Page 50 of Healed
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that… have still been going through all that.”
“I want so bad to trust again, to move on, but I’m terrified. Each time I go out, I scan the room of wherever I am, praying I don’t see her, or him for that matter.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. But like I said, this is when you take the opportunity to run. Just please keep everything I told you to yourself. I just really needed an outlet, and you gave me that. I appreciate it.”
“I am not an outlet. I’m a friend. I’m not going anywhere.”
Daisy chuckled, trying to make light of his commitment to try to remain her friend. “You should. I would.”
“No, you wouldn't.”
Charlie scooted his chair a little closer to the small table they sat at and took her hand in both of his. “Look, Daisy, I don’t know if you even care, but I’ve been trying for months to work up the nerve to ask you out. You always seem to shut me down in such a way that makes me wonder if you’re even aware, or if you just don’t date. Now I understand why. But it doesn’t scare meoff. I’ve never met anybody like you. I want to spend time with you. I want to see if it’s possible that we might have something between us other than just this spark that flared to life the first time we met.”
“You felt that, too, huh?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “But I understand you’re struggling through a lot. I guess what I’m asking is if we can just hang out, get to be friends, see where this takes us as you are able to see where it takes us. No expectations, but a lot of hope.”
“Are you sure you want that?”
“You are the kindest, the most sensitive woman I’ve ever met. There’s something uniquely special about you, and I find I can’t even consider not being around you, as often as you’ll allow.”
She had been looking at their hands, and finally raised her gaze to his. “If you’ll promise to let me know if it becomes too much. Just be honest with me.”
“It’s not going to happen, but if it makes you feel better, I promise.”
Daisy smiled at him.
He smiled at Daisy. “I’m glad I could be here for you. I’m always here for you. And you never have to be afraid when you’re with me. If anybody starts any kind of noise regarding you, or even considers offending you in any way, I’ll tackle them so hard I’ll break bones. Just promise you’ll come bail me out later?”
Daisy laughed. “I promise. And tackle?”
“Yep. I’m all businessman now, civil engineer and slacks, but there was a time I was a pretty decent football player. Was all state in my high-school days. Had perfect tackling form. I promise to use my expertise as needed.”
“Deal,” Daisy said.
“Good, now tell me some happy stories. Your dad is fantastic. I’m sure there are more than a few.”
“You have no idea. You know I have uncles and aunts and cousins that all kind of live within a stone’s throw from each other.”
“Yeah, it’s like a compound it seems.”
“Kind of. Yeah. If you decide to stick around enough, you’ll definitely meet my family. Sometimes they can be a bit much, but they’d all stand for each other, no matter the situation.”
“I wish I had a big family like that to offer Carson. It’s just me and him. I’m sure there’s an estranged uncle somewhere, but if I’ve never met them, why look them up now, you know?”
“I can’t imagine not having all my cousins. They’re a pain sometimes, but I’d be lost without them. Even my cousin Jobe and his family. We hear from them all the time, even though they’ve moved to Colorado.”
“That’s a long way from here, especially when his whole family is still in Louisiana,” Charlie said.
“He got a job offer from a construction company there. The job benefits and salary were off the charts. He talked to my Uncle Goldy and Aunt Sadie, who are his parents and they all agreed he couldn’t pass it up. So, they moved. And Uncle Goldie and Aunt Sadie went with them. But everybody else is still here, and let me tell you, some can be a pain in the ass.”
“Well, well, well! What do we have here?” Havoc asked, dropping into an unoccupied chair at their table. He reached out and took a french fry off Daisy’s plate. “’Sup, cuz?”
Daisy eyed Havoc, then smiled exaggeratedly at Charlie. “This is the most pain in the ass cousin I have.”
“So, no tackles?” Charlie asked.
