Page 84 of Castings & Curses

Eric

Paisley followed as I drove to the place out by the freeway. We looked like a car commercial, two matching minivans in a row. The girls were tired and hungry, and this was the easiest and closest place I could think of.

There had been some whining when we couldn’t put both car seats in one van in a timely fashion.

The reunion between the girls when we reached the restaurant was endearing. They hugged as if they hadn’t seen each other for centuries.

I want to wrap Paisley up and hug her like that. Shaking my head, I cleared that thought. No hugging Paisley, yet. I didn’t want her to think I was some kind of weirdo.

We placed our orders, and within minutes the whiney tired princesses were back to all giggles all the time.

“Do you think they realize they are eating chicken nuggets?” I asked.

“You mean that their new best friends could end up as dinner someday? No. And I'm not gonna tell them either,” Paisley said.

She was cute, and single. How the fuck was I supposed to let her know I was interested? Was I really in the best mental shape to be interested? I was still hung up on Janelle. I would always be hung up on her.

“Are you okay?” Paisley asked. She rested her hand on my arm.

I don’t think she realized what that simple touch was doing to me. “Yeah, why?”

“Your expression changed dramatically. Like you thought of something super bad, or started not feeling well.”

I let out a heavy breath, and glanced over at Sarina and Liv. They were occupied, they wouldn’t hear anything I said, even if I was talking to them.

“I was thinking about my wife.”

“Oh.” Immediately I understood what Paisley meant when she said my expression changed, because hers did too. Neither of us should ever play poker.

“She was my sunshine. She always wore bright yellows, oranges, and red. The colors suited her. And her smile could light up a room. Remember how Ash was razzing me about looking at shirtless men?”

Paisley nodded.

“I was a model for a bit.”

She made a small gasping sound and gave me an eyeball once-over. “I can see it.”

“It’s how I met Janelle. She was a photographer’s assistant. We flirted for years. And then I was done with that rebellious phase, as my mother calls it. I called it not getting jobs after an accident left me with this.” I pointed at my face before continuing, “I returned home to work with the product marketing teams for my parent's business, and didn’t see her for a few years. We were starting a new campaign. I was in the process of reviewing photographers’ portfolios when I saw Janelle’s smiling face.”

“Was she modeling?”

“No, it was a bio card in the back of the portfolio. She was a full-fledged photographer. So I hired her. We fell in love, got married, and then Sarina.” I said the last bit in a rush. It seemed important for Paisley to know, to understand. “The pregnancy was going well until it wasn’t. Preeclampsia came out of nowhere. Suddenly Janelle went toxic. She had an emergency C-section.” I had to pause. “Sorry this is…”

“You don’t have to tell me. I was being nosey last week.”

I shook my head and reached for her hand. “No, I want to tell you. It seems only fair.”

She nodded, and looked at me with soft round eyes. They were pool blue and I could have drowned in them.

“Janelle got to see Sarina, and then the seizures hit. By then I had been a volunteer fireman for a few years. I knew how bad seizures could get. I didn’t understand, I thought I did. She died right in front of me while I held onto our brand new baby girl.”

“Oh Eric.” Paisley got out of her seat and stood next to me. She wrapped her arms around me and pressed my head to her shoulder.

The comfort was appreciated, but it started a war in my gut. I needed the comfort over having lost Janelle. But I shouldn’t have enjoyed Paisley’s touch so much at that moment.

CHAPTER9

Paisley

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