Twist of Fate by Louise, Tia (free ebook reader for ipad .txt) 📗

way, it’s good to be aware. Those French doors don’t lock.” Ms. Betty goes to the entrance, and before she leaves, she smiles and nods to me. “Come by and have some lunch. I’ll tell André to give you a free soda.”

“Thanks.” She’s gone, and I watch as Daisy is very focused on pricing the guitar. “What’s that about?”

“Free drinks? I think that means she likes you.”

“No, that Travis guy. What’s his story?”

“No story.” Her brow furrows. “I went out with him a few times a few years ago. Actually, we never really went out. He just stopped by to chat. I was alone, and it was nice to have a man around.”

Heat burns in my stomach. “I don’t like him.”

“I don’t either.” Her tone is quiet resolve.

I quietly resolve my girls will never be alone like that again.

A smile curls her pink lips. “It was pretty cute the way you flew to Melody’s defense. She can be a bossy little handful, you know.”

“She’s not going to let anybody push her around. She’s like her mama.”

Daisy blinks at me quickly, pink filling her cheeks. “We’ve been going steady all day. You can take off now if you want.”

I glance at the clock, and it’s after five. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Good first day.”

Twenty-Four

Daisy

A bead of sweat traces down my back as I stand in the shadows on my balcony overlooking Main Street. The air doesn’t move tonight, but I can still catch the faintest taste of salt on my tongue from the ocean. It has me itchy and restless, remembering the salt water swirling around me in Scout’s arms, his hand sliding lower between my legs…

I can’t stop thinking about him at the store the last few days. Ever since I told him about Melody, he’s been with us all the time—and I’m not complaining. I’m so grateful he wasn’t angry, so amazed so little has changed in the time we’ve been apart.

She declared herself the quarterback princess, and he said he was her brave knight. My heart melted, and I’m not sure, because she’s only three, but I think Melody’s did, too.

Then he appeared at the store before she left for preschool the next day. Without hesitation, she climbed onto his shoulders, rode him like a horse, then made him play football for thirty minutes in the little grassy field across the street.

When she pranced off with Coco to school, he lingered in the doorway watching them go like she was the most amazing thing on the planet. Yesterday he waited until she got home to walk with her and get ice cream. She chatters with him nonstop, bosses him around, and the way he dotes on her has me falling for him more every day.

As for us, he’s been completely focused on anticipating my needs. I opened that ridiculous dog—Spencer informed me it’s a neoclassical ceramic greyhound of unknown origin. Anyway, Scout carried it all over the store until we found the right place to display it. Then when Ms. Roxie bought it, he carried it to her car. He’s practically a movie star, and he’s in the store every day like my own personal servant.

Standing with my back against the wooden doors, I look up at the dark sky and wonder what it takes to know if someone is right. Do I need any more proof than this?

We rotated in each other’s orbit during high school. After college, we spent that week together. Now we’ve spent another week, and it never changes. He’s the same, all-American hot guy who’s sweet and charming and wants to be with me…

At least, it seems that way. It’s possible he likes hanging out with his daughter, and I happen to be a part of that equation. It doesn’t solve the problem of his work being three thousand miles away from mine.

Stepping into the living room, I switch off the big window unit, pondering my next moves. He will go back to L.A. one day. What then? What about our daughter?

Melody is passed out in my bed as usual after running nonstop all day, and I wonder what she would think if I were with her brave knight. We haven’t discussed telling her he’s her dad yet. Will she understand?

With the air-conditioner off, the outside noises are more distinct. I listen for several seconds to the usual frogs singing, cicadas screeching, farther in the distance an owl screeches.

Then I hear the strange sound of a vehicle engine slowly pulling into the alley. My heart thumps faster, and energy spikes in my veins.

Ms. Betty’s warning about the French doors lingers at the edges of my mind, but Travis Walker wouldn’t come here. I told him I’m not interested, and he has no reason to prowl around my door. He got his life back on track, and everyone deserves a chance to show they’ve changed.

The engine below goes quiet, and I tiptoe to the balcony again. I’m only wearing my white sleep tank and panties, so I’m quiet as a mouse as I step closer to the edge to try and peer down.

My breath softly gasps when I recognize Ms. Alice’s red step-side pickup. Dropping to my knees, I press my face against the banister rungs to see better, and my heart jumps when the light reflects off his hair. What is Scout doing here?

Jumping up, I decide I’m going to find out.

Scampering through my apartment, I pause at the bedroom door and peek at our baby. She’s lying on her back with both arms over her head. Her little lips are parted, and it sounds like she’s on the verge of baby-girl snores. When I come back, I’ll move her around. As it is, I don’t want to risk waking her.

Taking the keys, I run down the stairs through my store, to the back door, and I’m outside just as fast, locking the door behind me. When I get to the truck, I hesitate. The windows are down, but the cab seems