Daddy Lessons

by Carolyne Aarsen

He eased out a tight smile. “Sure. Just fine. I’ll bring you home and call you tomorrow about the movie. Maybe pick you up early and we could go for pizza?”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Hailey said.

  Natasha squealed with excitement. “Yay. We’re going to have a pizza and movie night. That’s rad.”

  Dan and Hailey both laughed and as they drove Hailey home he forced himself to relax. He didn’t have to think about Carla and Alfred right now.

  Help me, Lord, to take one day at a time, he prayed, and to enjoy the day I have right now.

  Because no matter what, he couldn’t suppress a sense of foreboding that, once Lydia’s parents came to Hartley Creek, everything would change for the worse.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Do you think it will be a good movie? I hope it has a princess in it.” Natasha wiggled in her seat, almost spilling the tub of popcorn on her lap.

  “I don’t think it does,” Hailey said, pulling Natasha’s tangled ponytail straight. All day Natasha had been taken care of by a young girl in high school but it seemed hair care wasn’t one of Colleen’s strengths.

  “I don’t mind. I think it will be fun no matter what.” Natasha’s gaze was riveted on the pictures flashing on the screen—advertisements and trivia games—and Hailey glanced over her head.

  Dan grinned back at her and laid his arm across the back of Natasha’s seat, his fingers within centimeters of her shoulder.

  A light flutter of anticipation began in her midsection. Just as it had when she and Dan had gone to the movies. Except then they sat side by side, Hailey would lean her head on his shoulder and his arm reached all the way around her.

  “Oh. Oh. I think it’s starting,” Natasha squealed, leaning forward as the lights dimmed. Sound blasted from the speakers surrounding them and images flickered on the screen.

  They watched the trailers for upcoming movies and then, finally, the main feature started.

  Anticipation curled in her middle as the movie studio logo came up with its triumphant music. How often had she and her sisters and cousins come here clutching their spare cash? Their entrée into other worlds—sailing across oceans with pirates, heading off into space, flying on horses across open plains—each adventure more amazing than the last.

  Then, when she was older, tucked up against Dan’s side living through drama, action, adventure and romance.

  Dan’s fingers brushed her shoulder. His touch was so light she might have imagined it. But sitting in the dark, with only his daughter between them, she had become hyperaware of his every movement.

  She caught the sparkle of his eyes looking over at her.

  They were flirting with each other. No other word for it.

  And where would this go? What could come of it?

  She quenched the annoying questions, lifted her hand and laid it against his, anchoring it to her shoulder.

  But as they sat in the dark, connected, she knew they would have to talk about this. They weren’t careless teenagers anymore, testing the waters of affection and attraction.

  Natasha’s presence was a potent reminder of what was at stake.

  In spite of her reservations, Hailey kept her hand covering Dan’s rough one as images flickered on the screen in front of them, a kaleidoscope of color and sound melding past and present. From time to time his hand would shift and she would look his way and they were young kids all over again.

  Stolen glances, gentle touches.

  She wished she could dismiss the swirling undercurrents. Wished she could simply pull her hand away and return to being Hailey Deacon, woman with a plan to leave.

  But couldn’t that plan change? Could she and Dan become what they once had been? Could she stay here?

  As if he’d read her thoughts, Dan’s hand slid below her hair and his fingers made slow, entrancing circles on the back of her neck. Just as he used to.

  One day at a time, she reminded herself as shivers slipped up and down her spine.

  All too soon the closing credits flowed up the screen. The houselights came up and Dan pulled his hand away from hers. Hailey blinked in the growing light and Natasha sat back in her chair, her expression rapt.

  “That was so, so fun,” she said, her voice quiet with awe. “Way better than television.”

  Hailey shot Dan a grin as she helped Natasha with her coat. “I’m guessing this is only the beginning of a whole new adventure.”

  “I can see my Saturday evenings flashing before my eyes.”

  “In Technicolor and surround sound,” Hailey joked.

  “Did you like the movie?” Natasha asked Hailey as she zipped closed the coat.

  “It made me laugh,” was all Hailey could say, because Dan had held her attention more than the story line playing out on the screen.

  “I liked the part where the mouse said, ‘Oh, no you don’t, you rascal,’ that was so, so funny,” Natasha said, suddenly overcome with another fit of the giggles. “What part did you like the best, Hailey?”

  As her mind scrambled for something she caught Dan’s eye and saw his mouth quirk upward. He knew she was distracted but she wasn’t letting him off easy.

  “Why don’t you ask your daddy what he liked the best?”

  “Touché,” was all he said, then he bent over to retrieve Natasha’s popcorn bucket. “Do you want to keep this, munchkin?” he asked.

  “I’m full,” she said, placing a greasy hand on her stomach. “Can we watch the movie again tomorrow?” Natasha asked. “They said they are going to have it again tomorrow afternoon.”

  “We have church—”

  “We have church tomorrow—”

  As Hailey replied at the same time as Dan, she felt a flash of self-consciousness. She was Natasha’s tutor, not her mother.

  But the lines between the two were blurring. Which lent urgency to discussing their relationship. A little girl who’d had a lot to deal with was involved and they had better tread warily.

  The thought was a sobering douse of cold water and Hailey turned away from Dan, moving out into the crowded aisle, joining the people leaving the theater.

  “Hailey Deacon. Hold up a minute.”

  A familiar voice called out and Hailey turned in time to see Mia Verbeek, an old school-friend of hers, waddling up the aisle. Her short brown hair framed her face in a cute pixie cut. She looked sixteen but the four-year-old boy tugging on one hand and her mounded stomach proclaiming an advanced pregnancy told a different story.

  “Hey, how are you doing?” Hailey asked, smiling at the sight of Mia.

  “Same as last time I saw you. Pregnant,” Mia said, pushing down on her stomach with one hand with a groan. “But we plug along.”

  “Where’s Josh?”

  “He’s sick so I left him with my mom. Nico really, really wanted to come to the movie and I couldn’t hit the matinee, so here we are.”

  “Hey, I heard rumors that you’re buying the flower shop?” Hailey said, shuffling along with the crowd, leaving Dan and Natasha behind. “That’s pretty ambitious.” And puzzling. The last time she and Mia had coffee together, Mia was content to stay at home with her two boys, being a homemaker, a wife to Dean and getting the nursery ready for her twin girls.

  “Girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do,” was Mia’s ambiguous reply. Mia glanced back at the people coming up behind them. “So, I noticed you and Dan sitting together.” Mia gave Hailey a broad wink. “Just like old times.”

  Hailey’s mind shifted back to Natasha sitting between Dan and Hailey, a visible reminder of how different from old times their situation had become. “Not really. I’m just tutoring his daughter.”

  Mia playfully punched Hailey’s shoulder with a fist. “You and Dan are like peanut bu
tter and jam. I couldn’t believe it when I found out he was back the same time you were, and now look at you two. I think you might be changing your mind about that job you were talking about,” she added with a knowing grin.

  Hailey felt a small lift of panic at the thought of her future changing because of what was happening between her and Dan. Did she dare change her plans? And if she didn’t, what was she doing to Dan and Natasha?

  Hailey pushed the future aside and gave Mia a quick grin. “I’m not making any plans one way or the other yet.”

  They reached the end of the crowded aisle and the crush of bodies dissipated as people moved into the foyer.

  Mia’s son, Nico, tugged on her arm, dancing from one foot to the other. “I have to go to the bathroom,” he announced.

  “Of course you do, after all that pop you drank. Hang on a few more seconds.” Mia turned back to Hailey, her expression growing serious. “Speaking of plans, I’d love to get together with you again. I need… I just would like to visit with you.”

  Hailey frowned at the suddenly serious tone of her friend’s voice. “Yeah. Sure. Just say when.”

  “Mommy. Please.”

  “I’ll call you,” Mia said, waggling her fingers at Hailey as she walked across the lobby, her son pulling her along.

  “Was that Mia Strombitsky?” Dan asked, as he caught up to her, Natasha clinging to his hand.

  Hailey looked back, unable to stop the silly flicker of her heart when their eyes connected.

  “Yeah. Except she’s Verbeek now. I hung out with her in high school. She’s married now. Expecting twin girls.”

  “And I heard she has two boys already. That’s a lot of kids,” Dan said with a laugh as they walked into the foyer.

  And as Hailey watched Mia negotiate the bathroom door a faint twinge of envy caught her. She’d always wanted lots of kids. Mia was the same age and already had four.

  Hailey was still single and had none.

  “Are you coming to our house again?” Natasha asked as they walked toward the outside door. “Are you tucking me in again and singing the special sleeping song?”

  Hailey smiled down at the little girl as something deep and maternal moved through her.

  “I’d like it if you came,” Dan’s deep voice added.

  That was all she needed to hear.

  A blast of cold, dark air greeted them as they stepped out of the warm movie house. Snow drifted down onto the cars parked in the parking lot of the movie theater, sparkling in the light cast by the streetlamps.

  The air looked magical and as Hailey walked with Dan back to the truck, anticipation buzzed through her.

  On the short drive back to the apartment, Natasha filled the silence with animated chatter about the movie, her favorite characters and what she would do if she ever met a talking mouse.

  An hour and two cups of hot chocolate later, Natasha was tucked in her bed, cheeks shining from her bath, eyes glowing as she looked from Dan to Hailey. “And now you have to sing the song.”

  “Yes, your majesty,” Hailey joked, settling down on one side of the single bed, Dan on the other. She rested her hand on the opposite side of Natasha and when Dan did the same, it was as if they created a sanctuary for the little girl.

  And created a connection between her and Dan.

  As they sang the song, Hailey felt her heart filling with a peculiar emotion. Affection for the little girl, but something deeper. Stronger.

  Love.

  Her voice faltered on the words, eliciting a puzzled frown from Dan. He shifted his hand to rest on her knee, giving it a light squeeze that did little for her equilibrium.

  And as his eyes met hers, a promise glowed in their depths.

  They got to the last verse and Dan’s cell phone rang, bursting into the intimacy of the moment.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and beat a hasty retreat.

  Hailey finished the song, tucked the blankets around Natasha just the way she liked them, then giving in to an impulse bent over and kissed Natasha on the forehead.

  It was the first time she had kissed the little girl and when she drew back, Natasha’s eyes glowed.

  “I love you, Miss Deacon,” she said, suddenly sitting up and throwing her arms around her.

  Her words were at one time both heartwarming and painful. Even while her declaration created an ache of yearning in Hailey’s heart, it immediately made her think of what Natasha had lost. Lydia’s death was the reason Natasha had attached to her so quickly.

  Be careful, a voice warned her. Tread very carefully with this little girl.

  Because she knew whatever she decided she would do in the future would have an impact on Natasha and her well-being.

  “I don’t think it will take her long to fall asleep,” Dan said as he walked back to the living room.

  Hailey stood in the center of the room, her hands fiddling with the ends of her scarf, as if uncertain what she should be doing. “That’s good.”

  “Sorry about that phone call,” he said, tossing his phone onto an end table in the living room. “Turns out I should have let it ring,” he said with a heavy sigh.

  “Bad news?”

  He shook his head as he dropped onto the couch. He was thankful when Hailey followed suit.

  He wasn’t ready for her to go home. He wanted to spend some time, just the two of them. Just like old times.

  “Actually, that was Natasha’s other grandparents again. Lydia’s parents. When they called yesterday I said I would call back, but things got busy today and I forgot. I knew they wouldn’t.” He shoved his hand through his hair, then dropped his arm along the back of the couch, his hand landing inches from Hailey’s shoulder.

  “What did they want?”

  A weary sigh slipped out. “To visit Natasha.”

  “You don’t sound pleased with the idea,” Hailey said, tucking her feet under her.

  “I don’t know what to do about it. Natasha is still getting settled. I’m worried that them coming here will cause more problems.”

  Hailey twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her lips pursed.

  “You look like you don’t agree,” Dan said.

  “Your parents really enjoy having her around.”

  “They’re thrilled. They hardly got to see her when she was little. It was hard enough for me to get my regular visits, let along bring her back here.”

  Hailey nodded, smiling. “They do dote on her.”

  “My father would give her every toy in the store if he had his way and my mother can’t stop hugging her.”

  Hailey laughed, then lowered her hand, letting it rest on his. Her skin felt cool, soft, as he twined his fingers in hers. He wished his weren’t so rough. “I know how much my grandparents loved us kids,” she said, her voice quiet. “I remember my Nana telling me she would have done anything for us.”

  “And you would do anything for her,” Dan said, tightening his grip on her hand.

  “When I heard about her heart attack I couldn’t come back fast enough. I love her so much and can’t imagine what my life would be like without her.” Hailey gave him a trembling smile. “But at the same time, I sometimes wonder about my father’s parents. Why they didn’t contact my mother. I often wondered if they even cared about me and my sisters.” She stopped there, biting her lip, looking away.

  “You’ve never heard from them?”

  “I’ve never heard from my father.”

  Her bitter tone surprised Dan. Hailey had never spoken of her father and Dan only knew that he had left her mother when Hailey was about eight.

  “I used to wonder if they ever thought about us or wanted to see us.” She pulled her hand away, lowering it to
her lap.

  The hitch in her voice surprised him. Hailey was always so tough. So sure of herself. But in the past few days he’d seen her cry. Twice. And now he was learning things that he’d never known before.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said, moving closer to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I never knew that.”

  “You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I don’t. It’s just part of my reality.” Hailey released a laugh, but kept her eyes down. “I think it’s important, however, that Natasha doesn’t have to deal with the same questions. The more people she has in her life that love her, the more secure she’ll feel.”

  Dan blew out a sigh. “That makes sense, but I’m worried about the Andersons. They’ve been fighting for custody of Natasha ever since Lydia died. They’re not scared to toss money toward a lawyer if it means getting Natasha back. Carla has never made a secret of the fact that they want Natasha.”

  “That’s too bad,” Hailey said. “It’s sad when families resort to fighting instead of talking things through.”

  “For now, though, I think it’s best if they keep their distance. They’ve seen enough of Natasha before, when Lydia had custody of her. I had to fight for every minute I spent with my own daughter. I’m not about to let that happen again.” Dan let his hand rest on Hailey’s shoulder, shifting himself a bit closer. “But I don’t want to talk about the Andersons right now.”

  Hailey tilted her head to one side, her smile showing him her willingness to go along with the change in topic. “What do you want to talk about?”

  Dan let his fingers twine in her hair as his other hand caught hers. “I think we both know something is happening between us. We’ve been here before.”

  “And yet it’s different,” Hailey said, finishing his thoughts like she used to.

  “A lot different.” He stroked her hand with his thumb, making gentle circles as he tried to find exactly the right words.

  Then Hailey tossed her hair back and looked directly at him, holding his gaze. “Do you ever wonder where we would be if things had been… If things hadn’t happened the way they did?”