Page 85 of Healed
She shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t read you. And I couldn’t read him either. I don’t know what’s wrong.”
“I promise I’ll tell you, but I’m not changing my mind. Your dad can read me, and he knows I’m for real.”
“Dad!” Carson called from the front door. “You should come see Captain America! He’s awesome!”
“Okay. I’ll be there in just a minute, alright?”
“Okay.” Carson closed the door, then opened it immediately. “Miss Daisy, what happened to your clothes?”
“Oh, they got mud on them, Carson. And your dad was nice enough to loan me his shirt.”
“Dad is nice,” he said, closing the door again.
They both laughed.
“Are you okay?” she finally asked.
“I am. If you hadn’t shifted, I’d be thinking I was in love with a woman that needed a lot of psychiatric help. But there’s nothing to say after seeing your Bear, other than, I’m in love with a female who has a little extra umph. That’s what your aunt said, right?”
“You’re in love with me?”
“Have been for a while. Been unable to think about anything other than you. Been unable to get you to go out with me until a couple of weeks ago.”
“I was attracted to you, too. I was just afraid. Thank you for not giving up.”
“Couldn’t. Maybe we’re mates.”
Daisy’s smile fell and she looked at him with a surprised expression.
“Would that be so bad?” Charlie asked.
“No, just, maybe we are.”
“I hope we are,” he admitted.
She stood quietly for a few seconds before she met his gaze again. “Me, too.”
~~~
It was well past dark when Cristie turned off the highway and onto Kaid’s land. She followed the familiar gravel road up through the property, and waved politely at an unfamiliarvehicle that waited for her to pass before it turned from the fork that led to Bane’s and Bam’s houses onto the gravel road and headed toward the highway. She pulled up in front of Avaleigh and Daniel’s house and took a moment to compose herself before she went to the door. Second guessing herself was not usually in her nature, but she’d been doing a lot of it the last couple of days. She eyed the door and considered her options once more. Finally shaking her head she opened her car door and got out. “Didn’t come all this way for nothing,” she grumbled.
Cristie walked up to the front door and knocked on it.
A few moments later the door opened and she smiled brightly at the handsome face of one of the most steady, trustworthy males she’d ever known. “Hi, Uncle Daniel.”
“Cristie?!” he exclaimed, surprised by her arrival.
“I got a phone call from someone that urged me to come see if I could make any difference at all,” she explained.
The big strong male seemed to falter a bit before he reached for her and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Cristie hugged him back, and patted his back while she allowed him to hold her. “I don’t know if it’ll make a difference at all, but I couldn’t not try.”
“I know. And thank you for coming.” Daniel finally let go of her and stepped back so she could enter the house. He closed the door and turned to call out to Avaleigh, but chuckled when he found Avaleigh already holding onto Cristie.
“I’m so happy to see you,” Avaleigh said tearfully.
“I’m sorry it has to be under these conditions. But I had to come back to try to help.”
