Daisy Does It All (Clover Park, Book 2) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) (28 page)

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m so tired. Can I just rest here, just like this?”

“Yeah, you can.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders and held her like that. He wasn’t upset that she didn’t say she loved him back. He understood her well because she was very much like him. She’d had a shattering blow to her confidence and needed to feel whole again. He couldn’t pull her out of her funk alone, but, based on his experience in straightening out his own life, he had an idea of who could.

~ ~ ~

Daisy felt Trav’s absence keenly. He hadn’t checked in on her all week, and he’d been brusque when he took Bryce for his usual Sunday daddy-son day yesterday. While she’d been so busy being annoyed with him for checking in on her, she hadn’t taken the time to appreciate why he did it. He’d offered his love, and she’d thrown it back in his face.

She grabbed some Sno-Caps from the cabinet and settled on the sofa. Maybe she should call him. No. She didn’t deserve his love. She didn’t deserve anything. She tossed back the Sno-Caps and chewed.

The doorbell rang, and she leaped to answer it, hoping it didn’t wake Bryce. She swung open the front door. Trav stood there holding a large cardboard box. He smiled. She smiled back, her throat tight. He was here. He hadn’t given up on her.

“Hey to you, too.” He muscled past her with the box and set it on the kitchen table. “Open it.”

She pulled open the folded-over flaps. Letters. Lots and lots of letters. All addressed to her.

“What in the world?” She lifted an envelope and slowly pulled out a letter. In bold letters at the top it read: Why Daisy Garner Kicks Ass…

She read the note from Mrs. Peters, her first-grade teacher, with Trav looking over her shoulder. The shaky scrawl came right to the point:

Daisy was the kind of girl that the boys loved to chase and pull her pigtails. But unlike some little girls, who tattled and cried, Daisy fought back, stealing baseball caps and spitting in their juice as our juice helper. I knew then that this girl was going to be strong and feisty just like the woman she is today.

Rock on, Daisy.

Mrs. Bertha Peters

Daisy clapped a hand over her mouth, torn between a laugh and a cry.

“You spit in their juice?” Trav asked. “I’m glad I never crossed you back then.”

Daisy laughed. “I did. And Mrs. Peters never said a word. I thought she didn’t know.” She pulled out the next letter from Sally Phillips, the town clerk.

The same thing at the top in bold letters: Why Daisy Garner Kicks Ass. Trav must have printed out a bunch of these and went around town gathering responses. She glanced at Trav, who was reading the letter, and her eyes teared up. He chuckled as he read, so she read on to see what was so funny.

Now maybe I shouldn’t have talked to that reporter about you, Daisy. I’m afraid I got a little excited about being on TV, so I understand perfectly why you might have lied to get on TV too. I’m telling everyone who comes into Town Hall how it was all just a silly mistake; then I remind them of that time when you were ten and sat right outside this very room handing out Vote for Sally Phillips for Town Clerk buttons to everyone who came in since you had newly decided to be a democrat. I didn’t have the heart to tell you I was running unopposed because who wanted to stand in the way of all that fiery passion once you discovered your political path? Never lose that fire, Daisy. Hold it close to your heart. The world needs more people like you that act from the heart.

Sincerely,

Sally Phillips, Town Clerk

Her knees went weak, and she slowly sank to a kitchen chair. She pulled out the next letter, and the next, and the next. From everyone in town—Alan Zinkman the mailman, Gary from the health food store, her old soccer coach. Her family, his family, her friends. Everyone. And then she got to the letter from Chief Bailey.

She turned to Trav. “He says we should read it together.”

He scooted closer.

Why Daisy Garner Kicks Ass…(And Trav does too)

She smiled at Trav and kept reading.

Daisy and Trav, when I heard you two had a kid, I thought, look out, Clover Park. You both had your fair share of trouble, but you want to know something? I always saw, in both of you, the good in you. I tried to scare you straight. Trav, I think that worked for you. But, Daisy, you don’t scare so easily. You’re tough, stubborn, strong. That’s what’s gonna see you through this mess with that TV show. Maybe when you come out the other side, you’ll find yourself on a new path. The one that Trav’s been walking all this time. Daisy and Trav, you kick ass because no matter what comes down the pike, you just keep going. As for Bryce, all I can say is what goes around, comes around. But maybe you’ll remember to see the good in him too.

Chief Glenn Bailey

“Oh gawd,” Daisy said. “I’m gonna start bawling.”

Trav looked at her with alarm. “This is supposed to make you feel better.”

She threw her arms around him. “It does. I can’t believe you did this. Why?”

He pulled back to gaze into her eyes. “I’ve been in your shoes. In fact, I’ve been
beneath
your shoes. I pulled some crazy shit when I was a teenager, and the people of this town helped me get it together. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I wanted that for you. And I didn’t do this to take care of you. I did it because I believe in you.” He grabbed a handful of letters. “And all these people believe in you too.”

She opened her mouth and shut it. She’d turned her back on Clover Park the very first moment she could make her escape. And now her hometown, her community, was truly welcoming her back with open arms even knowing how she’d screwed up again.

And Trav—the guy she’d pushed away with every word of committed, stable future that had come out of his mouth—was, amazingly, still here. She was so glad he was. He wasn’t like Max. He’d never turn on her or abandon her. He’d shown her that in every way he could from that first night they’d been together. She’d listened to those messages he’d left on her cell after she’d skipped town. They were sweet, but she’d been too afraid to give a relationship a chance.

Trav’s first message: “Look, I never do bar hookups, but I’ve always liked you.” And the next: “Daze, this wasn’t a one-night stand for me. I want to see you again.” And his last try: “I don’t know what that night meant to you, but…anyway, call me if you want to go out sometime. Take care of yourself.”

Now her voice came out choked with tears. “I-I don’t know what to say. This is all so…”

He pulled an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to her. “Here, read mine.”

With shaking hands, she took it from him.

~ ~ ~

Trav shoved his hands in his pockets, hoping to hell that she wouldn’t judge him, that she’d understand.

He didn’t have to read along with her. He had it memorized. It had taken him ten tries to get it right.

Why Daisy Garner Kicks Ass…

Daze, I am so damn proud of you. You’ve been working your ass off since day one when our son was born. Always putting him first. You’re raising him with so much love even though he’s a tough kid, always going that extra step to meet his needs. You amaze me. So you stretched the truth a little in a blog. You apologized, and, in my book, that’s enough. That’s why you kick ass.

Everything you heard about me is true. Drinking, drugs, stealing, vandalism, fighting. It was only a matter of time before I got shipped off to juvie. I hit rock bottom at seventeen when I broke into the high school and set fire to my permanent record. I was sick of everyone judging me the minute I showed up. I know, it doesn’t make sense. I did do bad shit. Anyway, I thought the fire was out when I tossed it in the trash, but the embers caught on some other papers, and, before I knew it, the fire had spread. I booked it out of there, hitting the fire alarm as I left.

You probably know the rest of the story. The fire department got there in time to save the school. The main office was damaged but still structurally sound. I didn’t come forward like I should’ve. They came and got me. Turns out a security camera showed me breaking in. I was facing breaking and entering, trespassing, arson, destroying public property. Principal Herzog was going to throw the works at me. He hated me for all the trouble I caused, and I didn’t blame him.

It only took a few people to believe in me. That was Gran, Ry, and Chief Bailey. The chief talked the principal down, and the town agreed to let me make up for it with community service. I mowed lawns, cleaned up litter, and weeded anyone’s garden who needed it, by hand. Do you know how many weeds grow in the spring and summer around here? I do. Long story short. I loved working outside, and now I’m a landscape architect. So I guess that turned out okay.

Daze, just like for me, this whole town has your back. I’m sorry for pushing you so hard to marry me just because it was best for Bryce. I guess my screwed-up family made me want a better life for Bryce real bad. I did this all bass ackwards as usual. So I will only ask you this. Will you go on a first date with me? We can have dinner at a back booth at Garner’s and talk all night about our dreams, our hopes for the future, what we love, what we hate, just like we said we did in the first place.

Love,

Trav

She looked at him, her smile big and sunny, making his heart fill with joy to see that smile again.

“Yes, Travis O’Hare, I will go on a first date with you.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Daisy couldn’t believe Trav remembered their fictional first date so well, but here she was living it. Saying
yes
to Trav was the best thing she’d ever done. He held the door to Garner’s open for her as they left the restaurant. It was late. They’d already been talking in a back booth for two hours, trading horror stories of their teenage pranks and adventures. They vowed to keep Bryce on a tight leash.

“Where to now?” Trav asked.

“Come back to my place,” she said.

He grinned devilishly. “Yeah, I’m all over that.”

“To talk!”

“Oh, yeah, talk. Of course.” He swatted her butt. She jumped and swatted him back. “That’s what I meant.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she said.

They walked to where she’d parked her car and made the short drive back to her apartment. Bryce was staying with her parents for the night, who were thrilled she was going on a date with Trav.

When they got to her place, she poured them both a glass of white wine and joined him on the sofa.

“Thanks,” he said, taking the wine. “So we’ve covered hopes, dreams, loves, hates. Teenage tales of woe. What else do you want to know about me?”

“Tell me why you love me.”

“I love you because you are bright and bubbly, and loving, and fun, and so-oo-oo
sexy
.” He waggled his brows and leered at her.

“How can I take you seriously?” she asked with a laugh.

“You want serious?” He set down the wineglass and went down on one knee in front of her.

“No! Don’t do it!”

“Daisy Garner, I will love you until the day I die—”

She put her fingertips over his lips and knelt beside him. “It’s my turn. I will love you until the day I die.”

He kissed her fingers and held her hand.

“I’ve loved you from the first moment you held Bryce. I fought it because I didn’t trust myself not to screw up. But now I do. Trust myself, that is. Travis O’Hare, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

He cradled her face and placed a tender kiss on her lips. “I knew I’d wear you down.”

“So what’s your answer?”

He rocked his head side to side, considering. “I kinda like this turnaround. Think I might leave you hanging a little longer.”

“Maybe you need a little convincing,” she said, throwing herself on top of him. They toppled over, and she straddled him.

He ran his hands from her hips up to her breasts. “I do. I need a lot of convincing.”

She pulled her shirt off, revealing her black lace bra.

He groaned. “I love you, woman.”

She smiled, knowing she had him for life and not because of Bryce, because of them, who did everything backwards, but still found a way to move forward together.

She unclipped the front clasp of her bra. “I love you too, man,” she said cheekily, swinging the bra over her head and throwing it across the room.

He laughed. She slowly leaned down, her breasts rubbing his chest, and he became serious as she went in for a kiss. She stopped a breath away. “Did I convince you yet?”

One corner of his mouth kicked up. “I’m afraid not.”

She kissed him then, suddenly ravenous for him. He wrapped one hand in her hair, holding her head as he kissed her back, slow and tender, his mouth tasting and nibbling, while his other hand ran down her spine and cupped her bottom. He kissed her like he had all day, and it was making her crazy.

She broke the kiss. “Trav, I want you.” She undid the button on her jeans, and his hand stopped hers on the zipper.

“I got it.” He pulled her up off the floor. His hands made short work of it as her jeans and thong hit the floor.

She pulled off his shirt and reached for his jeans.

“Slow down there, Speed Racer,” he said. “It’s called foreplay. And you’re first.”

He kissed her, and his hand slipped between them to stroke her. She moaned and stroked him over his jeans. He pushed her hand away and moved to kissing her neck, keeping up a slow and thorough massage, touching everywhere but where she craved it most.

“My turn,” she gasped. “I want to give to you.”

“Oh, you will,” he told her, moving up to kiss the shell of her ear. “You will.”

He increased the pressure and finally reached her center. Her knees buckled, and she surrendered to the rush of sensation. She wrapped her arms around his neck and simply hung on for the ride. Moments later she cried out, his name on her lips.

He kissed her again. She gave him a slow smile and dropped to her knees, unzipping his jeans and pulling them down with his briefs. “Your turn.”

She took him in her mouth and heard his sharp intake of breath. Now she was in no hurry, determined to torture him with slow tastes and deep suction, her hands cupping and massaging him underneath.