Page 5 of Shot to the Hart

“Why don’t you look back into teaching or finishing your childcare license?” Darcy asks, swiping eyeliner onto her lower lid. I was working on getting my child care licensure, but never went back to complete the courses after I connected with Bill and Trent on a site for nanny and family matching.

“Ugh you know how I felt about college, too much money and too much time,” I respond dejectedly. I just couldn’t bringmyself to do it. Going to college was never really something I was interested in. “You know I was only willing to give it a chance because I’ve always loved kids. I don’t know if I want to explore daycare again, but I loved working with the kids individually. Fostering their growth and learning new things alongside them, that's what I want to do again. It was so fulfilling for me.”

“Okay babe, well if you don’t get something immediately it’s fine. The couch is yours as long as you need.” She chuckles, sliding on black heels to go with her cream cropped sweater and jeans.

I walk with Darcy as she grabs her purse and heads to the front door, squeezing her tightly and tapping her lightly on the ass on her way out, locking the door behind her. After a quick shower to wash off last night, I throw my hair into a bun and slide on a pair of sweats and an oversized hoodie.

Making myself comfortable on the couch with a bowl of mac and cheese and some white wine, I start scrolling through a job website but stop when I see a posting for an au pair for a “high-profile client” that has a two and a half year old daughter. The listing mentions that the client needs someone to travel with the family and is hiring immediately. I submit my resume, apply for a few other odd jobs and hope that someone gets back to me soon.

When Darcy gets home the next morning, I tell her about the jobs I applied for. While she is my best friend and would never kick me out, I know that her having her own space is always something she’s craved given the way she was raised. She beams at me and I assure her that we are both hopeful that I will get one of these jobs.

I’m standing in the ice cream aisle after the longest shift of my life, debating between chocolate chip cookie dough or sea salt caramel, when a small body slams into my legs. At first, I’m confused, but when I look down into the cutest pair of blue eyes I have ever seen, attached to two little crooked black buns and a jumper covered in sunflowers, I am no longer confused but concerned. I back up and get down to her eye level, “Hey sweetie, where's your mommy or daddy?” She just giggles at me and presses her face up against the freezer door.

Then I hear it, “Arabella?! Bella? Where are you sweetie? Daddy promises he will get you ice cream, but he can’t do that if you won’t come to him.”

I can hear the concern in that deep, Southern timbre. So, I grab the small hand of the little girl that I can only assume is Arabella and begin to head in the direction of the voice. We are a quarter of the way down the aisle when a man turns the corner with a look of relief on his face. His hand clutches his chest, like he is on the verge of panicking.

“Is that your Daddy sweetie?” I ask as I take in the man heading our direction. He is about six-five, with muscles comparable to those of Hercules. His blonde hair and matching full beard contrasts with his daughter's raven hair, but his piercing blue eyes are definitely a feature they share. I continue to shamelessly check him out as he moves quickly towards us, at the same moment Arabella takes off running into his arms.

He sets Arabella gently back down on her feet, but keeps her tiny hand wrapped in his. He walks towards me with a smile on his face and begins speaking, at first I don’t think it’s to me, but then I realize we are the only ones standing in this aisle.

“Thank you so much for grabbing her. We were standing in produce. I was trying to get some grapes because this little lady goes through them like candy, and she was asking over and over again for ice cream. I told her we had to wait a second, and she just took off. I figured this is where she would be, but I was so worried. And, well, you probably didn’t care to hear all of that, but thank you so much.” He’s still smiling at me and I can feel myself smiling back. He looks down at Arabella with so much love. “I guess we are going to be putting you in the cart from now on little lady. Speaking of, I definitely need to go and grab my cart now that she’s back with me.”

“No problem, I’m glad that she ran into me, quite literally actually. She was helping me decide between chocolate chip cookie dough and sea salt caramel. Isn’t that right, Arabella?” I smile fondly at the little girl and she nods enthusiastically, she can’t be more than three years old.

In the cutest, smallest squeal, she says, “Chocowate chip cwookie dough! Daddy chocowate chip cwookie dough!”

I turn to the alluring man and say, “Well, I guess it’s decided then.”

“Yes, I think it’s decided that I will be buying both you, and my little lady, a gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.” My cheeks heat immediately and I am just about to tell him that I can get my own ice cream when he cuts my train of thought off with, “It’s the least I can do.”

“I’m Maverick and you’ve clearly met Bella already,” he introduces himself as I walk beside them with my basket to checkout.

“That I did. I’m KJ.” Sticking my hand out for a shake but quickly retracting it because you can’t shake hands, walk and push a cart at the same time. I don’t know why I just gave another random man Andy’s nickname for me, but it's too late now.

“Is that short for anything?” He asks as we approach the register, waiting while the cashier finishes up with the person ahead of us.

“Nothing special.” I shrug, my free hand gently pulling at the hair tie donning my other wrist as we speak.

“If you say so,” he gestures in front of him, ”You go ahead, and we will follow behind. Full cart and all.”

I set my white wine on the belt, quickly flashing my ID and swiping my card. Then I wait as he loads groceries onto the belt. I can’t help but notice he doesn’t have a ring on his finger, not that it matters, he could have left it at home. He hands me my bag of ice cream, and we fall into step again as we head to the exit of the store.

“We are this way,” he gestures towards the right side of the parking lot as we step through the exit door into the humid night air. He pulls Bella out before dropping the cart in the corral, ”Uh, thanks again for bringing her back to me.”

“Oh, no problem. I wouldn't have wanted her to get even more lost.”

“Bella, say goodbye to Ms. KJ.” She runs to me again and I get down to her level to give her a high five. She opts to give me the biggest little hug I've ever experienced and I head left to my ten year old elantra. I find myself reflecting on our interaction and wondering if I should have offered my number to Maverick whether that be for childcare or something else entirely.

3

MAVERICK

EVERGREENS

Every morning before Bella wakes, I get in a quick workout and prepare her breakfast. Today it’s pancakes and fruit for when she gets up. As I’m cleaning up the kitchen, I decide to call my Dad and check in.

On the other end he says, “Maverick, son. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

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