Dancing With Dalton (Fatherhood)

by Laura Marie Altom

  “Oh…okay. But if you don’t have time to be here, why did you come?”

  “My dad’s being released from the hospital today.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you—him, too.”

  Dalton shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Yeah, well, here’s the deal. Saturday night, my folks are hosting a party at the club.”

  “How fun. I hope there’s going to be dancing.” She snapped her fingers and wriggled her hips.

  Meanwhile, he cleared his throat, praying for strength for himself, and understanding from Rose. “I couldn’t say about the dancing. Dad’s announcing his retirement. Naming me his successor.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “Resigned.”

  “Honey, you have to say something. Get out now, while you can.”

  “That’s just it,” he said. “Seeing my father in that hospital bed made me more determined than ever to do just that. Get out now. Only not from the bank, but from whatever lunacy led me to forget everything I am in being with you.”

  Rose needed air.

  This couldn’t be happening.

  “Dalton?” She went to him, put her hands on his shoulders, but he wrenched free of her hold. “Honey, we can work through this together. Who says you can’t work at the bank and have a satisfying home life? It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”

  He snorted. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m miserable at that job. Do you honestly think that’s ever going to change? Say we stay together, get married, have a couple kids of our own, what happens when my misery causes me to being grumpy with you or the kids? What happens if I do like so many other guys in my family’s sainted social circle and turn to booze or other women to drown my sorrows?”

  “Oh, Dalton,” she said, forcing him to look at her, smoothing his brow. “You would never do any of that. You’re too good, too pure.”

  “You may think that now, but there are no guarantees, Rose.”

  “I know you’re hurting, Dalton, but why do you have to hurt me, too? Why can’t you lean on me to help you through this? Why do you insist on being Mr. Tough Guy? Handling everything alone?”

  “Because,” he railed, gripping her forearms. “That’s the way it has to be. I love you, Rose, but I love my family, too. If I leave the bank and it fails and my mother ends up penniless and on the street? How the hell would I live through that, knowing her pain was a direct result of my selfishness?”

  “Her pain? What about mine, Dalton? For one second, would you please forget your parents and look at me. Really look at me. I love you. Anna loves you. The three of us, we’ve become a family. Your parents are capable of taking care of themselves. It’s time for you to focus on you, on us.”

  “I can’t,” he said, holding her tight. “I’m sorry, but my sense of duty is too strong.”

  “Your sense of duty?” she asked, stroking his hair. “Or your fear?”

  He remained silent.

  “I’m right, aren’t I?” she probed. “You have been harboring a secret, haven’t you?”

  He wouldn’t meet her gaze.

  “Dalton? Honey, I love you. You can tell me anything. I promise, I—”

  “Look, I was married, okay?”

  “W-what?” It wasn’t that the notion was so outrageous, but how could he have kept something like a previous marriage from her?

  “Carly and I met in college. One of those love-at-first-sight kind of things that never should have happened. Bottom line, things didn’t work out. She soon saw I wasn’t who she’d thought I was—an artsy free spirit, ready to roam the world on a whim. She took all our savings, donated it to the Save the Whales fund, then ran off to Bolivia with some guy in the Peace Corps.”

  “Oh, Dalton…You must’ve been devastated.”

  “You might say that.”

  “But, sweetie, what does any of that have to do with me? Why did you feel you couldn’t tell me? Carly sounds like the one who lost out on an amazing man.”

  He snorted.

  “You disagree?”

  Sharply looking away, he said, “We’re getting off the subject. The point I’m trying not too successfully to make is that in Carly, I chose poorly. She was from a world I didn’t belong to.” Gripping her shoulders, he gave Rose a light shake. “Don’t you see? I don’t belong in your world, either. I don’t know where I belong. But until I figure it out, I owe it to you and Anna to steer clear. You both deserve more than my wishy-washy brand of companionship.”

  “Companionship? You really think that’s all we share?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, pacing. “That’s the point. How am I ever supposed to know if what we share is the real deal? Or just another shortsighted mistake?”

  “If you even have to ask,” she said softly, “you’re absolutely right. What we’ve shared has been a mistake. A big one.”

  “YOU LOOK LIKE you’ve been rode hard and put up wet.”

  Dalton glanced up—a long way, considering he was lying on the ground with his shoes and socks off, wriggling his toes in the city park’s grass.

  Alice stood over him, jogging in place. “Well? What’s wrong with you?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m sick, all right?”

  “Lovesick.”

  “Leave me alone.” He closed his eyes, annoyed by the intrusion.

  Not only did Alice not leave, but she plopped her Lycra-covered butt down beside him. “I had a talk with your lady friend.”

  “Yeah,” he said without opening his eyes. “She told me about it. How you practically flat out told her she wasn’t good enough for me, and that I needed to move on to someone my mother would approve of.”

  “I said nothing of the sort. I was testing your Rose. Seeing how bad she wants to be with you. Since the day you were born, you’ve been a pocketful of trouble, Dalton Montgomery. Too handsome and talented for your own good. I don’t know how many teachers told your parents you were an art prodigy. Your mother begged William to enroll you in private lessons, but he stubbornly refused. Said you were going to spend your life at the bank and that was that.”

  Groaning, wishing like hell Alice would leave him alone, Dalton said, “What does any of this have to do with the here and now? In three days, my future’s set in stone. Just the way I like it.”

  “Did you break up with that beauty?”

  “Heck, yes.” He bolted upright. “Isn’t that what all you overbearing snoops wanted me to do?”

  “Oh, Dalton…” She shook her head.

  “What?” Fiddling with a dandelion, he wished he’d stayed at the office.

  “Does this have anything to do with Carly?”

  “No.”

  “You think because Carly was an artist and Rose is a dancer, that they’re two peas in a pod?” When he didn’t answer, she nudged his shoulder.

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “At the moment, you.”

  Sighing, she pushed to her feet. “You might be all grown-up on the outside, but on the inside, you’ve still got an awful lot of maturing to do.”

  IF THERE WAS ONE THING Dalton hated worse than banking, it was being lectured, then realizing it was time for him to admit his mistakes. It was that very realization that had led him to his current location. The head of Duffy’s Barbecue’s back-room conference table.

  Dalton clinked his water glass with his butter knife and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you all for agreeing to meet on such short notice. I’ve had an issue crop up that I believe is going to take all of us to fix.”

  Frank raised his hand.

  “Yes?”

  “Can we order first? I’m starving.”

  By a unanimous vote—aside from Dalton’s—the Hot Pepper chamber of commerce’s executive board elected to eat first, deal with his trauma later.

  “That’s better,” Frank said thirty minutes later, pushing his plate away.
“Now, what seems to be the problem?”

  Dalton said, “How many of you have seen me around town with a certain dance instructor?”

  All eleven shot up their hands.

  “How many thought we seemed like a good match?”

  All present concurred.

  “You do seem awfully taken with her,” Mona said. “I never expected you to learn to tango quite that well, but then, looks like you might’ve had a few private lessons.”

  Frank and a couple of the other guys backslapped each other while howling with laughter.

  “Okay, simmer down.” Dalton slammed Alice’s gavel. “Making a long story short, I screwed up royally. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice to say that I was wrong. I love Rose and her daughter very much.”

  “Aw…” Mona said, hands clasped in front of her on the table. “I always did think you two looked cute together. And clearly, her little girl adores you. You’re a perfect match. I vote we should take it upon ourselves to get them back together.”

  “Why else do you think I agreed to take this meeting?” Alice asked, her voice all huffy, with her hands on her hips. “I swear, Mona, do you just wake up in the morning, planning to steal my thunder?”

  Lips pursed, Mona shot Alice her fiercest glare.

  “All right, then,” Dalton said, again slamming the gavel to counteract the chatter. “By another show of hands, who wants to enact an emergency matchmaker plan in order to save me, Rose and Anna?”

  Everyone present raised his or her hand, save for one.

  Alice.

  “You have a problem?” he inquired.

  She blurted out, “One thing has crossed my mind.”

  “Shoot.”

  Taking a moment before answering, in typical Alice fashion, she drew out the drama. “What about what you and I discussed in the park? What all of a sudden changed your mind? Was it, by chance, anything I said?”

  Holding back a growl, Dalton admitted, “Yes, Alice. You told me to grow up, and by the time we’ve enacted our plan, I’m hoping that’s exactly what I’ll have done.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Wow, Dad,” Dalton said over the jazz band at Saturday night’s party. “You look amazing for a guy who just had heart surgery.” As opposed to Dalton, who felt like the walking dead after having suffered a sleepless night wondering if his plan would work or blow up in his face.

  “I feel amazing. According to the doc, half my blood wasn’t making it around. Is it any wonder I nearly croaked?”

  “Stop,” Dalton’s mom said. “You were no more near croaking than the bronze bullfrog in our garden pond.”

  Though his mom’s words were light, Dalton didn’t miss the worry in her eyes, or the way her hands never left his father’s arm. He and Rose could have been like that after decades of marriage. He missed her with a biting clarity. And he realized what an idiot he’d been to give her up. His plan had to work.

  “Carol!” his mom called to one of her friends. “Wait right there. I need to ask you a decorating question.” To her son, she said, “Watch the rich food tonight. Joan said your heartburn’s been acting up.” Towing his dad along with her, his mother worked the room, leaving Dalton on his own with his worries.

  A waiter passed.

  Dalton snatched a glass bubbling with champagne from the man’s silver tray. Fighting the urge to down it in one swallow, he took a few sips before hitting the hors d’oeuvre table.

  His mom had gone all-out on the party, which made him feel worse for being so uptight.

  Tall, tapered candles in crystal holders were everywhere and hundreds of white roses had the air smelling heavy and sweet. Couples danced to the jazz band, and he wished Rose were here so he could take her in his arms and show what a good student he was. As badly as he’d behaved, she’d no doubt never speak to him again. And really, could he blame her? He’d been a fool for allowing a mistake from his past to quite possibly destroy a brilliant future.

  Alice danced alongside him, champagne in one hand, a mini spinach quiche in the other. “How’re you doin’ there, stud? You’re pale.”

  “Could you please leave me alone? Dad’s about to make his announcement, and I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

  “Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed. What’s got you so cranky?”

  “Nothing, all right? I’m just not in the mood for partying—at least not until I see if Rose and Anna show up.”

  Alice blessedly sashayed off to pester someone else while Dalton got another drink. He’d taken a few sips when the band stopped, and his dad ambled onto the stage, taking the mic.

  “Test, test,” he said, tapping the sensitive tip and causing a squelch of feedback that had everyone wincing. “Oops.” He grinned. “Guess I don’t know my own strength.”

  The audience politely tittered.

  “As most of you know, tonight is special. It marks the closing of some chapters, and the opening of others.” He cleared his throat. Dabbed the corners of his eyes with a white handkerchief.

  Seeing his father choked up like this made Dalton feel a thousand times worse. He hated the fact that a big portion of his plan would quite possibly cause his father pain. But, with Alice’s speech still ringing in his head, he realized this bold step was something he should’ve done years earlier.

  “I could bore you all to tears with a lifetime of reminiscing, but what I’d rather do is get straight to the point. After fifty years spent in one capacity or another at the First National Bank of Hot Pepper, I’m officially stepping down.”

  While the audience roared with applause, Dalton’s pulse thundered.

  His portion of the night fast approached.

  The mere thought made him feel ill.

  He wanted so badly to be with Rose right now, and Anna. Whether they were watching TV or washing dishes or messing with Play-Doh, he just wanted to be with them, to experience that sense of being a family again.

  Were they here? Please, God, let them be here.

  “Thank you, thank you,” his father said. “Now, everyone simmer down, as the best part of the evening’s still to come. The part where I name my successor. This person is not only personable, but sharp as a tack. Partially under their guidance, the bank has reached proportions my father and grandfather never would’ve believed possible. Under this person’s continued leadership, I have nothing but the highest expectations for our institution to keep growing, and keep making our customers proud that they bank with us. So now, without further ado, may I proudly present your new president—”

  Dalton stood. Pasted on a smile. Marched up to the stage and took the mic. “—Alice Craigmoore.”

  Gasps.

  Whispers.

  And then applause, applause, applause.

  Dalton glanced behind him to his shocked parents, murmuring for their ears only, “Sorry, Dad. But I can’t keep living a lie. Of course, if anyone at the bank ever needs me, I don’t mind pitching in every once in a while, but I just can’t do it day after day. I want to pursue my sculpting.” See if I can make a living with my hands instead of this mush in my head that used to be my brains. “Alice, on the other hand, isn’t only highly qualified for the job, but very much wants it. In my professional opinion, she’ll be the perfect fit.”

  “Son,” his father said with a surprisingly cordial pat to his back, “I’m proud of you. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, but it took a lot of balls to come up here and turn down this job.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” Dalton swallowed what felt like a rock in his throat. “Coming from you, that means a lot.” More like everything.

  His father and mother embraced Alice in teary hugs. Alice also seemed choked up, but overall smiling and looking at least a foot taller.

  “Thank you for that lovely applause,” Alice said into the mic. “I feel reasonably sure I know each and every one of you, and I can honestly say that outside of my wedding day and the births of my three children, I’ve never had a prouder moment.
I’ve been with the bank for more years than I can count. My coworkers, and our founding family, the Montgomerys, mean the world to me. I will do my utmost to perform with the loyalty and integrity that they’ve shown in choosing me for the job.”

  More applause filled the room, this time louder, and definitely heartfelt.

  Though Dalton still reeled from the most pleasant shock of having his dad so easily digest his news, he found himself genuinely happy for Alice. No one deserved it more.

  Kind of like the way he deserved for Rose and Anna to have refused his invitation. He’d planned to wow Rose with his announcement, then woo her into the night with dancing and champagne and dozens of sincere apologies he’d prayed might convince her to take him back.

  How did he know he loved her? The same way he knew to breathe. She and Carly were nothing alike. He’d been insulting Rose to have even for a moment suggested they were.

  Alice was back at the mic. “William mentioned that tonight’s a night for looking forward, not back. And in that spirit, my first official announcement is that effective immediately, for those of you not privy to our previous onstage whisperings, our current VP, Dalton Montgomery, will be taking an indefinite leave of absence. Should he care to return, his office will always be available, but I have something here I think he’d much rather do.” She waved what looked like three thick travel agency portfolios.

  Huh?

  What was Alice doing? This wasn’t part of the plan.

  “In these packets are tickets for an art tour of Europe. For those of you who don’t already know, Dalton isn’t only good at facts and figures, but also sculpting. According to a couple of girls I recently had the pleasure of getting to know better, he’s also become quite a good significant other and father. So…in that spirit, here are Rose and Anna Vasquez, who have a question to ask our Dalton.”

  Knees rubbery, Dalton felt ready to collapse, but keeping his eyes on his two beautiful girls, he managed to stay strong despite the lump forming at the back of his throat. No wonder his dad had taken the news so well. He’d been given advance notice.