Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts)

by Mynx, Sienna

  “Wonder?”

  “If my long lost love came back into my life, how patient, understanding, and straight-up would you be? What if you were on the outside looking in? Wait, you were once. Right? Aiden Keane? When he gave Daisy something you couldn’t, how desperate did it make you feel? Oh, that’s right. You went and brought a gun.”

  “Stop it, Nina.”

  “Huh? Why? This is it. This is the big moment when you can go for her. We might as well be honest. Don’t make my actions into something wicked. I’m not proud of them, but I did everything because I loved you.”

  “Love, not loved. We love each other,” Pete mumbled.

  “Right. Love. The thing that doesn’t matter. Whatever.”

  “I’d fight for us, Nina. If the roles were reversed, I’d fight for us. It’s who I am,” he said.

  Nina chuckled. “Maybe, but you’d be crowned the tortured hero for your efforts. I’m still the jealous manipulative insecure one. Right?”

  “Stop putting words in my mouth. I didn’t call you any of those things. But what you did—”

  “I’d do again! You know why?”

  He looked from the road to her, steering in the darkness but unable to stop looking at her. “Why?”

  “Tonight, for the first time in two years, Pete, you were focused on me and on us. And I had to earn it. Well I tell you what. You chase after Daisy and get your closure, whatever it is between you two that you need. You do that. And then maybe you can earn your way back into my trust. If I’m still waiting that is.”

  Pete drove up to their apartment homes. He put the car in park, and she threw her car door open. “I’m not sure if I will go after her or that I even want to.”

  Nina laughed, looked to the roof of the car and shook her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Now who’s the liar, Pete? You or me?”

  She got out of the car and slammed the door. Pete sat there watching her hurry up the steps. The bag packed with their clothes from a night on the town hung from her shoulder. She’d hurt him, but he’d been hurting her for a long time. He closed his eyes, shook his head, rubbed the tension from his temples. Daisy came to town and Nina’s knowing wasn’t the worst of it. The worst of it was that he still couldn’t let her go, even now, when his entire future was on the line. He had to find a way to get free, or lose everything. Again.

  Lifting in the seat, he reached in his back pocket and withdrew the card. “Danielle Locke? Jahi, Mango Grove?” He read the words aloud. “What happened to you, Daisy?”

  ****

  “I’m on my way to meet with a possible investor,” Clara said.

  Daisy could hear Amy’s laughter and Magdalena’s orders for her to return to the table and finish her oatmeal. “Why L.A.? I thought you and I needed to meet with them in Tucson?”

  “That’s what I’m telling you. I got a call like six in the morning. The land was sold to another investor, some company. Our broker arranged this meeting. We’re going to negotiate it back. Don’t worry. I got this. The broker said the investor is very anxious to unload the deal. That it was a rush buy or something.”

  “Investor?” Daisy stopped. “What’s the investor name?”

  “I forget. You want to come to the meeting?”

  “No. Just seems odd that they’d buy that much land and sell it so quick, unless they’re trying to flip it. Gouge us for more than its value maybe? Tell you what, call Jeffery and let his firm know about the deal. I want them present. I don’t—”

  “Danielle. You said it could be my project. That I could handle the Serenity deal.”

  “I just think we need to be cautious. Things don’t have to move so fast.”

  “They do in our business. Right now Jahi is hot. Since the press release about Serenity, my phone is ringing off the hook. If we don’t strike now, Jahi will be flooded with those vying to move into our territory. It’s in motion. We just need this deal. Don’t you see? We have to move forward?”

  Daisy stopped in the kitchen.

  “Hi, mommy!!” Amy grinned, her mouth ringed with oatmeal. She sat pushed to the table with her hair in two pigtails. Daisy blew her a kiss. “Fine. But nothing gets signed unless our attorneys review it. Oh, and I want the name and information on this investor before a deal is made. Understand?”

  “Got it. Trust me. I'll take care of it.”

  “I do. Good luck.”

  She hung up the phone and walked through the kitchen. The fresh smell of a newly brewed pot of coffee got her mouth watering.

  “Bueno, Signora Locke. Shall I make you some breakfast?”

  “No, I’m fine. I’ll take Amy to school this morning.” She winked at her daughter who looked up at her curiously. “Your teacher wants to meet with me. Know what that’s about?”

  “She likes me,” Amy said.

  Daisy laughed. “Yes, apparently.”

  Amy shrugged, scooping more gooey oatmeal on her spoon and eating. Daisy poured her coffee. Blowing it cool, she turned as the sun bathed her from the surrounding windows. One of its rays gleamed off of something shiny in her little girl’s hand. Daisy frowned. “What is that you have, Amy?”

  “My money!” She held up the gold coin.

  Daisy lowered the coffee mug. “I thought we said you should put it in the bank. Remember?”

  “I like it.”

  “Give it to mommy,” she said, wanting to be done with it. She didn’t like Amy carrying it around and rubbing the thing. It made her uneasy.

  “Okay, mommy. I’ll put it in the bank.” Amy got down from the table.

  “Amy, I said give it here!” she snapped.

  Amy took off out of the kitchen, defiant as always. Daisy nearly went after her but caught the concerned look Magdalena gave them both. She stopped herself, collected herself and smiled.

  “Are you okay, Mrs. Locke?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. It’s silly. I’ll get it out of her bank later.” She turned away to the coffee mug. Her gaze turned to the phone mounted on the wall and thought of the call. Closing her eyes, she shook the feeling. “Everything is fine. Just fine. I’ll take Amy to school.”

  ****

  “Mrs. Andrews?”

  Clara rose, as did her broker. “Mr. McBride?”

  “Thank you for coming in this morning,” Donovan said smiling, the doors closing by the hotel staff behind him. They were meeting in the swank business office of the Clover Hotel. Clara looked over to their broker and back into his eyes. She recognized him, but struggled with whether she should say so. “You’re the investor?”

  “Yes, I represent his interests. Please… please,” he gestured. “Have a seat.”

  Clara sat. She watched the gentleman move through the room on his cane. He was quite handsome in a rugged kind of way. Too old for her taste, but she smelled power and wealth on him. It was an unmistakable aphrodisiac.

  “So, you are the face of Jahi?” Donovan smiled.

  Clara nodded, “I am.”

  Donovan stared at her for a pause. There was something soothing in his cool stare, hypnotic. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Clearing her throat, she straightened her back and sat upright. “Well I’m glad we could meet. I’m told you purchased some land out of the Tacoma Hills. As Steven here must have informed you, I’m extremely interested in this land. We’re working on expansion and I’d like—”

  “Who's Danielle Locke?” Donovan cut in.

  Clara looked up at him. “Oh, she’s my partner.”

  “The one with the controlling interest of Jahi?” Donovan asked.

  “Well, yes. But it is a partnership.”

  “Can I speak frankly with you?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m impressed with Jahi. I believe a lot of its success is due to your influence. Am I right?"

  Clara blushed and nodded.

  "I’ve read your recent press release and what you propose for Serenity. Again, very impressive. You’re an extremely talented woman. Young ambition is a common t
hing in this town, but you've accomplished a lot.”

  She again caught that look in his eye that was unmistakable. Blushing, she glanced over to Steve, and he was grinning a mile wide. Did he know something she didn’t know? The direction the conversation was taking was weird.

  Donovan placed his hand on the table and leaned forward across from her. “We could use your talents.”

  “We?”

  “I’m an attorney, Ms. Andrews. My client is the wealthiest man on the coast. His name is Aiden Keane, the owner of...”

  “Shamrock and, hell, almost all of Vegas. Yes, yes, I know him.” She blinked, thrilled, unable to hide her excitement. She mentioned once to Danielle that Mr. Keane was the sexiest bachelor moving on two legs while watching some special on the travel show. Danielle loved the Travel Channel. She gushed, Danielle just sat there quietly staring at Aiden Keane. Why that memory chose to surface at that very moment confounded her.

  Donovan removed his hat and sat it on the table. “He wants to make you an offer. One that will make you quite wealthy and undoubtedly change your life.”

  “Me? You mean Jahi. Right?”

  Donovan smirked, gave the person at the door a nod, and then fixed his eyes back on her. “No, Mrs. Andrews. I mean you.”

  The door opened and Clara's gaze finally moved from the attorney to the other side of the room. Aiden Keane himself walked in. Tall, darkly dressed, his green eyes were compelling from across the room. He gave her a sly smile, walking toward the conference table with two of his security men lingering behind.

  “Clara Andrews. At last we meet.”

  ****

  “Amy is a very bright little girl, Mrs. Locke. Very bright and she’s more advanced than the other four year-olds.”

  Daisy watched Amy holding her thick crayon, tracing the lines on her paper. She couldn’t help but smile. She was so proud of her. School was never Daisy’s strong suit, but Amy flourished under learning new things. “Thank you. She loves it here.”

  The teacher had kind blue eyes. They always seemed to twinkle when she spoke. An older woman with graying temples, she formed her words in a soft whisper of a voice. Very soothing. Daisy felt comfortable with entrusting Amy under her care. That wasn’t easy for her. She’d rather have Amy with her 24/7.

  The teacher lightly touched her elbow. “I would like to talk to you. About… well… over here please.”

  Daisy followed her. They stepped over to her desk, out of the earshot of the children. She looked back to Amy, wondering what picture she’d have on her refrigerator after this evening.

  “Ms. Locke?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m not certain. I don’t mean to pry, but Mr. Locke, well is he in Amy's life?”

  Daisy paled.

  The teacher quickly blushed. “Please, I make no judgments. I called you because you missed Parent’s Day here last week.”

  “I'm so sorry. I got my days crossed. I would never miss her day on purpose.”

  “It’s okay. It happens.” Mrs. Brooks waved it off.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Mrs. Brooks looked to Amy then back to her. “Several kids had a single parent arrive. Mothers and fathers mostly, and well several didn’t… so we kind of mixed them up so the children could all be included. You understand?”

  Daisy felt like an ass. She never missed Amy’s important dates. But she was so distracted with her father’s death that it got past her.

  “Mrs. Locke, Amy seemed more fascinated with the dads.”

  “Fascinated how?”

  The teacher smiled. “Amy was very attentive to the other kid’s fathers. A little too clingy. She actually became upset if she didn’t receive equal attention from one parent in particular. Several times I had to instruct her back to her seat. Bryan’s father was very kind. He spent time with Amy too, and by the end of the class she asked to call him daddy.”

  Daisy felt sick. She looked away. Amy asked her repeatedly about mommies and daddies, but she never thought her daughter suffered because of it. “I understand,” she said weakly.

  “She’s a bright young girl. She was fascinated by the fathers and since then, well I called you to come out today because she’s been telling the class of her father coming to her birthday. It seems very important to her. I’ve had to discipline her during nap time twice for it. I just thought you should be aware. It may be nothing but—”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Brooks. I understand. She’s four and curious. I’ll talk to her.”

  Daisy looked to Amy and frowned. Her daughter rose from the tiny desk and ran over with her picture. “Look, mommy. See?”

  She stooped and observed the coloring, mostly done within the lines. “Very good. It’s beautiful, baby.”

  “I know it.” Amy smiled, then turned in her little plaid schoolgirl uniform, bouncing back to the worktable. Daisy sighed. So now she had to have the daddy talk? She wasn’t looking forward to it.

  ****

  Daisy looked up from her papers; Clara entered silently.

  “Hey, you back already?”

  “Ah, yea.”

  “How’d it go?”

  “Fine, fine, um… they want to meet.”

  “They?”

  “The investors. They want to meet with um, you.” Clara walked over to the office chair and sat. She fixed her skirt nervously. Daisy observed her. “Who are these investors?”

  “They’re through a company called McBride Associates.” Clara ran her hand back through her hair. Daisy wasn’t sure, but she thought her friend’s hand had a slight tremble to it. Clara flashed a smile. “They know that we’re partners. I can’t go any further. In fact, they want you to bring your… I mean our attorney. They want to do it in Tucson. Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “Yea, we can get a flight out in the morning and be back before Amy gets out of school,” she smiled.

  “Who are they again?”

  Daisy turned to the computer; she moved the mouse and clicked on her browser to do a Google search.

  Clara leapt to her feet. “Don’t!”

  Daisy blinked. Shocked, she moved her hand from the keys. “Huh? What’s wrong?”

  “Don’t bother,” Clara smiled. “It’s already taken care of. Jeffery has all their information and he will be putting it together for you to review while we, um, fly out. But here’s the news. Are you ready?”

  Daisy nodded.

  “They will give us twenty percent off the asking price. They just want to do an investment so that their clientele have exclusive access to Serenity. They’re big fans of yours… I mean Jahi. Big fans. This is good, Danielle. Really good. Let’s go meet with them and…”

  “Whoa… slow down,” Daisy laughed. “You had me at twenty percent off.”

  Clara let go a deep sigh. Daisy laughed, seeing her suspicions were right. Her friend was terrified. She was terrified that Daisy would shoot down the meeting idea. She was a little excited about expanding Jahi. Clara didn’t have anything to worry about.

  “You did it. Check you out, Clara!” Daisy rose from her chair. She walked around her desk grinning. “I’m proud of you, girl.”

  “Thanks,” Clara said, her smile dimming. Daisy hugged her. Clara returned the hug weakly. She let her go and laughed. “How about you come to my house tonight so I can cook dinner for you and Amy. You can tell me all about it. Oh and get this. I have to have the ‘daddy’ talk with Amy now. I’m not looking forward to it.”

  “Who is her daddy?” Clara blurted.

  “I beg your pardon?” Daisy turned.

  “Sorry, that didn’t come out right. I just never hear you speak of Amy’s father.”

  “That’s because he doesn’t exist. I’m mommy and daddy all in one.” Daisy winked. “You coming for dinner?”

  “Ah, sorry, can’t. Need to get home and feed the trash and take out the cat.”

  Daisy frowned.

  “I mean feed the cat and take out the trash. You know, um…so
I will get the tickets.” She began to back away. "We leave at seven in the morning. I’ll pick you up. It’s all arranged. So no worries. Okay? I’ll go check on everything… talk to you… um… soon.”