With everyone busy with work, Daisy volunteered to be with Betty while she was being transferred to the nursing home. Her grandfather rode in the ambulance while Daisy followed behind in her Jeep.
The nursing home was actually in Red Maple Falls which would make it much easier for her whole family to be able to visit more often. Not like Betty was short for visitors at any given time. On top of making friends with the entire hospital staff, Daisy found out that on Tuesday afternoons Terry would visit and they would work on puzzles, and according to her mom they would purposely drop a piece when a particular male nurse would stop in.
Daisy was surprised her grandmother didn’t try to hook her up with the poor guy. Then again, Betty hadn’t tried to get her a date with anyone since she’d been home. Granted, she’d been in a hospital bed, but that meant nothing. Unless she was really off her game. Either way, Daisy was grateful. The last thing she needed was her grandmother setting her up on a blind date, especially when she couldn’t get Nick off her mind.
Daisy followed Betty upstairs to her room while her grandfather filled out a few forms at the main desk. Once Betty was in bed, Daisy started to unpack her bag and hang her clothes in the small closet.
Layla walked in, holding a clipboard. “How are you doing, Betty?”
Betty shifted on the bed and glanced toward the door. “Layla, sweetie, is that you?”
Layla greeted her with a smile. “Sure is. You lucked out; I’m going to be your nurse.”
“This place is already spoiling me.” Betty clapped her hands together, happiness beaming from her face.
“I’m going to remind you of that when you start physical therapy and you start to hate us all.”
Betty crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. “That’ll never happen.”
“Can I get that in writing?” Layla asked.
Betty swatted her hand at the air. “My word is just as good.”
Layla looked down at her pager then back to Daisy and Betty. “I wanted to stop in to go over a few things, but I just got called away. So I’ll help you get Betty situated once I go take care of this,” Layla said. “Shouldn’t take me long.”
“It’s okay. Take your time,” Daisy said.
“Glad to see you have nowhere to be,” Betty said, casting a look at Daisy.
Daisy raised a skeptical eyebrow in Betty’s direction. “What about you? A hot date I don’t know about?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Betty said.
Layla and Daisy looked at each other, amused smiles on their faces.
“Grandpa is just downstairs. Does he know about this hot date of yours?”
“Of course he does. He’s the one who asked me on it.”
“Grandma, you’re stuck here. It’s not like he can bust you out. Even if he could you are in no condition to be going out anywhere.”
“I thought you were my live-life-on-the-edge grandkid. What happened to you?”
Daisy straightened, holding her chin up proudly. “I grew up.”
Betty let out a loud sigh. “Another one bites the dust.”
Layla laughed. “I’ll be right back. And you”—she pointed to Betty—“are not going anywhere.”
Betty frowned. “We wanted to go to the little bakery they have downstairs. He can wheel me over there.”
“Once I check your sugar and make sure your levels are okay,” Layla said.
“They’re fine.,” Betty deadpanned.
“We’ll let the results be the judge of that.” Layla walked out of the room, and Daisy took a seat in the chair next to the bed.
“Layla is such a beautiful and sweet girl,” Betty said. “Has a real good head on her shoulders. It’s such a shame she doesn’t take more time for herself.”
“Oh no,” Daisy said, knowing exactly where this was heading.
“What are you fussing about over there?”
“Just because you managed to match off almost every single person in our family you are not taking your match making skills and forcing it onto a poor suspecting woman.”
“Why not?” Betty questioned. “After everything she’s been through over the years, she deserves to be happy.”
“I couldn’t agree more, but she can find it without you interfering.”
Betty crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re no fun.”
“I’m plenty of fun, and when I’m kicking your butt in Trivial Pursuit you’ll see.”
Betty scoffed. “You will never beat me, though it’s cute to see you try, dear.” Betty patted Daisy’s hand and smiled at her sweetly. “Speaking of trivia, I heard you and Nick were making eyes at each other Thursday night at the brewery.”
Daisy’s eyes widened at the accusation. “First of all, how would you know? You’ve been in the hospital unless Grandpa really is sneaking you in and out.”
Betty turned her chin up. “I have my sources.”
“Let me guess. Redhead, about yay high due to her shoes.” Daisy held her hand up above her head. “Loves gossip as much as you do.”
“I will neither confirm nor deny.”
“That’s all I need.” Daisy sighed. “What else did Terry say?”
“Just that you two seem very comfortable around each other.”
“I’ve known him almost my entire life,” Daisy said.
“A lot can happen in six years.”
“And a lot has.”
Betty held up her hands and shrugged. “Yet both of you are still unattached.”
“Why don’t you just come out and say it? You don’t need to beat around the bush with me; you never have before.” Daisy might not have been around much but she knew her grandmother. There was something going on in that brain of hers.
Betty tilted her head to the side. “Don’t you think it odd you haven’t been serious with a man since you left?”
Daisy should have known it was only a matter of time before Betty started meddling, it was what she did after all. “Not everyone needs a man to be happy, Grandma.”
“I know that,” she said almost as if she was offended. “You make your own happiness, but not being able to share that happiness gets lonely after a while, wouldn’t you say so?”
Daisy thought about the countless auditions, experiencing the thrill of being on stage and then walking back onto the streets of New York with no one to share it with. The long days of walking and not talking to a single soul. “I guess.”
“That’s a yes.”
“Do you have a point?” Daisy asked.
“No, it was just an observation.”
Daisy eyed Betty but she didn’t say anything else. Betty could declare it was only an observation but Daisy knew it was much more than that because now she couldn’t stop thinking about how lonely she had been. How she craved a single touch, a reassuring word, a comforting hug after a hard day. How she’d rely on memories of Nick to get her through those times.
Layla walked back into the room and gave them both a curious look. “Everything okay?”
Daisy got up from her chair and nodded. She sucked in a breath and tossed a thumb over her shoulder to Betty. Daisy couldn’t save herself from Betty’s meddling ways but at least she could warn Layla. “Be careful with this one because before you know it she’ll be helping you pick out china patterns and nursery room colors.”
“I’m not following,” Layla said.
“You’re single. It’s her specialty, so to speak.”
“Layla, sweetie, what’s a sweet girl like you doing single anyway?”
Layla laughed. “The last thing I need in my life is a man. I have enough people relying on me.”
“That’s why you need someone who can take care of you.”
Daisy shook her head. “I tried to warn you.”
“I’ll be smarter about it next time,” Layla said. “Now let’s talk about what you can expect in the next few weeks.”
***
It had been a long day, and Nick was starving. He pulled his truck into an open space on Main Street and made his way to The Happy Apple. He called ahead so he could grab his food, head home, and go over some paperwork. He wanted to review everything with Mason before he and Cassie left for the International Beer Competition on Monday.
He walked in the door and came to a halt at the mess of blonde curls in front of him. Daisy turned around when she heard the door, a smile on her pretty face.
“Nick, hey,” she said, her finger going right to a curl and twirling it around her finger.
“Hey,” he said, taking in the sexy gloss on her lips. “Picking up an order?”
“I am.” She blinked up at him. “You?”
He nodded.
Daisy pointed over her shoulder. “Terry is in the kitchen with Walt. I’m sure she’ll be right out.”
“I’m in no rush,” he said, even though two seconds before he walked in the door he was. Now he didn’t care if he had a stack of paperwork that needed his attention. The paperwork wasn’t going anywhere, but Daisy might be. He didn’t care if she was going back to New York; he wanted to spend time with her while he could.
“Any plans for tonight?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Big plans,” she said, her eyes widening for emphasis. “I’m going to put on some comfy flannel pajamas, turn on Bravo TV, and pig out on some cupcakes I picked up from Shay’s Bakery. What about you?”
“I have work.”
“Are you ever not working?” Her head tilted, a single curl falling over her face as she narrowed her gaze at him. “Do you even remember how to have fun?”
“Work is fun.”
“Okay,” she said, holding her hand up in front of her. “Work and fun do not belong in the same sentence.”
“Why not? Wouldn’t you say acting is fun? That’s work for you. When you find something you love, you never have to work a day in your life.”
Her eyebrow arched and a look of pure skepticism crossed her features. “You still need other hobbies.”
“I participate in trivia night.”
“Yeah… at your job.”
He laughed and rubbed his hand against his chin. “I see your point.”
“What about we skip out on our exciting plans for tonight and have a little fun?”
Daisy was notorious for coming up with crazy ideas, and Nick was notorious for following her along for the ride. Which was exactly why he had followed her out into the woods to his treehouse that day. She couldn’t resist her wild thoughts and he couldn’t resist her.
“What did you have in mind?” he asked.
“I have no idea.” She laughed. “What about we sneak into the old barn on Chestnut?”
“The one your brother kicked kids out of on a constant basis?”
“Yeah.”
“Besides the new layer of snow that would make it difficult to get there, it burnt down two years ago.”
“No way?” she exclaimed.
“Jake Johns apparently started it.”
Her eyebrows furrowed, lips pursed. “I don’t think I know who he is.”
“He was quite a few years younger than us. His girlfriend was there, and when her parents discovered this they shipped her out.”
“No? To where?”
Nick had to laugh. Daisy looked so intrigued by the gossip. “Boarding school,” he answered.
“Wow, so much town drama I’ve missed.”
Red Maple Falls did have its fair share of drama but Nick was sure it couldn’t hold a candle to New York. Maybe that was the appeal for her, always something new and exciting for her to sink her teeth into. He shrugged. “I’m sure you had plenty of drama in New York.”
“Not really. People pretty much keep to themselves. Unless you count the time my roommate found out my other roommate’s diet bars were really protein bars, and she gained four pounds before a shoot.”
“Tragic,” Nick said.
“Oh, it was. Catarina didn’t let that go for months. It didn’t help that the outfit they gave her to wear split up the seam when she bent over.”
A laugh jolted out of him. “That’s classic.”
Terry came out of the kitchen, her red hair sprayed to new heights. “Nick! Now isn’t this a pleasant surprise—the two of you here at the same time.”
“Not really,” Nick said, refusing to feed Terry’s obvious motivations. “This is the best place in town for good takeout.”
“You darn tootin’,” she said with a pop of her hip.
Terry turned to Daisy, holding out an oversized to go bag. “I have your order right here, Daisy. I put some of my loaded baked potato casserole in there as well as a nice piece of apple strudel. Don’t you go anywhere. I’m just going to grab Nicholas’ bag.”
Terry walked away and Nick looked over at Daisy. “What did you actually order?”
“A porkchop,” she said, staring into the bag with disbelief.
“Why do I have a feeling there’s more than what she said in that bag?”
“Because you’re probably right. I mean feel this thing.” Daisy made a scene of lifting it up and down before handing it to him.
He took it and pretended to drop it, which got him an adorable laugh from Daisy. “There may or may not be bricks in here,” he said. “I can only imagine what I’m getting.”
Terry always gave him extra food, and most of the time he never even got what he ordered but it didn’t matter, because everything she made was delicious, and she seemed to know what he was in the mood for better than himself.
“So if the old barn is out… what about a movie?” she asked. A warmth spread through him at the fact that she wanted to spend time with him. She wasn’t trying to avoid him, but instead, she was making a gracious effort to stay with him.
A movie would have been great anywhere else, but in Red Maple Falls, the sole movie theater in town had only two screens that sat twenty-five people in each theater. Since the industry switched over to digital and the theater couldn’t afford the upgrade, they didn’t have any new releases. The theater played whatever they still had on the old fashioned 35mm films.
He scrunched his nose. “They’re playing Jaws again. I know how much you love that movie.” He laughed, remembering a thirteen-year-old Daisy refusing to go in the lake that summer even though Nick swore to her there was no possible way a shark was in there. She’d spent the entire summer on the shoreline, staring longingly at the other swimmers.
“Never mind,” she said, waving her hand in front of her. “That’s out of the question.”
He tilted his head, taking in the determined set of her mouth. “Don’t tell me you’re still scared of sharks?”
She blinked, her long lashed brushing against the top of her cheeks. “Not scared… just not fond of them.”
“With the movie theater out, we don’t have many places left.” He wanted to say come back to my place, but it was too dangerous. Once she was inside his house, memories of their past would flood back like a freaking tidal wave. There’d be no way he’d be able to stop himself from kissing her, but was that such a bad thing? Yes, she’d pushed him away that day under the tree house, but there was no denying that spark between them.
He guessed that she was scared but he was too and he was okay with that. Living in fear never got him anywhere. Besides, this time he knew that she was leaving. So when the day came, he wouldn’t be surprised. This time he was prepared.
“What about we stay here?” she asked before he could make his own suggestion. “Ask Terry for some utensils and unpack our to-go bags.”
“He eyed her curiously. “No crazy idea that’ll lead us into the woods, trekking through the trees, searching for a clearing you swear exists?”
“Okay I did that one time,” she said holding up her finger for emphasis. “And we found it if you have forgotten.”
“Four hours and two miles in the opposite direction later.
She gave his shoulder a playful shove. “You shush, you loved every second of it.”
He grabbed her hand, holding it against his shoulder. His eyes lingered on the gloss of her lips, the way they parted like she had something to say, but thought better of it. “I did,” he said. “I loved all your crazy adventures.”
Her teeth slid over her bottom lip and he swallowed down the desire to reach out and run his finger along the plump edges. His eyes met hers and for the first time since she’d come home he could see her resolve to keep him at a distance come tumbling down.
Just then Terry came back, carrying an even bigger bag. She held it up in front of her face and when she thrust the bag forward she let out a surprised, “Oh!”
Daisy yanked her hand out of Nick’s hold and turned to Terry. “That must be yours,” she said, looking toward him but refusing to make eye contact.
What did you order?” Daisy covered her mouth, but the laugh still slipped out. “
“I thought I ordered soup and a sandwich.”
Terry dropped the bag into his arms and waved her hand at him. “Soup and a sandwich, psh. That is a snack, not dinner, and with the way you work you need to keep fueled. So you also got some potato casserole and apple strudel. too.”
“Then why is my bag so much heavier than hers?”
Terry pointed a red nail at the bag. “I also put in a porkchop or two. They’re so tender; you’re going to love them.”
Nick held up the bag and examined it. “Looks like I’ll have dinner for the next week.”
“Terry,” Daisy said. “Is it okay if we snag a table and stay with our food?”
Terry planted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Daisy. “Do you even have to ask me that? Of course you can. Go take any seat you want. I’ll bring you some forks and knives.”
“You heard the lady,” Nick said. “Lead the way.”
Daisy happily took the lead, making her way to the table where they had sat the last time they were here together.
Nick took a seat, and Daisy slid in across from him, placing her bag on the table. “Would it be wrong to go right to the apple strudel?” she asked.
“I won’t judge if you do.”
She smiled at him and damn if it wasn’t the brightest thing in the room. “You never did.”
Terry came over with utensils and glasses of water then slipped away to the kitchen. There were a few families eating in the dining room, and Daisy seemed to study them.
“It’s weird. I’ve been gone for so long there are actually people here I don’t know by name.” There was a sadness in her voice that made Nick wonder if it was brought on by nostalgia or if she was regretting her time away.
Nick shifted in his chair. “That over there is Michael and Judy Lowenstein with their two girls Veronica and Amanda. Michael comes into the brewery every now and again to pick up a growler. I’m sure you’ll get to know him. I mean if you plan on staying a little longer.” He scratched his head and continued. “They moved here a few years ago. And the family over there is… I’m actually not sure of their names, but I’ve seen them around.” He turned back, taking one of the containers out of the bag. “Don’t forget I was away for a bit myself.”
“I can’t believe you actually left Red Maple Falls” Daisy shook her head and looked down at her apple strudel. “I never thought you would.”
It wasn’t the plan. Red Maple Falls was his home and at one point in his life he could never imagine leaving. “Me either but when you left I just…needed a change of scenery for a while.”
Daisy nodded like she understood and of course she did. She was notorious for running away when a situation got to be too much.
She took a bite of her strudel, taking entirely too long to swallow that small bit. Her fork tapped against the container and he watched her, taking in the rise and fall of her chest, the way her tongue slipped out and swiped at the corner of her mouth.
She flicked her gaze to him, blue eyes filled with curiosity. “Did you date at all after I left?”
“Why do you care?” he asked. Whatever happened in the years they were apart didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that after all this time of him wondering if he’d ever be able to forget the anger that had become so much a part of him whenever her name was mentioned, was slipping away with each blink of her eye, sexy tilt of her lips and each rogue curl that fell in her face.
She pushed her food around, keeping her focus on her fork. “I don’t,” she finally said, looking up at him. “Okay maybe I’m curious.”
He could lie but what was the point of that? He’d never lied to her before and he wasn’t going to start. “I didn’t go celibate if that’s what you’re asking, a guy has desires and needs as I’m sure women do, too. There weren’t many, but there was also no one I was serious about. I was too focused on school and then work. I didn’t have time to start something with anyone.”
He couldn’t help but notice the relieved smile on her lips, the way her shoulders relaxed. “I know what you mean. With us it was easy. We already knew everything we needed to know about each other.”
“That did help, but I still learned things about you I didn’t know, as I’m sure you learned things about me, too. How many people know that you hum the Barney theme song when you’re nervous?”
“How do you know that?”
He gave her a look across the table, surprised she would think he wouldn’t know that about her. “It was hard to miss.”
“Still, I can’t believe you remember that,” she said.
He reached across the table, resting his hand on hers. She sucked in a jagged breath as she smiled down at the gesture. He waited until her eyes were back on his. “There’s not much I don’t remember about you, Daze.”
An adorable blush filled her cheeks, spreading across her nose. Her lips parted, a sound stuttered out before she stopped herself. She took a deep breath and looked him square in the eye. “If I would’ve stayed…what do you think would have happened with us?”
He sat back and let out a half sigh half laugh. “I’ve asked myself that question so many times over the years, and I still don’t have an answer. I don’t think I ever will.”
“We probably would’ve got married, grown to resent each other, you would’ve been miserable as an accountant, and I would’ve been bouncing around from job to job until something stuck.”
He laughed. “That’s a horrible picture.”
She laughed, too. “Isn’t it?”
The life he envisioned for them leaned more toward the fairytale side of life. It wasn’t until very recently that he opened up to the possibility of the darker side. He hated to think that could’ve been their life. “Do you really think that’s what would have happened to us?”
She smiled but it fell short almost like the pain was too much to push through. “I have to. It’s the only thing that keeps me from second guessing myself.”
“Well, I think you’re wrong,” he said. “I think that even though we might not have had everything we ever wanted at the end of the day having each other would have been enough to make us happy.”
This time when she smiled the pain was gone. “Always been the glass half full kind of guy.”
He picked up his fork and pointed it toward her. “And you’ve always been the glass half empty kind of girl. It was a good balance.”
“It was.” She held up her water glass. “To finding our balance again.”
Nick didn’t have to find his balance; he was looking right at her, but until she found hers he wouldn’t have his. So he put down his fork, picked up his cup and clinked it against hers. “To balance.”