Hope

by Tia Wylder

  “My intentions aren’t entirely out of the pureness of my heart. I’m getting kicked out of my apartment this weekend, and I figured if I scratch your back," she trailed off, fidgeting. His first instinct was to take offense, but then it struck him that this woman had just saved his daughter. That had just been in the short term. Now she was offering him a way to save his daughter in the long term. If he got custody of his daughter, all his problems would be secondary. They would only have to maintain the charade for so long, and then they could amicably part ways; perhaps even remain friends. Amanda seemed rather taken with the woman, at the very least. Amanda… Daniel narrowed his eyes upon Tiffany, gripping her shoulder with an almost painful hold.

  “I know you have the best intentions, but I have to tell you. If any harm befalls my daughter because of this, I will hold you responsible for your part. That girl is everything to me. Everything,” he shot a chilling gaze right into her eyes. Tiffany’s eyes widened, and she glanced at his hand before attempting to shrug him off.

  “I would never harm your daughter,” she bit out, clearly offended. Though truthfully, there was also a hint of desire in her eyes, as if his ferocity set something inside her alight. She’d never seen a man who cared so much about his family, having been raised in a family where her father had abandoned them at an early age. “I promise you, Daniel. Even if I’m being selfish, I wouldn’t intentionally harm either of you. Your sister is my best friend, and…,” she trailed off, perking up as she realized Danielle was approaching the two of them. “Danni!” She yelled brightly, obviously trying to change the subject.

  “Hey, we were wondering where you got off to. Amanda told Troy and me everything, I never expected that we had a hero in our midst," Danielle teased, looking between her best friend and brother with a glint in her eye. Daniel wrapped an arm around Tiffany’s shoulder, drawing her close to his side. She tensed at first, but soon melted into his embrace. His hand gently rubbed the shoulder he had been previously gripping so tightly.

  “Well, I never expected such a thing to happen either. You can imagine how upset Melody will be if she hears about this,” he murmured, offering Danielle a meaningful look.

  “Oh, please. I hate that bitch. She won’t be hearing anything from me,” Danielle smirked. “So, what’s this,” she continued, gesturing between the two of them. Tiffany smiled uncertainly, looking to Daniel for some explanation.

  “I’ve decided that it’s high time I get back on the market, since the divorce with Melody finalized. I must admit, meeting your friend and seeing her heroics certainly swayed me. I hadn’t considered getting back into the dating world for a while, but...,” he hesitated, brushing his hand to Tiffany’s cheek and guiding her into meeting his gaze. “I’ve found that I’m beginning to reconsider. Tiffany Aegis, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?” He announced. Tiffany reddened beneath his stare, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t remotely enchanted with the woman.

  “Of course, Dr. Brookes,” she grinned, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

  “Yay! Daddy and Miss Tiffany are going on a date!” Amanda announced, bounding closer to them. Troy, for his part, made a face. “I’m sorry, I gave you all the privacy I could, but when I saw how you were looking at her… it’s like a princess movie! Miss Tiffany, are you a princess?” Amanda continued, excitement radiating from her entire being. Tiffany smiled, holding her arms out to the young girl. Amanda bounded forward, giggling as she was scooped up.

  “I think the only princess here should rightfully be you, little one,” Tiffany smiled. Amanda beamed, pressing her hands to each of Tiffany’s cheek and pressing a kiss to the woman’s button nose.

  “You’re so sweet. And you can hold me! My momma never holds me,” Amanda grinned. Tiffany glanced to Daniel, reddening at the look in his eye as he watched the two of them.

  “Well your momma sounds like she’s missing out. We’ll have lots of fun when we play together,” Tiffany announced. Daniel was grateful she left out the detail that she would be moving in soon, not wanting to deal with his sister’s scrutiny and his daughter’s questions. She simply sat Amanda back on the ground, and Daniel looked at both and smiled sheepishly.

  “In the meantime, we might as well enjoy the rest of our zoo trip,” he announced, clapping his hands together. Amanda squealed, grabbing Tiffany by the hand and dragging her ahead. He strode after them at an easy pace, trusting his daughter’s safety in Tiffany’s hands. Danielle fell into step beside him, ushering Troy to run and join the others. Daniel could feel his sister’s gaze upon him, and when he glanced towards her, she was smiling brightly. “What’s got you looking so peppy?” He inquired, feeling his face grow flush.

  “I knew you and Tiff would hit it off. She’s a real sweetheart. It’s a shame that she’s going to be living out of her car…,” Danielle trailed off, giving her brother a meaningful look. He rolled his eyes, giving her a slight nudge.

  “As if I would allow that, Danni. It may be a bit awkward at first, but…,” he trailed off, watching as Tiffany lifted Amanda into the air to get a better look at the lion exhibit. “I have a feeling it’ll work out,” he smiled. While the relationship was a charade, he was somewhat excited about the prospect of even pretending to be back on the market. It also helped that Tiffany was rather gorgeous, and while he typically had his choice of women, he rarely found one who was so utterly appealing.

  This was going to be one hell of a ride.

  Chapter Three

  Daniel waved out the window of his car, backing out of his sister’s driveway as Amanda, Danielle and Troy waved excitedly back at him. The plan was for him to take Tiffany on the date of a lifetime, and Danielle had volunteered to watch Amanda while the two ‘shook things up’, in her words. Tiffany had reddened at the implication, but Daniel was relatively confident that the woman didn't expect any real commitment or effort from this farcical arrangement. All the same, he wanted to treat the woman well. He didn’t see her as a charity case, but the fact that she was going out of her way to help his daughter and himself spoke volumes about her personality. He supposed he could have been bitter about the fact that she would need to move in almost immediately, but he simply took that as more incentive to make this date stand out. It was obvious that before his sister’s friendship, Tiffany had never been treated respectfully. It was a shame, considering how kind and beautiful she was.

  “What are you thinking about?” Tiffany inquired, fidgeting in the passenger seat. He offered her a quirk of his lips before turning his attention back to the road.

  “You. Your background. I suppose we should learn about each other, if we’re planning to be engaged,” he mused. She chuckled somewhat bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest and staring out the window.

  “My background is nothing all that exciting. Just a fat girl who got fucked up emotionally by an absentee father and an abusive mother,” Tiffany grumbled derisively. Daniel’s eyes widened, and he glanced towards her with concern in his gaze.

  “Please, Tiffany. You’re so much more than that.”

  She considered him with disbelief, and he exhaled a sigh, pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant he had chosen.

  He unfastened his seat belt, slipping out of the car and waiting for her to follow suit. He lingered at his side of the car for a moment before circling to the passenger side, pulling the door open for her. He pretended not to notice the swift swipe of her hand across her eyes, though his heart ached for the obvious pain in her heart.

  He had managed to get the best table in the place, being notorious in town for his good looks, ambition, and cash. He led Tiffany inside the restaurant, linking their arms together as they walked. When they reached the table, the bottle of wine and candle that adorned the table surprised her. The waiter lit the candle as they sit down, and the romance of the moment couldn’t be overlooked.

  “Wow, if you go this far faking it for an unattractive girl, I can’t imagine what you’d do for a woman
you were actually attracted to” Tiffany teased, and Daniel rolled his eyes.

  “I don’t know why you insist upon implying you’re not attractive. Why wouldn’t I be attracted to you? You’re gorgeous, and your figure is a big part of that. Skinny women… aren’t to my tastes. I had that with my ex, and after that…,” he paused, seeming to debate if the next statement was inappropriate. “After that, I’d like a girl with curves. Objectively speaking, of course. I know this is all an act, but I won’t allow you to imply that you’re anything less than gorgeous,” he assured her with a soft but firm voice in the relative silence of the restaurant. Tiffany reddened, looking at the menu the waiter had left. She had considered simply ordering a garden salad, but went with something else.

  “Would you mind if I ordered the surf and turf? I understand if it’s too expensive, but--,” she began but he was swift to cut her off as the waiter approached.

  “Yes, we would like two surf and turf dinners, as well as whatever wine you would recommend to accompany it. This bottle will do for now, but we’ll be wanting an additional one, I’m sure,” Daniel intoned to the waiter. The other man smiled, nodding his head and taking the menus away. Daniel glanced towards Tiffany, surprised to see her observing him with an adoring smile. “Hey, it’s just money. We have to eat,” he grinned. She nodded to herself, and the two fell into a relatively comfortable silence until their food arrived. Tiffany nearly salivated at the sight of the well cooked food, the scent of the food washing over them in heavenly waves. She dug in almost immediately, giving pause when she noticed Daniel watching her with amusement.

  “Sorry, that was rude. I’m a fast eater.” A rosy pink crept across her cheeks. He quirked his lips in a smile, gesturing for her to continue. She smiled sheepishly, continuing to eat at a slower pace. Daniel dug in as well, humming in pleasure at the taste of the food. Tiffany’s cheeks grew warm at the sound, and she only hoped he didn’t see how easily flustered she was.

  Drinks were had, though Daniel allowed Tiffany to do most of the drinking. He assured her that he would see her to her new home safely. Though she had obviously wondered if she would be permitted to move in so quickly, it was a relief that the man was willing to accommodate her. When dinner ended, Daniel left a hefty tip on the table and helped Tiffany to her feet.

  “Are there any major things you need to get from your apartment? Anything that can’t be replaced?” He asked quietly, receiving an uproarious laugh in return.

  “Oh, honey. I don’t even keep family photos. I knew I’d be kicked out at any time, so I sold what I could for cash,” she grinned. He chuckled, guiding her out to the car. He opened the passenger door, gently helping her inside and reaching around to fasten her seatbelt.

  “Can you play it cool while we go and pick up my daughter?” Daniel teased.

  “I’m not that drunk, Danny. Big girls can handle their wine. I am not coming to your house shitfaced leaving a bad first impression.,” Tiffany grinned.

  The drive to Danielle’s house was a short one, the entire drive spent with Daniel ruminating on how to explain the abruptness of Tiffany’s moving in. He knew she would likely be excited, but didn’t want to bank on that alone. She would possibly react badly to her mother being replaced. When he pulled into the driveway, he texted to alert Amanda he had arrived. She rushed outside, eyes brightening immediately upon seeing Tiffany in the car.

  “Miss Tiffany! Did you and daddy have fun? What are you doing here? Are you coming home with us? My momma brings boys home all the time, but daddy never brings girls,” Amanda rambled, crawling into the back seat. Daniel buried his face in his hands, and Tiffany could only laugh in response.

  “I’m going to be staying with the two of you for a while, honey. I’m losing my apartment, and your daddy was kind enough to offer me a place to stay. I hope that’s okay,” Tiffany explained, not sure what sort of reaction to expect. Amanda lit up, as if she had just been bestowed some great gift.

  “We can play princesses all night! Yes! I’m so happy,” Amanda announced, leaning in to grab Tiffany in a hug.

  “Yeah, yeah, well both of my princesses need to buckle up so we can go home,” Daniel muttered. Amanda cooed, and Tiffany simply reddened in response.

  The night found the three playing dress up, and though Daniel refused the feather boas, he allowed the crown to be placed upon his head. Things went well.

  The next morning, there was a banging on the front door. Tiffany, who had slept downstairs with Amanda rose to her feet to answer the door. She was greeted by the scrutinizing gaze of a woman nearly half her size.

  “Hello, who--,” Tiffany began, cut short by a derisive laugh from the woman.

  “Oh, I see my ex husband finally hired some help. Do you speak English? Do you understand me?” Melody inquired snootily, and Tiffany rolled her eyes in exasperation.

  “I just said hello, in plain English. I’m not the hired help either. I’m Daniel’s--,” Tiffany cut herself off as Daniel descended the stairs clad in nothing but a bath towel. He quirked a brow, glancing at Melody with something akin to disgust.

  “What are you doing here?” He demanded, stepping up beside Tiffany.

  “Awfully cozy around the help, aren’t you? Don’t want to give the poor dear any ideas, Daniel,” Melody purred. Daniel rolled his eyes, wrapping an arm around Tiffany’s shoulders.

  “I’m actually… his girlfriend,” Tiffany managed, much to Melody’s apparent amusement. Melody pushed her way past both, continuing to laugh uproariously. She sneered at the blankets spread on the couch, considering Tiffany with a cruel smile.

  “Strange that the girlfriend would be sleeping on the couch. Though, I suppose it makes sense. He wouldn’t want to actually sleep with such a frumpy little thing,” she paused, looking Tiffany up and down. “I use the term little quite loosely. In any case, it’s laughable to think Daniel would lower his standards so substantially after losing me, it’s obvious he’s losing his touch,” she continued with a wicked smile. Tiffany drew away, looking more than vaguely embarrassed. Amanda watched from the living room, looking petulantly at her mother in the entryway.

  “Don’t be so mean to miss Tiffany, momma,” Amanda called out, and Daniel wrapped his arm more firmly around Tiffany’s shoulders.

  “Yes, Melody. I would thank you to be kinder to my new girlfriend. Assuming you have an ounce of kindness remaining in your waifish body,” he drawled. Melody’s eyes widened in surprise, and Tiffany drew away from both, not wanting to be involved in the argument. Melody stepped closer to Daniel, poking him roughly in the chest.

  “I have more kindness than most, allowing an absentee father visitation rights to his daughter. I’m beginning to rethink my position, considering how rude you’re being…,” she paused, trailing off to consider Tiffany with cruel smile. “It seems awfully suspicious that you’ve been seeing a new woman with the issues we’ve been having over dear Mandy’s custody. I would never have expected you to fake a relationship, but with this bag of manure you’re claiming to be attracted to, I don’t know what else to think,” Melody hissed. Daniel’s eyes widened, and Tiffany nearly fainted at the prospect of being discovered so early on. However, to the doctor, it was obvious his ex wife was bluffing. She didn’t truly believe the venom she was spewing, although it was rooted in truth. More than anything, he simply found himself growing angrier and angrier at the disrespect his ex wife was showing his new girlfriend. Whether she was his actual girlfriend was irrelevant. She deserved respect.

  “If you don’t stop insulting my girlfriend, I’m going to have to ask you to leave, before I make you leave,” Daniel gritted out. Melody rolled her eyes, glancing back to Amanda who was embracing Tiffany in a tight hug. Tiffany tried to ignore the tears rolling down her own cheeks, knowing that the other woman was simply being immature. Still, she couldn’t deny that the insults struck home.

  “Momma, you don’t have to be so mean,” Amanda gripped, and Melody stepped forward to separate her daughter f
rom the other woman.

  “You had better learn to show your mother a bit of respect, Amanda. Now pack your things, we’re going home,” Melody snapped back. Amanda’s eyes watered, and rage churned in Daniel’s gut but he couldn’t do much. He didn’t want to upset the potential custody hearing results, and he knew if he were to tell Melody what he truly thought of her, he could never take it back. He gestured for Amanda to approach him, and she rushed towards her father. He swept her up in his arms, holding her flush to his bare chest. She buried her face in his shoulder, sniffling softly.

  “I’ll miss you, Daddy,” she muttered. He narrowed his eyes at Melody, who still seemed caught up in staring at Tiffany.

  “I’ll miss you too, sweetie. Stay strong, okay?” He murmured, gently setting her back on her feet. “Now, Melody, if you would,” he said coldly, gesturing to the open door. The slender woman considered him with a wry smile, grabbing their daughter by the arm and all but dragging her along.

  “You have fun porking the pig, then, Daniel,” she announced icily, slipping out the door. Not wanting to dignify her with a response, the doctor slammed the door shut, turning to consider the remaining woman. Tiffany lay curled up on the sofa, knees drawn up to her chest as she wiped tears away from her eyes. He approached her carefully, suddenly all too aware of the fact that he was wearing nothing but a towel. He considered getting dressed before addressing the issue, but an abrupt sob erupting from the woman’s lips gave him pause. He rushed towards her, sitting beside her on the couch and drawing her into his arms. She didn’t fight, simply sagging against him.

  “Don’t pay her any mind, Tiffany. I swear the woman is the devil incarnate, or at the very least a banshee,” he groused, receiving a watery chuckle in reply. “Honestly, she’s only angry that I’ve moved on. Don’t even buy that bit about her thinking we’re faking this. She has no idea, she’s just talking out of her ass to try and break our spirits,” he continued, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of the plump woman’s head.