Page 84 of Unexpected Love
I glance at Maggie. “Given Dani’s current problem, should we be concerned about this shady character that Mrs. Eversley saw?”
“Sketchy. Not shady. There’s a difference. But now that you mention it, maybe?”
Dani carries Charlie back into the room, plunks her into a high chair, and breaks off more muffin. A twinge of discomfort radiates up my spine. The sight of them together and Dani acting all maternal makes my heart ache. I don’t know what her end game is, but I can almost guarantee that it’s going to hurt when she figures out her next steps. Especially if it includes anything other than her staying with Cal.
There’s too much coincidence that Mrs. Eversley saw someone sketchy, and Dani keeps getting phone calls. What if her ignoring his calls has pushed him over the edge? “Dani, can you tell me what this Ritchie guy looks like? It can’t hurt for us to keep a watch out for him.”
Dani frowns. “I don’t see how he’d know where I am.”
“Just humor me.”
“Fine. He’s a smidge taller than you, but not as tall as Cal. Shaved head. Covered in tattoos. He got this one while he was in prison that covers the back of his neck up behind his ear. Oh, and one across his forehead that comes down around his cheek. They’d be badass if they’d been done by a professional, but really, they’re just creepy.”
I blink at her. I didn’t peg her for a face-tattoo girlie, but I’m coming to realize that nothing should surprise me with this girl. She’s rocking to her own beat.
“Well, that should make him easy to pick out in a crowd around here.”
Dani smirks. “Yeah, this town is like bougie yuppie heaven.”
Maggie grins. “Yuppie heaven where they like their lattes and bakeries. Would you call him sinister?”
“Ritchie? No. He looks like a scrawny, poor decision-making pissant. But he’s too stupid to do any real harm.”
I’m not comforted in the least.
“Honestly,” she continues, “I don’t know what made me think he was worth losing everything for.” She looks so young, standing before us with her heart on her sleeve. I wish that she’d been able to come to Cal sooner. That she’d realize her worth and find a purpose for her future.
There’s a defiant glint in her eye as she straightens and meets my gaze. “He’s a loser with no future. He says he wants to get ahead, but he’s too lazy to do anything about it, like get a real job and keep his ass out of jail.”
“Ass,” Charlie chirps from her little kiddie table.
Dani rolls her eyes and mouths a curse. For a fleeting moment, though, I caught the resolve that she’d embraced. Just being with her brother for this short amount of time, she’s done a one-eighty. She’s putting her stubborn streak to good use.
Maggie is trying not to laugh at the little voice that is saying “Ass” on repeat.
Dani kneels before Charlie. “Charlie-Belle. Mommy shouldn’t have said that.” She distracts her by offering her a paper and crayons, and Charlie happily begins naming the colors.
Dani stands, love shining in her eyes for her daughter. “I just want a better life for Charlie. No matter what it takes.”
“We’ll keep an eye out for loser-boy. For now, I’ve got an oven to unload, and then we’ve got a grand opening to schedule.”
But first, I have a call to make. I swipe my phone and punch Cal’s contact.
“Hey, babe.”
I get down to business, because I never know how long I’ll get to talk to him when he’s at work. “You want the good news or bad?”
“Definitely the good first.”
“Guess what I’m holding.”
FaceTime rings on my phone, so I join the call, and his handsome face immediately fills my screen.
“Hey there, gorgeous. Figured you could just show me.”
Tears fill my eyes at the enormity of how much has changed in the blink of an eye. I pull the certificate out of the envelope and flip the camera to show him.
He studies the screen, and I watch as his expressions morph through a whole range of emotions. Confusion, dawning comprehension, excitement. I flip the screen back to my face and meet his smile with a watery one of my own. “We did it.”
