Chapter 4
four
DAISY
“C’mere, Birdie.” My dad holds his arms open. It’s always been his way of demanding hugs, and I don’t even hesitate. With Lenny holding my bags and cat carrier, I’m free to jump at the man in front of me and wrap my arms around him in a firm hold.
I smile as his warmth envelops me. “Hey, Dad.”
A few seconds pass before he separates from me, a bright smile on his face. It will never not stun me how my dad and I look so alike—even if I’ve been told time and time again how I remind him of my mother so much.
Then again, that’s probably because of my hair more than anything.
God, how I miss my mom.
He speaks again, and I shake my head to clear those thoughts. “How was the drive?”
I shrug. “Same old, same old.”
He squints down at me, head turning in a way that shows he’s definitely thinking I smell your bullshit, but I turn to Lenny before he can probe me any further. “Hey.”
She analyzes me—starting at my brown cowgirl boots, traveling up my skinny jeans, stopping at my exposed midriff in the cropped white T-shirt for the briefest of seconds, and ending at the brown cowgirl hat on my head—before she finally responds. I swallow roughly at her heated gaze. “Hey.”
“Wowwww,” my dad mutters, shaking his head as he snatches the cat carrier from Lenny’s hand and starts trekking toward the house. “So many words. Such besties.”
Fuck… Did he just witness my best friend eye-fucking me?
Was she eye-fucking me? Or did I just project that?
I turn my head back to him, shock on my face. “Did you actually just say the word ‘besties’? And be nice to Perry! He’s stressed.”
His response is exaggerated as he opens the screen door. “Your Platypus is fine, Birdie.”
I glance at Lenny nervously. Words sit on the tip of my tongue, and my mind races.
She beats me to it. “Haven’t heard from you in a while. Are you okay?”
I plaster a fake smile on my face as I turn toward Dad’s house.
“Yup! All good. Just been settling in after the move, ya know?” Lenny goes to speak again, her eyes heavy and worried, but I cut her off before she can press into my sadness or the awkwardness surrounding us.
“C’mon! Dinner is soon. We should set the table.
Dad always has last-minute barn tasks before dinner. ”
And like a total pussy, I run away from her.
Again.
“Mr. Thompson?” A voice says from behind me in the dining room, forcing me to nearly jump out of my skin.
I turn quickly, meeting the gaze of another woman, and freeze.
She’s stunning. Her black hair is braided, sectioned half up, half down, and her dark complexion only highlights the white crop top and black jean shorts she’s wearing.
She startles when she sees Lenny and me setting the table.
Guilt gnaws at me as I realize I probably just eye-fucked this poor, random girl in front of my best friend, when I’ve been ignoring Lenny like a red-haired stepchild all afternoon.
When she’s the one I really want.
Fuck, I’m a mess.
The woman instantly apologizes. “Shit, I’m so sorry! I completely forgot Mr. Thompson was having company. Totally on me.” She holds her hand out for me to shake. “I’m Kayla!”
I relax.
One of Dad’s employees.
Definitely off-limits.
“I’m Daisy.” I shake her hand and smile softly before turning to Lenny, who has a glower on her face. I raise an eyebrow in confusion at her, and her scowl only deepens. “And this ray of sunshine is Lenny.”
Kayla’s mouth drops open the slightest bit before she nods. “Okaaayyy, the energy here is odd, but I’m not meant for couples counseling so I’ll just… yeah, yup, good luck to the lovers’ quarrel, guys. I’ll go find Mr. Thompson! Nice meeting you both!”
I blink in shock as she leaves the room and heads toward the front door.
Lovers’ quarrel?
Does everyone see what I’m trying to hide? For fuck’s sake.
As she scampers out, I turn toward Lenny with a hand on my hip. “What’s up with you?”
I regret saying anything at all as her eyebrows rise and her face reddens. She barks out a laugh. “What’s up with me? What’s up with me? You’re fucking kidding me, right?”
I turn back to the table, teeth clenched together in annoyance. “Okay then. Forget I said anything.”
“No.”
“No?”
The sound of silverware slamming down on the table forces me to jump. “No, Daisy. I’m not going to forget.”
Heat spreads over my face as I think about the bar, rather than our current discussion.
The memory that I wish I could forget.
The memory of her legs spread, head thrown back, and pussy clenching around my finger slams into me.
The way I wanted to take her tits out of her shirt so fucking bad, to suck and knead her nipples while I made her come.
The way I wanted her to come with my thumb massaging her clit as I told her I was in love with her, just to see if it would make her come harder or not.
Pressure builds between my legs at the memory. I’ve thought about it constantly, sure, but never with Lenny right in front of me.
And it’s bringing a whole different sort of need with her here.
A need that I don’t know if I have the strength to fight.
Yet, with all my might, I push it all away and take a deep breath. I turn back toward her as I lay down the last plate on the table. “It was just a question, Len. Let it go.”
Her tone is firm. “Let what go? Say the words.”
“Everything!” I almost shout, throwing my hands up. “I don’t know how to process anything lately, so can you just give me some fucking slack? I was asking about your reaction to Kayla. Not us. You’re never rude to strangers.”
Her eyes slant as she rakes her gaze over me, yet again. I don’t miss the heat in her eyes. “Yeah, and you never eye-fucked strangers before. Guess we can change, huh?”
My mouth drops open in shock, and her eyes drop to it immediately. I bite my lip. “I wasn’t eye-fucking her.”
She scoffs. “Bullshit. You gave her the same look you gave me when your fingers were buried to the hilt inside of me and I was creaming on your rings. Or was I just supposed to forget that too?”
My hands clench the table in frustration. “I don’t know.”
She laughs incredulously. “Of course you don’t. You know what you want every single time, with every single girl, until it comes to me. Just peachy. Because I haven’t been wanted enough in my life. Thanks, Daisy.”
Guilt punches me in the stomach. I don’t want to hurt her. It’s the last thing I want. “That’s not true, Len.”
She shakes her head. “Yeah, whatever.”
“Len—”
She cuts me off. “No! It’s my fucking turn.
I have been in love with you for years. Years!
I have watched you date, and I’ve watched you almost marry a complete and utter bitch—all from the sidelines.
So, excuse me if my jealousy rears its head when you won’t even acknowledge what happened with us. ”
I don’t need a mirror to know I’ve gone sheet-white.
She continues on. “Go fuck Kayla in the bathroom next. Whatever. Let someone else deal with the fact that you’re an avoidant who won’t say what the fuck you want.”
I snap at that.
My hands slam on the table, and my voice shakes in anger. “Maybe I will. Right next to your bedroom, so you can hear it all and finger yourself, wishing it were you again. Maybe I’ll even tongue-fuck her, or use my strap-on, to make the moans even louder. Even if—”
Her face turns red as she cuts me off. “Fuck you, Daisy.”
“I wasn’t finished.”
“Then finish already!”
I swallow hard. “Even if it’ll be you I’m thinking about because I can’t get you or the way I love you out of my fucking head.
Because I have wanted to devour, fuck, strap, and god knows what else, a million times, since the bar.
But I was just crushed and am afraid to lose the one person who’s stayed by my side through it all.
So, what if Sarah was right, and I was in love with you the entire goddamn time I was with her?
Huh? Because I feel like a piece of shit whose life is falling apart, personally. ”
She blinks at me, mouth agape as I pant from my outburst. “You love me?”
My chest seizes at her words. I love and want her more than anything.
But I’m terrified.
Of course, because I must owe some karmic debt, Kayla walks in the room with a heavy blush on her face, right when I go to answer. In tow is a tall, skinny man with blond hair and square glasses, his arm slung protectively over her.
But what’s more concerning than anything are the suitcases they carry.
Kayla’s voice is shy as she hands me a piece of paper. “Sorry to interrupt. Your dad told me to give you this, and that he ordered y’all a pizza.”
My face goes white again as I take the note from her, and she all but sprints out of the room.
The man follows her but turns to us with a smirk. “She would’ve called you ‘main character energy’ if you were talking about anyone else. She’s just shy. But hey, thanks for the idea on the bathroom thing.”
He winks, readjusts his grip on the suitcase, and follows Kayla out.
I turn to Len, a mixture of anger and shock still swirling, before unfolding the note—just as the sound of Dad’s truck peels out of the gravel driveway.
Hey kid,
I forgot to mention this, but I bought some property in Sunrock.
A new ranch, actually. I thought I would expand the business.
But I have to go sign the paperwork and transfer horses, and I figured I’d start training the Gen-Z-ers while I’m down there, since it’s starting from square one for “realzies” as Kayla says.
You remember how to take care of everything, right?
Feed the horses, do the upkeep, yeah? I hope so.
You were born and raised here, for hell’s sake.
Anyway, figure your shit out with Lenny. I like her. Plus, I took both of y’alls car keys. Oh, and I told the newbies to lock their rooms, so she’ll have to bunk with you.
I miss you. But we both know this was needed.
See you soon!
PS: I’m only gone for the weekend. Don’t kill her.
PPS: I took your cat. He’s my grandson, after all. Bonding time.
Dad
As I turn back to Lenny, I say the only word I know in the moment. “Fuck.”