by Rye Hart
“Well, her birthday is tomorrow. She’ll be six.”
“Yes, I saw that in her file. Have the two of you made any plans?”
“I’m taking her out for pizza and ice cream."
“That sounds like a wonderful idea. Star’s lucky to have an uncle like you in her life. Without your help she would be in a far dire situation.”
I nodded and cleared my throat.
Unfortunately, luck was something Star lacked most thus far. Before Star came into my life, I was living life for myself. I was isolated from everyone and a selfish bastard telling the world to fuck off in every way imaginable.
Now, I had a bigger purpose and I wasn’t going to let my dim past screw things up for Star.
***
The next day was eventful. Star enjoyed her pizza and ice cream, but her eyes lit up when she opened the doll I had waiting for her in the house. Since she didn’t have a lot of friends or toys, I decided her birthday was the perfect time to spoil her. She’d only brought a few things with her from Chicago, and aside from furniture and some matching curtains, her room was pretty bare these last three months. When we returned home, she found the kid size kitchen set I’d left her in the living room, and she ran over and started cooking dinner for her doll.
She exhausted herself early and finally crawled up beside me on the couch and fell asleep. I carried her to her room and kissed her on the forehead before I went to bed next door.
I promised Cynthia, my elderly neighbor, that I’d bring Star over for breakfast. She was probably the closest resemblance to a local acquaintance I had in Buffalo, and lucky for me, she enjoyed our company.
Considering I was a prick to everyone around me, it was most likely Star’s company she enjoyed most. Cynthia talked about loving children and wanting grandchildren of her own. Whatever it was, I was grateful for her presence for Star’s benefit.
***
When we arrived at Cynthia’s place, Star was greeted with a blue-and-pink cake, with big icing flowers and a little plastic tiara on top.
“That cake is huge. Did you make it yourself?” I let go of the birthday girl’s hand as she jumped up and down.
Star’s eyes grew big, and she hugged Cynthia who placed the cake on the small, round kitchen table that she’d done up with a pink tablecloth. Balloons and streamers hung over our heads, and I couldn’t help but feel gratitude for the woman’s efforts.
“Yes, sir. I used to teach cake decorating classes back in the day. There’s not a lot this old bird can’t do. I tell you, I was made to be a grandmother, but you can’t convince my kids of it. They’re so busy traveling the world and busy with careers, I’m not sure they’ll ever have kids.”
Cynthia Darling, who was in her late sixties, with grey hair, apple-round cheeks, and more spirit than most, had welcomed me with open arms when I’d showed up next door. When I’d gotten Star, she’d gone into full grandma mode, and despite me offering, she wouldn’t take a penny for her help babysitting Star.
“You’re going to spoil her.” I let loose a laugh as I saw the stack of presents that Star ran over to inspect.
Cynthia leaned in close. “She needs to know it’s a special day, and that she has people here who love her. Besides, is that a new doll? I thought you were buying her a kitchen set?”
“I did, but I thought a doll might also be a new friend. One who couldn’t leave, who she wouldn’t have to say goodbye to.” I whispered to Cynthia.
“Smart thinking.” Cynthia turned her head to watch Star who inspected the table next.
“She talked to her doll last night. I could hear her through the walls. Ask her its name.” About that time the timer went off, and Cynthia walked over to pull a breakfast casserole out of the oven.
She placed it on the counter and then turned to Star. “Who is this beautiful friend you’ve brought today?”
Star smiled and took the chair, which had a few streamers and balloons taped to it. She placed her doll in the chair beside hers. “Jackie,” she said softly, smiling to show off her missing front tooth.
“Jackie? That’s a gorgeous name. Did you know there once was a beautiful queen of Camelot named Jackie? I’ll have to tell you about her sometime.” She turned and gave me a wink as she opened a stack of pink and blue plates.
After we ate, and Star opened her gifts, which turned out to be two new outfits, and three play sets full of everything she needed to accessorize her new kitchen, she busied herself on the floor as I stared out the window sipping coffee at Cynthia’s table.
“Thank you for everything you did. You really didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”
“Are you kidding me? This stuff makes my day. Hey, you look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.” The old woman took the seat next to me and added cream to her coffee and I took a deep breath. For some reason Cynthia was one of the few people who could get me to open up and actually say more than an obligatory few words.
“Yeah, I talked to the school. I have to find someone who can tutor Star in reading. They said she needs someone with experience to give her the attention she deserves. They don’t want her to fall behind, and I sure don’t either.”
“Some kids just bloom later than others, but that doesn’t mean much. She’s been through a trauma, and once she gets used to a stable environment, and sees that this is forever, she’ll come around.”
“Yeah, but by then, she might be too far behind to catch up. I can’t help feeling useless. I wish I could just make it all better right now.”
“You do what’s best at the moment. No parent knows exactly what’s best for their kids every single time. It’s barely more than trial and error.”
That was a relief to hear. I’d been doing that since I’d brought Star home; flying by the seat of my pants.
“Thanks. I know it’s going to be okay. It’s just a bit harder than I thought. She’s a great kid, though.” I watched her playing on the floor with Jackie and her gifts, and remembered my brother and me on our birthdays. If we’d had half of what she’d gotten for her birthday, we’d have felt rich. Then again, none of that replaced the value of a stable household with loving parents.
“Maybe if there was a nice young woman around—"she started.
I rolled my eyes and held up a hand to stop her. “Thanks, but no thanks. I have enough on my plate right now just taking care of Star. I don’t need a clingy woman to demand my attention as well.”
Cynthia pursed her lips. “You just need the right woman,” she said.
I shook my head and stood up from the table to excuse myself to the rest room. No way was I going to sit through this lecture again.
A night of great sex here and there was one thing, but I needed a relationship like I needed a hole in the head.
CHAPTER TWO - DREAM
“Why aren’t these people at church? It’s Sunday.” I placed my tray on the stack and straightened my nametag and apron.
“We always get a rush around ten on Sundays. All the heathens that were out on Saturday night are just waking up while the holy rollers are walking into church. You’ll find it happens every week. They come in here to get a hot cup of coffee to nurse their hangovers.”
“Ah, and I thought Sundays would be a breeze for some reason.” I couldn’t complain too much, and not just because my boss, Harold, was watching from the register, but because Liza had gotten me the job at the diner just days ago after taking me in. I was lucky to have found her and a steady job.
Beggars surely couldn’t be choosers, especially a beggar on the run from a dangerous man.
“You’ll get the hang of it.” She had been so kind and encouraging.
“Thanks again for the job, Liza; and for taking me in. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“Think nothing of it. You can clean a few of my tables though if you like. That’ll cover it.” She gave me a wink as I raked my hand through my ponytail. A slow ache throbbed in my temples. I’d not worn my hair up in such a tigh
t ponytail in ages.
I also hadn’t stood on my feet for so long, but it was decent money, and I’d already earned a few big tips from men who liked to make naughty jokes about my name.
Liza leaned close as she walked past. “Pull down your sleeve, Dream. Your bruises are showing.” I quickly tugged down my sleeve and let loose a long breath. The deep bruises that my ex had given me were still fading on my arm and had turned a sickly shade of yellow that had mixed with a putrid brown. If seen, they would provoke questions I was not willing to answer.
“Thanks. I keep forgetting.” I tugged the sleeve down until she gave me a thumb’s up. “You’ve been so good to me. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.” She’d not only found me a job but given me a place to stay. “You’ve been a shining light in the dark.”
“You’re no trouble. Now, that sorry ex of yours—you ain't heard from him, have you?” Liza’s thick southern accent was unmistakable. She’d grown up in a place called Caney Head in southeast Texas and had moved here to Buffalo, Wyoming, when she was just twenty to marry a man who had been about as good as my ex, Nick.
She’d met Brady’s father a year later. Unfortunately, that hadn’t worked out either.
“No, not since I got a different number. Still, it’s scary thinking he can find me easily given his ties with the police force across the country. Listen, I appreciate everything you’re doing for me, but if you ever feel it’s too much for you and Brady, then you just say so. I’ll find another place.” I didn’t want to put anyone else in danger.
She laughed softly. “Not around here you won’t. Besides, me and Brady always share a room and rent the other. It helps with the bills.”
Mack called out as the order bell sounded and I grabbed the tray and carefully walked it over to the table as Liza busied herself pouring refills from the coffee pot.
The bells on the door chimed and in walked the sexiest man I’d seen since coming to this sleepy little mountain town.
His dark hair and beard were trimmed short, and his eyes were an icy blue that didn’t just meet mine but seemed to penetrate them. I was so entirely captivated by his muscular body and impeccably good looks, that I almost didn’t notice the young girl by his side. He towered above her, and she was so tiny, she couldn’t have been more than five years old. She had his eyes, but her skin was much paler, and her rosy cheeks were bright and framed by a mess of curly blond hair that had fallen out of her ponytail.
He walked over to my section and lifted the little girl into one side of a booth and then took the other. Liza came up beside me with a stack of menus. “He’s a hot one, ain't he? He’s been coming in here for a few years now, but the little girl, she’s new. She started showing up with him about three months ago.”
“They have the same eyes. Does her mother ever come in?” I figured the man would be married. He was far too hot not to be.
“No, just the two of them. He’s the reclusive type, and she’s a total mystery. No one’s sure if she’s his or not. And if he’s her father, he’s very new to it.”
“Why do you say that?” All I could see was the perfect picture of a father and daughter. He smiled adoringly as she placed a napkin in her doll’s collar and opened a menu for her.
“I’ve been watching him, and he’s a bit awkward with her. He treats her like she might break, or like she’s a bomb about to explode in his hands. You watch him a minute, you’ll see what I mean.” She pushed the menus at me. “Go get him.” She gave me a wink, but I shook my head. The last thing I needed was another man, no matter how achingly handsome he was.
I took a deep breath and walked across the room toward them. He’s just a man, Dream, nothing more. I couldn’t believe how shaken I was inside; practically nervous. “How are you today? What can I get for you?”
He looked at me for a moment as if he had lost all train of thought, and I thought maybe he hadn’t heard me, but then he quickly recovered. “Fine, thanks. Sorry, you’re new.” He glanced over at Liza who had busied herself with another table but kept looking over her shoulder to see what was happening.
“I could get you another waitress if you like.” I suddenly felt insecure.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just haven’t seen you around before.”
The way he was looking at me made me feel all kinds of warm. He looked hungry for more than breakfast, which was odd considering he probably had women throwing themselves at him left and right.
“I’m new in town; just started a few days ago. Do you know what you might like?” I didn’t want to have to answer any questions about my personal life, or what had brought me to Wyoming, so I kept myself in professional mode.
“Yeah, I’ll take the All American. What do you want, Star?” The little girl kept her head down and gave me the side eye. “Remember our deal. If you want to eat you have to order your own food. Tell the nice lady what you want.”
The little girl turned her head and looked up at me with those big blue eyes that matched the man’s. “I want waffles please, and one for Jackie too.” She tucked the little napkin into the doll’s collar a bit more as the man smiled.
He cleared his throat. “Are you sure Jackie can eat a whole waffle by herself? She’s got an awfully tiny stomach. Maybe you should just share yours.”
Disappointment dawned on her face, and I could tell she was upset, but she kept quiet.
I leaned forward and spoke softly to the girl. “I tell you what, how about you order your waffles, and I’ll bring Jackie her very own little plate and a fork so you two can share?” I paused my pen as the little girl nodded her head.
The man looked up and regarded me closely. I couldn’t tell if he was irritated by my suggestion or not. Either way, he didn’t say a word.
“Can I get you a coffee or soda?” I put the pad away.
“Yeah, I’ll have a coffee and get her a chocolate milk.” The little girl looked across the table at him and gave a slight smile. She seemed very cautious in her mannerisms, and I wondered if he were strict with her when they weren’t in public.
“Coming right up.” I hurried to get their drinks, and when I returned with them, the two weren’t talking or carrying on a conversation like I’d expected them to be.
The little girl was staring out the window with a somber expression, and he was looking at his phone. I was starting to see what Liza meant. The mystery deepened.
“Here you go.” I placed the little plate in front of the girl’s doll, and then a fork too. Then I placed their orders in front of them. “Did I hear right that your name is Star?” I glanced at the man, but the little girl turned her head up and nodded quickly. “That’s a beautiful name. And it’s unique like mine. I’m Dream.” I pointed to my nametag.
“That’s a pretty name,” she said, smiling.
“Thank you,” I said. There was that look again. The man was regarding me with something a little more than interest in my name in his eyes.
“Dream, huh?” he said. “It’s fitting.” A brief flash in his eyes had my knees feeling wobbly.
I wasn’t sure what to say so I stuck with my usual waitress banter.
“Well, you three enjoy your breakfast,” I said, turning to walk away.
Just then the little girl tugged my apron and held up her doll. “Her name is Jackie.” She held her waffle to the doll’s mouth and then took a bite.
“Well, it’s very nice to meet you Jackie,” I said, reaching over to shake the doll’s tiny hand, which thrilled the little girl to no end.
“Use your fork, or you and Jackie will both be sticky.” The man picked up the fork and handed it to her with a frown on his face, and the little girl giggled and shook her head. As he extended his arm, his sleeve shifted, showing off his tattoos.
My stomach clenched and my toes nearly curled. Good God. Tall, hot, muscular, and tattooed? I had to walk away before I needed a good hosing off.
I checked back on the two of them a few times more in bet
ween my other tables and made sure they were well taken care of.
Though I had zero intention of allowing myself to get involved with another man anytime soon, if ever, there was something about the guy that drew me to him, and the looks he’d been casting my way weren’t helping.
As they got up to walk out the exit, he approached the cork board near the door where people hung business cards and help wanted ads. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and secured it to the board with a pin before taking the little girl’s hand and heading out.
My curiosity getting the best of me, I walked over to look at what he’d put up.
Help wanted: looking for a reading tutor for a kindergartner.
I felt a tickle along my spine as I read the piece of paper over and over.
This was either my lucky day, or a really cruel joke.
CHAPTER THREE - CHANCE
I hadn’t realized how long I’d been out of the dating game until I made eye contact with that hot waitress at Harold’s diner. She was the sexiest thing this town had seen in ages, and her name was fitting; she was a dream. A wet one.
As I piddled around my shop and looked over some designs, I couldn’t shake the image of her from my mind. Asking her out had crossed my mind more than once, too, but with Star in my life, and things needing to be stable, I hadn’t let myself get back in the dating arena. A quick fuck was one thing, but an actual relationship was something different, and I’d been married one time too many as it was. I’d joined the US Navy when I was just out of high school at eighteen years old. By the time I was ready for the SEALs, I had met and married Becky, who I thought was the one. I’d wanted to have children with her, to have a family to come back to like all the other men, but she hadn’t wanted to be pregnant while I was on my tour. So she’d promised me that when I returned, we’d settled down and start our family.
I had no reason to think she was cheating on me; she’d been good about hanging with the other navy wives and volunteering for programs that helped servicemen to fill her time.