Chapter 6 Frankincense
FRANKINCENSE
Misty walks out into the traffic in front of the school since they wouldn’t recognize her in the SUV with me. She waves a hand and a little girl with pale blue eyes and a sweet smile along with pale blond curls like her mom runs up to her.
My phone rings and I pick it up. “Yeah?”
“Are you alright, Frankincense? You didn’t call me.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I ran into a friend and she needed some help.”
“By any chance would that be Mistletoe?”
“Yes, Mother,” I huff.
“She’s a nice girl, isn’t she?”
“Yeah. But I don’t understand why you told me that she’d be interested in selling her place. There’s no way that she is. She’s took my head off multiple times about it.”
“Hmmm. Maybe she was just tired that night she mentioned it.”
“Right. Well, I’ve got to go. She’s on her way back with Velvet.”
“Oh, she’s so sweet, isn’t she? I can’t believe Donny has never even met her. He’s such a jerk.”
“Yeah. If she’s anything like her mom he’ll be the one missing out so that’s on him.”
“That’s very true. Be very careful taking them home. Precious cargo, you know.”
“I know. I’ll talk to you later.”
We switched Velvet’s car seat to my car when I took Misty home so if we needed it, it was here.
The back door flies open and a little girl chatters to her mom as Misty helps her up and inside. She smiles up at me and holds out her hand and it’s so stinking cute that I can’t help grinning at her.
“Hello, Velvet. I’ve heard so much about you. My name’s Frank.” I shake hands with her and Misty snorts.
“Frank?”
I glare at her. “Yeah. Frank.”
“Right. Okay, Velvet. Let’s get you all buckled in so we can head home.”
She keeps chattering and I face forward but watch them in the rearview mirror.
Both of their pale blond heads are close together and I can see that Velvet is a little mirror image of her mom.
Same blond hair, same cute little smile, same light blue eyes.
Even the same creamy pale skin. Same freckles.
Just too cute for words.
I’ve never even thought about having kids but the little girl in the backseat makes me think that I’m not as opposed as I always thought I was.
Misty gets in the front and buckles up and I slowly pull out, my eyes checking left and right.
After all, they really are precious cargo.
“Thanks, Frank. I appreciate this. I don’t really know a lot about buying a car.”
I smirk at her. “I kinda saw that with the truck.”
She flushes and glares at me. “Har-de-har.”
We stand in the little lot of the place in the next town. I run my eyes over the lot and almost immediately I see what I would buy for her. A cute little pick-up truck with four doors and all the bells and whistles.
It would be perfect for the two girls in front of me.
But Misty immediately heads for an old beater that looks like it’s barely hanging on.
My heart sinks to my freaking toes. There’s no way that that is a safe vehicle.
But how the devil can I get her to pick something a little safer?
The salesman immediately starts his spiel and I want to punch him in the throat. There’s no way that that vehicle is safe enough for them.
I glance in the backseat and there are missing seatbelts and a spring that’s sticking through the upholstery.
Glaring at him, I let him finish and then I ask him to take me over to the office to use the restroom.
“Hey! Stop trying to sell her that thing. It’s not safe for either of them.”
“She has a budget. She asked to see it.”
I point at the other vehicle. “You see that little pick-up?”
He nods his head. “How’d you like to sell that?”
He cocks his slick head and eyes me. “How? You gonna buy it for her?”
Shaking my head, I grin at him. “Nope. But you’re gonna tell her that that truck just got marked down.”
“But it hasn’t been,” he insists.
“It could be. If I paid the difference.”
His brows shoot up. “How am I going to explain that?”
“I don’t care. Special Christmas rebate for single moms? Beats me. Just do it and fudge the paperwork. I’ll pay the rest in cash.”
Naked avarice shines in his dark eyes. “Alright. But you better not screw me over.”
I pull out my wallet and peel off five hundred. “This is for your trouble. You’ll get the difference on the truck once we get this all squared away.”
“You got it.” He snags the money and jogs out to corner Misty and drag her over to look at the other vehicle. She shakes her head and his mouth moves really fast and she shoots him a stunned look. But I can see the hope on her face, the shine in her eyes and that’s enough for me.
She needs this. I can afford to help her. It’s the perfect solution. Without making her feel bad.
It doesn’t take long and the two sweet girls are getting themselves in their new vehicle and smiling like crazy.
And after they leave, I quietly hand over the rest of the money needed to pay for the vehicle.
I don’t feel bad at all for fudging a little bit with her either.
This is the best thing for both of them.
And for my heart. The fear I felt at seeing them in that beater hit me hard.
I don’t know when or why but I feel a lot more for Misty Samuels than I ever thought I’d feel for any woman.
I should be terrified because she’s gonna make me work for every piece of her.
But I’ve worked my butt off my whole life. This is no different.
Even if it’s more important than anything else I’ve ever done.
This is my future we’re talking about. My family.
My forever.