Taysia sank into her chair and took in the fare. Inhaled. Rolled her shoulders. Exhaled. She could do this. She was moving on with her life, and this was how it was done. Kylen was in the past. This was here and now.

  Blaine hurried in, wisps of white vapor still rising from the top of the open cider bottle, and she smiled. “Everything looks wonderful, Blaine.”

  And it was. She surprised herself by eating everything on her plate and even taking seconds on the salmon. Finally, pushing back from the table, she groaned audibly. “I don’t think I can walk, and I have classes to teach in the morning.”

  He grinned. “I’m glad you liked it. Have time for a movie and some chocolate fudge cake?”

  Taysia wanted to go home, but the puppy-dog pleading look in his eyes and the reminder to herself that she was trying to move on made her stay.

  Two hours later she stood at the door saying goodbye. “Everything was great, Blaine. Thanks for a fun night.”

  “Sure.” He took her hand and studied her mouth openly.

  Yes. Kiss me. I’m trying to move on here.

  But he just stood there, gnawing his lip nervously and staring at her mouth.

  She was just about to reach up and kiss him herself when he leaned in.

  Finally! Moving on. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up, resigned and waiting.

  He kissed her softly, hesitantly, then stepped back and squeezed her hand. “Have a good week. I’ll come by Friday night?”

  “O-o-okay. See you then.” Disappointment coursed through her. Shouldn’t she have at least felt a little excitement from their first kiss? With a sigh she headed for her car.

  Kylen was sitting in her porch swing when she pulled into the drive.

  The flamenco started in her chest, setting her nerves to tingling. The car stopped with a jerk, sending gravel skidding under the tires. She yanked on the emergency brake and snatched up her purse.

  He stood as she got out of the car and sauntered toward her.

  She swallowed, resenting the fact that just the sight of this man made her feel more than a kiss from Blaine had. “What are you doing here?” she snapped.

  He blinked. “Just making sure you made it home safe.”

  “Well, I’m here! Safe.” She gave a little twirl to prove it.

  He grinned. “I can see that. Date with Pittman didn’t go so well, huh?”

  She scalded him with a look as she marched up the steps. How had he even known where she was?

  Kylen held his hands up in an I-surrender pose. “I’m going home. But I left something for you by your door. Don’t trip on it.” He stepped over the flower bed and disappeared into the darkness.

  Keys in her hand, Taysia looked down. A single white rose wrapped in pink tissue paper lay on the welcome mat, the glow from her porch light casting shadows around it.

  Like melting chocolate, her peeve slipped away and puddled at her feet.

  She stooped and lifted the rose to inhale the fragrance, staring into the darkness in the direction Kylen had disappeared.

  This moving-on business is never going to work. With a groan she pushed open her door.

  Chapter 6

  For two weeks Kylen did little things like the rose. She would step out onto her deck and find a bouquet of wildflowers or a chocolate bar. One morning he knocked at the door and handed her a steaming cup of java from the little stand down the street—tall vanilla macchiato, skinny, no whip, just like she liked it. How had he known? She’d bet Marie had blabbed, but for once her lips were sealed. Twice, he had small bouquets delivered to her at work. Marie gushed and told everyone who came by the front desk that Miss Green was in love. And for some reason she couldn’t grasp, Taysia had been unable to deny it.

  This Monday morning, anticipation hurried her steps as she climbed out of her car and headed into Mom’s Gym. Nothing had been on her porch, or in her mailbox. No dark-eyed police officer had shown up on her stoop to hand her coffee. But he hasn’t missed a day of gift-giving for two weeks.

  To her disappointment, during that time he’d kept his distance, only saying hello at church with a slow, warm smile, or waving to her from his window as she pulled into her drive. Even when he’d brought her the coffee, all he’d said was, “Have a nice day, Layne.”

  She jogged up the walk to Mom’s Gym, stopped, took a calming breath, and did her best to walk nonchalantly into the reception area.

  Marie chomped a large wad of gum. As she caught sight of Taysia, her eyes lit up and she blew a huge bubble, smacking it loudly before she raised her eyebrows.

  Taysia’s heart double thumped. She scanned the counter. Empty. Her pulse stilled. “Oh. Good morning, Marie.”

  “Morning, Taysia,” she said with a cheeky grin.

  Taysia held her breath and waited as she scanned the list of classes and clients for the day. Surely something had come this morning, and if so, Marie would be sure to tell her about it. Some news glimmered in her eyes.

  “Mrs. Sanchez called to say she won’t be able to make it to Third Trimester Toning today. She thinks she might be in labor.”

  Taysia’s shoulders slumped. “Oh…how nice. We’ll need to remember to pray as a class for her. Mark that on the top of my agenda for that class today, would you?”

  “Sure.” Marie popped her gum, the sassy glint still in her eyes.

  Taysia finally gave in to her curiosity with a chuckle. “All right, where is it? Your paycheck is in serious jeopardy, girl.”

  Marie laughed out loud. “Hustle on down to your office, Miss G. And it’s a doozy, let me tell you.” She paused, then hurried on. “I read the card. Hope you don’t mind. I wasn’t going to tell you, but Pastor’s been talking about honesty at church, so I thought I better ‘fess up.”

  Taysia, already two steps toward her office, stopped and spun back, her gym bag whispering against her leg.

  Like a puppy caught with its paws on the garbage can, Marie hung her head and looked at Taysia through her eyebrows.

  Taysia arched a brow, but couldn’t think of a thing to say in the face of the soul-eyed confession but “You’re forgiven. Just don’t do it again, please?”

  Marie nodded, shoulders relaxing, her quick grin back in place. “Thanks.” Then she waved Taysia forward. “Go. It’s gonna knock your socks right off.”

  At her office, Taysia peered around the door as she pushed it open, eyes widening in pace with the expanding view.

  On her desk sat a huge bouquet of purple-hued roses interspersed with lupine, baby’s breath, and greenery. But what caught her attention were the large clusters of green and purple grapes that cascaded down the front of the crystal vase.

  A card poked from the top of the arrangement, and she plucked it out with trembling fingers.

  In bold scrawl Kylen had written, “Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and disciplined heart is as coals, deep-burning, unquenchable. (Henry Ward Beecher.) I’m not going anywhere. Love, Kylen.”

  Her breath caught in her throat, and tears pricked the backs of her eyes. “Oh, Ky.” One hand floated to her mouth as she sank into her chair. Equal amounts of fear and happiness set her pulse to pounding and her mouth stretching from ear to ear. Heaven help me, I think I’m falling for him again. Her whole body trembled, and she leaned back with a chuckle. “I have to go teach class, and I’m a total basket case!” She sat in contemplative, sloppy-grinned silence for several minutes before slapping her knees and standing to get ready. “Get a grip, girl. Just get a grip.”

  Her phone rang as she was headed out the door. She glanced at her watch. Only two minutes to class time. She really should let it go to voice mail. But what if it’s Kylen? Jogging the five steps to her desk, she snatched up the phone and pressed the talk button. “Hello?”

  “Taysia?”

  “Daddy? Oh!” She slapped one palm to her forehead. She was supposed to have had breakfast with him this morning! In her hurry to get to the office and see Kylen’s gift, she’d forgotten all about it. “I’m so sorry, Daddy. I totally forgot about breakfast.”

  “That’s alright.” He chuckled. “I thought maybe you were just getting me back for dinner the last time.”

  She smiled, her heart sinking a little at the reminder of his absentmindedness. “No, Daddy. I would never do that.”

  “Well.” He cleared his throat. “Can we do dinner? There’s something important I really need to talk to you about.”

  Fear zinged through her. “Uh, yeah, sure.” What could he need to talk to her about? She squeezed the base of her neck. “Dinner sounds fine. What time?”

  “How about six thirty? Fisherman’s Wharf?”

  “Sure. I’ll be there. I promise not to forget this time.”

  “Good. See you then.”

  “Love you, Daddy.”

  He cleared his throat. “See you tonight.”

  She hung up and stood staring at the phone for a long minute, massaging her lower lip as she tried to think what Daddy could need to talk to her about so urgently. With a sigh of resignation, she turned and headed to her class. She would find out soon enough.

  Taysia arrived at Fisherman’s Wharf just before six thirty. The parking lot was off to one side of the restaurant, and she pulled into a space overlooking the ocean. Here, tall grass swayed closest to the lot, giving way farther out to the unrelenting sand and the pulsing surf. A gull hopped along the beach, cocking his head this way and that as he looked and listened for an ill-fated, bite-sized beach inhabitant.

  Climbing out of the car, Taysia pressed her skirt down as the wind snatched at it, swirling it around her ankles. Her sandals clicked noisily on the stone tiles in the restaurant entry.

  “Good evening.” A waiter smiled at her. “How many in your party this evening?”

  She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “There will be two of us. I’m here to meet my father. Is there a single, older man seated already? I’m not sure if I’m here first or not.”

  He scanned a list on the podium in front of him. “Are you Taysia Green?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled. “Right this way.”

  “Thank you.” She followed him through an archway with a swordfish hanging above it and dogged his footsteps past several linen-covered tables to one in the corner where Daddy sat waiting.

  He smiled. “Hi, sweetheart.” He stood and pulled out a chair for her.

  Taysia pushed down the trepidation thundering in her chest. Whatever he had to tell her, she could take it. “Hi, Daddy.” She kissed his cheek before she sat.

  The view from their window snagged her interest as Daddy moved around to his side of the table to sit. Several sailboats dotted the horizon, crisp white triangular sails bulging in the breeze. One that was closer in bobbed in the waves. On the beach, a young boy threw a ball out into the surf for his golden retriever to fetch. The dog bounded into the water, ears flapping like a bird trying to take flight.

  “Beautiful, huh?”

  Daddy’s words focused her attention on his face. “Yes.” She took a sip of water, her ice tinkling against the glass. “Sorry, again, about breakfast.” She set the cup down, playing with the moisture that dampened its exterior.

  Daddy rubbed his hands together nervously. “Don’t worry about it. Listen, honey, I’m going to get right to the point, because she could be back at any moment.”

  Taysia lifted her head. “Who?” Even as she asked the question, she noticed there were three glasses of water on the table, and the one next to Daddy had lipstick on the rim.

  “Loraine.” Daddy held up his hands to stop her barrage of questions. “Just listen for a minute.”

  Forcing her mouth to shut and her hands to settle in her lap was the hardest thing Taysia had done in a long time.

  “I met her at the senior center. Her name is Loraine and—oh! Here she is.” He stood and pulled out the chair next to him.

  Taysia looked in disbelief at the distinguished woman who settled into the waiting seat. The lady glanced up, a smile twinkling in her blue eyes. “Hello, dear.” She stretched an age-spotted hand out to Taysia. “I’m Loraine. I’m sure Dale has told you all about me by now. It’s so nice to meet you. You have such a wonderful father!”

  Taysia took her hand automatically, but her eyes fixed on Daddy as he resumed his seat. “Well—I—but—” Taysia sputtered.

  Daddy took Loraine’s hand and arched a don’t-you-dare-make-a-scene eyebrow. “Loraine is the reason I forgot about our dinner plans the other night. And I was with her on the beach the night of my”—he cleared his throat—”late-night visit to your house.”

  Loraine tittered and leaned across the table. “Early morning is more like it. Dale told me all about that—I can’t believe you called the police! Of course, what else were you to do, you poor dear. Thinking someone had broken into your house!” She laid her hand over Taysia’s. “I’ve made him promise that in the future when the mood strikes us to stay up to all hours, he will stop at a convenience store or something, instead of scaring you spitless!”

  Taysia’s mouth gaped. She couldn’t help herself. Daddy has a girlfriend! He’s not getting Alzheimer’s or something! Oh, thank You, God! She’s beautiful! A little younger than Mom would be now, but still close to Daddy’s age.

  Loraine’s hand came up to cover her mouth. “You poor thing, he hasn’t told you, has he!” She turned her blue eyes on Daddy and smacked his arm. “Dale! For shame! The poor child is quite obviously shocked beyond belief!”

  Daddy chuckled and leaned across the table to bump Taysia’s chin. “It’s not fly-catching season, honey.”

  Taysia grabbed up her ice water and gulped several mouthfuls. “I’m sorry, I just—” What did one say in a situation like this? I’m so glad it’s you and not Alzheimer’s just didn’t quite seem like the socially correct thing to say. “Well.” She took another swallow of icy reality. “This is a surprise, Daddy.”

  Daddy chuckled as the waiter stepped up to take their order, and it wasn’t until she was on her way home later that night that Taysia realized just how much weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It felt a little strange to know Daddy had a girlfriend, but it felt really good to know he wasn’t going crazy!

  She chuckled as she pulled into her drive and killed the motor. She glanced toward the house.

  Kylen, hands clasped behind his head, rocked easily in her porch swing, the final rays of the setting sun gilding his features.

  She closed her eyes, her heart beginning to hammer as though she were in the middle of a tough workout. What is he doing here? Wasn’t it just this morning that she’d been wishing for some time with him? I’m crazy to be feeling things for him again! Well, she couldn’t just sit here in the car all night. Quietly she headed for the house.

  He grinned as she stepped up onto the porch. “Hi.” The word was a soft caress.

  “Hi.” She adjusted her purse strap. “I got your bouquet.” Remembering the words on the card, she flushed and looked down for a moment, then peered back up at him. “It was nice.”

  He arched his brows, a twinkle in his eyes.

  “A lot more than nice. They were beautiful. Thank you.” She shuffled her feet.

  His face turned serious, and the motion of the swing stopped as he leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, and looked intently into her face. “Not half as beautiful as you are,” he whispered.

  She swallowed and collapsed as casually as she could against the post by her shoulder, pushing down the desire to wrap her arms around him and thank him properly. She did not dare step closer to him. Didn’t dare even to look at him. She turned her back to the house and stared out over the street to the golden sunset that was just turning pink along the edges.

  She heard him stand, felt him come up beside her. He took her hand.

  A tremor raced the length of her spine and back. Still, she did not meet his gaze.

  Tugging her over to the swing, he pulled her down beside him. As soon as they were seated, he let go of her hand and tucked his own hands underneath his thighs. He looked over at her. “How was your day?”

  She huffed softly, fiddling with a bit of fuzz on her skirt. “Crazy. Strange. Good.”

  He leaned back to get a better view of her.

  She chuckled. “Yeah. All of that. I forgot I was supposed to meet Daddy for breakfast because I was hurrying to the office to see—” Her cheeks flamed. “Well, anyway, he called to remind me and asked me to meet him for dinner.”

  “Hold on, now.” Kylen grinned and bumped her with his shoulder. “You were hurrying to the office to see…what?”

  She worried her lower lip, but was unsuccessful at keeping a smile at bay. “You’re not playing fair.” She met his gaze. “I love getting presents.”

  His eyes held a smile, but his voice was serious when he said, “Hmmm, I’ll have to remember that.”

  For one heated moment their eyes locked, then Kylen took a visible breath and leaned back. “So you had dinner with your dad tonight. How’s the Bungling Burglar doing?”

  She chuckled, started to answer, paused, then went ahead and said it, crazy as it sounded and all. “Daddy has a girlfriend.”

  Kylen arched his brows and folded his arms. “You did have a crazy day.”

  She nodded. “It does seem a little strange. But I’m so relieved at the same time. I was really worried that he was starting to lose it. But the couple times he’s been supposed to meet me and forgot were because he was with his girlfriend. Her name is Loraine.”

  “So are you okay with it? Not that you have any say in the matter.” He grinned.

  “At first it felt a little disloyal to Mom. But”—she shrugged—”he deserves to find happiness again. I’m happy for him; at least I will be when I get all the emotional baggage about Mom out of the way.”

  “Sounds like some exercise therapy is in order. Want to go for a jog?”

  She sighed. A jog sounded really good about now. “Sure. Just let me change and I’ll be right out.”

  “First”—he touched her arm to stop her before she stood—”I need to talk to you about Sophia.”

 

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