Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (12 page)

Aiden looked back to the folder and the information on her life. “No, you don’t understand, she… she’s different. I'm different from knowing her. She taught me something, and I can't shake it.”

Donovan sighed. “Right, I don’t understand.”

He rubbed his brow. “There’s an unknown. I feel it. A wildcard in the deck that only Daisy is holding, something… something I’m missing. I don’t like it.” He narrowed his eyes on Donovan. Daisy Johnson haunted him for years and he was beginning to resent the power she wielded over him. But the sound of her voice still warmed his ear and made him feel soft and hopeful, just as he remembered her. He wiped his chin. “The investigator. He has her address?”

“
Yes, she’s south of Mango Grove on the coast. In a beach home.”

“
And Clara Andrews?”

“
Spoke to the broker tonight. We'll see her in the morning. It’ll be arranged as you requested it and all set to plan if Clara Andrews plays into your hands. But that's your wildcard, Aiden. If she gets suspicious or tips Daisy, all bets are off. You’ll lose her for good. I think it’s too risky to go after Daisy this way.”

Aiden smirked. “Oh no, Daisy will hear me, and in order for her to, I have to get her attention. Clara Andrews will agree. After she makes the deal, I want you to arrange a meeting between us both. You’re right. I can’t have her tipping Daisy off. Do you understand?”

“
Why not pick up the phone and call her again. Just talk to her Aiden. I got a bad feeling about this. This obsession of yours.”

He shot Donovan a glare and turned away. Aiden looked at the phone. He had to do it this way. He knew Daisy. She’d come around.
He was betting the house on it.

****

Pete tried to focus on the road. Dark and winding, it was a four-mile stretch until they hit Highway 28. He blasted the Crows from his speakers, drowning out most of his thoughts.

Nina rode in forced silence: still the sounds of the music couldn’t cover her infrequent sniffs. He hurt her so bad and it was killing him inside. But she hurt him in the scariest way, lying to him, keeping him in the dark, leading him to get her way. That wasn’t supposed to be them, her. When he did dare to look at her, he saw her face turned toward the darkness outside of the window. Reaching for the dial on the radio, he eased the volume down. The action drew Nina’s weepy eyes from the window to him. “I can’t say I’ve given you many reasons to trust me when it comes to Daisy. I know many women wouldn’t stay and deal with my crap. But what you did—”

“
Yeah, I know. I can’t take it back.”

Pete gripped the wheel. “I just think I need some time to cool off.” He looked over at her. “I’ll drop you off home and go to my brother’s for the night so we won’t fight. Give us both time to get some perspective.”

“
Don’t worry about me, Pete,” she sighed. “I figured you’d be a foot out the door as soon as you found her.”

He frowned and looked at her again. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

“
Save it!” She looked away, crossed her arms in front of her, holding herself. She sucked in a deep breath and her eyes closed slowly. “I have to wonder, Pete,” she mumbled.

“
Wonder?”

“
If my long lost love came back into my life, how patient, understanding, and straight-up would you be? What if you were on the outside looking in? Wait, you were once. Right? Aiden Keane? When he gave Daisy something you couldn’t, how desperate did it make you feel? Oh, that’s right. You went and brought a gun.”

“
Stop it, Nina.”

“
Huh? Why? This is it. This is the big moment when you can go for her. We might as well be honest. Don’t make my actions into something wicked. I’m not proud of them, but I did everything because I loved you.”

“
Love, not
loved
. We love each other,” Pete mumbled.

“
Right. Love. The thing that doesn’t matter. Whatever.”

“
I’d fight for us, Nina. If the roles were reversed, I’d fight for us. It’s who I am,” he said.

Nina chuckled. “Maybe, but you’d be crowned the tortured hero for your efforts. I’m still the jealous manipulative insecure one. Right?”

“
Stop putting words in my mouth. I didn’t call you any of those things. But what you did—”

“
I’d do again! You know why?”

He looked from the road to her, steering in the darkness but unable to stop looking at her. “Why?”

“
Tonight, for the first time in two years, Pete, you were focused on me and on us. And I had to earn it. Well I tell you what. You chase after Daisy and get your closure, whatever it is between you two that you need. You do that. And then maybe you can earn your way back into my trust. If I’m still waiting that is.”

Pete drove up to their apartment homes. He put the car in park, and she threw her car door open. “I’m not sure if I will go after her or that I even want to.”

Nina laughed, looked to the roof of the car and shook her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Now who’s the liar, Pete? You or me?”

She got out of the car and slammed the door. Pete sat there watching her hurry up the steps. The bag packed with their clothes from a night on the town hung from her shoulder. She’d hurt him, but he’d been hurting her for a long time. He closed his eyes, shook his head, rubbed the tension from his temples. Daisy came to town and Nina’s knowing wasn’t the worst of it. The worst of it was that he still couldn’t let her go, even now, when his entire future was on the line. He had to find a way to get free, or lose everything. Again.

Lifting in the seat, he reached in his back pocket and withdrew the card. “Danielle Locke? Jahi, Mango Grove?” He read the words aloud. “What happened to you, Daisy?”

****

“
I’m on my way to meet with a possible investor,” Clara said.

Daisy could hear Amy’s laughter and Magdalena’s orders for her to return to the table and finish her oatmeal. “Why L.A.? I thought you and I needed to meet with them in Tucson?”

“
That’s what I’m telling you. I got a call like six in the morning. The land was sold to another investor, some company. Our broker arranged this meeting. We’re going to negotiate it back. Don’t worry. I got this. The broker said the investor is very anxious to unload the deal. That it was a rush buy or something.”

“
Investor?” Daisy stopped. “What’s the investor name?”

“
I forget. You want to come to the meeting?”

“
No. Just seems odd that they’d buy that much land and sell it so quick, unless they’re trying to flip it. Gouge us for more than its value maybe? Tell you what, call Jeffery and let his firm know about the deal. I want them present. I don’t—”

“
Danielle. You said it could be my project. That I could handle the Serenity deal.”

“
I just think we need to be cautious. Things don’t have to move so fast.”

“
They do in our business. Right now Jahi is hot. Since the press release about Serenity, my phone is ringing off the hook. If we don’t strike now, Jahi will be flooded with those vying to move into our territory. It’s in motion. We just need this deal. Don’t you see? We have to move forward?”

Daisy stopped in the kitchen.

“
Hi, mommy!!” Amy grinned, her mouth ringed with oatmeal. She sat pushed to the table with her hair in two pigtails. Daisy blew her a kiss. “Fine. But nothing gets signed unless our attorneys review it. Oh, and I want the name and information on this
investor
before a deal is made. Understand?”

“
Got it. Trust me. I'll take care of it.”

“
I do. Good luck.”

She hung up the phone and walked through the kitchen. The fresh smell of a newly brewed pot of coffee got her mouth watering.

“
Bueno, Signora
Locke. Shall I make you some breakfast?”

“
No, I’m fine. I’ll take Amy to school this morning.” She winked at her daughter who looked up at her curiously. “Your teacher wants to meet with me. Know what that’s about?”

“
She likes me,” Amy said.

Daisy laughed. “Yes, apparently.”

Amy shrugged, scooping more gooey oatmeal on her spoon and eating. Daisy poured her coffee. Blowing it cool, she turned as the sun bathed her from the surrounding windows. One of its rays gleamed off of something shiny in her little girl’s hand. Daisy frowned. “What is that you have, Amy?”

“
My money!” She held up the gold coin.

Daisy lowered the coffee mug. “I thought we said you should put it in the bank. Remember?”

“
I like it.”

“
Give it to mommy,” she said, wanting to be done with it. She didn’t like Amy carrying it around and rubbing the thing. It made her uneasy.

“
Okay, mommy. I’ll put it in the bank.” Amy got down from the table.

“
Amy, I said give it here!” she snapped.

Amy took off out of the kitchen, defiant as always. Daisy nearly went after her but caught the concerned look Magdalena gave them both. She stopped herself, collected herself and smiled.

“
Are you okay, Mrs. Locke?”

“
Yes, I’m fine. It’s silly. I’ll get it out of her bank later.” She turned away to the coffee mug. Her gaze turned to the phone mounted on the wall and thought of the call. Closing her eyes, she shook the feeling. “Everything is fine. Just fine. I’ll take Amy to school.”

****

“
Mrs. Andrews?”

Clara rose, as did her broker. “Mr. McBride?”

“
Thank you for coming in this morning,” Donovan said smiling, the doors closing by the hotel staff behind him. They were meeting in the swank business office of the Clover Hotel. Clara looked over to their broker and back into his eyes. She recognized him, but struggled with whether she should say so. “You’re the investor?”

“
Yes, I represent his interests. Please… please,” he gestured. “Have a seat.”

Clara sat. She watched the gentleman move through the room on his cane. He was quite handsome in a rugged kind of way. Too old for her taste, but she smelled power and wealth on him. It was an unmistakable aphrodisiac.

“
So, you are the face of Jahi?” Donovan smiled.

Clara nodded, “I am.”

Donovan stared at her for a pause. There was something soothing in his cool stare, hypnotic. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Clearing her throat, she straightened her back and sat upright. “Well I’m glad we could meet. I’m told you purchased some land out of the Tacoma Hills. As Steven here must have informed you, I’m extremely interested in this land. We’re working on expansion and I’d like—”

“
Who's Danielle Locke?” Donovan cut in.

Clara looked up at him. “Oh, she’s my partner.”

“
The one with the controlling interest of Jahi?” Donovan asked.

“
Well, yes. But it
is
a partnership.”

“
Can I speak frankly with you?”

“
Of course.”

“
I’m impressed with Jahi. I believe a lot of its success is due to your influence. Am I right?"

Clara blushed and nodded.

"I’ve read your recent press release and what you propose for Serenity. Again, very impressive. You’re an extremely talented woman. Young ambition is a common thing in this town, but you've accomplished a lot.”

She again caught that look in his eye that was unmistakable. Blushing, she glanced over to Steve, and he was grinning a mile wide. Did he know something she didn’t know? The direction the conversation was taking was weird.

Donovan placed his hand on the table and leaned forward across from her. “We could use your talents.”

“
We?”

“
I’m an attorney, Ms. Andrews. My client is the wealthiest man on the coast. His name is Aiden Keane, the owner of...”