Her eyes lit up. "Yes."
"Well, Mommy and I talked about it, and you're going to stay with me while she gets better." In truth, Belle had been anything but cooperative. Her father, along with the family attorney, convinced her to cooperate. Though the other driver hadn't been killed, he'd been injured, and Belle faced, minimally, a driving under the influence charge along with a civil suit for damages. The family's money certainly wouldn't hurt her chances, but even they couldn't deny the time involved to sort through the mess. A mess they could no longer push under the rug.
Once the dust settled, filing for temporary sole custody of Annie would be a top priority. He had already planned to take steps toward changing the custody arrangement. This incident prompted him to elevate the timetable. I fought for my country. Sure as hell going to fight for my little girl.
"Daddy?"
His attention returned to his daughter. "Yes, baby?"
Her lower lip trembled as tears started to fall. "Will Mommy be mad I'm staying with you?"
"No. Mommy knows she needs to get better and learn how to take care of herself before she can take care of you again. Even your grandfather agrees." He knew Annie understood the final word in any situation rested with her grandfather, the head of the family. Wealth, power, and long-standing Southern tradition ensured this wouldn't change anytime soon.
Annie calmed considerably and settled back into the comfort of the teddy bear, sleep looming close by. "Maybe I can visit her for a little bit in the summer."
He stroked her golden hair. "Maybe, sweetheart…maybe."
Monday Evening
"I'm going to operate under the assumption something has gone horribly wrong with your phone and it no longer functions since you haven't returned any of my calls." He paused, measuring his words carefully. "I didn't want to leave a message before because I'd rather talk to you to explain. But since you haven't called or picked up, I figure this will have to do. Your message said you hoped nothing happened. It did. Not to me, but to my daughter, Annie. I want to explain, but I can't do that if you won't talk to me. C'mon, Mel. You have my number, and that still means something…at least it does to me."
Daniel tossed the phone onto the empty space next to him on the couch and rubbed his face. A quick check revealed Annie still resting comfortably. The doctors had agreed she could be released tomorrow morning after a final exam. Lots of bruises, but those would heal. The lawyers worked out the initial details. Annie would stay at his place in Mississippi for a while. They'd pick up her things in the morning and make the drive to his house. Many details would still need to be addressed, but this was an important first step.
He looked at his phone again, willing it to ring. If she didn't call soon, he and Annie were taking a mini vacation to Chicago before she enrolled in school. She was in second grade. A few days away wouldn't hurt. The trip would give Annie a break from all the drama and one last chance for him to make things right with Melodie. He'd had a lot of time to think during the flight home. Worry over his daughter's situation occupied most of his thoughts, but the random chaos in his head revealed one very important detail. There were no guarantees about what the future held. Things could change in an instant. He'd wasted enough time chasing after women who'd never be a part of his future. He'd be damned if he'd let the only person who'd found her way past every barrier go without a fight.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Tuesday
"Call him, already." Lydia's motherly voice echoed loudly in the empty children's section of the library. "You've been moping around, looking like you lost your last friend. He's called you, left a message, and wants to talk. What more do you want from the guy?"
"I did try to return his call last night, but it went directly to voicemail. I went to the arboretum on Sunday after my dad left and after work yesterday. It's so peaceful there, and I needed some quiet time to think. My cell doesn't get any reception so when I got home last night, I listened to his message. That's when I tried but couldn't reach him. I get that he was worried about Annie. I'm worried about her too, and I've never even met her. As for what I want? I don't even know anymore. The man creates so many conflicting emotions in me I can't think straight."
A comforting arm rested across her shoulders. "That's the kind of man you want around for the long haul. Life is never boring with them. He's also the kind of man who's a great father and puts his own wants and needs behind concern for his daughter. In his message he mentioned something happened to Annie, right? I know you aren't a mom yet. God knows your mom isn't the best role model for how parents should behave. Trust me when I say if something happens to your child, you forget everything else until you know they're safe. All I'm saying is when he does explain, try to put yourself in his shoes."
"Am I being selfish and stubborn?" Melodie's defensive tone slipped out, which indicated to her she mostly likely was being at least a little of both.
Lydia squeezed her tighter. "Not selfish. You're in love and you're hurting. Your reaction is understandable."
She wiped away the escaping tear and offered the older woman a half smile. "I noticed you didn't give me a pass on being stubborn."
"I call 'em like I see 'em, girlie. Now, let's finish this so you can go home and call this poor man to sort through the mess you've both created."
Melodie paced her apartment, trying to summon the courage to press the appropriate digits necessary to reestablish the connection with Daniel. She didn't know what it was about his arrogant, cocky, sexy, and sweet disposition that not only unnerved her but also made her feel gloriously alive. Exhaling a purposeful breath, she willed her fingers to remain steady as she punched in the numbers.
One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Her courage failed and the tip of her finger almost ended the fifteen seconds of heart-pounding waiting when a deep, husky voice came through the speaker.
"Hello."
She swallowed hard, willing herself to find the courage to speak. "Hey, Daniel. It's Melodie."
"Damn, woman. Are you trying to kill me?" No niceties. No apologies. Just the usual directness and arrogance. God, how I've missed that.
"Even if I had been, you would've killed me first. No note. No calls that evening. I was worried sick, Daniel." She'd wanted to think she was different, special. Part of her knew his reasoning for leaving in such a hurry was believable. The other allowed seeds of doubt and distrust from her youth to creep into her heart and make her believe she wasn't truly deserving of love. Fear of rejection not only served as the bookends of her life, it filled many chapters.
"Wait! What do you mean no note? I left you a note."
He had to be joking. "Where did you leave it? I looked and didn't find any."
"I jotted it on a piece of paper from your grocery list pad. It was the first thing I saw after getting the call. I put it on top of your mail pile, assuming you'd see it when you got home. Granted it wasn't a detailed note, but it was there. I swear it, Mel."
She hurried into the kitchen and started moving the stacks of mail around to look for the note. In the process, one of the unopened envelopes slipped off the counter and fell into the recycling bin just below. When she leaned over to pick it up, the corner of the patterned notepaper she used for her grocery list was sticking out from under another envelope. Tears sprang to her eyes. "I just found it. Must've fallen off the top of the stack and into the recycling bin."
She heard his exhale through the phone. "I know it wasn't much of a note, and I'm sorry I didn't get to call sooner, but once I landed I went straight to the hospital to check on Annie. When you didn't call after getting the note, I figured you were really pissed at me for leaving. Then you didn't answer your phone, and I had to explain over a voicemail. I swear to you, only my daughter needing me would make me break my promise to you."
"After my initial reaction, I spent a lot of time at the arboretum. I love being in nature. It calms me and helps me focus. Unfortunately, for people trying to call, cell service is sketchy at best. Cons
idering our brief history on this subject, I didn't know what to think. What a mess we made of this."
"It is a mess, but we can fix it. You have to believe me. The only other woman who means anything to me right now is eight years old and loves Disney movies, especially Beauty and the Beast. I'd rather star as your Prince Charming or some other less hairy creature."
She wanted to keep the conversation on neutral ground. They'd made up, but it was too soon to return to the dangerous emotional territory of relationship talk. Those discussions always seemed to land them both in trouble. Time to turn the attention back to his daughter before this escalated any further and she either said something stupid or confessed she was falling in love. Neither was a viable option at the moment. "Tell me more about what happened to Annie?"
"She and her mother were in a car accident." The tone of his voice was missing the normal confidence and cockiness she'd come to expect.
"Are they alright? How badly is Annie hurt?" Pseudo parenting kicked in. She may not be a mother, but she was a kick ass aunt.
"She's bruised and pretty sore but otherwise hanging in there."
Leaning heavily against the wall, she let out another breath. "I'm glad. And her mother?"
No response.
"Daniel? How's Annie's mom?"
"Fine." One word, terse and vague.
"Okay… Is Annie going home with her soon then?"
"No." One more word. Still terse. Still vague.
Melodie flopped onto the couch, unsure how to continue the conversation.
Thankfully, Daniel spoke. "I don't want to do this over the phone. I miss you and want to see you again."
Her heart fluttered with the possibilities his words conjured up. She thought she wouldn't see him again, at least not for the foreseeable future. "I miss you too."
Remembering her father's instructions about the makeup dinner on Friday, she asked. "Will your knight in shining armor suit fit in a carryon bag?" He'd even look sexy in a suit of armor.
"For you, I'm willing to check my bag to make sure it fits. Does milady need rescuing?"
She pulled one side of her bottom lip between her teeth. "Yes. In what I am promising will be my last act of rebellion, I didn't go to the party Saturday night. My actions put me squarely on top of my mother's personal hit list."
Daniel chuckled. "Did you say hit list or shit list?"
God, he was charming when he wanted to be. "One and the same with my mother."
"Well, I still have my nice new outfit."
"Well you can wear it Friday. I have to pay the piper."
"You have to what? Is that more of your book talk?"
Melodie couldn't help but laugh. "No. Just an expression meaning my presence is required at a family dinner on Friday night."
"Then let us accompany you."
"What?"
"I want to make it up to you and…"
The pause in his sentence was long enough to make her heart skip a beat or two. He'd said "us." Could that mean what she thought it did? "And?"
"I want you to meet Annie."
He wants me to meet his daughter? At least a hundred reasons why this wasn't a good idea flashed across her mind. Meeting his daughter equaled a new level of serious. She wanted to take this step with him, wanted to see him…touch him…kiss him. But this wasn't just about what she and Daniel wanted right now. She had to consider how Annie would react if things didn't work out between them. I want them to work out! "I'm not sure bringing Annie here is a good idea. We haven't known each other very long, and the time we have known each other has been a roller coaster of ups and downs."
His deep voice reached through the phone line and caressed her as though he were standing right in front of her. "That's what your mind says. What does your heart say?"
She paused for several moments before answering as she searched her heart for an honest answer. "My heart is scared."
"Of?"
"Being hurt again. Every time I open up and let someone in, I'm left with a new gaping hole when they leave. I'm not sure how much more I have to give."
"That's bullshit."
The bullet of accusation slammed solidly into her chest, making her physically recoil and almost drop the phone. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" Her mind quickly performed a currency exchange—sadness for anger.
"I said that's bullshit. You've hidden behind your jealousy of your sister and the pages of those damn books, wanting to believe life is supposed to be some fairy tale. Well, the books are called fiction for a reason, as you reminded me, and my guess is your sister's life is far from happily ever after. Some people hide it better than others." His voice softened. "Besides, you just need to meet the right guy."
The words stung, but they also held some truth. She'd spent so long trying to live up to the image of her sister, she held every man she dated up to some imaginary standard. His issue with her and the books…well, they'd deal with that later. He didn't know women nearly as well as he thought if he didn't understand the concept of escapism. Books offered a retreat from the realities of life. "And you're the right guy?"
"I want to believe that, more than I've wanted to believe anything else in a long time. I know you're the only woman who went straight for my heart rather than my wallet."
"That's what you're basing all this on?" She wanted to believe him, wanted to experience all that life and love had to offer.
He laughed. "Hell no, but it's a good place to start. Bottom line, I want to see you again, and I can't leave Annie. Her mother can't take care of her right now. Come on, Mel. Say yes. You know we have something here. All the ups and downs are out of the way. Time for some smooth sailing, right?"
"Not going to argue with you on that point." Damn it all, this argument reminded her of fighting a losing battle. Despite every fear and the potential heartache this could cause, she knew agreement to this madness rested only one breath away.
"Think about how much fun it'll be to show up to dinner with a hot guy and a beautiful little girl. Your mom will be speechless."
Melodie allowed herself a moment to imagine the looks on the entire family's faces as she walked into the room with Daniel and Annie in tow. The image brought her a small measure of joy. "You have a point, though I've never known Mother to be speechless."
"First time for everything."
She exhaled loudly. "Alright, you win…again. When can I expect you?"
"Give me until tomorrow to make the arrangements, and then I'll text you the details."
"Okay. Daniel?"
"Yeah."
He may be a charmer, but even her heart had limits. "If you don't show this time, lose my number."
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Thursday evening
"Are we there yet?"
Daniel smiled at his daughter's repeated question. She'd asked the same question from the moment the plane lifted off the tarmac in Mississippi. "We're here, baby. You remember what we talked about?"
He put the car in park and turned to the backseat and his daughter's angelic face, currently rolling her eyes at him.
"Yes, Daddy. Miss Melodie is a friend we're staying with. I'm to be polite and courteous and remember my manners." She put delicate little hands on her thin hips. "I am a lady, you know."
His chin lifted as his chest puffed up a bit. He still couldn't believe he'd been a part of creating something so amazing. "That you are, ma'am. Now, unfasten the seat belt, and don't forget your backpack."
"I know."
He laughed. Apparently turning eight made one all-knowing as Annie reminded him each time he gave her instructions. "How could I forget? You know everything."
She sighed heavily and fixed him with a "how silly can you be" look. "Duh, I'm eight now."
Like that explained it all. Too bad all the other problems in life couldn't be explained away that easily.
Grabbing the suitcase and the stuffed bear he'd given her at the hospital, which she assured him she simply couldn't go on a trip with
out as they were BFFs, he closed the trunk and took her hand. "You ready for this, kiddo?"
"What if she doesn't like me?" The emotion in her voice tore at his heart. He understood how she felt. The same annoying voice that plagued him about the accident kept whispering to him that he didn't deserve to love and be loved. Yup, I'm losing it. They lock up people who hear voices.
He may not deserve the kind of love he was after, but Annie sure as hell did. He paused and crouched down to eye level. "Remember me telling you Miss Melodie was a librarian?"
"Mmm hmm." Blonde curls bounced in rhythm with the nodding of her head.
"I forgot to mention she's a children's librarian. She loves kids."
Annie's eyes lit up. "Do you think she'd read a story to me?"
"She might if you ask nicely."
Confidence replaced the uncertainty. "I can do that."
Daniel returned his grip to her hand and began the longest walk of his life. He knew Melodie would love Annie, but asking her to consider a future with him and his "plus one" might be too much. His first priority needed to be his daughter since her mother wasn't going to be ready to assume parental responsibilities anytime soon…if ever.
Why were his nerves on edge more in this moment than during any battle he'd ever fought? Before it was only my life, now it's my heart…and possibly Annie's as well. Swallowing the fear, he knocked on the door, determined to not second-guess his decision to introduce the two most important women in his life to each other.
The tension fled, and his heart rate slowed the moment his jean-clad, green-eyed angel appeared in his line of sight. "Hey, Mel."
Her wary smile hinted enough warmth to give him hope. "Hey, yourself." Her attention ventured lower as she squatted down to Annie's eye level. "You must be Anastasia. May I call you Annie?"
A surge of pride and joy along with a hint of amusement filled his veins as the young girl curtsied.
More Than One Night Page 13
