Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
SCARLETT
S hopping in New Hope isn’t easy. In a town this small, the best we can do is a JC Penney or Target. The alternative is to drive up to Charleston, and thanks to Tucker leaving this for the last minute, we don’t have time for that.
So, we start at JC Penney.
“This is the one I told Dad I want,” Chloe says, making a beeline for a little red dress. She holds it up against her small frame, and at a glance, I’d say it’s all the things Tucker said he doesn’t want.
Of course.
“Chloe, there are rules, remember?”
“Just let me try it on,” she pleads. “I’ll show you, it’s not that bad.”
“Okay. Let’s grab a few for you, sound good?”
“I want this one,” she whispers, but I pretend not to hear her. Chloe’s as strong-willed as her father. It’s no wonder they butt heads from time to time.
Reminds me of me with my dad. I’ll have to apologize to him later for being difficult.
“I don’t wear pink,” Chloe says when I hold up a blush-colored dress. “Ever.”
“This one’s out then.”
She nods, and I reach for a cute little black dress.
“I don’t like black.”
“Chloe, why do I get the feeling the only color you like is red?”
She grins and shrugs one shoulder. “Red is my favorite.”
“Okay, I get it. You want that dress. But you have to work with me here. It’s called compromise. If you’re not willing to budge, no one gets what they want, and everyone is just angry. And that’s no fun.”
“I bet you don’t have to compromise.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re rich and famous and can have anything you want.”
“Think again, kiddo.” I grab the black dress, making Chloe scowl, but I ignore her. “I have to compromise all the time. Because I’m a grown-up. So, if you want to be taken seriously, you need to shed some of the attitude and be more open-minded. I think you hurt your dad’s feelings today.”
Chloe frowns, the first chink in her carefully erected armor. “I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings.”
“I know. It’s tough when you think you know what’s best, and your dad’s idea of that is different from yours. I was raised by a single dad, too.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s not so bad. My dad’s really great. He’s a good person, and I usually get pretty much what I want. But, sometimes, he just doesn’t understand being a girl . You know?”
“Of course. Because he’s a boy, so it’s hard for him to understand.” I lead her to the dressing rooms and hang the dresses on the rack inside, then step out while Chloe changes. “Start with the black one. We’ll look at the red one last.”
She sighs heavily, and I smile.
“Why doesn’t your mom take you shopping?” I ask and bite my lip, hoping I didn’t cross a line with the question. But the truth is, I’m dying to know more about her mother.
“I never met her,” she says matter-of-factly. “It’s just been Dad and me since I was born. He says I look a lot like her, but he doesn’t tell me too much else. I think it makes him sad.”
“Did she die?” I ask.
“No, she didn’t want me.”
There’s no sadness in her voice. No regret. Just facts, and that breaks my heart because I know what it’s like to have your mom not want you.
How could anyone not want this wonderful little girl? I mean, I’m the least maternal person I know, and I would scoop her up in a heartbeat.
Chloe comes out of the dressing room wearing the black dress I chose.
“And don’t feel sorry for me because my dad is awesome, and we don’t need her.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. You and your dad are doing great.”
She walks to the mirror and frowns. “This one isn’t bad, but I don’t love it.”
“Hmm.” I tug on the hemline. It hits her at mid-calf, but it makes her legs look stubby. And I don’t like where it sits on her hips. “This one is a no.”
“Told you.”
She walks back into the dressing room to change.
“Anyway,” she continues, “the only thing I know about my mom is that her name is Valerie, and she grew up here, but her family doesn’t live here anymore.”
My mind whirls, trying to think who this Valerie could be.
“So, you don’t even see her parents?”
“Nope. I have Nana and Papa, and Rick. He’s like a grandpa to me.”
“Of course.”
Valerie? Who the heck is ? —?
Holy shit. Could her mom be—? No. It’s not possible. Hell would freeze over before Tucker would touch her.
Just the thought of it makes me want to gag.
No way.
Before I can ponder it further, Chloe marches out of the dressing room, her chin raised a bit defiantly, sporting the strapless red dress.
“I like this one.”
She walks to the mirror and smiles at her reflection. I have to admit, it’s cute, the girl has good taste.
Yes, the skirt hits above the knee, but only by about an inch. It’s not form-fitting, and it’s much more flattering than the black dress. However, I agree with Tucker that the top is too revealing.
“So, here’s the thing with this dress, Chloe. It’s super cute.” She smiles triumphantly. “But it needs something more on top.”
“You sound like my dad.”
“He’s not wrong.” She shakes her head, but I take her shoulders in my hands and hold her gaze in the mirror. “Think about it like this. You’re a beautiful girl. There will be so much time to grow into dresses that show a bit more skin, but you don’t want to show everyone all the goods first thing out of the gate. You need to be a mystery.”
“A mystery?”
“Oh, yeah. Be mysterious. Wear pretty clothes, don’t let them wear you. That means you’re the gorgeous one, not the dress.”
She tilts her head to the side, thinking it over. “Yeah. I like that.”
“So, we’re going to add a little black shrug, maybe a shimmery necklace. It’s all about accessories.”
“See, Dad wouldn’t have thought of this.”
“Well, that’s what you have me for, isn’t it?”
I wink, and with a feeling of victory, Chloe and I go find the rest of her outfit.
“See, Dad?” Chloe says as she walks out of her bedroom, ready to give us a fashion show. We’re sitting on the couch, and I’m watching Tucker’s face.
“Isn’t that the dress I shot down?” He glances at me, and I smile brightly.
“You’re right, it is. But hear us out.” I hurry next to Chloe. “The dress barely skims her knees. And trust me, we tried other dresses that hit her below the knee, and they chop her off awkwardly.”
“But they cover the knees.”
I fight the impulse to roll my eyes.
“Please, hear me out.” He nods once. “This black cardigan serves two purposes. One, it dresses it down a bit and makes it more age-appropriate, and it covers her arms and shoulders. We added the thin black belt and a sparkly necklace, and with her hair curled, she’ll look absolutely stunning.”
“I swear I won’t take the sweater off, Dad. I promise.”
His gaze shifts between the two of us, and I bite my lip, waiting for the verdict. Finally, he sighs.
“Okay, it looks nice. But you have to keep that sweater on.”
“Oh my God, I totally promise,” Chloe says, bouncing to Tucker and throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome. Go hang your dress up so it doesn’t wrinkle.”
“Can I watch YouTube for a while?”
“One hour,” he says before kissing her cheek and watching her skip happily up the stairs to her bedroom.
“Thank you,” I say softly.
“No, thank you. I wouldn’t have thought of the sweater, and she would have been mad at me for weeks.”
“It was fun, actually.”
He stares at me in surprise, making me giggle.
“I know this is a shocker, but shopping is fun for girls. Next time, I’ll take her to Charleston so we can shop properly.”
He tilts his head to the side. “Do you think you’ll still be here for a next time?”
The words just flew out of my mouth without thinking. But the truth is, I don’t know how long I’ll be in town.
“I don’t know,” I admit.
He nods, and I sit next to him on the couch, the silence awkward.
“How’s my dad?” I ask.
“He’s good. Lexi came over for lunch, so I came home. She’s over there now.”
“I saw her car when I pulled in.” I steel myself for my next question. “Tuck, is Valerie Brown Chloe’s mom?”
He blinks, taken aback by the question, and then his face transforms to the one I know so well. The one that says: guilty.
“No.” I stand and shake my head. “Tell me it’s not true.”
“I can’t tell you that.”
“Tucker, I hated her. She was so mean!”
“Yeah, well…”
“How could you even touch her? Ew.” I shiver. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
“Then stop thinking about it.”
“Tucker.” I groan and cover my face. “ Valerie Brown ?”
“Maybe I knew you hated her. And you left.”
“Hold up. Are you telling me you boned Vicious Valerie because I hurt your feelings?”
“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds childish, but”—he shrugs a shoulder, and I stare at him in disbelief—“she did give me Chloe.”
“And Chloe is wonderful, but Valerie Brown?” I whisper, then shiver again. “We can’t speak of this ever again. It’s not okay.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
“I can’t believe you gave it to the mean girl.”
“Stop saying it like that,” he says, laughing.
“It’s true. Yuck. Okay, I have to go home and scrub my mind’s eye with a hot poker.”
“Okay, drama girl. Thanks for being nice to my kid.”
“Yeah, well, I like her. A lot more than I like you right now.”
“I can live with that,” he replies and follows me to the door. He opens it for me, and as I walk past him, he pulls me against him into a strong hug, his arms folding around me firmly. I wrap my arms around his middle and breathe in soap and sunshine.
He smells the same as he did all those years ago.
“I missed you,” he whispers against my hair before pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
Tears spring to my eyes, and before I make a fool of myself, I nod and pull away.
“I missed you more.”
And with that, I hurry across the yard to my dad’s house, feeling Tucker’s eyes pinned to my back the entire way.
It’s been almost a week since I took Chloe shopping. Her dance should be tonight, and I’d love to go help her get ready, but I haven’t been invited, and I’m hanging out with Dad tonight.
I’ve spent the last five days shuffling him to and from therapy, watching way more reality TV than I thought possible, and enjoying spending time with him while trying to get glimpses of our ridiculously handsome neighbor.
Chloe came over to see us after school until Tucker got home from work. It seems that’s her usual routine and has been since her first day of kindergarten. I kind of love that my father has had such a strong role in Chloe’s life, and sad that I didn’t know her at all until now.
I never would have imagined that I’d miss out on so much here in New Hope. Which I know makes me sound like a self-centered bitch.
“Hi there, Lexi,” Dad says when my sister walks through the front door. She’s carrying a bag of groceries in one hand and a baking pan in the other.
“Hello,” she says, smiling at Dad. When her eyes turn to me, the smile doesn’t fall from her face, which shocks the hell out of me. “I thought I’d come over and hang out for a while.”
“Well, this is a nice surprise,” Dad replies.
“I brought chicken cordon bleu with me,” she continues, marching into the kitchen. “Scarlett, will you please come in here?”
So you can yell at me again? No, thank you.
I don’t move, and Dad gives me the look .
“Sure.” I walk into the kitchen and stop short when Lexi smiles at me. It’s not a fake smile, either. It’s a real one. She must be drunk. “What’s up?”
“Look, I know you’ve been putting in a lot of hours around here. You’ve done a good job with Dad this week.”
I narrow my eyes, wondering when the other shoe will drop.
“Why don’t I spend the evening with Dad, and you go take some time for yourself?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but am I talking with Alexis Jean Kincaid? My little sister?”
She shrugs. “I’m in a good mood.”
“I like it.” Without overthinking it, I rush over and give her a hard, fast hug, startling both of us. “Thank you. I’ll be home by midnight.”
“Have fun,” she calls as I walk into the living room with Dad.
“Do you mind if I go out for the evening while you and Lexi hang out?”
“Not at all. Go spend some time with Tucker. Make him take you somewhere nice.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I had no idea you were such a romantic, Dad.”
I hurry up to my bedroom and change into a pair of jeans with a black button-down top, slip into my cowboy boots, and run a brush through my dark hair. With a few swipes of a makeup brush, I’m ready to go.
I wave to Lexi and Dad, then set off across the yard to Tucker’s house.
And just as I approach the front door, I hear yelling inside.
“Just a little makeup!” Chloe yells.
“I said no makeup,” Tucker replies. “It’s bad enough I’m letting you wear that dress. Don’t push me on this, Chloe.”
I open the door without knocking and smile when both heads turn my way.
“Hi.”
“I’m not going,” Chloe says, stomping her foot.
Tucker sighs, and before he says anything, Chloe runs upstairs to her bedroom.
“So, this is going well,” Tucker says and rubs his hand over his mouth before climbing the stairs after his daughter. I follow behind and listen outside the door.
“Chloe.”
“You just want me to look like a baby.”
“No, I want you to look like an eleven-year-old.”
“It’s just a little makeup.”
“Um, guys?”
Tucker sighs and looks back at me. His eyes are defeated, and maybe a little sad.
“Can I please help?”
“He won’t listen,” Chloe says and throws herself over her bed dramatically. Tucker’s jaw clenches in frustration.
I don’t want to cross a line, but I do want to help.
“Chloe, you need to apologize to your father.”
Both heads whip around in surprise.
“What?” Chloe asks.
“You heard me. Remember last week when we talked about compromise and your attitude?”
She cringes and then nods. “Sorry, Dad.”
“Now. There is a compromise here. Tucker, if you trust me, I’d be happy to help Chloe with her hair and makeup.”
“What about your dad?”
“Lexi is with him. She offered to spend the evening with him so I could have a night off.”
“Lexi? As in your sister, Alexis?”
“Shocking, I know. So, what do you say? Can I help Chloe?”
He props his hands on his hips and watches me, then sighs and nods. “Okay. Thank you. But not too much.”
“You’re welcome. And no clown makeup, I promise.” I make a cross over my heart. “Now, this is a girls-only zone. You go wait for the big reveal.”
I shoo him out of the room and then turn to Chloe. “You’ll never get your way with him if you yell and stomp your foot. You sound like a baby.”
“But he makes me so mad.”
“I think the feeling’s mutual.” I sigh and reach for her hairbrush. “Now, let’s get down to business. If it’s okay with you, I’ll help you with your hair and makeup.”
“Yes, please. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“It’s a good thing that I do.” I wink and get to work, and before long, we’re done.
“Wow,” she says when I finally let her look in the mirror. Chloe touches her soft curls, blinks her big, beautiful eyes that are highlighted with just a touch of mascara, and smiles. “I look really pretty.”
“You sure do,” I agree. “Let’s go show your daddy.”
I follow Chloe downstairs and into the kitchen where Tucker’s doing the dishes. When he looks up at his daughter, he smiles brightly.
“Well, look at you.”
“What do you think?” Chloe holds out the skirt of her dress and turns in a circle.
“I think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world,” he says and hugs her to his side, careful not to mess up her hair. “My little girl isn’t so little anymore.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you loosen your grip just a little?”
“Sorry.” Tucker gives her one last squeeze and takes a step back. “Now, are you ready to go to the dance?”
“Yes. Can I have my phone?”
“Yep.” He takes an iPhone out of a cabinet, turns it on, and passes it to her. “It’s fully charged. You may call or text me and Jenny only.”
“Can I take some pictures?”
“Yes. And text me when you’re ready to come home. The dance ends at nine, so if I don’t hear from you by then, I’ll be there at eight-fifty-five.”
“Yes, sir,” Chloe says, the obstinate child from just an hour ago long gone and replaced by an excited preteen. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll see you later,” I say, but Tucker frowns.
“Why don’t you go with us? I’ll take you somewhere to eat after we get rid of the munchkin.”
“You’re gonna miss me,” Chloe says as she walks out the door to the car. Tucker grins, waiting for my answer.
“Sure. I’d like that.”
Tucker repeats the rules to Chloe again on the way to the school, and once she’s hurried out of the car to join her friends, he pulls away and smiles over at me.
“Where would you like to go?”
“Charlie’s,” I say immediately, my mouth already salivating at the thought of their chocolate shakes. “I haven’t been since I’ve been home.”
“Charlie’s it is,” he replies.
The place hasn’t changed. Red booths line the perimeter of the diner, and white tables and chrome chairs with red seats fill the middle. There’s a long soda counter with red stools, and two young girls in white aprons bustling behind it.
Elvis plays on the jukebox, and we’re shown to a booth on the far side of the restaurant.
“It’s just like I remember it.”
“Charlie’s doesn’t change,” Tucker agrees. “They did finally recover all the seats because the vinyl was splitting so bad people’s asses were getting cut.”
“Well, that’s pleasant.” I set the menu aside, not even needing to look at it.
“Thanks for helping with Chloe.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I had fun. I reminded her to check her attitude.”
He frowns and sits back, looking out at the parking lot.
Oh, crap. This is what I was afraid of. “I’m sorry if I crossed a line. It’s really none of my business. You don’t need my input.”
“No, I’m not mad. I appreciate the help. Chloe respects you.”
I nod and smile at the young waitress when she walks up. Her eyes go wide when she sees that it’s me in the booth.
“Hello, Miss Scarlett.”
“Hello.”
“This is Rachel Laramie’s daughter, Heather,” Tucker says.
“Oh, hi,” I say with a bright smile. “How is your mama?”
“She’s good. She’s working, as always.” Heather pulls out her pen and pad to take our order.
“Well, please tell her I said hi.”
“I will. We listen to your music all the time. What can I get you?”
“Bacon cheeseburger with onion rings and a chocolate shake,” I say.
“Times two,” Tucker adds. Heather writes down the order, nods, and hurries back behind the counter.
“I didn’t know Rachel Laramie got married.”
“She didn’t,” Tucker says with a shrug. “She works at the hospital as a nurse.”
“Who’s Heather’s daddy?”
“Rafe McKenna.”
I feel my jaw drop. “Rafe McKenna, the science teacher?”
Tucker nods. “I guess they had a thing going all through school. Rachel got pregnant in college, and when word got out, Rafe’s wife divorced him.”
“Whoa. Rachel is like five years older than us, but how did I not hear about this?”
“Why do you think?”
I shrug. “Yeah, well. I hate town gossip. It’s one of the reasons I left. I don’t like listening to it, and I don’t like spreading it. I was the subject of it for far too long.”
“I know.”
Our food is delivered quickly, and I dig in, sighing in absolute delight at the familiar sensations on my tongue.
“Smm mmmp.”
Tucker laughs. “Say that in English.”
“So good.” I take a drink of the shake and grin. “Best food in the world. And I’ve been all over the world, so I know.”
“I won’t argue.”
We eat in silence, both of us hungry. And when our plates are clean, we sit back, regretting our life decisions.
“I ate too much.”
“We should have split it,” I agree, but Tucker frowns at me.
“Hell, no. I don’t share Charlie’s food.”
“You’re so selfish.” I toss an onion ring at him, and he pops it into his mouth.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Tucker pays the bill, and we walk out to the car, but when he puts the key in the ignition, I stop him.
“Can we talk for a minute?”
“Sure.”
“I know I said we’d never speak of it again, but I’m dying to ask some questions.”
He sighs. “Okay. Ask.”
“Why isn’t Valerie around?”
“She didn’t want the baby,” he says flatly, not looking my way. “She wanted to give her up for adoption. I wanted to keep her. So, my dad drew up papers that she signed, stating I would have sole custody, and she gave up all parental rights.”
Tucker’s father is a well-respected attorney in New Hope.
“Her parents went along with that?”
“They were ecstatic. We were nineteen, Scar. Val’s parents wanted her to wash her hands of it and move on with her life. So, she had Chloe, passed her to me, and never saw her again. Once she recovered, her parents moved them all out to New Mexico or Colorado or something. I haven’t heard from her since.”
“She just walked away?”
“Yeah.” He reaches over to cover my hand with his. “And I know that’s a sore subject for you.”
“I don’t know which is better,” I admit. “Valerie leaving before Chloe could know her, or my mom leaving when I was eight.”
“Neither way is good,” he says.
“Well, I’m going to be really catty and admit that I’m glad she’s gone because I don’t like her, Tuck. She doesn’t deserve Chloe.”
He laughs and brings my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles.
“I know it makes me a bad person.”
I also hate the thought of Tucker having sex with her. It’s irrational, but it’s there all the same.
I could scratch Valerie’s eyes out for ever putting her skanky hands on him.
“What are you thinking?” he says.
“Horrible thoughts.”
He raises a brow. “Like?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Tell me anyway.”
I sigh. “I want to do bodily harm to Vicious Valerie for ever touching you. I’m not good at being jealous, Tucker, but I admit, I am, and I don’t like it.”
“No?”
“Not even a little.”
“Interesting.” He leans over, drawing our faces closer together. “I wonder what we could possibly do to make you not think about that.”
“I don’t know,” I whisper, watching his full lips as he licks them, imagining what they’d feel like. “What do you think?”
Without answering, he cups my jawline in his big hand and presses his lips to mine. I’d swear the whole universe exploded.
The kiss is soft and sweet. Not tentative. No, he knows what he’s doing, and he’s damn good at it. But it’s gentle, just like Tucker. Thorough. And just as I slide my hand up his firm chest to his face, a rhythmic beep echoes in the car.
“Chloe,” he says as he pulls away from me, staring down at me with lust and regret swirling in his eyes.
“You’d better see what she needs.”
He pulls his phone out of his pocket. “She’s ready to come home.”
“It’s only eight.”
“That’s not a good sign.”