A Pinch of Salt

by Bethany Lopez

  Rather than reply, Kayla just stood there, arms crossed, staring at me as she waited for me to come clean about what was really going on.

  Seriously, her teenaged years are going to be terrifying . . .

  “I thought it would be fun if Millie came by for dinner so you guys could get to know each other.”

  As soon as Millie’s name left my lips, Kayla scowled.

  “Now,” I kept going as if I hadn’t noticed the death glare. “She only has an hour break before she has to get back to work, so remember your manners, and be the sweet, thoughtful girl I’ve raised you to be.”

  Rather than respond as I’d hoped, her lower lipped popped out. Before I could think of any other way to bribe her into being on her best behavior, the doorbell rang.

  My immediate reaction was to grin and run to the door. I held back from running, but couldn’t hold back the grin. I looked at Kayla on my way to the door, and saw that the scowl was gone and she was watching me with a mixture of fear, hurt, and panic.

  Shit, throwing a fit was one thing, but I didn’t want my little girl hurting over my decisions.

  “Come here,” I said, stopping to crouch in front of her. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her close, and even though she didn’t return the gesture, I promised, “You’ll always be my number one girl.”

  Pulling back, I kissed her on the forehead, before standing up and rushing to let Millie in.

  “Hey, sorry.” I opened the door and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, wishing it was more, but knowing Kayla would freak if I had a full-on make-out session on the porch. “Come on in.”

  “It’s okay, I haven’t been here long,” Millie assured me with a sweet smile, her eyes taking in my face as if she hadn’t seen me in weeks.

  It felt good to know that she’d missed me as much as I’d missed her.

  I stepped aside to let her walk passed, then gestured at Kayla, who was still standing by the kitchen where I’d left her. She didn’t look exactly welcoming, but at least she wasn’t shooting Millie her death glare.

  “Kayla, you remember Millie, who gave you the tea party that you loved so much,” I tried, but Kayla didn’t take the bait.

  “Hi, Kayla, it’s great to see you again,” Millie said with a little too much enthusiasm when Kayla didn’t say anything. “Thanks for letting me join you for dinner.”

  “It’s just tacos,” Kayla said with a shrug, causing me to shoot her a glare of my own, which I hoped conveyed that she’d be grounded if she kept this up.

  “Well, I love tacos,” Millie said happily, as if Kayla wasn’t being a brat. “I think they should be made into a new food group, all their own.”

  “Millie would know, she’s a chef,” I said, noticing for the first time that Millie was still in her chef coat, which was intimidating, since I was cooking for her. “Just so you know, these are just regular old ground beef tacos, nothing too fancy.”

  Millie laughed and began unbuttoning her chef coat, which snagged my attention and made me thing of the last time she’d undressed in front of me.

  No, bad brain, think of tacos, football, a hairy naked man riding bareback . . .

  “Your tacos are the best, Daddy,” Kayla said, joining us as she came to my defense.

  “Thanks, baby,” I replied, dropping a kiss on her head as I tried to avoid Millie finally unbuttoning the last button.

  “Don’t want to make a mess on this,” Millie said as she shrugged out of the coat and laid it over the back of the couch. I did not notice how fantastic she looked in her tank top with little pink roses as she turned to Kayla and added, “I’m sure his tacos are wonderful. I can’t wait to try them.”

  “I know you’re on a schedule, so let’s go ahead and eat,” I suggested, holding my arms out so that both Kayla and Millie could walk in front of me.

  As I followed, I prayed that the next hour wouldn’t get my daughter grounded, or ruin my budding relationship.

  Millie

  I KNEW I SHOULDN’T BE so nervous; she was a nine-year-old girl. I’d once been a nine-year-old girl, so I knew what it felt like. Still, Kayla had made it no secret that she would rather be eating glass than sitting down to a meal with me, and Jackson was trying so hard to pretend that everything was going well, that he was giving my nerves hives.

  “Millie and her sisters started their business all on their own and are now so successful that they’re expanding. Isn’t that great? Just goes to show you, that if you find something that you love, and put your heart into it, you can make your dreams come true.”

  I caught Kayla’s eye roll at Jacksons attempt at a life lesson, but luckily, he hadn’t. I think that would have been the final straw that made him blow a gasket.

  My face was beginning to hurt from holding the smile that I’d had plastered on my face since dinner began, but I powered through and maintained my pleasant expression.

  “Oh, Jackson, I know I mentioned Dru’s Speakeasy birthday party to you, but Dru wanted me to have you invite Rob, Jan, Ty, and Rebecca as well,” I told him when the thought popped in my head.

  “Oh, okay, sure, I’ll pass it along,” he replied, his tone conveying his stress over this not-so-enjoyable dinner. Then he blinked twice and put his taco down. “Wait, if it’s Dru’s birthday, then it’s yours, too. Aren’t you having a party with her?”

  I shook my head and explained, “We’ve always done one together, but I’m more low-key than Dru, and I wanted to give her the chance to go nuts and have the party she’s always wanted. It’ll be weird, but it’s not like we won’t still be together all day, and celebrate together, but I wanted her to have something fun for herself. We will be having a lunch that day to celebrate my birthday, and I’d love it if you could come. Both of you.”

  “This Sunday?” Jackson asked.

  When I nodded, Kayla shoved the rest of her taco in her mouth, then said, “Iawayamd bsjia.”

  “Kayla,” Jackson warned, but she ignored him and started talking with her mouth full again.

  That’s when he snapped.

  Jackson’s cup landed on the table with a clatter and his chair flew back as he stood.

  “Go to your room, now. We’ll discuss your punishment after I calm down.”

  Kayla looked startled, then her eyes filled before she shot a glare at me, rose from the table, and stomped off.

  I held my breath until her door slammed and Jackson sat back down with a sigh, pushing his glasses up his nose as he looked at me apologetically.

  “I’m so sorry,” he began. “She’s a sweet girl, I swear it. I know that’s probably hard for you to believe after the way she just acted. I’m not sure what’s gotten into her, but I’ll talk to her.”

  “It wasn’t so bad,” I lied, hoping to make him feel better.

  “How could it have been worse?” he asked incredulously.

  “She could have stabbed me with her fork,” I joked, and felt some of the tension ease when he grinned.

  “Well, thank God for small favors.”

  “I have to get going soon, but let me help you with this,” I said, standing so I could start clearing the table.

  “Don’t worry about that,” Jackson countered, then snagged my hand and gave it a tug. “Come here.”

  With a quick glance to where Kayla had disappeared, I allowed him to pull me into his lap, putting my arms around his shoulders as I sat.

  “I missed you,” Jackson admitted sweetly, causing me to smile down at him.

  His glasses were a little askew, so I fixed them, my stomach clenching when his dimples popped out at the gesture.

  “I missed you, too,” I returned softly, watching his eyes as I lowered my face slowly toward him.

  Our lips brushed gently once, then twice, before his hand on my back applied more pressure, urging me closer, and his lips parted beneath mine. The kiss was delicate and full of yearning, and I wished desperately that I didn’t have to leave him and go back to work. It seemed like ages since I’d been in his a
rms, and I was eager to lose myself in him again.

  As soon as possible.

  “So, Sunday?” I asked when we broke apart. I rested my forehead against his and tried not to count the hours until I’d see him again. Why did Sunday suddenly feel so far away?

  “Yes, for lunch, and the party. I’ll talk to the guys and let you know if they can make it, so you can pass it along to Dru.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  “Text me tonight when you get off work?” Jackson asked, his voice full of the same longing that was in my heart.

  “I will,” I promised.

  Reluctantly I stood and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want help?” Indicating the mess from dinner.

  “I’ve got it.”

  I nodded, and with no other reason to stay, I knew I had to get back in order to not get behind. Once I had my chef coat back on, Jackson walked me to the door and gave me one last kiss.

  “Thanks for coming,” he said, and when he opened his mouth to apologize once more for Kayla, I put a finger against his lips to stop his words.

  “Thanks for inviting me,” I whispered, then tilted my head and added, “Don’t worry, she’ll come around.”

  I was walking back to my car when I felt eyes on me, so I looked over my shoulder to find Kayla watching me from her window. I lifted my hand and waved goodbye, but was disheartened when she quickly closed her pink and purple-striped curtains and disappeared.

  As I got in my car and drove back to work, I hoped I wasn’t wrong about Kayla warming up to me.

  Jackson

  BY THE TIME I GOT to the restaurant, I was practically skipping. It was Millie’s birthday, the first major event that we were celebrating together, and I may be hiding the best gift ever in my back pocket.

  I’d never been that great at gift giving. Julie never really collected anything, or made a big deal about presents. It wasn’t until Kayla got old enough to start unwrapping gifts and began to light up over every little thing that I became the gift-giving guru.

  And, I’d really outdone myself this time . . .

  I’d enlisted Dru and Tasha’s help, and based off of their feedback, Millie’s mind was about to be blown.

  I grinned as I approached the table at the Thai restaurant that Millie had chosen, and was pleased to note that she’d left the chair next to her open for me. I bent to kiss her softly on the forehead before taking my seat and saying hi to Dru and Tasha.

  “Sorry for being a few minutes late. I was waylaid dropping of Kayla.”

  After her reaction to being invited to Millie’s lunch, and subsequent grounding for rude behavior, I’d decided it would be best for everyone if I took Kayla to my parents’ instead.

  “You’re not late, we haven’t even ordered yet,” Millie assured me, and I couldn’t help but reach under the table and take her hand.

  The need to touch her at all times was almost overwhelming.

  “Great,” I said as I picked up my menu. I’d never been to this place before and had no idea what I was going to order. “You all ready for tonight?”

  “Yes, our minions are finishing up the decorations now. I cannot wait to see it,” Dru gushed, obviously excited. Then looked to her sister and said, “But, that’s for later, we’re here to focus on Millie now. So, come on, birthday girl, tell us the best part of the last year and what you most hope to accomplish in the coming year.”

  Millie looked to me and explained, “It’s a tradition for us. Mom started it when we were still in middle school. She always believed that you wouldn’t achieve success without goals, so she always wanted us to have them.”

  “She sounds amazing.”

  “She was,” Millie said, sadness crossing her features. “I wish you could have met her, she would like you.”

  “Me too,” I replied, then, hoping to bring her happiness back, I asked, “So, what was the best part of your year? Other than meeting me, of course.”

  I was happy when she blushed prettily at my joke, and said, “Of course. Um . . . I guess I’d have to say not only the success of Three Sisters, but that we’re doing well enough to grow our full-time employees and ease up on our hours a bit. In the next year, I’d like to see more of that. On the flip side, I’d also like us to start doing more of the upscale children’s party, like we discussed.” She squeezed my hand and smiled. “That idea came from you, and Kayla’s tea party.”

  “Glad we could help.” I grinned, thinking how lucky it was that she’d agreed to help me that day.

  “Can I get your drink orders?” the server said from next to me, causing me to jump in my seat, since I hadn’t heard him approach.

  “Thai Tea, please,” Millie said.

  “Make that three,” Tasha revised.

  I looked at the three of them, then up at the waiter and asked, “What’s Thai Tea?”

  “You’ve never had it?” Dru asked.

  “Oh, you have to order it,” Tasha added.

  “It’s really good,” Millie concurred.

  “Guess you can make that four, then,” I told the waiter, who nodded and took off to get our drinks.

  “Soooo, another one of our traditions is to get up earlier and do presents in bed,” Tasha started.

  “Which means, Millie and I already opened our presents from each other,” Dru added.

  “Guys,” Millie chastised, when she realized they were fishing to see if I’d gotten her something.

  Although, they weren’t fishing, they knew darn well what I’d gotten her.

  My face split with a grin, and I clapped my hands together in excitement, “Well . . .” But before I could do the big reveal, my phone started ringing.

  “Sorry, I’d better take this, just in case it’s about Kayla,” I apologized as I rose from my chair.

  “Of course,” Millie said sweetly.

  I took a few steps toward the side of the room, then stopped in my tracks when I saw it was Mick calling. Figuring I might need more privacy, I walked toward the exit as I pressed the button to answer the phone and held it to my ear.

  “Hello?”

  “Heeler? It’s Mick. Thought you’d like to know I found her,” he replied briskly.

  “Julie?” I asked dumbly, even though that was the only person he could be talking about.

  “Yeah.”

  “Where?” I asked, looking out over the street without actually seeing anything.

  “She’s in Hampton, about forty minutes away.”

  “Forty minutes?” I whispered with disbelief. “She’s been forty minutes away from our daughter this entire time and has never once tried to see her?”

  “Sorry, bro, she’s a piece . . . Living with some rich old dude in a fancy house. Cheats on him with her tennis instructor and the pool guy.”

  “What?” I asked, then had to clarify. “You are talking about Julie, right? Julie Heeler?”

  “The one and only. ‘Cept she goes by Julie Baker now.”

  Her maiden name. She’d reverted back to her maiden name and was living forty minutes away from our daughter, without so much as a god-damned Happy Birthday . . .

  “What’s the address?” I asked. “I’ve gotta swing by and get the divorce papers, then I’m heading over there. I need to get this done once and for all.”

  Mick gave me the address and clipped, “I’ll meet you there.”

  Then he hung up and I stood there, staring at nothing and wondering how Mick could be talking about the woman I’d been married to and had a beautiful child with, because the person he’d just described was an absolute stranger.

  Millie

  “ARE YOU READY TO ORDER?”

  I looked up to see the waiter standing patiently next to me. Our drinks were in front of us, and it had been five minutes since Jackson had left to take his call. I looked toward the door he’d exited, hoping to see him walking back in, but he didn’t.

  “Just a few more minutes, please,” I replied, then looked at my sisters and said, “I’m going to go check
on Jackson.”

  When I opened the door and stepped outside, I saw him standing on the curb staring off into space, his phone in his hand by his side.

  “Hey,” I began, causing Jackson to flinch and turn his head toward my voice. “Is everything okay with Kayla?”

  “Uh . . . yeah,” he replied, running his empty hand through his hair and letting out a deep sigh before turning fully toward me. Jackson lifted his hand holding his phone and said, “That was Mick, my PI.”

  “Oh.” I looked down at the phone, which now only showed a blank screen, and asked, “Did he find her?”

  Jackson’s face was pained when he replied, “Yes.”

  Not sure what to say, I waited, hoping he’d let me know what was bothering him, and honestly a little nervous about what his reaction to finding his wife was going to be. Would he want to go back to her after all, now that he knew where she was? Was he hoping for a reconciliation, if not for his sake, then for Kayla’s?

  I know Jackson meant it when he said he didn’t want her back, but will that change when he actually sees her again?

  “Julie’s in Hampton. Hampton. Do you know where that is?” Jackson asked, his voice rising.

  I nodded, because I did know where it was, and it wasn’t that far away.

  He took a deep breath. “I have to go see her. Talk to her . . . My lawyer has the papers drawn up, he said that he can give them to me right away, or serve them himself. But, I think I have to do it . . . ya know?”

  “I do.” And, I did. I knew he needed answers, because without them, he may never get closure, for himself and for Kayla.

  If closure is what they want . . .

  “You should go,” I told him, even though it made me sick to say it.

  “But,” Jackson began, looking miserable as he looked over my head at the restaurant behind him.

  “It’s okay,” I assured him.

  “Millie, it’s your birthday lunch, I’m not just gonna . . .”

  Putting my hands on his shoulders, I looked up into his sweet handsome face, taking in his disheveled hair, glasses, and the tell-tale lack of dimples.