18. Sweet Disposition – Tess
What has gotten into me? I’ve turned into some sort of feral cat in heat all of a sudden. I am not a flirt by any stretch of the imagination, but something about Brad just unravels me and my base instincts come out to play. From the looks of things, I don’t think he minds at all, but I could be all kinds of wrong.
As he leaves to go talk to Ian, Charlie takes his spot next to me on the couch, a sober expression on her cute little face. Her red curls are up in a bouncy ponytail today, accentuating her young age.
“So, how was your date with my dad?” she asks, as if it’s completely normal to talk about.
I am so thrown off kilter, I don’t know how to respond at first. I don’t want to get into details of anything that happened last night with Brad’s daughter.
“It was great,” I say, determined to keep things vague. This is a dynamic I didn’t plan for when dating someone with a child. I knew it would be different but didn’t anticipate this at all.
She eyes me skeptically, like a detective trying to solve an important case, and I’m the prime suspect evading justice.
“Just great?” she asks doubtfully, and I can tell she’s seeing right through me. “Did you guys kiss?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I say, raising my hands, trying to keep from blushing but failing miserably. “That’s awfully personal, isn’t it?”
Charlie shrugs noncommittally, as if personal questions are par for the course for her. I get the feeling they are. She might be too curious for her own good.
“Not really. I’m just curious.” She eyes me suspiciously again, and I can feel myself squirm a little under the scrutiny.
“How old are you again?” I ask, trying to change the subject quickly.
“I’ll be nine in a few months, but my dad says I’m going on thirty.”
“I can see that,” I nod. Wondering at her advanced maturity level. Is it because she’s usually around adults? Or something else? I recall Brad’s admission of being absent too much. That pain can age you faster than light.
“Are you going to go out again?” She’s like a dog with a bone on this subject.
This, I can at least answer truthfully. “I hope so, yeah.”
“Do you like him?”
There’s something behind this question that hits home with me. I can sense the history this little girl must have with Brad’s exes making itself known somehow. My heart clenches at the thought of her getting attached, or hopeful, only to have her heart broken. She just wants consistency. Safety. Or maybe she just wants to see her dad happy. Either way, it endears me to her.
I know that feeling. That wishful thinking, and the hardness that comes with all the disappointment at such a young age. I can empathize with her, and know where this is all coming from, because I’ve lived it too.
“Yes,” I sigh, resigned to sharing the truth. “I like him a lot.”
Her gray eyes sparkle brightly, and I see a little bit of triumph there. Her matchmaking is bearing fruit. For now, anyway. I really don’t want to be another disappointment for her, but that added pressure isn’t one I’ve prepared for.
Three’s a crowd?
No. Not with Charlie. She and Brad count as one. They are a package deal, and I’m perfectly okay with that. I really like Charlie. Her personality isn’t typical for her age, and I love that about her. She’s special. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure that never changes.
Later in the day, we’re all taking a break from the rehearsals, scattered around the room doing our own thing for a few minutes. I catch Brad on the couch with Charlie on his lap while he reads a book to her. It’s such a tender moment, I instinctively grab my phone for a photo, but end up recording a video of the two of them instead.
The sweetness between them does something to my heart, and a lightbulb goes off in my head. This is the spotlight he needs. This is what will fix whatever seems broken with the fans. They need to see this side of Brad. The soft side. The tender side. The side that isn’t partying, or womanizing, or whatever negative things they think about him.
This is the Real Brad.
Before I can second guess myself, I post the video to all of Chaos Fuel’s social media accounts. Within seconds, the positive responses start pouring in.
Bullseye.
Nailed it.
Some days I love my job. Especially when something random and out of the blue works and strikes the right chord. Like this. Social media wins are hard to come by…
And I just hit a freaking home run.