24. Daisy
***Daisy***
“You’re quiet.” Flynn glanced over at me and then looked back at the road. He was driving north from Sweetwater Cove to the next little village town, Briar’s Bluff. The roads were winding and there was always the chance of an animal running out of the thick woods on either side of it.
I shifted in my seat so I could watch him.
He had one hand on the steering wheel, near the bottom, and he looked so confident and comfortable sitting there that it stole my breath for a moment.
He’d slipped on a pair of shades and was chewing a piece of gum he’d found somewhere.
For a moment I could see what he would’ve looked like as a teenager.
Thinking about him was safer than anything else on my mind so I let the thoughts grow into a conversation.
“What were you like as a kid?”
He let out a surprised laugh. “I know that wasn’t what you’ve been thinking so hard about.”
“Maybe not but it’s what I want to think about now.” I smiled at his profile and realized I just really wanted to know more about him. “Tell me about yourself. I’ve only ever known you as Tyler’s brother.”
He shot me a heated look. “You know me as more than Tyler’s brother, sweetheart.”
I blushed and looked away. “You know what I mean.”
He let out a dramatized sigh. “Fine. I’ll spill all my deepest, darkest secrets. If you do the same. A show me yours if I show you mine deal.”
He’d pulled up to a stop sign and took a few seconds to stare at me. Without being able to see his eyes I couldn’t read his expression. It felt intense, though.
“Okay.” I answered quietly, suddenly shy about what he could possibly want to know. “You first, though.”
“I’m a gentleman if nothing else, Daisy. Ladies come first.”
I let out a surprised bark of laughter and rolled my eyes as the tension eased a bit. “Idiot. Go ahead and ask your question.”
“Why did you have sex with Wes?” He wasn’t taking it easy on me. He just sat perfectly still at the stop sign, watching me.
I looked down at my lap and then out the windshield. Had he gotten me alone to let me know how much he was disgusted by me? If he was going to do it, I wanted him to do it as fast as possible so it could be over. Like a bandaid, I just needed to get everything out in one swift release.
“Daisy?” Flynn reached over and cupped the back of my head, letting his fingers tangle in my hair. Any other time and I would’ve told him to mind my curls but it didn’t feel right after his question.
“I’ve done a few things that I don’t really understand this summer. I don’t know, Flynn. I let things happen with all three of you that I shouldn’t have. This is the first time in my life that someone could call me slut and I’d agree with them.” I paused as his mouth turned down in a serious frown.
“You’re not a slut. Don’t call yourself that again.” His voice had taken on that rare stern edge again and it did things to me that weren’t appropriate for the conversation we were having.
“What else should I call myself? I made out with you, slept with Wes over the kitchen counter, and did…things with Max last night. I must be losing my mind because this isn’t me.
I’ve never slept around and now I’m passing myself around between three brothers who happen to be my ex’s brothers?
It’s not exactly good girl behavior, Flynn. ”
“And you want to be a good girl?” His voice had dropped to something intimately deep.
I flinched when a horn sounded behind us. Flynn swore and started driving again. He shot me a glance and nodded, telling me to keep talking. I ran my clammy hands down my dress and took a deep breath.
“I want to not damage your family. I want to not be so attracted to three men at the same time that I physically can’t keep myself in check. And yes, Flynn, I do want to be a good girl. In multiple ways. Which is also a problem.”
“You want my honest opinion?” He looked over and watched me nod nervously.
“I think Tyler spent most of four years treating you like shit. Four years of disappointment, what I’m guessing was bad sex, and taking care of a manchild.
You deserve to feel good. You deserve to take something for yourself, Daisy. ”
I sat up straighter. “You don’t hate me?”
He laughed and it wasn’t polite or performative; it was a gut deep laugh.
“No, I don’t fucking hate you, Daisy. I knew you’d slept with Wes when I asked you out.
I didn’t know anything happened with Max, and I’m shocked that he let himself have anything fun, but I’m not angry about it. You don’t belong to me. For now.”
My mouth fell open. Then it flopped up and down several times while I tried to figure out what the hell he meant. “What do you mean, for now? And we said this wasn’t a date…”
Even I heard how weak the last sentence came out. Flynn didn’t answer. “Your turn to ask me a question.”
“Why? Why are you okay with this?”
He made a turn and then we were on an even more winding road. He kept his attention on the road but answered me. “I don’t know. They’re my brothers. If you’re going to sleep with someone besides me, I think I prefer it like this. I trust my brothers. Well, I trust two of them.”
“You prefer I sleep with your brothers?” The question sounded insane coming out of my mouth because it was insane.
“I didn’t say it made sense. It’s just how I feel. I still plan on being the final man standing but you deserve the choice, Daisy.”
“I’m not choosing anyone. I just got cheated on by your brother. That’s messy enough. I can’t just transfer one of you into his spot.” I anxiously picked at my cuticles.
“Whatever you say. My turn again.”
The easy smile on his face told me he wasn’t taking me seriously about not dating any of them.
It should’ve pissed me off but it didn’t.
Instead, it set off butterflies in my stomach.
I couldn’t believe he was implying that the three of them all wanted to be with me.
Especially after Wes and Max’s regret dances.
“Do you want kids?”
I choked on my saliva and sputtered out my response. “What? Why?”
“Because I want to know.” He shrugged. “Isn’t that good enough?”
“Yes. I want kids. I want a big, messy family with all the chaos. It was quiet in my house growing up… Quiet and sad. That’s why I love it here so much.
I was so grateful to Tyler for bringing me into his family that I overlooked a lot of shitty things about him.
” I cleared my throat and shook off the negative energy. “My turn. What do you want in life?”
“Jesus. It’s only your second question and you’re pulling out the big guns.
” He shifted in his seat. “If you’d asked me that a few weeks ago I would’ve given you the same answer I’ve been giving my whole life.
I didn’t necessarily want anything that I didn’t already have.
My family, my marina, my houseboat, that was enough. ”
My heart reacted like I’d grabbed a livewire.
The way I hoped his change was about me wasn’t a good sign.
I had no right to hope for something that couldn’t happen.
I didn’t want to hear his answer. I wasn’t sure if I’d be more destroyed if he said it was me or if he didn’t. “Oh, my goodness! Is that a bear?”
The man paused for a single second to look at me and then laughed. “I didn’t take you for a chicken, Daisy. You’re lucky we’re here and I want to show off my houseboat.”