Discovering Dani

by N. J. Walters

  Burke was getting further away from her as he continued to stroll. Dani hurried down the path until she was walking alongside him again. “I’m sorry.” It seemed like so little, but she really didn’t know what else to say.

  When he finally looked at her, his eyes were blazing with anger. “I don’t want your damn pity!”

  “That’s not pity. It’s compassion.” She stopped him by simply placing her hand on his arm. “Your mother missed so much by not being involved in your life. In spite of all the obstacles, you’ve grown into a man any parent would be proud of.”

  “I’ll never know that for sure, will I? If you spoke to anyone who worked with me they’d tell you I was a good businessman, ruthless and cold as hell. Not much else.”

  “Don’t say that. I don’t know what you were like before. I only know what you’re like now. You’re a bit arrogant at times, and you have very definite opinions, but I like you anyway.” She gave Burke a teasing smile, hoping to lighten his mood.

  “But you like me anyway, huh? It must be my good looks, if not my winning personality.” A ghost of a smile flitted across his face as he lifted his hand and allowed his fingers to brush her cheek in a loving caress.

  “You know I think you’re very handsome,” she answered tartly, moved by his gesture and desperate to keep from crying in front of him. “I just don’t want it to go to your head. Besides,” she added on a softer note, “there’s no one else I’d rather be with than you. You’ve made my life so much richer just by being part of it.”

  He pulled her into his arms and held her tight, as if he couldn’t bring himself to let her go. They stood like that for a long time, neither one of them wanting to let go. Both of them needing the contact with the other.

  Burke pulled back first. His hands slowly moved up to frame her face, and he carefully bent forward and kissed first her forehead, then her cheeks, and finally her mouth. Soft kisses that spoke more than words. “Oh, Dani, what would my life be like without you? I don’t want to go back to the way it was before.”

  “You don’t have to. You’re changing and growing, and that’s not always easy. But sometimes it’s necessary.”

  Burke stood and watched her for a moment as if digesting what she had said. Sighing deeply, he kissed the top of her head. As they resumed their walk, he tucked his hands back in his pockets, but this time one of hers was nestled in his coat pocket next to one of his.

  “Tell me about your first job?”

  It was the first specific question she had asked him and Burke laughed as he answered. “Nothing original I’m afraid. I got a job on a construction site doing grunt work.”

  “You obviously didn’t do that forever. What did you do, start your own construction company, eventually?” Dani found she was curious to know what kind of business Burke had owned. Up until now, he had been very vague about the whole thing, and she hadn’t wanted to push. They walked in silence as she waited patiently for his answer.

  …

  Amazement filled him as he watched the woman walking by his side. For the first time in his life, he’d been able to talk about his past. It was if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. She knew the worst, and she was still by his side. But old habits died hard, and Burke proceeded with caution. “You’re partly right. I was a partner in a construction company that also had some real estate concerns.”

  What he didn’t tell her was that the construction company was just one of many that his investment firm had a controlling interest in. Or that some of his real estate concerns had involved multimillion-dollar apartment complexes and shopping malls. In fact, Burke still owned some of those buildings. They were good investments.

  He still didn’t think Dani had any idea how much money he had. It was crazy, but he was afraid that if she knew he was rich, it would change the way she looked at him, and he was afraid to test their newfound happiness. It was such a reversal of the usual reasons he had for keeping his financial situation a secret that he smiled.

  Dani squeezed his hand and smiled. “Real estate. I knew you were more than just a pretty face. So we have something else in common. We’re both small business owners. I know my business is smaller than yours was, but the same principles apply.”

  “Yes, the same principles apply.” A shiver racked her body, and he knew it was time to end their walk. “We better head back to the truck. You’re getting cold.”

  As they turned and started walking back toward the warmth of the truck, he pulled Dani closer to his side to share his warmth, taking care to tuck her scarf more tightly around her neck. Their pace was brisk on their return trip.

  “That’s the past. What do you want to do with the future?”

  “With the investments I’ve still got, I won’t starve.” Burke spoke slowly, trying to put into words some of the thoughts that he’d had. “I like what I do and business is what I know. I thought maybe I’d look around Jamesville and see if there are any investment possibilities.” He shrugged, not quite sure what he was going to do yet. All he knew for certain was that he wanted to stay in Jamesville, close to her. “What do you think?”

  Burke valued Dani’s opinions. She had a good head on her shoulders and gave concise, well-thought-out advice when asked. It was one of the things he admired about her. His main concern now was how she felt about him staying in Jamesville and putting down roots there.

  “That’s an excellent idea. The town would certainly welcome any new investment, especially from someone with your business experience.” She finished in a rush, obviously pleased with the idea.

  He was taken aback by her quick and immediate support of his idea. She seemed to have no doubt that he could do this if he wanted to. Her faith in him pleased him immensely, because he knew she was sincere. She wanted him to succeed for himself, because it was what he wanted and not because she had anything to gain by it. Once again, he was the recipient of Dani’s generosity, and it felt good. It also made him realize how selfish he was being, thinking only of himself.

  “Dani, I know you’ve got your business, but that was something that came about by necessity. Was there anything you wanted to do when you were growing up?” He waited patiently while she gathered her thoughts.

  “Well,” Dani hesitated, but he nodded, silently encouraging her to continue. “Actually, I always thought I might write a book.”

  “Dani, that’s wonderful. You’re writing a book. How come you’ve never mentioned it before now?” His enthusiasm proved to be contagious, and she began to laugh. He was so proud of her, he had to stop and hug her. Picking her up in his arms, he swung her around in circles. Her laughter echoed through the night. Burke thought he’d never heard such a beautiful sound in his entire life.

  When he finally put her down, it took a few minutes for her to catch her breath. “Actually, I’m not only writing a book, I already have five completed manuscripts. They’re for children and all about the same adventurous young girl.” She spoke quickly, as if all the words had been pent up inside her for so long that they came tumbling out at once. “I’ve never sent any of them to publishers, but I’ve already decided that this is the year I do it.”

  “Why haven’t you done it already?” He was honestly amazed that someone would put so much effort into writing, not one, but five books, and not try to get them published.

  “Not enough nerve, I guess.” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Sending out manuscripts takes time and money, and for a few years, every extra penny counted. I always convinced myself the boys needed new clothes or the house need fixing, but really I think I was afraid of the rejection.”

  “I can understand that.” He nodded at her, hoping to encourage her to keep talking.

  “I researched publishers and agents at the library and put together packages to send out to a bunch of them.” She laughed. “Now, I have all these envelopes, and I’ve been waiting for the courage to mail them.”

  “This really means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” Burk
e was continually discovering that there was more to this complex woman than he’d even imagined. He’d had no idea that she’d had such plans or that she was close to putting them into action. But that was Dani. She just forged ahead, doing whatever she had to do, never complaining or, for that matter, bragging about it.

  “Yes, it does. I know that publishing is a long shot.” She gave him a self-effacing smile. “I won’t quit the day job, but it’s something I have to try.”

  “Do Patrick and Shamus know about your writing?” Burke asked Dani.

  “Yes, they know. They took turns helping me learn how to use a computer so that it would be easier for me to write and edit my stories. Patrick saved money from his part-time job to help me buy us a computer for home, and Shamus was a big help with my research on publishers. He’s a whiz on-line.” Once again, her pride in her younger brothers shone through.

  They reached the truck, and Burke opened the door, holding her hand and helping her climb up into her seat. He dropped a quick kiss on her palm before closing the door, going around to the driver’s side, and climbing in beside her. He started the truck and turned on the heater. Dani began to shiver even harder, so he pulled her into his arms, offering her his body heat.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kept you out in the cold for so long. I’d kiss you, but I’m afraid our lips would freeze together.” He teased her as he ran his hands over her back and down her arms in an attempt to warm her.

  “There’s no where else I’d rather be. But I disagree with one thing you said.”

  Before he could ask what that was, Dani reached up and kissed him. Her soft lips brushed his, and he groaned in response. It was the first time she had kissed him since they had gotten back together. Sure, he had kissed her, as often as he could, but somehow it was important that she had initiated this herself. It made him feel as if he had somehow earned back some of her trust in him.

  “If we don’t stop, I might set the truck on fire,” Burke’s breathing was heavy and labored when he reluctantly pulled away.

  “I know what you mean.” Her soft smile warmed him. “Suddenly, I’m not cold anymore.”

  “I’m glad,” Burke spoke simply. Pulling her into his side, he cuddled her close to him as he put the truck in drive and headed back to her house.

  Chapter Twelve

  Today couldn’t get any worse. Since sleeping through her alarm and getting up a half-hour late, the day had steadily gone from bad to worse.

  Dani had jumped into the shower first thing this morning, only to discover that all the hot water had been used up. Shivering, she had allowed the cold water to pound down on her head. On the bright side, at least it woke her up. Toweling off quickly, she hurried back to her room to dress.

  Then her favorite sweater had started to unravel from the bottom. To top things off, when she finally dressed and raced downstairs to grab a cup of coffee before dashing off to her first cleaning job for the day, she knocked over her mug. Unable to pull back in time, she burned her hand, which was now blotchy red and stung. After running her hand under cold water to ease the pain, she had wasted even more time cleaning up the mess that had spilled all over the counter and the floor.

  Pulling on her coat and boots, she raced to the truck, hoping to make up some time. She shoved the key into the ignition and turned. Nothing. She tried again. Nothing. Not a peep. Not a groan. Not a sputter. Nothing.

  Sitting there in the cold truck with her head resting against the steering wheel, she wondered why she had even bothered to get out of bed where she’d been warm and toasty. Instead, she was cold, completely out of sorts, her hand ached, her head hurt, and she knew in her heart that her engine was dead.

  “Why me?” Dani muttered the question aloud, not expecting an answer. It was a good thing, too, because she knew she wasn’t going to get one. She had to write it off as cosmic bad luck. She just wished she had read her horoscope the night before. Maybe it would have warned her to stay in bed.

  Slowly, she lifted her head. Ignoring the urge to beat it against the steering wheel a few times, she removed the key from the ignition. She opened the door and slammed it shut, just to make herself feel better. Still muttering to herself about the fates, she stomped to the back door of the house and let herself in.

  Dani took off her coat, being careful not to bump her hand, which was now throbbing. She kicked off her boots, padded to the kitchen cupboards and took down a bottle of pain relievers. Shaking two out of the bottle, she chased them down with a glass of water. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she pulled out a chair and sat at the kitchen table.

  She made a mental list as she stared at the telephone. First, she had to cancel, and hopefully reschedule, all her work for today. Then she had to call Mike Sampson’s garage and see if Mike could come out and look at the truck. She could only hope the problem was a cheap one. But with the way her luck was running today, she wasn’t going to make any bets on it.

  Dani started to reach for the phone but suddenly stopped. Decisively, she got up from the table, filled the kettle, and put it on the stove to boil. First things first, she needed chocolate. Rich, thick, steaming hot chocolate, loaded with marshmallows, to warm her up and give her the strength to face the rest of the day.

  …

  “It’s not good.” Mike Sampson fiddled with some wires before finally looking up from under the hood of the truck. She sensed his reluctance to face her and knew that she wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

  “How bad?” Dani had known Mike all her life. His father had owned the garage in town for what seemed like forever, and he had taken it over last year when his father had semi-retired. Her father had done business with Mike’s father for years. She trusted him to be honest and fair with her, and she knew by the look on his face that the news wasn’t good.

  “The engine is gone. From the look of things, it’s a wonder that the thing didn’t die sooner.” Mike drew in a deep breath. “It’s a write-off, Dani. The truck is fourteen years old. It’ll cost you more to fix it than it is worth. I could put in a used engine, but you still need some brake work done, and the exhaust is nearly shot. You can get another opinion if you want, but the truck needs that much work and probably more. I wouldn’t know for sure how much more until I took it into the shop.”

  She stared at him in shock. This was even worse than she had expected. Although she knew the truck had been operating on a wish and a prayer for the last year, she just never expected it to give out on her.

  Mike slammed the hood of the truck, hauled a rag out of his back pocket, and wiped some of the grease and grime off his hands. “Listen, Dani. I can give you five hundred dollars for her for scrap. I also know that Jake Tanner is thinking about selling his old truck. It’s only six years old, and it’s in decent shape. I could call him and find out how much he wants for it.”

  Dani shook herself out of her daze. “I’d appreciate that, Mike. I don’t know for sure what I’m gonna do yet, but I’d appreciate it if you’d speak to him for me.” She didn’t know Jake Tanner, except to see him.

  “I’ve got to talk things over with the boys, but I’ll get back to you on your offer.” A decision this big couldn’t be made quickly. She needed time to think. “Thanks for coming out so quickly this morning, even if it was a waste of your time. How much do I owe you for the trip?”

  “Forget it. I didn’t fix anything, so you don’t owe me anything.” Mike crossed his arms defiantly over his chest. “I’m not gonna add to your problem. Besides, my dad would have a fit if he heard.” He offered her a boyish grin. “So you’re really saving me from a calling down by the old man.”

  Dani laughed and shook her head. They both knew that her financial situation was tight at best. She knew he was trying to make this easy on her, which she really appreciated, but he had to make a living too. “I called you out here and I’ll pay for your time.” Her firm tone left no room for argument.

  Mike thought for a minute, rubbing his hand throug
h his hair in exasperation. He stopped suddenly. “I’ll tell you what. Since all you had was my time, how’s about we trade for some of yours?”

  Dani looked at him questioningly.

  “Well, my in-laws are coming in two weeks, and Katie is busy with the new baby and all. Maybe you could come by and give her a half-hour of cleaning time. She’d really appreciate the help, and then she wouldn’t work herself into a tizzy trying to get everything just so for her parents.”

  Satisfied, she held out her hand to seal the deal. “You’ve got a deal. I’ll call Katie and tell her when to expect me for a morning’s work.” She shook his hand and spoke again before he could object. “You’re doing me a favor by calling Jake Tanner about the truck, so I’ll give Katie a morning of my time.”

  “All right then, you got yourself a deal. I’ll call you as soon as I talk to Jake.” Mike ambled back to his own truck, and giving her a final wave, he drove away.

  …

  Patrick knew something was wrong the minute he entered the kitchen. The smell of lemon polish filled the air. The house was always tidy, but this was different. This was super shiny, eat-off-the-floor clean. Besides, Dani should have been at work all day; she shouldn’t have had time for housework.

  “Dani, where are you?”

  “Right here,” Dani answered as she hurried down the hall toward him, dust cloth in hand. “How was work today?”

  “Work was fine.” He tugged open the refrigerator door and took out a bottle of juice. Tipping the bottle back, he took a mouthful. He pushed the door closed with his hip as he swallowed. “What happened today? Did one of your jobs get cancelled?”

  “Oh, Patrick,” Dani sighed. “I wish it was that simple. You better sit down.”