Kayla drop you off at my place?” Bianca suggested. “As long as your dad doesn’t mind, I can take you driving.”
“I don’t mind at all,” Daniel said.
“Okay, see you later.” Joy waved good-bye and headed back to her friends.
“She seems like a good kid,” Ambrose said.
“She’s an awesome kid,” Bianca said.
Daniel grinned at Bianca, thinking he couldn’t agree more.
Chapter 14
Bianca
“You’re welcome,” Vicki said as she and I climbed the stairs to our apartments after lunch.
I frowned. “You’re welcome for what?”
“For arranging that lunch so you could have a little Daniel time.”
“Daniel time?”
She cracked up. “What? Now that he’s renovating your kitchen you’re not into him anymore?”
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t go that far, but I definitely don’t want to jeopardize my sweet deal with the kitchen renovation.”
“Right,” she said, her tone skeptical.
“What about you and Ambrose?”
“Oh, he’s nice, but—”
“Not the one?” I asked.
She stopped walking and gave me an icy cold glare. “Why do you think so little of me?”
“I don’t.”
“Well, you act like I’m too picky. I wish I liked Ambrose like that. I wish I liked Seth and all the other guys I’ve dated over the years. I want to get married and all that. I just don’t want to make the wrong choice.”
“I know, and I respect that.”
“Do you?”
I nodded. “I’m sorry, Vicki.”
“Thank you.” She opened the door to her apartment and said good-bye.
“Vicki—”
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m just tired of the dating scene. I’m tired of trying, you know? It’s exhausting.”
“I know. Just don’t give up.”
With a sad smile, she told me we could talk later. Then she went inside her apartment and closed the door.
As I headed to my own place, I couldn’t help but wonder if Daniel felt the same way about me as Vicki felt about all those guys. Maybe in Daniel’s eyes I was sweet and nice, but I just wasn’t the one.
*
Because Daniel was working on my kitchen Monday evening, I held Bible study in Vicki’s apartment. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, she’d decorated her place with green shamrocks and leprechauns.
She’d also provided the girls with an abundance of shamrock-shaped cookies topped with my favorite buttercream frosting, tinted green for the holiday. I limited myself to one cookie, grateful I could leave the rest with Vicki instead of being tempted by having to deal with them in my apartment.
During sharing time, I told the girls about receiving the letter from Claudia and stalking her on the internet. Everyone was excited I’d heard from her, but they also understood my disappointment.
When Bible study ended, I encouraged the girls to take the leftover sweets home to their families. Even so, there was still an entire plate of cookies left over.
Vicki covered the plate with Saran wrap and handed it to me to take home. “Thanks,” I said, not sure if I had the self-control tonight to actually put them in the break room.
“I’ll take them downstairs if you want,” Joy offered, knowing that’s what I did with the leftovers.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
She took the plate while I returned to my apartment to admire Daniel . . . I mean, to admire the progress Daniel was making on my kitchen. I was so impressed that after working his IT job all day he was willing to come over and spend time on my project.
After Joy and Daniel left, I brushed my teeth, all the time fantasizing about sneaking downstairs for a soft, buttercream-topped cookie. What was wrong with me? Why did I have such strong cravings for food that ultimately made me sick?
As I crawled into bed, I told myself to just go to sleep. You’ll feel stronger in the morning, and the cookies won’t be such a temptation. With those words on my lips, I threw back the covers, rationalizing that I might as well have just one and get it over with.
Of course, I hadn’t stopped at just one. No, if I could stop at one cookie, then I wouldn’t have a problem with cookies. Instead, I ate until my stomach felt like it was hanging down to my knees.
Defeated, I crawled back in bed and awoke in the morning with a horrible headache. Glancing at the clock, I realized I needed to hurry if I wanted to have time for my morning bike ride. Part of me thought about skipping it. What was the point in exercising if I was going to negate the benefits by binging?
Clinging to Yadira’s encouragement to view my morning bike ride as a gift and not a punishment or a way to lose weight, I forced myself outside. Once on the trail, I felt better.
Despite the roll of flab hanging over my yoga pants, today was a new day, full of opportunities. I could start over. I could be strong and make choices that led to a better life.
I didn’t have to be defined by what I did and didn’t eat. I was a child of Almighty God after all. If He could part the Red Sea, surely He could heal me.
The rest of the day went well, and by the time Daniel and Joy arrived, I was feeling better. Joy and I went driving, using the truck instead of my car because Daniel wanted her to feel comfortable driving the truck.
Sitting in the passenger’s seat of my dad’s old vehicle brought back all sorts of memories, making me sad for how things were between us right now. The Bible said not to let the sun set on your anger, but our family hadn’t quite mastered that concept yet.
Not that my dad would admit to being angry. If pressed, he’d probably say he was disappointed in the decisions I’d made. He’d also probably insist that Claudia’s refusal to meet me was proof I’d made a mistake in contacting her. Plus, he’d acted so strange about her name.
“Which way should I go?” Joy asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I smiled at her, grateful for the distraction. “Take a left out of the parking lot, and we’ll go up First Street until we hit Blackberry.”
“Okay.” She followed my directions and drove fairly well. At least, she drove better than she had the first few times, which was progress.
“You’re being so quiet. Are you thinking about what a horrible driver I am?” Joy asked.
Shaking my head, I smiled. “No, I was thinking about how much you’ve improved.”
“Really?”
“Really. I was also thinking about my dad. He had a truck just like this when I was in high school. He bought it so he could pull the horse trailer for my shows.”
“Your shows?”
“I used to do horse shows.”
“Really? I didn’t know you had a horse. I always wanted one.”
“You’d love it. People complain about it being a lot of work, but I absolutely loved the time I spent with Mr. Whiskers.”
“Mr. Whiskers? That was your horse’s name?”
“Whiskers for short, but yes. He was such a great horse. Very kind and smart. In the summers, I worked as a trail guide at Camp Windham, and Whiskers was so patient with all those kids.”
“Sounds like fun.” Joy pulled the truck to a stop at the sign. “Camp Windham? I’ve heard of that before. Where is that?”
“It’s the summer camp behind my family’s property. Have you never been there?”
She shook her head.
“I have amazing memories of playing there as a kid. Do you want to see it?”
“I’d love to.”
“Okay, good. We can drive up there now.”
*
Taking Joy up to Camp Windham was so much fun. Of course, it wasn’t fun when she almost hit the deer, but that wasn’t Joy’s fault. That crazy animal literally jumped right in front of us.
Despite the No Trespassing signs, my sisters, Marcus, and I had spent hours of our childhood exploring the camp. The owners never minded because we were good kids and never damaged the property. In fact, sometimes we improved things by raking leaves or weeding the flower beds.
Because I knew where the secret key was hidden, I was able to show Joy the dining hall, the cabins, and the adorable little chapel. It broke my heart to see that the camp had fallen into disrepair since closing a few years ago.
Most of the buildings needed new roofs as well as new paint. The road leading to the camp could definitely use several loads of gravel to fill the potholes. In f
act, had Joy not driven the truck, I don’t know if we would’ve been able to make the trip in my car.
I’d heard the property was unofficially for sale. Maybe someone would buy it and give it the new life it deserved, although from the looks of it, that would take a lot of work, not to mention a fortune.
When the sun fell and it was too dark to see without the use of the flashlight app on our phones, Joy and I headed back to town. Her driving was definitely improving, but she still had a long way to go before she’d be able to take her test. Hopefully, she’d make the deadline Mrs. Maisel had set. Part of me was considering talking to the older woman and seeing if she’d be willing to give Joy a little extra time.
Back at my apartment, Joy pushed open the door. “Dad, we’re back.”
“In here,” Daniel hollered, his voice strained.
Joy headed toward him. When she rounded the corner to the kitchen, she gasped. “Dad.”
“I’m okay. I was cutting the tile for tomorrow, and the saw slipped, but I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I know, but I’m okay, honey. It was an accident.”
Scared of what I’d find, I strode toward Joy. “We need to take my dad to the hospital,” she said, her face white and her eyes wide with fear.
“No, it’s just a scratch,” Daniel said, standing at the sink. “I’ll be fine.”
“It’s not just a scratch. Show Bianca the cut.”
“Joy, I’m fine.”
My stomach pitched as I glanced at Daniel who was pressing a bloody dishtowel to his hand. Gripping the counter, I tried to steady myself. There was a reason why Jillian, instead of me, was the nurse in our family.
“I’m sorry about the dishtowels,” Daniel said, reaching for another one. “I’ll replace them.”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about that.”
He nodded and removed the bloody towel to examine the wound. I should’ve looked away because the sight of his open gash caused my head to spin. My legs wobbled, and the room tilted. I tried to hold on, but next thing I knew, I found myself on the floor, my knee throbbing.
“Bianca.” Kneeling above me, Daniel called my name in the smoothest, most calming manner. “Bianca, can you hear me?”
Bianca's Joy: Rose Island Book 3 Page 8
