Page 25 of Healed
“We’ve been having some trouble with some of the older kids in Carson’s school. I’ve been successful at controlling myself and going through proper channels, but let me tell you, it’s not easy. But we’ll get through it. We’ve been working with the school,” Charlie said.
“Some kids were mean to Daisy in school when she was little, too. You know what we did?” Bane asked.
“Dad…” Daisy said, sending a clear warning to him not to tell the story of him and her Uncle Maverik terrifying the kids that had been picking on her.
Bane stared at Daisy as he finished. “We taught her to protect herself. So the next time they were mean to her, she knocked them on their butts and they left her alone after that.”
Carson kept eating, not seemingly engaged anymore. He ate every bite, and shortly after, Charlie had eaten all he could of the massive amounts of food that Janie had put on his plate.
“I’m stuffed. I cannot eat another bite.”
“Would you like dessert?” Janie asked.
“Oh, no thank you. I have no room for it,” Charlie said.
“I want dessert!” Carson said.
“I’ll be right back,” Janie said, gathering plates and heading toward the kitchen.
“I’ll bring my plate. It’s my job to take my dishes to the kitchen every evening,” Carson said.
“I’ll help, Mom,” Daisy said, gathering more dishes and following her mother.
With both women out of the room, Bane sat forward, his hands clasped on the table before him and looked Charlie in the eye. “So, what do you think of my daughter?”
“I’m sorry?” Charlie asked.
“Don’t pretend with me. I know you’re here to pick up your son, I know you were really kept late at work, but I also see the way you look at my Daisy. And you even thought to bring her her favorite treat. So, what are your intentions?”
Charlie sat forward, mimicking Bane’s position, and looked directly into Bane’s eyes. “I’ll be honest with you, sir. It doesn’t seem to matter what my intentions are. She blocks me at every turn. I can’t get much past small talk before she’s shoving me away.”
“But you want more than small talk?”
“I haven’t been interested in anyone since I lost Carson’s mother. And I thought I never would be, but everything about Daisy screams that I’ll never meet anyone else like her. She’s amazing. She’s smart, and talented, and sweet, and kind. She’s both gentle and strong and independent, though she makes me want to protect her. How do you protect someone that’s so independent that you haven’t even been able to get her to agree to a first date yet?” Charlie asked, sitting back frustratedly.
“Is that all?” Bane asked.
“No. She makes me want to be a better man. I don’t even know her yet and I can’t stop imagining what it would be like to have a life with her. And Carson adores her. And you got him to eat ribs. He doesn’t eat ribs! He eats chicken nuggets, and pizza. Occasionally he’ll get a vegetable or two down, but for the most part, it’s not happening. And he’s sitting here talking to you and your wife like he’s known you all his life. He doesn’t like strangers. I don’t know what to think of this…”
Bane had listened to all Charlie had said, searching for lies, but found nothing but the truth. This man legitimately cared forDaisy. And she’d mentioned him and his son several times, so they’d obviously made an impact on her as well. Bane smiled. “You give them space to come to you in their own time.”
“What?” Charlie asked, momentarily confused.
“How you protect a woman that’s as independent as Daisy… you give them space to come to you in their own time. But whatever you do, don’t give up on her. Daisy is so worth the effort. She’s been hurt, and she’s afraid to trust. But I think you could be a good thing for her.”
Charlie nodded and sat forward again. “Unless she makes it clear she wants nothing to do with me, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good man,” Bane said. “But just so you know, if you hurt her, I’ll kill you. She kept the last one a secret and I’m still searching for answers. If you make the mistake of hurting her like the last one did, it’ll be the last thing you do.”
“Fair enough,” Charlie said.
“Here we go!” Janie said, walking back into the dining room with a tray of individual bowls of chocolate pudding.
“If I finish my pudding, can you teach me how to defend myself?” Carson asked.
Bane reached out and put his sauce covered hand over Carson’s. “You bet I will. It’ll take a little while to teach you everything. But I can show you a few things tonight that will help you out real quick.”
Carson grinned and started spooning chocolate pudding into his mouth.
