Page 10 of Wallflower
“Is that what you think happened to me?”
“No. Maybe. I don’t know.” Dylan rubs the back of his neck and shrugs. “Look, I didn’t mean—”
A wide set of doors at the opposite end of the room crashes open, and Dylan grins at what he sees over my shoulder. I spin in my chair and beam at the little dark-haired girl marching into the room like she owns the place. She’s got a camouflage-print t-shirt on with a bright pink tutu, and filthy tooled leather cowboy boots on her little feet.
“Daddy, I came to tell you—”
“Chord?”
The sharp squeal behind Izzy comes from the throat of my baby sister. I mean, she’s twenty-seven, but she’ll always be the baby, and she’s supposed to be in South America for the summer. With her long blonde waves, pink cheeks, and permanent smile, Daisy is pure sunshine, and something loosens in my chest at the unexpected sight of her.
After Daisy screeches my name, Izzy’s eyes widen as she realizes who I am, and when I drop to one knee, arms outstretched to entice her into a hug, she races into a flying leap so fast that I’m twirling her around before I’ve taken another breath.
“Uncle Chord!” Izzy squeezes my neck tight enough to cut off oxygen for a moment, then releases me and gives me a bright smile. “Did you get my invitation? Is that why you’re here? What did you think of the stickers? I saved all my best ones for you.”
“I got your invitation and that’s exactly why I’m here.” I bop her on her upturned nose. “I couldn’t say no to my best girl.”
“What does a sister have to do to get a little affection around here?” Daisy punches me in the ribs to get my attention, andI scoop her against me with my free arm. I regret it when she pinches me hard in the side. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”
“Ow! You’re one to talk. Aren’t you supposed to be in Argentina or Chile or something?”
“Eh. I wasn’t feeling it, so I’m spending the summer here.”
Warm breath tickles my neck, and I twist my head to find Izzy gazing up at me, big brown eyes glued to mine before she wraps me in another hug. Her body softens with a happy sigh as she flops her head onto my shoulder, and I rest my cheek on her dark hair.
“Funny thing that,” I say to Daisy. “So am I.”
six
Chord
Dylan returns to thekitchen after breakfast, so Daisy and Izzy take me on a tour of the ranch. I don’t need it, but it’s Izzy’s idea, and I can’t stand to disappoint her. Plus, an hour or so walking around the property means another hour I can delay dealing with Charlie, and that sounds like a good idea to me.
Izzy skips on ahead, leading us away from the restaurant and down an unsealed road toward the stables. I breathe in clean air laced with the scent of dirt and lavender courtesy of the herb gardens planted around the restaurant. I turn my face toward the sky and silently appreciate the endless blue.
Hockey’s never far from my mind, but out here, it feels far away.
Daisy waits until Izzy’s out of earshot before she nudges me with her shoulder.
“So, what are you really doing here?”
“Me?” I shrug and kick at the little stones studding the dirt path. “My niece invited me.”
Daisy snorts, and when I respond with a flat look, she rolls her eyes and bumps me again. “Fine. Talk to me. Don’t talk to me. I don’t care.”
“Izzy invited me,” I repeat, “and in case you haven’t heard, I signed with the Fury two days ago, which means—”
I’m three steps ahead when I notice Daisy isn’t beside me anymore. I turn, and she’s staring at me, brows drawn like she’s working out a riddle.
“You’re moving home?”
“I’m moving to San Francisco, yeah.”
Her face lights up, and she leaps at me. “You’re moving home!”
I catch her and hug her hard enough to crack a rib. Her joy takes me off guard, and though it warms me a little, the high fades when I remember Daisy doesn’t live here. She’s never been interested in where I’ve made my home before, and I don’t know why she cares now.
After I set her down, I give her a suspicious look that has her grinning like an imp.
