Chapter Eight
DAISY
Daisy held onto Chilli’s leash tightly as they walked down another aisle. She had gotten several things on her list already, but there was still so much to do, and she didn’t know where anything was.
“This is why I prefer to do online shopping and delivery,” she grumbled to herself.
Then she didn’t have to deal with people looking at her or Chilli. She didn’t have to deal with looking like a fish out of water as she walked aimlessly down each aisle, trying to figure out where everything was.
But Janelle’s threat to find a person to come and take her grocery shopping was very real. She just knew she would somehow pick Asher, and she didn’t want to see him today... not after he had seen her almost have a panic attack and actually faint in front of him.
Chilli was staying close to her as they walked down yet another aisle, alert and not looking at another person.
Sometimes, Daisy felt bad that Chilli couldn’t just be a normal dog, but she was very appreciative to have her.
Chilli had saved her so many times. And Daisy knew that Chilli had downtime when she wasn’t having to be alert and could be carefree.
“Where is the peanut butter?” she mumbled, searching the shelves. “I thought it would be near the jelly.”
She could go ask, but that would require talking to someone, and she didn’t want to do that. While she had been here a year, she hadn’t interacted with many people and wanted to keep it that way. It was easier when she didn’t know how long she would be staying in Springfield, Missouri.
It had already been a year of living in this town.
She liked it, but she didn’t know if she was going to stay here forever.
She hadn’t found any place that felt like home.
Maybe she was chasing a fantasy that was never going to come, but she had to try to find it, at least. Thankfully, her job allowed her to move around wherever she wanted.
Chilli whined and placed her paws on Daisy’s legs, telling her to stop walking.
“Chilli,” she whispered. “I’m okay.”
But Chilli didn’t step down. Daisy looked around, trying to see if anyone was looking over at them, but to her relief, no one was.
“I’m okay,” she said once again and petted the top of Chilli’s head.
Was it foolish to ignore Chilli’s warning? Yes, but she really felt fine. She needed to get this grocery shopping done so she could go back home and relax.
But Chilli started to bark, placing her paws back on her, and Daisy knew she wouldn’t be able to ignore it any longer. Chilli was going to bark until she sat down.
“O-okay,” she mumbled and sat down. “I’m okay, Chilli.”
Her service dog walked around and placed her head on Daisy’s lap, making sure she waited until it was time to get back up.
Embarrassment crawled up Daisy’s neck, and she looked down, not wanting to see who could be in the aisle, too. She shouldn’t be embarrassed about having a service dog, but it always made people ask questions. She didn’t want them right now... she didn’t want them ever.
“I’m really okay, Chilli,” she whispered, hoping Chilli would get off her lap soon so she could get up and continue her shopping.
Maybe she should pack up her things and move to a different town.
There was no doubt people would be talking about her after this.
The last small town she lived in wasn’t kind toward anyone who was different.
So when Daisy had one of her episodes and had to sit down with Chilli, people pointed and murmured about her.
She had never left a small town so fast. That was how she found herself in Springfield, Missouri. Two whole states away from the last town she had lived in. Hopefully, they were more accepting here, but if they weren’t, she was prepared to leave.
But part of her didn’t want to leave. She had made a couple of friends here who were Little. She still hadn’t found time to visit Behind the Scenes. Daisy didn’t know if she wanted to any longer since Asher was one of the owners, but maybe she could figure out when he worked and avoid him.
Suddenly, dizziness struck her out of nowhere, and she leaned her head back, eyes closed, taking deep breaths in to help herself.
“Daisy?” someone called out.
She kept her eyes shut. Hopefully, they would mistake her for someone else and walk away.
“Daisy, are you okay?” the person asked again.
When she cracked her eyes open, Asher was squatting in front of her, concern written all over his face.
“What can I do to help?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she mumbled, and he gave her one disapproving look.
She wasn’t good at asking for help, even if the person asked her a direct question. A lot of people asked out of formality, rather than actually wanting to help. Maybe Asher was doing the same thing.
“Baby, what can I do to help you?” he asked again. “I’m not going to leave until I know what you need.”
Sighing, Daisy looked at her bag in the cart. “There’s water in my purse.”
Asher rose and got her water bottle from her purse, opening it up and bringing it closer to her lips. She went to grab it, but Asher pulled it away.
“Kind of hard to drink the water if you won’t give it to me,” she said, exhausted and light-headed.
“You just relax. I’ll hold the water and help you drink. You just push it away and I’ll stop,” he gently said and lifted the water bottle to her lips.
Tingles flowed through her at Asher taking charge and caring for her.
Don’t get used to it.
He just happened to be at the store at the same time, but that didn’t mean anything. There was no way he would be interested in her in that regard. No one ever was. Not after they found out that she had a service dog and didn’t like being out with a lot of people.
Daisy slowly drank some water before pushing it away. Asher capped the bottle and set it on the ground before grabbing her hands.
“How are you feeling now?” he asked. “Any better?”
Her head was still swimming, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.
“Don’t you dare lie to me.” His voice was low. “There will be consequences.”
“No better,” she grumbled and closed her eyes once again.
Asher ran his thumb across the back of her hand in soothing motions. “Everything is going to be okay. I’m here to watch over you with Chilli.”
Her heart fluttered at his words, tears pricking the back of her eyes. No one had ever stayed next to her whenever she had one of these episodes. They didn’t want to be associated with her and said she’d become an embarrassment.
That was what she was.
“I’m not going anywhere, so take your time,” he gently said.
If he continued to talk like this, she was bound to be a blubbering mess in a couple of minutes.
“Do you need anything?” he asked.
“I don’t think so,” she whispered.
She didn’t know what she needed, even if she was in her right mind. No one had ever asked her, so she normally just rode it out by herself with nothing else.
“If you do, let me know right away. There is nothing I wouldn’t give to make you better,” he explained.
Daisy raised her free hand to stop him from talking anymore. She was on the verge of crying, and she didn’t want to do that in the grocery store. Not when she was already making a scene.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Stop saying sweet things,” she managed to get out as she looked at him.
Her head was slowly starting to feel better, but her heart wasn’t. It was slowly starting to crack wide open, and she needed him to stop before it broke.
“Baby.” His voice hitched. “I’m not saying sweet things.”
But to her, those words were sweet. She desperately wanted to hear more of them, but she knew it would only lead her to getting attached to him. And she couldn’t do that.
Wouldn’t do that.
Daisy was going to leave town after this little incident. She shouldn’t form any type of deep bonds with anyone. Now she had to tell Janelle and Piper that she would need some time off to move.
“But you are,” she said. “So many sweet words, and I can’t take it.”
Oops. She didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“Can’t take it because you haven’t heard them before, or is there a different reason?” Asher asked.
She shook her head. She wasn’t going to answer any of his questions, so he could figure out how her mind worked. Nope. She had read too many Daddy books to know what he was trying to do.
“Little One,” he said sternly. “I’m not going to harm you.”
“I know that.” She let it slip out.
Daisy gently smacked her mouth several times. “Bad mouth.”
Asher grabbed her hand and pulled it away. “No hitting yourself.”
“I can do what I want.” She glared at him.
Okay, so she was definitely feeling better. She should get up before anyone else walked down the aisle and saw them having an argument. She hadn’t seen how many people had already walked by, but Daisy was desperately trying not to think about that right now.
Asher raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you can?”
After pulling her hands out of his, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, I can.”
She could do what she wanted. She was her own person and in charge of herself, but she didn’t really want that.
She wanted someone to take over and tell her everything was going to be okay.
But it couldn’t be Asher, not when she was going to be leaving town soon.
There was no point in doing this long-distance.
He hummed. “Yes, you can, but I think you don’t want to. I think you want someone to give you guidelines and rules. To hold you accountable when you do something naughty. Someone who will look after you and make sure you are healthy.”
Daisy looked away from him. He had hit the nail on the head.
“I’m okay now,” she whispered as Chilli stood.
Before she could get up on her own, Asher carefully helped her. Daisy kept her head down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone in the store. She didn’t want to hear the whispers or see them pointing at her.
She needed to get out of here and fast.
“Do you have anything else to get?” Asher asked as he placed her water bottle back in her bag.
“No,” she whispered, but it was a lie.
Daisy had so much to get, but she had enough to eat lunch. She could order the rest of it online.
“Daisy, you know I don’t like lying.” He placed his hand on the cart. “Do you want to try again?”
“I should just go home,” she said.
Asher gripped her chin, making her look at him in the eyes. “I didn’t ask if you needed to go home. I asked if you needed anything else at the store.”