Daisy threw her purse onto the console table and paused, glancing in the mirror that hung above it. Her spa day had done wonders for making her feel better, and her skin glowed after the facial. Though it was an extravagance she rarely indulged in, having a day of pampering had done her soul good.
“That you, Daisy?”
“It’s me, Uncle Joe. I’ll be right there.”
“No hurry. I thought I heard the door and wanted to make sure I wasn’t hearing things.”
“Just me.”
She wandered into the kitchen and found her uncle seated at the table, his wheelchair pulled close. A game of solitaire was spread out in front of him. Bending, she brushed a kiss against his cheek and moved a black ten beneath a red Jack.
“Did you have a good time with all your girly stuff?”
She smiled at his mild teasing. While he might grouse and complain, especially when he became frustrated with being stuck in a wheelchair, he’d been the one to suggest she have a special day and had even paid for the whole thing.
“I’ve been painted, polished, scrubbed, and massaged. I feel like a new woman.” Opening the refrigerator, she pulled out the chicken she’d left marinating earlier that morning. Pulling out a cast iron skillet, she put it atop the stove and started grabbing ingredients for supper.
“Heard Derrick Williamson showed up at the diner today.”
She spun around to face him, her hands on her hips. “Who told you that?”
“I’ll never reveal my sources.” Her uncle gave her a cocky grin and her heart melted. Having good days was getting harder and harder for him, and she cherished each and every one. The stroke had made his mobility tough, though he could stand for short periods of time. Yet his mind was sharp as a tack. Every night he whipped her at Jeopardy, his store of knowledge and trivial facts putting her to shame.
“Derrick and his son were coming into the diner as I was leaving. And for your information, he’s not here to see me.”
“How many times has he asked you out?”
“Uncle Joe, it’s not going to work. He’s got his hands full with Ian, now that his mother headed for parts unknown. Thinking about starting a relationship while trying to juggle an insecure child makes any question of dating out of the question.”
“Things won’t always be up in the air like this. Just don’t let an opportunity to find somebody to care about slip through your fingers because you deserve to be happy, little bit.”
A warm, fuzzy feeling filled her at his use of the nickname he’d given her when she was a little girl. When her mother brought her for visits to Shiloh Springs, he’d always make time to spend with her. Carrying her around on his shoulders. Taking her to the diner for ice cream. He’d made her feel special, and she’d always love him for that.
“How do chicken tacos for supper sound?”
“Works for me.” He picked up all the cards and reshuffled them, spreading out the solitaire pattern again.
Turning on the fire under the cast iron skillet, Daisy set about cutting up the chicken for the tacos, adding enough spices to make the dish flavorful, but not too spicy. Uncle Joe had developed an intolerance to things that were too hot, so she’d started adjusting her recipes to accommodate him. Doing the little things to make him comfortable didn’t bother her. She just wished she could do more.
Grabbing the lettuce and tomatoes from the refrigerator, she made short work of chopping and shredding, then grated some sharp cheddar cheese to add as a topping.
Wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, she turned at the sound of her cell phone ringing. She spun and raced toward the hall entry, where she’d left her purse, scrabbling inside to pull the phone free.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Daisy. It’s Derrick.”
Her heartbeat raced at the sound of his voice. “Hi, Derrick. Are you and Ian having a good time?”
“It’s been an interesting afternoon. Ms. Patti’s been showing us some rental places.”
Rental places? Did that mean he was moving to Shiloh Springs?
“Find anything you liked?” She made an effort to keep the overarching excitement out of her voice. Maintain calm, that’s the ticket, she thought.
“Couple of houses look promising. Ian’s got his heart set on a pool, so we’re hedging our bets. Have some more to look at tomorrow.”
“I’m sure Ms. Patti will be able to find something that’ll fit your needs. Carrying her phone into the kitchen, she glanced at Uncle Joe and noted the not-disguised smirk he shot her.
“Told ya,” he mouthed.
“She’s amazingly insightful into what a nine-year-old boy likes. Of course, she’s had lots of experience dealing with kids, so I shouldn’t be surprised.” Derrick paused for a moment, and Daisy heard a softly whispered conversation taking place in the background. Then he came back onto the phone.
“The reason I’m calling is to see if you’d like to have lunch with us tomorrow. Ian wants to know if you like Italian food?”
“I love Italian food. And it just so happens, I have tomorrow off. Jackie and Ike are covering for me, plus Sandy is coming in to help with the Sunday rush.” Daisy wanted to do a little booty shake right there in the kitchen but didn’t dare, because Uncle Joe would never let her hear the end of it, crowing about him being right.
“Does that mean you’ll join us?”
“I’d love to have lunch with you and Ian.”
“Great. We’ll pick you up at twelve-thirty, if that works for you?”
“Alright.” She rattled off her address and hung up before she made a blubbering fool of herself. Lunch with Derrick and Ian. Somehow, she had a feeling he wouldn’t have to cancel on her again, not with his kiddo being along.
“You look like the cat that swallowed the canary, girl. Finally getting that date with Derrick, huh?”
“Uncle Joe, it’s not a date. I’m simply going to lunch with Derrick and his son. Casual, no strings, nothing to get all excited about.”
“I only want you to be happy, Daisy. You’ve dedicated your life to taking over the diner and making it successful, giving up everything to come to Shiloh Springs and take care of this old goat. Don’t think I don’t know about everything you sacrificed to take care of me. You deserve to find somebody who’ll make you the center of his whole world, and treat you like the princess you are.”
“Uncle Joe, I didn’t give up anything. You are my family and I love you. I love working at the diner; it makes me happy.”
“You’re one of the good ones, Daisy. You know that?”
“Thank you.”
“Daisy?”
“Yes?”
“Chicken’s burning.” He pointed to the stove and cackled like a loon when she scrambled with the cast iron skillet, muttering under her breath. Grabbing plates out of the cupboard, she started assembling their dinner.
And did her best to stop wondering why Derrick asked her out.
“She said yes.”
“Okay.”
Ian sat curled with his legs tucked beneath him on the sofa in their room. They’d checked into the B&B earlier, before heading to the diner and their meeting with Ms. Patti. Derrick wasn’t surprised Ian headed straight for the TV as soon as they’d gotten back from looking at potential houses. Now he sat, his attention fixated at some show. Glancing at the screen, he couldn’t make heads or tails of what was happening. He spotted the logo of a popular kid’s channel in the corner and figured it didn’t look too advanced for Ian’s years.
“What did you think of the places we saw? Any one in particular you liked better than the others?”
Ian shrugged and Derrick wanted to pull his hair out. He was clueless on how to communicate with his son, and nothing he’d tried seemed to be working. Although he’d spent every minute he could with Ian after the divorce, the truth was he had no idea what his mother might have told him about their split. How do you combat something you’re unsure of? Add in the fact he worked more than the normal forty-hour week with the FBI, and Ian probably felt like he’d been abandoned by both parents.
“I liked the blue one with the white shutters. Both of the bedrooms were pretty big, right?”
“I guess.”
“Buddy, talk to me. What’s going on inside your head? Do you hate it here, because we don’t have to move.”
At his son’s shrug, Derrick balled up his fists, fighting the urge to let loose a primal scream. What was it going to take to get through to him? Because he’d do it.
“Look, if you want to go back to Austin, we can leave right now. I can call Daisy and tell her we have to cancel lunch tomorrow. She sounded kind of excited, but you come first. Always.”
Ian’s head jerked toward him, his big blue eyes wary. “Wouldn’t that hurt her feelings?”
“Probably, but your feelings matter, too.”
The hand holding the TV remote fiddled with the buttons, and Ian’s look of concentration almost made Derrick smile.
“It wouldn’t be right to ask Daisy to come to lunch and then not go. We better stay.”
Derrick plopped down on the sofa beside Ian, and ruffled his hand through his son’s hair, grinning when he ducked and tried to get away. Reaching across the space, he tickled Ian, hearing his delighted squeals of laughter as he wriggled in a vain attempt to get away.
“Dad! Stop!”
Derrick tickled him for another minute or so, before he eased up, sitting back and watching Ian grin. Kids’ moods were so mercurial, flipping off and on a dime. He’d get used to it eventually.
“You hungry?”
Ian tilted his head to the side before answering. “I could eat.”
“How about we have a great big banana split for dinner?”
“Awesome.”
“Come on, kiddo. Ice cream for dinner. Just don’t tell Ms. Patti tomorrow. She’ll take away my good dad badge.”
“My lips are sealed. Except for when I’m eating the ice cream.”
“Smart kid. Let’s go.”