More Than One Night (16 page)

Mother.

Pressing the ignore button, she sent her straight to voice mail. Now was not the time for instruction, warning, or an "I told you so" from the woman who secretly believed she should've stopped after Evelyn's birth. She turned the phone to silent. With no ringing, she could check the phone for texts, without having to endure the calls from her mother. Her old-time friend, insecurity, nagged at her. Daniel hadn't called the last time he ran off and left her with a heaping dose of disappointment. But they'd both changed, hadn't they? There had to be a plausible reason he hadn't returned. Maybe he'd gone out exploring the area and lost track of time.

Her eyes scanned for signs of his belongings as she slowly walked the length of the apartment. Her hope that he'd just lost track of time fell to the bottom of her wish list when she realized the army green duffel he'd brought was no longer sitting in the corner of the bedroom.

She grabbed a bottle of wine and made her way to the bathroom. An evening with a bottle, bubbles, and a book sounded far better than attending a party. As she turned on the water in the bathtub, she could only hope her old habits of escape would help her forget the man who'd stolen her heart.

Sunday

Mornings. Oh how she hated mornings. They were terrible, even if preceded by a soothing night of blissful sleep. Last night ranked painfully low on the sleep scale. The thought of going back to work tomorrow sent a fresh wave of pain through her already aching head. She looked around for some indicator of the time, disappointed to see the numbers displaying a lone ten.

Daniel's disappearance and her normal go-to solutions for dealing with her family left her with an aching heart and head. Even the pages of a book from her favorite author failed to carry her away to a place guaranteed to have a happily ever after.

She needed to check her cell phone again to see if there were any missed calls or texts from Daniel. Of course, that would require her getting out of bed and finding the phone.

The steady pounding on her front door forced her to get up, whether she wanted to or not. "I'm coming!" The increased decibel of her reply created an echoing pounding in her head. Oh, how she hated mornings.

She hesitated before opening the door. What if it was Daniel? She looked like hell.
What if it is? Who cares?

Disappointment combined with relief blanketed her when a quick check through the peephole revealed the man standing on the other side to be her father. A few moments later, the wooden barrier between them disappeared as she reluctantly opened the door to let him in.
At least it isn't mom.
"Hey, Dad."

Pulled into an abrupt bear hug by the only man who hadn't disappointed her, Melodie let herself be comforted. "We've been worried sick, baby. I know you hate family functions, but when you didn't show up, didn't answer your phone…"

Guilt stabbed fresh wounds in her heart. She'd been so self-absorbed last night, she didn't stop to consider how much her father would worry. "I'm sorry, Dad. Yesterday ranked pretty high on the crap scale, and I couldn't face mother and Ev, especially at a party. I didn't mean to worry you." The pounding in her head increased triple time as she realized she'd done the same thing to her parents that upset her about Daniel's behavior. "Regardless, I should've called. I really am sorry I worried you."

His embrace grew stronger, and she buried her face in his soft cotton shirt. Inhaling the familiar scent soothed her raw and hurting nerves, "Your mother was worried too."

She looked up and leveled him with her best
I don't believe you
expression. "Aren't we past lying to each other about these things? I'm a big girl and know where I rank on the disappointment scale with mother."

He smiled lovingly, "Well, in all truthfulness, she was angry at first."

"Angry?" You didn't have to make your living surrounded by words to know her father was hedging.

This time the small bevy of wrinkles on his tanned face angled upward as his smile grew. "Okay, livid would be a better adjective."

"Now I believe you." She returned to the pleasant task of basking in her father's attention.

"If you listen to your messages, well, after the first three anyway, you'll find her anger eventually morphed into disbelief and then finally into worry."

Melodie straightened, breaking the embrace. "Yet, here you are instead of her. Is she busy consoling my big sister on the disappointment of not everyone showing up to honor the wonder woman she's become?" Her caustic words darkened the mood in the room further. At this juncture, bitterness represented the best she could offer.

He rubbed his face and shrugged broad shoulders. "Your mother is who she is. We're never going to change that. It doesn't change, however, that she was worried something terrible had happened to you." His gaze turned reproachful. "As was I."

"Why Dad? Why do you stay? I don't need you to tell me what happened. You wanted to come check on me. Mother insisted you not leave the party. I may not be able to get her out of my life. For better or worse, she's my mother, and I continue to be her biggest disappointment."

Her father stood an impressive and still-handsome six feet of gentleman. "Because, baby girl, I promised for better or worse. That means something to me." He kissed her forehead, "I'm glad you're alright."

Five words from her father:
"That means something to me,"
echoed Daniel's promise when they'd discussed the importance of exchanging cell numbers. She steeled herself against the sadness weaving through her heart and lifted her chin. "Not that it makes it any better, but ironically I was dealing with the same worry. My date turned into a no-call, no-show." She pulled him into a hug, "Why can't all men be like you?"

"Because, I'm one-in-a-million."

His attempt at levity worked, easing the tension in her jaw and allowing a small smile.

"That you are."

"I'm also the bearer of bad news."

"That doesn't sound promising." Really? Could today get any worse?

"Once I confirmed you were alive, my job was to deliver instructions ensuring your irresponsible butt is at the dinner table Friday night."

She flopped back on the couch. Without a doubt, she should skip this dinner, excuse or not. But, she wouldn't do that to her father. "So, humble pie for dessert?"

He nodded and winked. "Right after she serves your head on a platter for the main course."

Thoughts of Daniel's head on a platter eased her distress momentarily. As much as she complained about her family, they were still hers, and she needed to take responsibility for her actions. "Great. See you then. Hope you still love me when I'm headless."

One final kiss on her cheek. "I'll love you always. Don't be late or not even I can save you then."

Monday

"Hi, it's Melodie. Leave your name and number, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

Thankfully, he'd been able to finish his message before the signal cut out. Hospitals were notorious for sketchy connections. He tossed the phone on the couch. He'd been trying to reach the stubborn woman all afternoon. Her phone was ringing, but the damned service still kept sending him into voice mail hell after five rings. He would've called sooner but figured she was at work. He'd left a note and was surprised she hadn't called him. When his ex-wife's father called to say Annie and her mom had been in a car wreck, he'd vaulted into action. The note had been brief but at least had explained Annie was in trouble, and he had to go.

"Daddy?" The groggy voice of his daughter brought him back to the present nightmare.

"Hey, princess, how are you feeling?" He stroked her bruised face, fighting back tears.

"A little better. Thank you for the teddy bear."

His heart swelled. He loved this little girl so much. "You're welcome. He's almost as big as you. Let me help you get him under the covers so you two can snuggle." He maneuvered the large stuffed animal until safely nestled in her arms.

"Where's Mommy?"

He had no idea how to explain the drinking finally caught up to her.
"Mommy's in a different hospital right now and is going to need to stay there for a while."

"Do I have to stay here while she's in the hospital?" Small blue eyes filled with fear.

"No, princess. The doctors say you can leave tomorrow if you continue to do well. You're going to stay with me for a while. You know how you stay with me for a longer time during the summer?"

Her eyes lit up. "Yes."

"Well, Mommy and I talked about it, and you're going to stay with me while she gets better." In truth, Belle had been anything but cooperative. Her father, along with the family attorney, convinced her to cooperate. Though the other driver hadn't been killed, he'd been injured, and Belle faced, minimally, a driving under the influence charge along with a civil suit for damages. The family's money certainly wouldn't hurt her chances, but even they couldn't deny the time involved to sort through the mess. A mess they could no longer push under the rug.

Once the dust settled, filing for temporary sole custody of Annie would be a top priority. He had already planned to take steps toward changing the custody arrangement. This incident prompted him to elevate the timetable.
I fought for my country. Sure as hell going to fight for my little girl.

"Daddy?"

His attention returned to his daughter. "Yes, baby?"

Her lower lip trembled as tears started to fall. "Will Mommy be mad I'm staying with you?"

"No. Mommy knows she needs to get better and learn how to take care of herself before she can take care of you again. Even your grandfather agrees." He knew Annie understood the final word in any situation rested with her grandfather, the head of the family. Wealth, power, and long-standing Southern tradition ensured this wouldn't change anytime soon.

Annie calmed considerably and settled back into the comfort of the teddy bear, sleep looming close by. "Maybe I can visit her for a little bit in the summer."

He stroked her golden hair. "Maybe, sweetheart…maybe."

Monday Evening

"I'm going to operate under the assumption something has gone horribly wrong with your phone and it no longer functions since you haven't returned any of my calls." He paused, measuring his words carefully. "I didn't want to leave a message before because I'd rather talk to you to explain. But since you haven't called or picked up, I figure this will have to do. Your message said you hoped nothing happened. It did. Not to me, but to my daughter, Annie. I want to explain, but I can't do that if you won't talk to me. C'mon, Mel. You have my number, and that still means something…at least it does to me."

Daniel tossed the phone onto the empty space next to him on the couch and rubbed his face. A quick check revealed Annie still resting comfortably. The doctors had agreed she could be released tomorrow morning after a final exam. Lots of bruises, but those would heal. The lawyers worked out the initial details. Annie would stay at his place in Mississippi for a while. They'd pick up her things in the morning and make the drive to his house. Many details would still need to be addressed, but this was an important first step.

He looked at his phone again, willing it to ring. If she didn't call soon, he and Annie were taking a mini vacation to Chicago before she enrolled in school. She was in second grade. A few days away wouldn't hurt. The trip would give Annie a break from all the drama and one last chance for him to make things right with Melodie. He'd had a lot of time to think during the flight home. Worry over his daughter's situation occupied most of his thoughts, but the random chaos in his head revealed one very important detail. There were no guarantees about what the future held. Things could change in an instant. He'd wasted enough time chasing after women who'd never be a part of his future. He'd be damned if he'd let the only person who'd found her way past every barrier go without a fight.

Tuesday

"Call him, already." Lydia's motherly voice echoed loudly in the empty children's section of the library. "You've been moping around, looking like you lost your last friend. He's called you, left a message, and wants to talk. What more do you want from the guy?"

"I did try to return his call last night, but it went directly to voicemail. I went to the arboretum on Sunday after my dad left and after work yesterday. It's so peaceful there, and I needed some quiet time to think. My cell doesn't get any reception so when I got home last night, I listened to his message. That's when I tried but couldn't reach him. I get that he was worried about Annie. I'm worried about her too, and I've never even met her. As for what I want? I don't even know anymore. The man creates so many conflicting emotions in me I can't think straight."

A comforting arm rested across her shoulders. "That's the kind of man you want around for the long haul. Life is never boring with them. He's also the kind of man who's a great father and puts his own wants and needs behind concern for his daughter. In his message he mentioned something happened to Annie, right? I know you aren't a mom yet. God knows your mom isn't the best role model for how parents should behave. Trust me when I say if something happens to your child, you forget everything else until you know they're safe. All I'm saying is when he does explain, try to put yourself in his shoes."

"Am I being selfish and stubborn?" Melodie's defensive tone slipped out, which indicated to her she mostly likely was being at least a little of both.

Lydia squeezed her tighter. "Not selfish. You're in love and you're hurting. Your reaction is understandable."

She wiped away the escaping tear and offered the older woman a half smile. "I noticed you didn't give me a pass on being stubborn."