Seventeen
SEVENTEEN
SOLEIL
“Holy moly, Mama. This house is ginormous!” Dahlia’s voice is full of wonder as we pull up to Malik’s friend’s house.
I absolutely agree with my outspoken daughter.
We pull up a long driveway that is almost hidden by trees, and a large modern home with straight lines and lots of windows greets us. It’s a home that you’d see in an architectural digest magazine, touting the name of some prestigious designer. It certainly doesn’t look like it belongs to a tattooed, grumpy biker.
A large truck and a flashy sports car sit next to an old blue truck that looks beat up by time and weather, and very out of place amongst all of this luxury. I pull to stop behind the blue truck and turn off the engine. Unlatching my seat belt, I turn in my seat to look at Dahlia.
“I want you on your best behavior today, okay.This is not our home so you can’t go running around like it is.”
“I know, Mommy,” she replies with a smile. “It’s like a museum. Look but no touchin’, and no hollerin’ like a loon.”
I chuckle with a smile and a shake of my head. “Yes. Just like that. Although I don’t know where you heard a word like loon.”
“From Poppa. He said Auntie Ky is a loon and that I shouldn’t spend too much time with her or I’ll be one, too. But I love her and want to be just like her.”
“Well, maybe not exactly like Auntie Ky. Poppa might be a little right.” I hold my thumb and index finger just millimeters apart and squint one eye.
Dahlia laughs and swings her legs. When I reach back to unbuckle her, she quickly hops over to the front seat, careful not to crush the pasta salad and cupcakes that I made. She jumps out of the driver’s side behind me, and we move around to the back to retrieve the beach bag before gathering the food in my hands.
I push the door closed with my hip and realize I’ve left my purse along with my keys and phone inside.
“Shit,” I curse under my breath.
A little gasp escapes Dahlia’s mouth and she reminds me, “That’s a curse word. You’re not s’posed to say that. Now you owe me gummy bears.”
“That’s fine, Dahlia. Just…do you think you can open the door for me? I lef–”
“I can get that for you.”
“Mr. Dare!” Dahlia shouts and I flip my head to look over my shoulder, and find Malik walking in our direction.
“Hello, my favorite student.” She launches herself at him, and he has the foresight to reach out and grab her. “You’ve got your hands full.”
I give him a small, embarrassed smile with a nod. “Yes. And I accidentally forgot to grab my purse. It’s not locked, I just don’t have the extra hand.”
With Dahlia in his arms, because she’s gripped onto him like a spider monkey, and takes both dishes from me like they’re simply made of paper.
“I got these. Grab whatever you need and I’ll show you back.”
I quickly reach in and grab my purse hanging from the back of my seat and my phone from the console. I take one quick look around to make sure nothing else gets left behind and quickly close and lock the door.
“Thank you. I can get those,” I tell him, holding out my hands for the dishes.
“Nonsense. Follow me.” He turns and walks holding the food and my daughter with comfortable ease as if they belong to him.
“Well at least put that little stinker down. She has two legs and they work just fine.”
“Never,” he shouts over his shoulder and keeps walking.
I follow behind him, across the carefully manicured lawn and driveway to a side gate that sits between the large garage and enormous house.
“Would you mind opening the gate for me? That may be pretty difficult to do with my toes.” He chuckles, and we both look down at his sneaker covered feet.
My eyes roll slowly up his body, taking in his jeans that fit just right. Not too tight, not too baggy. They hint at the sculpted legs that lie beneath. A crisp white t-shirt contrasts his beautifully olive skin and I inwardly moan. What is it about a guy in a white t-shirt that gets women so hot? It’s nothing fancy but damn does it look good.
My eyes finally meet his gorgeous face that holds a smirk and glint in his eyes. The eyes that are slightly shadowed by the brim of his hat that reads DARE Inc. Yeah…he’s wearing a fucking baseball cap.
“Soleil?” he says, bringing me out of my lust filled haze.
“Huh?”
“Could you get the gate?”
“Oh. Gosh. Yes. I’m sorry.” I fumble with the latch, my body hot with embarrassment, and hold it wide for him to pass through.
Boisterous laughter and talk can be heard as we get nearer, and a massive pool comes into view. Beautiful people mill about, and two kids are running as fast as their little legs will take them.
“Soleil. You’re here.” Dagen’s arms go up in a V and she walks over to greet me with a hug. “I’m so happy you made it.”
“Thank you for the invite. That was extremely nice of you.” She squeezes my arm with a warm smile.
“Miss Dagen. Is that your sister and brother?” Dahlia’s eyes are glued to the two young ones.
“It is. Do you want to come meet them?” Her head bobs so fiercely, the poor thing is liable to get a headache from the way her brain bounces about. “C’mon. I’ll introduce you.”
Dahlia is quick to hop out of Malik’s arms and grab on to Dagen’s hand.
The two trot off like the best of friends. If only I had the confidence and courage my five year old does.
“Come with me to put this food down and I’ll introduce you to Dagen’s parents. I’m sure they’ll want to meet the mother of their kids' new best friend.” He nudges his head in the direction of the house.
He makes quick work of dropping off food and shuffling me from person to person as I meet and get reacquainted with the guests.
It’s almost circuit overload. Normally I’m a bit more quiet and timid. Kyle is loud enough for the both of us, so I’ve never really had the need to stand out. But this…this feels nice. It’s their own little family and being away from my parents and without any siblings of my own, it’s something I could really use.
Another loud cannonball is shouted across the yard, followed by a resounding splash that sends water flying. Bodies dive underneath the swishing water, and quickly reappear. Malik pops up holding Dahlia in his arms, and Hendrix breaks through with A.J. holding tight to his neck.
“She really seems to love him,” I tell Dagen and her mother, Camille, as I watch their interactions. “A.J., I should say.”
“Oh. Totally. She calls him Chicken. My Chicken, to be precise,” Camille laughs. “She has been smitten with him from day one. And while he may not admit it, I think Hendrix is quite smitten with her. They have a special bond.”
She and Dagen exchange a look between the two of them, and I see Dagen’s eyes shine with tears that she quickly blinks away.
“A.J. insists that she’s going to marry Hendrix. She told me, Day, don’t get mad but I’m gonna marry Chicken. But you can live with us. ” We all laugh and I watch as Hendrix climbs out of the pool and flings A.J. around to rest on his back.
“That’s so cute.” I turn my attention back to the pool where I see Dahlia chasing after Malik as he pretends to have difficulty swimming.
“I think someone else has a little crush.” My eyes triple in size and my face pales slightly at Camille’s words.
“H-huh?” I stutter.
“Dahlia. It seems she has stars in her eyes for Mr. Dare.” I chuckle, releasing my breath and giving the okay to my heart to start beating again.
My stomach bottomed out, sick with worry that these two ladies were able to read me like an open book. I’ve tried to play it cool and keep my attraction to Malik in check, but sometimes my face says more than my words.
I take a sip of my tea to quench my parched throat. “I think you may be correct. She talks about him constantly. It’s quite funny. Some days I think she’d rather spend time with him over me.”
“Everyone loves Mal. He’s the funny and kind one of the three. The others are well…”we all look over at Danté who seems to have a permanent scowl on his face, and Hendrix who only smiles at Dagen or A.J. “It takes awhile for them to thaw. Actually, we’re still waiting for Danté. I don’t think there’s any warmth under that icy exterior.”
“Oh I’m sure it’s there. Somewhere ,” Camille adds.
My eyes find Malik and Dahlia once more, and he looks over at just that moment. Something flashes in his eyes and a delicious smirk teases me right before diving back under the water.
“Soleil,” Camille calls my name and I begrudgingly pull my attention away from the hottest man alive. “I hope you don’t think this is rude, and please tell me to mind my own goddamn business if you don’t want to answer but, I was wondering what your ethnicity is. Again, tell me to shove it if that’s prying.”
I give her a soft laugh, used to the question being asked. “It’s okay. It’s not rude. If I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me that, I’d be living in this house.” I hold my hands out as if they don’t already know what this gorgeous mansion looks like. “My mother is Japanese. Her parents came to the United States before she was born, so she’s a first generation American. And my father is, was, German. He passed away many years ago.”
Dagen clutches her chest and her face falls. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her, shaking my head. “I have an amazing step-dad who helped raise me and has never treated me as anything less than his own daughter.”
A big fat tear tracks down Dagen’s face and her teeth sink into her bottom lip. Camille reaches over, placing her hand on Dagen’s and gives her a couple squeezes.
“I’m sorry. I…did I say something?” I’m sure the confusion in my voice matches what I imagine my face to look like.
“No. You did nothing wrong,” Camille assures me. “I’m not Dagen’s biological mother. Her mother passed away when she was very young.”
“She’s the woman that birthed me. That’s all.” Dagen’s voice is curt and cold and I don’t even bother asking her to elaborate because it’s obvious there’s a lot of hurt behind the story.
With a sigh, Camille continues. “I came into Dagen’s life about ten years ago and as far as I’m concerned, she is mine. My daughter, my best friend, a piece of my heart walking around on the outside. So I understand how your step-father feels, and I’m glad you had him to show you the kind of love only a father can.”
We fall silent, all of us lost in our separate memories but feeling so much of the same. Our eyes wander back to the guys and their little shadows who are laughing and splashing at each other.
“I think A.J. has found herself a new best friend in Dahlia. I don’t think we’re going to get her to leave,” Camille chuckles.
“Oh I’m sure I’ll be dragging a very sad Dahlia home at the end of the night. She’s dying for more friends around here. She’s made friends with some of the kids in her class, but there haven’t been play date requests, so she really hasn’t had time to be with them beyond school.”
“Do you ha–”
“Mommy! Mommy!” Dagen is interrupted by the shrill screaming of Dahlia as she runs up to me. “Can I have a sleepover with A.J? She’s staying here and she said Chicken will let me if I wanna.”
She bounces up and down on her toes, water flying everywhere and puddling at her feet.
“First of all,” I tell her, digging into our beach bag and pulling out a towel. “Quit jumping. You’re splashing everyone. And two, I don’t think it’s up to A.J. if you can stay here at Mr. Dare’s house.”
“But A.J. said–”
“Dahlia,” I warn with the look that only mom’s can give.
“Autumn Jade!” Camille shouts and A.J.’s little body jerks in our direction.
Camille crooks her finger and A.J. drags her feet to where we sit. Her little body is drenched, from her purple swimsuit with horses and butterflies, to her long brown hair that drips from the ends.
“Did you invite Dahlia to sleepover without asking Hendrix or Daddy and I?” A.J.’s shoulders rise and fall and her bottom lip quivers.
“She asked me, Camille. I, um…” Hendrix places his hands on her shoulders and squeezes.
“You just can’t say no to her,” Dagen finishes with a smile.
Hendrix smiles back and winks, then lifts A.J. up and plops her down on his shoulder like a princess. It’s a funny sight, a tattooed biker treating this little girl like she’s made of glass.
“That is extremely nice of you, but I don’t think Dahlia is ready for sleepovers quite yet.” Dahlia opens her mouth to protest and I clamp my hand over it. “How about we just have fun tonight, and maybe next time when we can plan it better, you girls can have a sleepover. Yeah?”
I look at both girls who quickly change from sad and disappointed to bright smiles and bobbing heads.
“What did I miss?” Malik jogs over to us holding popsicles and hands them to the girls.
“Oh nothing. Just two little girls planning to take over Hendrix’s house like it’s their own.” Camille laughs and watches A.J. lick the dripping popsicle from her fingers, but missing some that falls to Hendrix’s shoulder.
“We should all have a sleepover,” Malik cheers, then scans the faces of the ladies and backtracks. “Next time. We should have a sleepover next time. For now, who’s up for a game of cornhole? Soleil, you can be my partner.”
He takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. I can’t fight the smile that spreads from his touch.
“Too bad there’s not a pool table around,” I joke.
Malik pokes at my side then turns to his friends. “Don’t play pool with this one. She’s a swindler.” His eyes wander back to mine and transform from funny to flirty. “She’ll blind you with her beauty and you won’t even see it coming.”
I let my hand drop from his, suddenly feeling like I’m gripping a live wire and needing to collect myself. He’s right about one thing; I never saw Malik Dare coming. And now that he’s here, I’ll be hard pressed to keep my distance.