by Nicole Snow
He steps back, just out of my reach. “I could get you a good deal on one over at Rooster's. I’ve bought a lot of vehicles there. They’re good. Affordable. Solid warranties. Stand behind everything they sell.”
He’s acting so sincere, so genuine, that my anger slowly melts away.
Now, I'm just confused. If he isn't trying to get under my skin or into my pants, what's going on?
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind when the time comes for a different car.” I pat the top of the car door. “This one needs to last a bit longer though. And I really need to get going.”
Mainly because I could go soft on his nosy ass, and that can’t happen.
He steps around the door, and me, laying the sketchpad in my back seat.
There’s a tingle in the air and up my spine. My only escape is to climb in the car and shut the door.
Thank God and all that’s Holy, the engine starts right away. Last summer, it tested me by not engaging on the first try. Or the second. I'll have to get that looked at.
He’s still standing there. I wave, push in the clutch and shift into reverse.
Though a part of me wants to shift through the gears as fast as possible, I don’t. I’ve learned my lesson there. Driving fast doesn’t make for an easier escape, and it costs money if something goes wrong. Captain Dawson had no mercy when the time came to dole out my ticket.
There’s always traffic, and I have to wait for an opening to pull out of the parking lot. I force myself not to check my mirror, to see if he made it onto the road as well.
It’s pitch black by the time I get off the highway and onto the roads leading into Tempe, and then to my building. Even though the headlights behind me aren’t all the same, there’s no way to tell if one set is from his truck or not.
A sense of disappointment washes over me. Which is silly.
No, beyond silly.
It’s fucking stupid.
I'm being stupid.
He’s the father of one of my students. Having any sort of feelings towards him would be the fastest route to getting fired. And if I want to find out how fast I can pulverize my own heart, a reckless night with Eden is the swiftest way to do it.
I pull into the apartment complex, driving around the first building to the back, where my assigned parking spot sits next to the dumpsters. I never know what my car will smell like in the morning. Whoever invented air fresheners needs a medal.
There’s a small man made hill with palm trees around it on the other side of the garbage, and a well-used street at the top of it. I swear people toss stuff out as they drive by, trying to hit the dumpsters, but never do.
When I first moved in, I picked up the trash daily. Now, after discovering that was being taken advantage of, I leave it to the maintenance crew.
Unless something lands on my car, which has happened a time or two.
With my bag over one shoulder, I open the door and climb out. As I’m reaching in to grab the sketchpad, I get the sense I’m being watched. I take it and turn around.
Third floor up the adjacent building, I spy someone on the balcony.
“Good evening, Mrs. Butler,” I say with a wave.
She waves back from her chair next to the metal railing. “Hello, dear. How was your day?”
“Good. How was yours?”
“Oh, I’m a bit under the weather.” A glowing red tip moves in the darkness, and she lets out a cough. Tobacco smoke rolls up my nose. “It’s hard as blazes to breathe in this heat.”
I think the two packs she works through each day have more to do with that.
“It’ll be October soon,” I say hopefully. “And cooler!”
“That’ll be nice.”
I wave again. “Have a nice night.”
“You, too, dear.”
At the door, I use the fob on my key chain to let me in, and then climb the three flights of stairs. The air is stifling hot. It's an old building, prone to retaining the daytime heat.
I shift the keychain in my hand, positioning the apartment key, anxious to unlock the door as quickly as possible and step into my air-conditioned cave.
The rush of cool air feels heavenly. I enter, close the door behind me, and embrace the sweet relief.
Letting out a long sigh, I turn on the light, dropping the keys in the dish on the counter and kick off my shoes. “Home sweet home.”
I laugh at my own words. It’s not much.
A tiny kitchen, separated from the living room, with a counter that's barely big enough for three appliances. One of the doors off the living room leads to the bathroom, and the other, my one and only bedroom.
I can’t help but think about Brent’s spacious house as I step forward.
Another sigh escapes. This one, longing.
“Make it a goal, Izzy. Not just a dream.” I smile. Those words hold weight.
I have no idea when mom first said them to me. Sometime in the chaos after 9/11, and war, and dad dying, probably. They’ve become my mantra ever since.
As annoying as she is, like any good mother, she's left some golden nuggets.
I drop my bag and sketchpad on the coffee table, then plop down on the couch. Someday, I'll have a house like Brent does. All my own. Without any worries about a subversive, sexy, brooding beast inside.
My eyes settle on the sketchpad and the piece of paper taped to the front of it.
Wait. That wasn't there before...was it?
I carefully remove it, wrinkling my nose.
His phone number. For personal reasons.
Asshole. Sneak. He only let me think I'd won a small skirmish.
I don't even know why I'm smiling. If I do, I definitely don't want to admit it.
I let it drop and grab my phone, finally finding the courage to respond to mom's text.
Yes, of course I’ll be at the zoo this weekend.
And yes, Brent and Natalie will be joining us. I barely stop myself from typing it out.
“And come Monday, you’ll be fired,” I tell myself.
Disgusted, I wad the paper into a ball and toss it on the table.
The only thing worse than bad ideas is making them reality.
6
Surprise, Surprise (Brent)
The past few days have left me feeling lower than that fuck boy, Preston.
Stalking a woman. For her own good. To protect her.
With my daughter in the truck next to me.
Christ. How did I get here again?
Davey's jealousy. Bastard Phil's threats. A thousand heartaches.
They all cascade in my mind so fast, so fierce, it's hard to even focus on the day-to-day.
“Aren’t these the same buildings we drove past last night?” Natalie asks, gesturing out the passenger window.
“Yeah,” I admit. “Good eye. I’m just checking to see if my crew got started over here today.”
It’s a white lie. We don’t have a job anywhere near Blue’s apartment, but I can’t stop myself from driving past her place once a day. Every evening. Making sure her Mustang stays where it should be, parked out back.
“Why don’t you just call and ask them?” Nat flashes me a confused glance.
Sometimes, I wish she was just a little less whip smart. A tiny bit less observant.
“No need. Just wanted to check with my eyes since it's on our way home.”
She yawns. “I hope we don’t have any shopping tomorrow night, I’ve barely had time to paint.”
Nat's sick of the busy week and I can't blame her.
I’ve made up excuses every afternoon when I pick her up from school.
New tires for the truck. New shoes for her. Haircuts for both of us at a new salon. Ice cream twice, and she's bored of it.
Whatever takes us out near Tempe.
I have to make sure she’s home, safe and sound, by nightfall.
So far, Bastard Phil hasn’t shown up again. He’s out there, though. Watching her.
I know it.
I know this ca
n’t keep happening either. Dragging Nat around every night until damned near seven or eight o'clock. “Well, I have a surprise for you tomorrow.”
“What?”
“Can’t tell you.”
“Daddy! Why not? You know I hate secrets.”
Because I’m not sure how I’m going to pull it off. Since I can’t tell her that, I say the obvious, “Because then it won’t be a surprise. And I won't get to mess with your pretty little brain.”
She bursts out laughing, stomping her shoes softly on the mat under them. “You're so bad sometimes.”
I catch a glimpse of Blue’s car, next to the dumpsters at the bottom of the hill. Satisfied and relieved, I push my foot a little harder against the gas pedal. “Ready to head home?”
“More than ready,” Natalie says, covering another yawn.
Blue hasn’t called. Of course not.
I should've swallowed my pride. Apologized for what I’d said about not being a prop. Rather than just giving her my number, I should've said I'd stand in anytime as her fake boyfriend.
It wouldn't have been hard. My way of thanking her for being so good to Natalie.
There's no denying the last part. Every day, Natalie comes home with another Ms. Derby tale.
Seeing her in the hallway or at recess or an assembly. Chatting about Vincent van Gogh and Salvador Dali. Blue gave her some paint brushes, too, which Nat has barely had a chance to use.
Damn. I'm so close to taking care of the Black Pearls, too.
Just need a little more time to get everything in place. I sure as hell don't need this extra hitch. Of them threatening to hurt Blue.
Well, too fucking bad. I won’t let them.
Also don’t have time for this cat and mouse shit.
“Don't think I'll forget the surprise,” Nat says, chin up, folding her little arms.
Mind made up, I tell her. “Tomorrow morning, baby girl. Promise.”
I just hope I can convince Blue to go along with it.
The sun isn’t up yet when Natalie throws open my bedroom door. “Rise and shine, it’s surprise time!”
I laugh and throw a pillow at her. She's got all the zest for life I used to have plus Davey's non-stop energy.
She dodges swiftly and pounces on the foot of the bed like an overgrown cat. “Where, Daddy? Let's see it!”
Her eyes are shining so bright they almost glow in the early light of dawn peeking through the window.
Enjoying her excitement, I yawn and stretch. “Nat, you know the rules: Daddy doesn't talk before coffee.”
“Yeahhh, and it’s a total lie because you just talked. Or spoke. You just spoke, I mean!”
I jump up, grab her, tickling her sides. “Which is it, little lady? Talked or spoke?”
She laughs, squirming to the edge of the bed. “Either or. Doesn’t matter! You're just distracting me. What’s my surprise?”
I climb out of bed and stretch again, taking my time to walk towards my bathroom.
“Dad!” She lets out a groan. “You’re killing me here.”
I walk into the bathroom, but spin around before closing the door. “We're going to the zoo today.”
“We're – really?!”
“Yes, really.” I close the door as her squeals fill the house.
A short time later, showered and dressed, the smell of coffee brewing fills the air as I walk into the kitchen. Natalie’s at the island, eating a bowl of cereal. There’s a second bowl, the box of cereal, and a gallon of milk sitting in front of another stool.
I wink at her as I collect a cup and fill it with coffee. Dark, dense, and bold enough to strip paint. Just how I like it.
She sets down her spoon, eyeing me critically as I lean back against the counter to take a drink off my cup. “So, what’s up?”
“What’s up with what?” I ask.
She crosses her arms. “Well, something, obviously. You don’t even like the zoo.”
I knew she’d question it. She’s smart, and I’ve never hidden my distaste for gawking at caged animals. “No, I don’t. But you do.”
“And we’ve already had our annual visit. July, remember?”
How could I forget? The pavement was hotter than the surface of the sun.
Annual is right, too. Or close enough. I take her once or twice a year because she likes critter watching. I snag the first excuse that crosses my mind. “Figure I owe you, Nat. For being so good about tagging along while I looked for truck tires this week.”
“Which you still haven’t bought.”
Because I don’t need them. I shrug. “I’ll have to order some. No one has the right set. If we ever go up to Flagstaff or Utah for camping later this year, we'll need them for winter.”
“Still doesn’t explain the sudden zoo trip.” She shakes her head. “You’d rather go anywhere else.”
I cross the room and ruffle her hair. “Well, kiddo, sometimes we all have to do things we don’t want to do. Compromise.” I’m not referring to the zoo.
This mess with the Black Pearls is something I’d rather not have to contend with, but don’t have a choice. There's also no negotiating my way out of it.
She’s frowning when she looks up at me. “Like not being able to wear a messy bun, you mean?”
I’d forgotten about the hair incident, but since she brought it up, I give her a hug. “You were really good about that, peanut. Sometimes I don’t give you enough credit for how well-behaved you are. But I do appreciate it.”
Her smile brightens as she hugs me hard. “For you, anything.”
I kiss the top of her head and let her go. Taking another sip of coffee, I say, “How about I let you bring a friend with us to the zoo?” Before she can say she doesn’t have any friends, I add, “That friendship bracelet you made. Whoever you gave it to, you can bring them along.”
She goes stock-still and glances around the room, looking everywhere but me. “Whoever? No matter what?”
The bracelet hasn’t come up since the day she showed it to me. She has no clue I know she gave it to Blue. “You heard me.”
I take another drink of coffee and play along. “Get me their phone number and I’ll call their parents, make sure it’s all right.”
She climbs off the stool and shoots a nervous glance at the floor, and then the door. “Well...I’ll have to get that together. How long do I have?”
I have no idea what Blue’s plans are before meeting her mother at the zoo, so we need to get to her place well before then. “I figured we’d leave here around ten, pick up your friend, and grab some lunch. Get to the zoo around one o'clock.”
“Gotcha,” she says, heading out of the room. “I’ll be back.”
I refill my cup as I hear her feet racing upstairs. She’s off to do the same thing I did.
Google Blue.
There’s an address and apartment number listed, but no phone number. Unless my daughter is a better sleuth than I am. Honestly, it's not a complete impossibility.
It’s later when she walks into my office. She’s dressed in denim shorts and a pink T-shirt and has her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. “I can’t find a number for my friend, but I have her address. Do you think it would be all right if we just stopped by? Maybe asked her to join us?”
I inwardly smile at the shy quiver in her voice. It's always there when she's walking a tightrope with what I'll let her get away with.
I usually don’t use people to get what I want, but in this case, I’ll take it. “Sure. You ready?”
She nods, and I can tell she’s nervous.
I lay a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll convince her parents to let her join us.”
She nods again before running for the door to the garage.
Once we're in the truck, she hands me a slip of paper with the address I recognize as Blue’s. She’s quiet on the way, wringing her hands together. I’m not sure if she thinks I’ll be mad to learn who she wants joining us, or that she’s nervous Blue will say no.
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br /> As I turn onto the road leading to the apartment complex, her frown deepens.
“Are we looking to see if your crew started that new job again?”
“No,” I answer. “This is the address you gave me.” Down the hill I see Blue’s car parked in the usual place. A weird thrill zips through me.
“Oh. Um. So this is it?”
“That building right there.” I click on the blinker.
She scratches her head, releasing a big sigh. “Dad...I have to tell you something.”
“Oh? What’s that.”
“Well, that friendship bracelet?” She squirms in her seat.
“Go on, sweets.”
“I said I was going to give it to Ms. Derby...remember? I know you said I shouldn’t, but you didn’t say I couldn’t, so I did.” She tenses, bracing for my reaction.
I bite the inside of my bottom lip to keep from smiling and pull into a visitor parking space in front of the building. “You mean the friend we're here to pick up is Ms. Derby?”
She cringes. “Yes.”
I nod, trying to look like I’m seriously contemplating what she just said, rather than wondering if Blue will refuse to go.
I know she’d say no to me, but am pretty confident she won’t say no to my girl.
Who could say no to that face? I sure as hell can’t.
“Fine. Whatever. Only one thing to do.” I pause, letting out a long sigh, leaving her in playful suspense. “Ask if she wants to spend today with us at the zoo.”
She beams. “Oh, Daddy, you are the best! The absolute best!”
Luck is with us. An older woman leaves just as we enter the building, so we don’t need to buzz up to Blue’s apartment to be let in.
At her door on the third floor, I stand to the side, where she won’t be able to see me through the peephole and tell Natalie to knock. She’s short enough that Blue should only be able to see the top of her head.
A moment later the door opens. Just as Blue peeks around the edge, Natalie shouts, “Surprise!”
Surprise is right.
Blue's eyes are wide and her mouth drops open. She’s brutally fucking adorable.
The messy bun sits on her head again. Her gray eyes shimmer. She’s wearing a bright blue, short, sleeveless sun dress, and no shoes. Even her feet look good. Then they draw my eyes to parts of her I'd love a whole hell of a lot more.
