***
Daniel tugged on his bow tie as he pulled in front of K&Bs to pick up Brittany for the Picketts’ party. After he’d called her yesterday and asked if he could take her to the party early, she instructed him to pick her up here. He hadn’t questioned her, figuring she didn’t want him to see Amy yet.
But he decided that next week he would ask her to tell Amy about him. Although he tried to, he still couldn’t get the image of her and that guy at the movie theater out of his mind, and that had happened weeks ago. He kept telling himself he didn’t have a right to know who he was or if they were together. But the curiosity was overwhelming and he’d almost asked Brittany about it a couple of times. He’d been patient enough waiting for her to reveal that he was in town. The longer it dragged out, the harder it was getting to maintain that equanimity.
But the truth was, he longed to see Amy. To talk to her, to ask her forgiveness, to have some sort of relationship with her, even if it was just so the three of them could all be in the same room. He also missed her and had missed her every day since he left. Now that he’d seen her twice, those feelings had come back and continued to grow, no matter how he tried to distract himself or talk himself out of them. He’d traded in the two most preciouspeople in his life for whiskey, vodka, and gin. And he’d regretted it ever since.
But he wasn’t going to think about any of that tonight. He was going to focus on Brittany and make sure they both had a wonderful time.
He pulled out his phone and texted her.
Daniel: I’m here.
Brittany: Be right there.
Daniel got out of the car and walked over to the sidewalk in front of the store. He would have walked inside but she had explicitly said she’d meet him out here. He tugged on his bow tie again.This penguin suit is for the birds.
The door opened and Brittany walked outside. Daniel’s jaw dropped. She looked like she’d stepped out ofBreakfast at Tiffany’s. Even her hair was tamed into a sixties hairstyle, and it was stunning. He quickly went to her. “You look beautiful, honey.”
Her cheeks turned red, and she glanced away. “You sure it’s not too much?”
“No. It’s perfect. You’ll be the star of the party.” When she cast him a panic-stricken look, he backtracked. “But only if you want to be. There’ll be so many people there...” Great. He was saying all the wrong things. “I—”
She put her white-gloved hand on his arm. “I get it,” she said, managing a tense smile. “And I’ll be okay. Just don’t leave me.”
“I won’t, Brittany. You can count on me.” He crooked his arm, and she slipped her hand through it. He opened the door of his Fusion, and she got inside. After shutting the door, he jogged to the other side of the car, spotting an older couple standing at thewindow of the store, their noses practically pressed against it. Daniel nodded to them and smiled. They both waved.
Soon they were on their way to the Picketts’. “What are the names of your friends at the art store again?” he asked.
“Maude and X.” She was fidgeting with the tips of the gloves on her right hand. “Maude helped me make the dress.”
“You made that?”
“I designed it. Fifty dollars and some change.”
He glanced at her, noting her wide smile. “Well done. Send me the bill, remember.” He’d learned how to sew buttons out of sheer necessity, but he couldn’t fathom what it would take to make something as complicated as a dress. Then again, he was always impressed with Brittany. “When we arrive, we’ll go in the front and then straight to the gallery. It’s upstairs.”
“Your boss doesn’t mind if we’re early?”
“He doesn’t know, remember? His wife, Lila, said it was okay. She was happy about it actually. She said art was to be enjoyed, and she was glad someone was going to enjoy it.”
Brittany nodded. “I can’t wait to see the collection.”
And he couldn’t wait to show her. He didn’t know a Rembrandt from a Rodin, but he knew the Picketts’ collection was expensive. He was sure Brittany could tell him all about the paintings and statues.
They were both quiet on the rest of the drive, but it was a peaceful silence. Daniel didn’t feel the need to come up with small talk, and Brittany seemed okay sitting there tugging slightly on the fingertips of her gloves. When he pulled into the gated neighborhood, he glanced at her. Yep, her eyes were as big as saucers.
“Oh, wow,” she said, looking out the front and side windows. “These houses are amazing.”
“That they are.” He remembered the first time he’d driven into the Picketts’ neighborhood. He had to pick his jaw up off the floor.
A few minutes later, he pulled into the circular drive. It was weird being a guest instead of an employee. A valet dressed in a crisp black suit opened Brittany’s door for her and held out his hand to help her out of the car. “Thank you,” she said in a small voice.
Daniel quickly bounded out of the car and gave the guy his keys. He could see his daughter was already overwhelmed. Hopefully in a good way. “You ready to go?”
She looked up and nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
He offered his arm again, took a deep breath, and together they went inside.
