Dating Daniel (Cloverleaf #4)

by Gloria Herrmann

  Pat exhaled loudly and set his fork a little too loudly down on the plate. “Just be more aware of your surroundings. You need to start paying attention. Your mind is always elsewhere. Treat the business like a real job. Respect the job, and you won’t find yourself in a puddle of cement.”

  “Pat, enough,” Mary grumbled quietly, her hand wrapped tightly around a cloth napkin.

  “Aye, your father is right, lad. The site is mighty dangerous, but you’re smart and you do a good job.” Grandpa Paddy gave Daniel a sympathetic look before shooting a warning stare to Pat.

  Daniel simply nodded and found he had lost his appetite. He pushed his plate forward and rose from his seat. “I’m actually expected elsewhere.”

  “Where are you going, dear?” Mary asked. She glared at her husband.

  “Don’t act like that. Sit back down and eat your dinner. Can’t someone say anything to you without you throwing a fit?”

  “I already had plans. But I also don’t appreciate being spoken to like I’m some kind of screw up either, Dad,” Daniel answered defensively.

  As the two men squared off, everyone grew quiet and kept their gazes on their plates. Daniel stood and looked down at his father, who kept his eyes on his plate, a tiny muscle in his jaw ticking away in irritation. “You know what? Just go,” Pat spat angrily.

  Daniel loved his father, but their relationship often broke down in a series of arguments and belittling comments. It was a source of frustration for both of them at times. Daniel was not a fighter. He used his jovial nature to get him through tough situations and cherished the close relationship he had with his mother, who he took after. Daniel had always felt as though their father favored Patrick and Liam. And Maggie, being the only girl and the apple of Pat’s eye, had a special place in his heart. Where did that leave Daniel, the middle child? He often tried to find refuge behind a joke, trying to pass it off as not a big deal when it really did cut him deeply.

  Daniel eyed everyone. When he spoke, his voice shattered the uncomfortable tension which hung thick in the room. “I’m sorry, everyone.” He looked back at his father, who avoided his gaze. Daniel squeezed his father’s shoulder as he exited the room. He loved his father, but he wasn’t certain just how many more of these arguments he could take. As Daniel got into his truck, he felt more eager to see Nina. After the rough day he’d had, it was time to see if he could turn this night into a win.

  Chapter Two

  Summer evenings were incredible in Birch Valley. Granted, it wasn’t as though Daniel knew anything different. He’d spent his entire life in this rural, close-knit town. He only knew that when the hot day was done sizzling, the evenings were the reward. The sky would stay bright until well after ten at night, and the temperature would lower to a comfortable coolness which made sitting outside a pleasure.

  Daniel drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, and he turned up the volume on the radio, making the music louder. He needed to banish these feelings. He still reeled from the argument with his father, but he was on his way out to the Belsky farm to pick up Nina. What he was going to do with her after he got her, God only knew. Daniel couldn’t explain how lost he felt when he was in her company.

  He rolled the window down and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the summer air—a mixture of freshly cut grass and sun-baked pine trees, with a smoky tinge from BBQ cookouts. These were the scents of Birch Valley in late August, the tail end of one of Daniel’s favorite seasons. It was the cusp before vibrant yellows and burnt orange colors masked the trees, before the leaves browned and littered the ground. Everyone savored these last days before the autumn chill started to nip at their faces. Summer was so short, and all of the residents of Birch Valley made the most of the warm weather.

  Daniel was deep in thought, but he paid attention his surroundings as he passed several streets lined with similar-looking homes, homes that belonged to friends, kids he grew up and played with. The abodes were a wide variety of colors. All of them had neatly trimmed hedges and lawns which were brilliant shades of green and shaded by large trees. These homes belonged to people who practically raised him. This town, so close-knit and interconnected, felt like one large family.

  When Daniel pulled onto the road that led toward the Belsky home, he remembered that was part of Nina’s appeal. Her whole family lived on the outskirts of town, distancing themselves from the heart of the Birch Valley. They weren’t interested in the town gossip, though they were sometimes the center of many ridiculous tales and rumors. They were the famed Russians, after all. Daniel grew up knowing very little about those people, other than their thick accents and their strange but simple clothing. He did know one thing: his mother had always reminded him stories were just that, only stories, and they weren’t always fact. He was to show them the same kindness as anyone in town.

  His truck cruised smoothly down the quiet highway leading out to Nina’s family’s farm. The sky was beginning to turn a shade of violet, with a thick colorful streak of tangerine closer to the horizon. There was not a cloud to be seen for miles. Singing along to a one of his favorite songs he hadn’t heard on the radio for a long time, Daniel was starting to feel the anger from the earlier fight with his father dissipate. He was more at ease. It didn’t take much to pull him out of a rotten mood. Some good music and riding around in his truck outside of town pretty much healed any sour feelings.

  Daniel found himself pulling slowly into a gravel driveway sooner than he expected. He had been so enthralled with the tunes, he had sort of been on autopilot. He parked the truck near the tall two-story home, which was painted a faded apricot with white trim on the eaves.

  As Daniel exited his truck, a small flock of speckled chickens scattered wildly. A goat was in the yard, grazing on the lawn and staring at him with little interest. He shook his head and laughed. He wasn’t a city boy by any means, but he certainly hadn’t been raised on a farm either. The O’Brien family had owned a dog once, and Daniel had a couple of goldfish growing up, but he couldn’t imagine his mother putting up with much more. He stared at the rolling hills which sheltered the vast fields the Belsky family worked and farmed. It wasn’t Daniel’s first time out to the farm. He and Patrick had completed several jobs for Mr. Belsky, but Daniel had been so focused on the work he hadn’t taken too much notice of how gorgeous their property was. Maybe someday he’d own a piece of land outside of town. His brother, Liam, had purchased a cabin, which came with some land and a lake. It was in the opposite direction of the farm and was a little more elevated and far more mountainous, whereas this land was flat, perfect for farming—at least that’s what he thought. What did he know?

  Daniel walked up to a porch in desperate need of paint. It was peeled, chipping, weathered, and had certainly seen better days. He knocked on the white front door, and as he waited he began to feel a little nervous. Where was he going to take Nina?

  He was about to knock again when he saw Nina’s older sister, Hannah, open the door slowly.

  “Hi.” Her voice was quiet. She looked away, but a small smile remained on her lips.

  “Hey, Hannah. How are you doing?” Daniel asked as Hannah motioned for him to come inside.

  “I’m good. How are you?” she responded as she started to lead him inside.

  The first thing Daniel noticed was the strong citrus smell; it permeated the air, a crisp, clean scent. The dark wood floors gleamed, even in the dim lighting. Daniel looked around as Hannah ushered him toward the dining room. A massive table swallowed up the room, and an enormous hutch stood against one wall, its shelves covered in delicate-looking dishes.

  Hannah smiled at him again. “Have a seat. Nina’s not quite ready. Can I get you something to drink? I just made some lemonade.”

  Daniel did feel a little parched, and he was not about to refuse homemade lemonade. “That would be great, Hannah, only if you don’t mind.”

  Her cheeks turned a simple shade of pink. She nodded and left him there. The house was eerily quiet, so co
mpletely different than the O’Brien home. Daniel’s family home was either filled with the sounds of his rambunctious niece and nephews, or the noise of Grandpa Paddy yelling at the TV as he watched a soccer game from his home country of Ireland. Silence was not something he was used to, which suited him fine. He enjoyed noise, especially when the family gathered around the table. There was always an array of conversations, with everyone chiming in on each others’ talks, adding bits here and there and then going back to their own. If nothing else being an O’Brien was entertaining. Daniel never really remembered a time when he felt bored with his family. In fact, standing there in that dining room, with everything silent, started to make Daniel a tad more nervous and a little uncomfortable.

  He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and stretched, trying to dismiss his unease as Hannah appeared. She carried a tray with two glasses and a small plate piled with cookies. As she sat the tray down on the table, she smiled again. Daniel could sense her shyness. He suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to crack a joke, something to break the ice.

  “I know you guys are going out, but I thought, since it might be awhile, maybe you were hungry?” she asked as she shrugged.

  “Nah, me? I’m on a strict diet. I can’t be having cookies.”

  Daniel watched as the color drained from her face. He knew she didn’t get his joke. “Oh no, I’m kidding. Obviously I like cookies a lot.” He patted his stomach.

  She let out a slight laugh and rolled her eyes. “You had me there for a minute.” She removed the glasses from the tray and took a seat. “You might as well sit. It’s going to be a while.”

  “Gosh, really?” Daniel scowled as he glanced down at his watch. It had been almost two hours since he’d spoken with Nina.

  Hannah nodded. “That’s Nina for ya.”

  Daniel slowly took a seat as Hannah offered the plate of cookies to him. “I know they aren’t probably nearly as good as your mother’s, but these are pretty darn tasty.” She grabbed one for herself and took a bite.

  Hannah’s earlier awkwardness was now gone. He felt better about that and started to relax as he bit into a cookie. Shortbread—the light buttery flavor filled his mouth. He didn’t dare say it, but this cookie might just be better than his mom’s shortbread. “These are awesome,” Daniel said as he put the rest of the cookie in his mouth and reached for another.

  “I told you.” She winked at him.

  “So what’s keeping Nina?” His patience was wearing a little thin.

  Hannah laughed again and her whole body shook with the sound. Daniel loved it. “Oh, Daniel, you poor thing. This is Nina we’re talking about. She takes forever to get ready.”

  The words “high maintenance” rang out in Daniel’s mind. Not that he should be surprised, because she always looked flawless. His gaze drifted up toward Hannah. She was the complete opposite of her sister. She reminded him a lot of himself. He had two brothers, who were well known for being the town hunks, and he often felt as though he was overlooked. He imagined Hannah must feel that way too. She was pretty, but not a knockout like her sister. Nina had long, pale blonde hair, and Hannah’s was golden. Nina’s makeup was always impeccable, and Daniel wasn’t sure that Hannah even had any on, but he didn’t think she needed it. He would have to say she won when it came to her eyes; they were gorgeous. They were a funny blue with flecks of amber he hadn’t really noticed before. Hannah’s eyes were stunning.

  Daniel took a leisurely sip of the lemonade, which was some of the most refreshing he’d ever had. The sourness matched the sweetness and wasn’t overpowering. It was, well, perfect.

  “Think we’ll have a long summer?” Hannah asked, lifting her glass to her lips for a drink.

  “I’m not sure. I love this time of the year though. I’m not really ready for winter to come back yet.”

  Hannah’s eyes twinkled, a faraway expression softening her face. “Yeah, I love this time of the year best. But fall is beyond the most beautiful time of the year. God, the colors.” She let out a heavy sigh of appreciation.

  She was right; Daniel had to agree. Fall was gorgeous in Birch Valley.

  The distant sound of someone clearing their throat caught them both off guard. Nina stood at the entrance of the dining room, hands on her hips in a sassy pose, almost as if she were waiting for the compliments to start.

  “Hi, Daniel.” Nina cooed.

  He rose from his chair, his gaze briefly meeting Hannah’s. He almost missed the flicker of disappointment which passed through her eyes.

  “Hey, Nina.” He moved toward her. “Hannah, thanks again for the lemonade and cookies.”

  Without looking up she politely but quietly answered, “You’re very welcome.”

  ***

  “So, where to?” Daniel asked after he got Nina inside the truck and was slowly pulling away from her house.

  Nina grinned. “Wanna go to Spokane?”

  Daniel crinkled his nose. “Now?” He caught a glimpse of the time on his radio. It was already almost nine, though it looked more like early evening with the bright sky.

  “Why not? There’s nothing else to do in this crummy town.” Her voice was laced with apparent irritation and mild disgust.

  He pulled the truck out onto the highway and started in the direction of town. He really had no desire to drive over an hour away, and for what? To deal with traffic and hoards of people? He’d much rather them just do something in Birch Valley. They could catch a late movie or eat somewhere, just anything besides going to Spokane.

  “Nina, why don’t we just grab something to eat and maybe go for a drive? Or…”

  She cut him off before he could finish his suggestion. “Daniel, that’s boring.”

  “Boring?” He was a little surprised by her quick dismissal. What was he doing with a girl like this? How could he possibly keep her entertained?

  “Yes, because that’s, like, normal everyday stuff to do here. Let’s go to some bars in Spokane, experience a little nightlife.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully and sent him a sexy, yet sinister smile. “Let’s go have fun.”

  “But it’s already sort of late,” Daniel countered as they rolled slowly through town. He spotted Herrick’s and wished they could just go and eat there.

  Nina rolled her eyes. “Don’t act like such an old man. Geez, it’s only, like, nine.” She turned her pretty face to him and pouted. “You haven’t really taken me anywhere, like, ever.”

  “Fine,” he relented. There was no way he could argue with her, and she quickly rewarded him with a kiss to his cheek, her tongue tracing down the side of his neck. He felt her hand on his thigh, and he tried to focus as he navigated them out of Birch Valley.

  The drive to Spokane seem to take far longer than he hoped. As they followed the single-lane highway, Daniel scanned the road for any deer that may decide to dart across. He started to grow anxious. Nina was cuddled next to him. She wasn’t much for talking tonight, which surprised Daniel as she was usually more chatty. Granted, it was usually about topics that interested her, not that he minded. He just didn’t care for uncomfortable silence. He applied a little more pressure to the gas pedal. He needed to get them to Spokane soon, and Daniel felt the urge to get out of this truck.

  Some miles had passed and the sky grew darker, the cab of the truck still quiet. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah,” she said, her hand squeezed his thigh, sending a zing further up his body, something that he had been fighting the entire ride. This girl had him in nervous knots, and he was finding it hard to concentrate. “You know, we should spend the night in Spokane. Get a room after we go bar hopping.” She nipped at his earlobe, tugging it gently with her teeth. He heard himself groan.

  “Yeah, I don’t think your father would appreciate that.” Daniel focused on the road, willing all his blood flow to stay in his brain. He had to remain in control and not allow the flood of thoughts to cloud his reasoning.

  “Ah, don’t be like that. It would be fun.�
� Another squeeze of his thigh, and this time she dug her nails into his jeans. He could almost swear they were piercing through the denim material. This girl was sending him over the edge. Daniel grew more eager to get to Spokane and have a drink, just so he could get a little breathing room.

  “I’m still not so sure it’s a good idea. Let’s just get into Spokane and kind of see where the night takes us, okay?” He sighed with relief as they were welcomed by the bright lights of the largest city on their side of the state.

  “Thank God.” He heard her mutter quietly as she turned her attention to the array of buildings and cars on either side of them.

  “Want to grab a bite to eat?” Daniel suggested as they passed an endless variety of fast food options. His stomach started to growl.

  “Is that all you think about?” Nina curled her top lip slightly. “Head downtown, we’re about to have a good time.” She moved back over to the passenger seat away from him. He instantly missed her warmth.

  Daniel swallowed. He wasn’t so sure her idea and his idea of a good time matched up so well. He snuck a glance at her. Even in the darkness her beauty was obvious. She had started to touch up her makeup and fuss with her hair, paying no attention to him.

  “Nina, you’re beautiful. You don’t need to do anymore.” Daniel was hoping to reassure her.

  She rolled her eyes at him again, obviously annoyed. “I know, but I need to look good. We’re not in Birch Valley anymore. You never know who you might meet.” She winked and smiled slyly.

  They continued down Division Street, the main stretch of road that led them through the enormous and busy city.

  “Ooh, stop at that one.” Nina pointed right by his face. He could smell her heady fruity scent. It came from expensive lotion, and she had just slathered her tan arms in the stuff.

  He pulled into a spot in front of a street corner bar. Patrons crowded inside. What did he expect? It was a Friday. But the place was almost full to bursting with people, and Daniel instantly knew he was out of his element. When they walked into the bar, he didn’t know how to describe how he felt. Shell-shocked, that was it. Daniel loved noise but this was too much. He could feel people staring at them, well, staring at Nina. He felt judged by the looks, like why was a girl of her caliber there with him? Nina though, she reveled in the attention. She wore a black tank top, with silky thin straps hanging precariously on her tan shoulders. Her gold necklace and earrings sparkled and reflected the lights from inside the bar. Her tight, dark-wash jeans clung to what curves she did have. Nina wanted to be noticed and as she swayed her hips to the blasting music, the two of them sauntered over to the bar. Daniel could feel the lustful glances gobbling her up. Mission accomplished, Nina. He moved his hand to the small of her back to show some kind of command, but she was the one leading them to the front of the bar. A young guy was tending bar. He sported a hip beard and hair that was far too pretty for a guy, in Daniel’s opinion. It was purposely kept long and was parted in a fashion that seemed like it would get in his face. He had thick earrings embedded in his lobes, and tattoos covered his exposed arms. Daniel knew there were probably dozens more under the white dress shirt he sported. The bartender wore black skinny jeans, something Daniel still didn’t quite get. Why did these guys want to make their legs look like sticks? He knew he was judging this guy solely based on his appearance, and Daniel was a little ticked at himself. That wasn’t the kind of person he was and that’s why it was best for him not to be a place like this.