Daddy Lessons

by Carolyne Aarsen

  Dan’s slow, crooked smile told her all she needed to know. “Yeah. I did.”

  “I know Natasha is looking forward to going again tomorrow.”

  Dan brushed his fingers over her cheek. “Thanks for pushing me to let her go,” he said. “You seem to know exactly what she needs. Every time.”

  His words created a flutter of happiness deep within her. “She’s a sweet girl.”

  Dan looked over his shoulder, as if connecting with his daughter, then gave Hailey a rueful look.

  “You know, I just realized I can’t drive you home now that Natasha’s in bed.”

  “I can walk. It’s not far and I don’t mind the cold.”

  “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking about how that would work for you.”

  It actually worked out fine, Hailey thought. But she reluctantly stepped away, unable, however, to look away. “I guess…I should be going.”

  Dan brushed his knuckles over her chin, then pressed another kiss to her forehead. “I’ll get your coat.”

  Hailey wrapped her arms around herself as he left her side. She didn’t want to leave, but at the same time she knew that they had played a dangerous game. Natasha was sleeping down the hall. What if she had seen them?

  Would it matter?

  Hailey pushed the unnerving questions aside. Natasha hadn’t seen them. They didn’t need to explain anything to her. Yet, as Dan returned with her coat, his eyes holding a hint of promise, she knew the situation between her and Dan had radically shifted.

  The kisses they’d shared had changed everything. They couldn’t go back to what they were before.

  “Are you sure you’ll be warm enough?” he asked as he eased her coat over her arms. “You could phone your sister and get her to pick you up.”

  Hailey could imagine what Shannon would make of this situation. After Dan had left the first time, Shannon had been furious with him for Hailey’s sake. As a big sister she had consoled Hailey, dried her tears and told her Dan wasn’t worth crying over. So what would Shannon say now, with the resentment of her own recent jilting by her fiancé still fresh in her mind?

  Hailey didn’t want her sister’s bitterness to sully this moment.

  “It’s a beautiful winter night.” Hailey pulled the front of her jacket together and zipped it up. “I don’t mind walking for a bit.” And thinking for a bit.

  “Okay. But let the record show I feel really lousy about this,” Dan said, stroking her hair off her face.

  “Duly noted and forgiven,” Hailey said, grinning up at him.

  Then, to her surprise, he kissed her again. Hard. Then moved away from her to the door. “You better get going. You shouldn’t be out on the streets when it’s late.”

  “This is Hartley Creek. What could happen?” Hailey returned with a light laugh.

  “Anything,” was his succinct reply as he took her hand.

  With reluctant steps she followed him and, when he opened the door, looked up at him again. She lifted her hand to his face, then drew away and closed the door behind her.

  The air felt cool as she jogged down the stairs. At the bottom she shot a quick glance up at the windows, glowing yellow in the darkness. Dan’s apartment. His parents’ old home.

  Hailey tugged her mittens out of her pockets, pulled them on, then headed around the building to the street.

  Downtown was almost deserted, the lights casting cones of silver onto the street, illuminating the falling snow, which cooled her heated cheeks.

  A few cars swished down the street, crunching through the gathering snow and as she passed the Royal, pulsating music pouring out as the door opened and people spilled out. Down the valley she heard the haunting sound of the train’s horn bouncing off the hills as it came closer. It sounded again, louder this time, and Hailey heard the comforting rumble of the wheels on the tracks edging the town.

  She smiled as she crossed the street at the corner. As a child the train’s horn had become her way of measuring time. When she had to go home and when she had to go to sleep. It was a constant in her life and its melancholy sound seemed to underline her current emotions.

  She followed the sidewalk, passing the chocolate shop with its tempting treats still in the display, the flower shop with its for-sale sign in the window and the bookstore, which held the promise of further adventures on its shelves.

  She knew each business on the street and most of the owners. Though Hartley Creek could be classified as a resort town, it was coal and mining that had employed the majority of the residents for the last century. The town had its own industry, which created a solid community that didn’t depend entirely on the ebb and flow of tourism.

  And now Dan was a part of that community.

  Dan, who had kissed her. Dan whom she had kissed back.

  Hailey lifted her face, watching the heavy, fat flakes drifting lazily down against the darkness of the sky above. Each flake fell on her face like a cool kiss.

  Dan’s kisses were warm.

  “Oh, Lord, what have we done?” she whispered, lowering her face as she traversed the streets of her old hometown.

  And yet she couldn’t muster enough regret to truly feel they had made a mistake. It felt so right to be in Dan’s arms and to be held by him.

  Could they do this? Could they really connect again? Start over?

  Her thoughts moved like a slow, gathering storm. They had loved each other once. Obviously the attraction still hummed between them. Yes, things had changed.

  You have plans. You have a job waiting for you.

  But all that could change and would change if…

  If what? If Dan decides he can now love you again? Do you trust him to follow through? He didn’t once, he might not again.

  He was grieving. He made a mistake.

  And could make another one.

  Hailey wanted to stifle her storm-tossed thoughts. Put them to rest, but the memory of her father’s desertion hung like a shadow over her life.

  Dear Lord, she prayed. Help me to understand what I should do. What Dan and I should do. I’m confused, but I’m also happy.

  And she was. Happier than she had been in a long time.

  She ducked down the next street and saw her apartment as the train rumbled a block away, then receded. Tomorrow is another day, she reminded herself. See what happens tomorrow. Take things one day at a time.

  “I did a good job of skiing today, didn’t I?” Natasha bounced up and down on the wooden bench of the rental chalet as Hailey helped her pull her snow-encrusted boots off. “And I’m glad we went on the big hill. I wish I could go all the way up. On the chairlift.”

  The chalet buzzed with the excited chatter of twenty grade one students and a few tired parents who had come to help. Hailey had already assisted a number of the children with their skis while Natasha waited patiently.

  “The chairlift isn’t that hard to learn, but you need to be a good skier.” Hailey banged the snow off the hard plastic ski boots, set them on the rubber flooring, then gave Natasha her winter boots. “Put these on, missy, and we’ll bring your skis back.”

  “Deanna said that I am a good skier. And that she goes up on the chairlift.”

  “That’s very nice for Deanna. You had fun with her today, didn’t you?” Hailey asked.

  The past couple of days Natasha and Deanna had been skiing together, laughing and racing each other down the hill. Much as she and Megan used to. Natasha and Deanna had become good friends, which boded well for next week when Hailey hoped to transition Natasha back into the classroom.

  “Deanna said that she goes to the movies,” Natasha added, pulling her boots on as she made a lightning-quick change in topic.

  “Movies sound like fun,” Hailey said, pushing herself
to her feet.

  “Deanna told me there was a fun movie tomorrow night,” Natasha said. “Deanna said I could go with her if I wanted.”

  “And who is Deanna?”

  Dan’s deep voice behind her made Hailey jump. She turned and when she caught his smiling gaze, her own smile blossomed.

  “She is my friend,” Natasha replied. “She’s right over there, at the desk where we bring our skis back.” Natasha jumped off the bench and ran over to Dan. “Why did you come here, Daddy?”

  “I had to deliver a lift of Sheetrock to the Misty Ridge Lodge. So I thought I would stop by. Give you and Miss Deacon a ride home. Especially now that we know Miss Deacon’s car won’t be working for a couple of days.”

  Hailey pulled a face. “Try a week or more. The mechanic said he could get a secondhand starter but it would take five days to get here.”

  “Yay for imports. Guess you’ll be begging rides from me until then.” Dan’s grin showed her he didn’t mind the idea.

  “Or my sister,” Hailey added.

  “Can we go to the movie?” Natasha piped up. “Deanna said we should go. I never been to a movie before. Hailey said it would be fun.”

  “Is that what Miss Deacon said?” Dan corrected, as he swung Natasha’s hand, his eyes still on Hailey.

  The flush heating her cheeks surprised her. To hide her confusion at seeing him, she bent over and picked up Natasha’s skis, sliding them so the bindings locked together.

  She and Dan had seen each other only in passing this morning when she’d arrived at his apartment to tutor Natasha. He had to get downstairs right away to deal with an influx of customers. He hadn’t come up for lunch before the school bus picked up Natasha and Hailey to take them to the ski hill. So they hadn’t had a chance to experience this new place they had come to.

  And now he was here.

  “Can we go, Daddy? Can we? Please?”

  “I think it could be fun. But we don’t need to talk about that now.” Dan reached over and without a word took Natasha’s skis from Hailey. “I’ll bring those back,” he said. “Natasha, you take your ski boots please.” Then he turned back to Hailey. “I’ll be back.” His voice held a hint of promise and an echo of what had happened yesterday.

  And sent her heart knocking against her rib cage. She wished she could be calmer about the situation. Wished she didn’t feel this breathless eagerness each time she was around Dan. It was confusing and disconcerting.

  And it made her feel like a high school kid again.

  “I have to help the kids get on the bus.” Hailey poked her thumb over her shoulder at the group of children behind her.

  “I can wait.” His added smile didn’t help her inconsistent heartbeat.

  As she walked toward the gathered children she had to calm herself. Get focused. Try to put the change in their relationship in perspective.

  One day at a time, she reminded herself as she helped one little boy lift his skis onto the desk.

  Ten minutes later fifteen subdued and tired grade one students were lined up at the bottom of the stairs by the bus parking lot, cheeks flaming red, drooping with weariness as they waited for the bus. A few parent-helpers stood watch, chatting amongst themselves.

  “So why did Dan come to pick up Natasha?” Megan asked, joining Hailey at the back of the line.

  Hailey sent a quick glance over her shoulder. Dan sat on a wooden bench, Natasha on his lap as he chatted with Tim, one of the men who did repairs on the skis and snowboards. He was sitting outside, drinking a cup of coffee. Hailey recognized him as an old classmate from school.

  “Just being his usual protective self,” Hailey said, keeping her words purposely evasive.

  “I don’t know about that,” Megan said in a knowing tone. “Looks like he’s paying more attention to you than Natasha.”

  Hailey stole another look and, just as Megan had said, though Dan had his arm around Natasha and was talking to Tim his eyes were on her. And he was smiling.

  Megan caught her by the shoulder, her grin expanding. “Are you two a couple?”

  “Not a couple,” Hailey protested. Then, unable to keep everything tamped down, she said, “But we’ve spent some time together.”

  Megan squeezed Hailey’s shoulder, barely able to contain her squeal of joy. “That’s so cool. I was hoping—” She stopped herself there.

  “Hoping what?” Hailey prompted, shooting her friend a puzzled frown.

  Megan’s eyes sparkled back at her. “Never mind.”

  And things came together. “You were playing matchmaker when you wanted me to tutor Natasha.”

  “Maybe. A little.” Megan waggled her hand in a vague gesture. “And right now he is checking you out like he used to.”

  Hailey wished she could suppress her blush. Instead she turned her attention back to the children. “Cory, don’t fall asleep, honey.” She bent over and caught the little boy as he wavered on his feet. “Just hang on. Here’s the bus.”

  And with a hiss of air brakes and crunch of tires on the snow, a long, yellow school bus pulled up in the parking lot.

  The children came to life again and under the supervision of Megan, Hailey and the other parent-helpers, clanged up the metal stairs of the bus.

  As the last child boarded, Dan joined her. “So, duties done here?” he asked.

  Hailey watched as the doors swooshed shut behind the last adult, then nodded.

  “Let’s go then,” he said.

  But as the bus pulled away she caught Megan grinning out the window at them, giving her a discreet thumbs-up. Hailey hoped Dan didn’t notice, but when she turned to go she caught his eyes flick from Megan to her.

  And he was smiling.

  “Can we go to the movie tomorrow, Daddy? Can we?” Natasha danced alongside Dan, hanging on to his gloved hand. His daughter’s cheeks were pink from a combination of the cold air and excitement.

  “Maybe,” Dan said, playing along as he unlocked the door of the truck. “The store closes early on Saturday so we could.”

  “And Hailey can come,” Natasha said before she got in the truck, her eyes shifting from Dan to Hailey and back.

  Dan looked over at Hailey, who now stood beside him, her arm brushing his as she helped Natasha into the truck. “I think that might be a good idea,” he said.

  Kind of a clumsy way to ask her out, but Hailey’s warm glance gave him hope.

  “Yay. I’m so excited,” Natasha shouted as she clambered into the truck.

  Dan laid his arm on Hailey’s, holding her back a moment. “That is, if you don’t mind coming,” he said, making the invitation more personal.

  “I heard it was a really good movie,” she said, her eyes flashing with humor.

  “Four stars according to the paper,” he replied.

  “Sounds like a winner.” Her smile grew and he felt a slow movement toward familiar territory. From the first day they’d acknowledged their attraction there had been an easy comfort between them. A sense of belonging that he never felt with anyone else.

  “Are you going to stand there all day?” Natasha called out, clapping her hands like a queen summoning her subjects.

  Hailey laughed and got in the truck, and as Dan walked around the front happiness mixed with anticipation bubbling up inside him.

  He got in, put the truck in gear and as he headed out of the snow-covered parking lot his cell phone rang. Probably his father wondering where he was.

  “Hey. What can I do for you?” he said as he spun the steering wheel of the truck toward the road.

  “Dan. I’m so glad I finally connected with you.”

  A barb of dread hooked into his heart.

  “Hello, Carla.”

  “I just thought I woul
d call,” Natasha’s grandmother said, before he could say anything more. “See how Natasha is doing.”

  Checking up on him, he couldn’t help thinking.

  “Natasha is doing fine.”

  In his peripheral vision he caught Hailey’s quick glance and Natasha’s sudden interest.

  “That’s my gramma on the phone,” Natasha informed Hailey in a whisper.

  “We were wondering if we could come up for a visit?” Carla asked, in a deceptively reasonable tone.

  Dan pulled off to one side of the road and parked. He would need all his attention for this phone call. He wished Natasha didn’t have to overhear it.

  Or Hailey.

  “Can I call you back on this?” he said. “I’m kind of busy right now.”

  “Surely you can give me a simple answer.”

  Surely he couldn’t because there was no simple answer. Natasha was settling into her life here. Having his in-laws over would disrupt the peace his daughter was enjoying and bring up old memories and pain for her.

  Besides, he would be kidding himself if he thought this wouldn’t become part of their campaign to get Natasha back.

  He shot a quick glance over at Hailey, his mind shifting back to her conversation about the need to let Natasha deal with sorrow and Lydia’s death.

  But not yet, he thought. Not when things seemed to be moving to a better place in his life. He wasn’t ready to analyze his and Hailey’s relationship.

  For now he knew it was right. And bringing Lydia back in the form of her parents would disrupt that too.

  “I have to check my calendar. I’ll call you back in a day or two.”

  “If we don’t hear from you, then I’ll call you as well,” Carla said.

  Dan tried not to see that as a threat. But as he hung up on her, he had to suppress a sense of foreboding.

  He slammed his truck in gear and spun down the road.

  “Everything okay?” Hailey asked.

  Dan sucked in a deep breath, then backed off on the accelerator. No sense in getting themselves plowed into the ditch.