Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
T he Fourth of July getaway was unexpected, but the best holiday she’d had in a long time. It was even better having Rafferty and Callahan there, because she knew they had the time of their lives. As someone who had a tough time relating to other women, thanks to the bullying she suffered her whole life, it was wonderful to have so many incredible new female friends.
The bonus was watching Cal relax and bond with everyone. During the fireworks, Lachlan gave him his noise-cancelling headphones so he could stay inside and do his own thing. She knew they were good people—kind and generous and honest—but she never realized how incredible they were until then.
It was effortless, like Daisy, Rafferty and Callahan had been part of the group for a long time.
Two days after they got back Cal was off to summer camp with Indigo. With the house to themselves they fucked everywhere, Daisy spread out on every flat surface he could put her. It got to a point where Boots hid in Callahan’s bedroom and only came out for his meals. She wanted to feel guilty for scaring the dog, but being able to connect with Rafferty that way was everything she had been waiting for.
When they weren’t stripping each other naked, they were working. They met with the auction winner, spent the day getting to know Mrs. Woodrow and learned what she was trying to create. While they had offered to do up a private garden, when they discovered that it was a smaller one in a public park, she was even more excited. The initiative was to build the space and invite Wildes residents to help grow it. Eventually, it could expand into a bigger plot of land, but they were starting with a small area for the summer.
Daisy didn’t know what working with Rafferty would be like, but she shouldn’t have been worried. While he had his plans drawn up and ideas sketched out, he was receptive and interested to hear her thoughts. They redesigned and restarted multiple drawings before they were happy with the way it turned out. While he handled the paperwork for permissions and getting the town council to sign off on work, Daisy met with suppliers to get everything they needed.
Everything was going well, except for one thing.
So, the night before Callahan was due back from camp, she’d brought up almost being called mama during their getaway. It wasn’t so much as worry but she didn’t want to assume her place in their lives. Her relationship with Rafferty had grown since their reunion and she knew that being with him was everything they both wanted. They referred to each other as family too, but there was this voice in the back of her head saying otherwise.
And while hearing Cal slip-up a couple of times warmed her, she wasn’t sure if it was a conscious thing or an accident.
“Does it scare you?” Rafferty asked while they lay in bed.
“I think I was more surprised than scared.”
“I can talk to him.”
“And say what? You can’t accidentally call Daisy mama again?”
He scoffed. “Not say it like that, but the idea is the same.”
“No. I…” she trailed off, unsure of how to explain her thoughts. “I love that he sees me that way, that he thinks I belong with you two, but I don’t want to confuse him.”
“You’re not confusing him. You’ve been more of a mother to him in these past few months than she’s ever been in his whole life.”
“So you think it’s okay?”
“Yeah. But only if it makes sense to you. None of this is important if you’re not comfortable.”
She’d dreamed about it so many times as a young adult—having a family and a life with Rafferty—and knowing she had it all at the tip of her fingers was unexpected. At the same time, it felt right.
“I love our family, but it feels like a lot,” she whispered.
He nodded, brushing hair out of her face. “And we won’t use it until you’re ready, okay?”
“Okay.”
It wasn’t even a case of not being ready, because she craved the idea of being a mother. And while Callahan was an amazing kid and she loved him with every fiber of her being, she also didn’t want to get ahead of herself.
The original plan was that once Rafferty picked Callahan up from camp, they’d come to the flower shop and get dinner together. She’d been spending most of her time at the Ames house, so it made sense to end another evening there. Especially since her favorite kid was back. However, as she was wrapping up for the day she Rafferty called. Apparently Callahan was feeling quite miserable and he made the executive decision not to get her sick as well.
“I can bring soup,” she said as she locked up the shop.
“Your schedule is crazy and I don’t want you falling ill too.”
“He can’t be that sick. Besides, my to-do list isn’t too bad.”
He scoffed as she climbed into her car. “I saw your color coordinated calendar the other day. It’s a miracle that I get any time with you at all.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. He’s sad he can’t see you too, but let’s give it a day, okay?”
Pouting, she agreed and drove home. It had been a few weeks since she’d tended to her garden or checked on her greenhouse, so in a way she was grateful that she was able to do that. She did multiple loads of laundry, watered her garden and spent a few hours with her fruits and vegetables before going to bed. Which was strange at first. After weeks of sharing the bed with Rafferty—and some mornings she woke up to Callahan and Boots between them—it was weird to fall asleep alone.
The next morning, after sending texts to check on her boys, Daisy drove out to see Mrs. Woodrow. Her staff had already carved out the area they were using and had cordoned off the space so nobody would trample their work. Her plan was simple—select flowers and plants that would grow in the summer and last through most of winter, so it wouldn’t require too much work from the residents. In the spring they could plant new things that would last until the next summer. It wasn’t foolproof, but she’d done it in her own garden and knew what would work.
“Ms. Heroux, it’s so good to see you again!”
“Please call me Daisy, Mrs. Woodrow,” she replied with a small smile.
“Only if you call me Harriet.”
“My father raised me better, but if you insist.”
Harriet chuckled and patted her back as they walked through the park towards the garden space. “So, your young man showed me the layout and I wanted to pick your brain about the plants.”
She smiled at Rafferty being called her young man . “I thought we could do a few summer-focused plants, but more perennial options. That way they’ll survive until late winter. Did you have any colors in mind?”
“Bright ones?”
They laughed and stopped at the fenced off area. She pulled out her list, with pictures beside each one so Harriet could make a choice.
“The aster is a good plant and comes in various colors and I always try to recommend dahlias, because they’re so unique,” she explained, pointing at each one. “Sneezeweed and tickseed might sound weird, but they’re pretty hardy and will power through the changing seasons.”
“They bring in butterflies, don’t they?”
“They do! It’s usually why people like them in gardens. A lot of these are poisonous for animals, so there will need to be strict rules about bringing pets to this corner of the park.”
Harriet sighed softly, but nodded. “The council will have a field day with that. All right, what else do you have for me?”
“Primroses, mums, winter heaths and the coneflower. I did consider a few succulents, but they might use up all the moisture, leaving the plants with nothing.”
“Maybe we can revisit that in the spring?”
“Absolutely,” she told the older woman and gestured to her truck. “I can start today.”
“Oh. But there’s nobody to help.”
“It’s a one person job,” she insisted with a grin.
“Honestly, Daisy, this is a lot of work!”
Looking at the garden and at Harriet, she shrugged. “I came prepared to get started on my own, if I’m being honest. Over the week my staff will come and finish up everything else.”
“Only if you’re absolutely sure.”
“I am. I’ll let you know when I’m wrapping up, okay?”
Harriet stayed for the first few minutes as Daisy prepped the soil and once she’d left, she slipped in her AirPods and let the audiobook play. All she had to do was loosen the soil and add in the organic matter she’d collected. While she wouldn’t be able to start planting that day, she marked out the areas for different flowers, keeping in mind the amount of water and attention they’d need and coordinating between colors.
She was in the middle of laying down boards to compact the soil when a call came through.
“Hello?” she said, grunting as she adjusted the boards.
“Hero,” the voice croaked and she pulled her phone out. Rafferty .
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
“I got whatever Cal has.” He sounded hoarse and like every attempt to speak was hurting him. She heard a throat being cleared in the background, followed by soft whining. Callahan said something she couldn’t decipher, but she finished laying out the boards and gathered her things.
“I’m on my way.”
Rushing to her truck, she sent Harriet a text to let her know the work wasn’t complete, but she’d return in the morning. She stopped at the pharmacy, grabbing whatever she could get that would soothe a sore throat. Since they weren’t certain what Cal picked up at camp, she was basing her symptoms on what she’d heard over the phone. The fact that she got to the Ames house without any incidents was a good thing, because it was the worst she’d ever driven. When she let herself into the house, Boots was tap-dancing nervously, tail tucked between his legs.
“It’s okay, buddy,” she assured him, kicked off her shoes and slid on the mask she’d picked up as well. Boots stuck to her side as she pushed open the door to the master bedroom. Father and son were tucked together, bundled under the covers.
“Daisy?”
“Hey honey,” she said softly, setting the medicines on the nightstand. She brushed a hand over his forehead and hissed at the heat. “You’re burning up.”
“What can I say, too hot to handle.”
“Behave yourself. How’s Cal?”
Rafferty swallowed before speaking. “He complained of a stomach ache, but has been asleep for most of the day.”
My poor boys . “I picked up something, hopefully it works.”
She sat on the edge of the bed and helped him sit up. She ripped open the pills and handed it to him along with water. Wincing and groaning he swallowed them and slumped back against the headboard.
“Why didn’t you call me earlier?”
“I thought it was a sore throat,” he forced out with a grimace.
She shook her head and whispered, “You scared me, Raff.”
“Breathe, darlin’. We’re going to be okay.”
Blinking back tears, she nodded and stood up. “I’m going to call a doctor. Get Cal to drink some water at least. Not sure we should give him meds until we know what’s wrong.”
“Daze,” he said her name in a soft pleading tone.
“I’m allowed to worry, Raff. Just…rest.”
An hour later, the doctor stepped out of the bedroom. “Strep throat. Not as bad as I expected based on the symptoms you gave me, but they’ll be out for the count for another day or so.”
“What about Callahan?”
“Since he picked it up from someone else, his symptoms are a little worse, but with the right medication and lots of rest, he’ll be okay.”
She nodded and patted the top of Boots’s head. “Did the meds I got help?”
“No. But I’ll prescribe antibiotics that should do the trick.” He scribbled something on his pad and ripped off the page, handing it to her. “If they’re stubborn about taking it, put it into the food.”
She walked the doctor out and ordered the medicines before looking up what kind of food they could eat. The list included a lot of things that she knew Callahan didn’t like, but she’d have to force it down his throat. Sighing heavily, she checked through the kitchen to see what she might need and ordered those too. Then went to check on her boys.
They looked exhausted and were groaning in unison. At the sight of her, Rafferty swung his legs over the side of the bed, but she shook her head.
“Back into bed, hotshot.”
“I love when you’re bossy, sweetheart, but I can’t just sit around.”
She rolled her eyes and adjusted the mask loops around her ears. “You will do exactly that until you’re better.”
“Does that also include not seeing your face properly until then?”
“Yes. All three of us can’t be sick. Someone has to take care of you.”
“Can I have ice cream?” Cal asked, his voice small. When she shook her head, he pouted. “But my throat hurts.”
“I know, baby,” she whispered and came around the other side of the bed as he started to whine. She tugged him into her lap and he settled his head on her shoulder as she rocked him back and forth. He was still so warm and it sounded like gravel was stuck in his throat. She wished she could do something, anything , to ease the pain.
“I need both of you better, okay? So we can get ice cream and go to the park and work with flowers. Maybe you can even help with the garden we’re designing.”
“A garden?”
She smoothed down his hair. “Your dad designed the most beautiful space and I’ve been filling it with flowers.”
“ We did it together, Hero.”
She tucked the little boy back into bed. “I’m serious, Raff. I need you to stay there.”
“I will,” he said softly, reaching for her hand. “What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
“Work, as usual.”
“Don’t you have to be at the shop?”
“Eden has everything under control. I can do everything else from here.”
“Daisy,” he said softly, almost like a reprimand.
“I’m not leaving the two of you here alone, Raff.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Now stop worrying about me and get some sleep.”
He watched her with a lovestruck expression and when she rolled her eyes, he chuckled. But it turned into a cough and he winced. She held out the glass with a straw so he would take a sip and sighed. “Thank you,” he rasped.
“Always,” she replied and pulled the covers back so he would settle. Once she was sure that he was comfortable, she closed the curtains and turned out the light. With one last check of her boys, she stepped out of the room and left the door slightly ajar, then walked to the kitchen to get started on her work.
Two days later, the Ames men were finally on the mend. It took a lot of medication, tons of rest and scolding to get them to that stage. It was also surprising that she got so much work done, because she was shuttling between the dining table and the bedroom constantly, pouring medicine down their throats and making them eat and drink regularly. Boots accompanied her every time and she was certain that the dog was also tired of their shenanigans.
The doctor had come by that morning and after another check, had given them the all clear. She sent them to wash off their fevers while stripping their beds and changing the sheets. Boots stuck by her through the whole process of putting in a load of laundry and waited with her until Rafferty and Cal walked into the kitchen with wide grins and bright eyes. Dog and kid charged outside, like they hadn’t seen sunshine in days, Rafferty swaggered over to her all sexy smirks and damp hair. It was distracting and she almost forgot that he’d been unwell for the last seventy-two hours.
“I missed that face,” he rumbled, hands stroking over her body before he cupped her cheeks.
“Quit pawing at me, you animal.” She laughed and attempted to shake him off, but he didn’t let her go. Instead, his arms wound around her body and she squealed as he dug his fingers into her sides.
“Thank you for taking such good care of us, Hero.”
Straightening her clothes, she shook her head and smiled up at him. “You never have to thank me for looking after my family.”
“You did such an amazing job.”
She thought of all the times she’d been sick and someone had looked after her. But she’d never done that for someone else. Clarke worked through whatever illness befell them and refused coddling or lazy days and her father had Pia to make sure he was eating properly and getting enough exercise.
“Good, because the idea of a life without you two doesn’t work for me.”
He set his forehead against hers. “You’re never going to be without us. I promise.”
“You’re not supposed to make those kinds of promises,” Callahan said as he came into the kitchen. “Thank you for making me better, Daisy.”
She dropped to her knees in front of him and smiled, smoothing his hair back. “I would do that for you in a heartbeat.”
“Does this mean you’re going to stay with us forever?”
Her heart, which had already been racing, was now pounding against her ribcage. She felt Rafferty shift beside her so they were both at the same level as Callahan. “Is that what you want?”
He nodded. “Yes. I want you to marry Dad and be my mother and stay with us forever.”
She couldn’t stop the gasp that slipped out of her or the tears that fell down her cheeks. Nodding, she forced herself to smile and kissed Callahan’s forehead. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay?”
He glanced at his father and said, “I picked Wildes because of your letters to Daisy and how much you loved her.”
She glanced between the Ames men as Rafferty asked, “What do you mean?”
Callahan hesitated, looking down at his feet, like he was afraid of what his father would say. He glanced at her and in the quietest voice possible said, “Dad wrote letters to you that he never sent. Nonna helped me find you on the internet.”