37. Daisy

THIRTY-SEVEN

DAISY

I was halfway through another day of work, and I was already exhausted. I had stayed up too late, lying awake thinking about Kye. The way he looked so happy driving, the way he smiled at me during the movie, the way he held his hand out for me to touch him more.

I spent most of the night thinking about him a little too much. My cheeks flamed at the thought, but I reached the counter and tried to calm my thoughts down. I needed to take orders, not worry about how good Kye still looked without a shirt on. I also needed to stop concerning myself with what he would look like without shorts on, too.

Somehow, I grew up and my thoughts only grew dirtier.

I reached the counter and nearly tripped over my own feet as Kye walked in. If he noticed me flustered, he didn't react. He only smiled and turned back to the line, waiting to order like this was a normal, everyday occurrence.

"Daisy!" Mark yelled as he opened the to-go box. "The fries are everywhere now. My burger fell apart."

"Oh dammit. I'm sorry."

He huffed, heading to the counter and fixing the food. He glanced at me over his shoulder with a tight smile. "You know what? It's okay, just be more careful, please."

"Yeah, yeah, of course. I have to get back…The line," I mumbled, walking back up as Kye waited.

"Hey," he said, looking me over. His eyes raked along my body, and I tried not to shudder. I didn't know how he could still look at me like he was currently fucking me, but he was doing a great job of it.

"Hey, are you here to order?"

"Yes, I'm starving. I unfortunately can't expect Carly's cooking when she's pregnant, and being dragged to every wedding prep event possible, so I'm resorting to this."

"No, I guess not, and I'm sorry in advance, while this is her restaurant, I swear somehow it's not even close to her food still."

He groaned. "I assumed, but I am running out of energy, so please, a burger and fries."

Mark had stepped up behind him, not seeming to notice who it was yet, as he clicked at his phone.

I took a second to look Kye over, from his t-shirt, to his backwards hat, his tattoos to his smiling face, and the dimples that came out when he really smiled. The look of him made me melt. He looked so good that it was ruining my focus.

"And a strawberry milkshake?"

His face lit up more. "Yes, actually. Thank you for remembering."

"Hard to forget when you've been covered in it."

He let out a bark of laughter. "The most fun I've ever had cleaning my car."

He looked at my chest, seeming to remember every part of me he licked that day just as well as I was, and I hated that it made me turned on just standing there.

Mark gave a scowl at Kye's laugh. "Hey, I'm in a hurry. Could we get this rung up?"

As fast as Kye's face had turned happy before it twisted into a frown now. "You should be nicer to people who prepare and serve your food," he said gently, only turning his head slightly, and then looking back at me. "Thanks, Daze."

He walked to a table, his legs kicking out as he sat back, his eyes still focused on me. I knew he saw Mark, and I knew he was following his every move, but his eyes didn't leave mine.

"Kye?"

"Hey, Mark."

"What are you doing here?"

"Getting food? Obviously."

"I meant in town."

"Aside from living here? I'm in town for a wedding."

"Right, of course, the one she's in."

"She?"

"Daisy," he said, getting more and more angry at Kye's presence.

"Oh, I wasn't sure if you knew her name."

"Of course I?—"

"Here, Mark, all taken care of."

Mark leaned over the counter more. "Do you want me to wait until he leaves? I don't want you to have any trouble."

"I'll be fine, Mark. This is a diner, and he is getting food. No trouble."

I wasn't going to add that, historically, any day Kye made trouble was probably a good day for me.

Amber walked over, giving a small sneer at Mark and letting out a little shriek when she saw Kye.

She raced around the counter to him. "Kye?"

He jumped up, a big smile back as he pulled her into a hug without hesitation, not seeming to mind touching her. "Hey, Amber. What are you doing here?"

"Working," she groaned.

"You work here, too?"

"I really do have to go, Daisy," Mark said, catching my attention again. "Are you sure you don't want me to send someone over to check on you soon?"

"No, I would like you to stop suggesting it and let me work."

"Okay, okay, be careful. I will call you later," he whispered, but I was already back to listening to Amber and Kye. He leaned over, kissing my cheek, and I knew they turned red immediately. Kye had watched the entire thing and somehow, Mark's lips on me felt wrong in front of him.

I shook my head again. No. I was dating Mark. I mean, kind of dating him. Kye being here didn't change that, and nothing was going on between us. I couldn't expect there to ever be anything between us again. He left. He drove away and didn't talk to me for six years. That wasn't the type of guy I could have a stable life with, right?

"No, not lately," Amber said, but I hadn't caught the question Kye had asked.

"Well, call me if you need to or call me if you need help with the boys," Kye said.

Amber nodded with a bright smile, but I wanted to know what she would be calling him about her needs. What needs could she possibly have that Kye would help with?

She walked back over to me, and I was already glaring at her. "I can't believe Kye was back, and you didn't tell me."

"Daze has been too busy running around for a wedding and probably trying to avoid me. It's basically a full-time job," Kye said.

"I'm not avoiding you."

"I said you were trying to, not that you were succeeding." He was smiling now, those two ridiculously cute dimples coming out.

"Here's your milkshake. The food will be out in a second. I have to go help a table."

"I will be waiting. Is it just you two working?"

"Aside from the cook today, yes."

"And where's Bailey?"

"Preschool for another hour, and then she'll be here with me until I'm done."

"What? You bring the wild child to work?"

I huffed. "Well, it isn't easy, but yes, I have to. I would spend more on a babysitter than I made working half the time. Thanks for the judgment, though."

"No, I didn't mean it like that. Why don't I get her? Can you call and let them know I will pick her up?"

"I mean, I can, but you don't have to. You know she's a handful."

"And she shouldn't be sitting still for hours before bed. I'll run laps around the house with her or something. Trust me, I can keep up. Come on, Daze, you know I can handle her just fine, and it would help you both. Plus, it would give me a really great reason to be at your house waiting for you when you get home because the only other reasons I can think of range from stalker to weirdo."

"Seriously?"

"About the stalker part? I mean, yeah, I couldn't think of a way to show up that wouldn't sound weird."

"No, about the Bailey part," I said with a laugh. "But we can circle back to that."

"Oh, of course. I've seen her energy, and I know what I'm signing up for. I have nothing to do tonight, so at least I'll have someone fun to hang out with."

"And if you get overwhelmed or annoyed, you will bring her here?"

"I'll stop by before we head home and yes, I will, but I will not be overwhelmed and bring her here. I can handle one child, Daze."

"If you're sure, then okay, that would be great. She hates sitting here."

"I do not blame her. Sitting for hours with nothing to do is also my own form of torture." Amber handed him his food. "I'm eating this here now and heading over to get her. Wait, can she ride a bike?"

"Kind of. She's getting better, but her bike is at my house."

"No, that's fine. I'll go buy us both one. And a helmet. Does she have boots? You know what, I'll get them because I've met her."

"Kye, take a breath. You don't have to go buy that stuff. We have it at home." He was talking faster, apparently getting more excited, and it was only making me melt.

"No, it's fine. You don't have to worry about it. I'm going to eat quick."

I walked away, needing to help other tables and maybe distance myself from the scary-looking racer that was currently falling apart for my kid.

Ten minutes later, he jumped up and came back to the counter. "Did you call?"

"Yeah, you're good to go."

"Perfect, I have to go—" He looked me over and narrowed his eyes. "Run an errand before I get her."

"You're going to the bike shop, aren't you?" I asked with a smile.

"Maybe." He pulled out his wallet as Amber walked around to my side.

"Best waitresses in the world," he said loudly. "I've never had this level of service."

"Kye," I hissed with a laugh. "Quiet."

"I can't help it. Everything about this was perfect." He shoved money into the tip jar. Lots of money, like multiple hundred dollar bills. "I will definitely be back."

"Yes," I hissed more. "In, like, twenty minutes with Bailey. Stop that!" I said, slapping his hand as he put another one in.

"I will if you won't be mad when we show up with new bikes," he said with a laugh.

"You don't need to?—"

He shoved two more in.

"Fine! I won't be mad. Just take all that back out if you're buying her a bike."

He smiled. "No. See you soon." He nearly ran out the front as Amber looked at the tip jar. She had become my best friend when we lived together in college. She was the one person who helped me every step after Kye left, and was possibly the only reason I ever graduated. Even now, she was still my best friend, but I was currently fuming at her sudden closeness with Kye. She seemed more comfortable with him now than I felt.

"Shit," she said, looking into the tip jar. "He's sneaky."

"What does that mean? He did it right in front of our faces."

"I just told him I needed to make extra money for my boys' sports equipment," she said. "I think I said, like, four hundred dollars and look, four hundred dollars. I magically have enough to get their equipment."

"He didn't."

"Pretty sure he did. I'm not surprised, though. After Lane left, Kye stopped over a few months later and helped me with a ton of stuff. Including getting the boys' beds bought and built. There was so much to do and I just couldn't manage."

"You never told me that. I would have helped you!"

"I didn't think you'd want to know about Kye, I mean, and I really didn't want you to think I was sleeping with him or something. I know how possessive you've always been of him." I went to protest, but she stopped me. "Babe, I don't blame you, I'm just saying. It was nice to have someone that helped without wanting anything or telling me sorry that Lane walked out on you a million times. He came, helped, and I haven't seen him since. Now, though, he basically hands me the money I need. I wish you didn't already have your claws in him because damn, he's still hot, too. And god, that bit of edge he has still? Like you know that man is good in bed."

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to say how much I agreed. "You have apparently talked to him more in the past six years than me. How do I have my claws in him?"

"Pretty sure you've had those claws in him since you met him. And I'm also pretty sure he's not trying to remove them. Plus, he just went to pick up your kid, so we get to see how that plays out now."

She moved to hand me half of the money, but I shook my head. "No thanks, that was for you. I'm good right now."

Another hour went by and I started to worry.

I had looked out the window every minute for the past fifteen. He should already have picked her up, and if they were biking here, they should make it here any minute now. Then again, she wasn't great on a bike, so he might end up carrying both of them.

I looked up again, and this time I saw them. Kye was on a dirtbike, riding with his front tire off the ground next to Bailey as she rode on a smaller one with two little training wheels, and she was laughing hysterically. Then he got off, pulling her and her front wheel up and holding it to let her ride around in a wheelie as she yelled in joy.

Amber came over, looking out with me.

"Well, I take back what I said. I'm starting to not care if you have your claws in him. I might just shoot my shot."

" Amber, " I said, glaring at her.

"Almost kidding. Go talk to your new babysitter before that group of women over there starts lining up to have his babies."

I looked at the group, who were smiling and whispering to each other as they watched Kye out the window.

I walked out, worried about how bad I wanted to be at the front of that line suddenly.

"You said bikes, Kye, not dirtbikes!" I yelled as he shut his off. My heart was racing, and I wasn't sure if it was from the anxiety of Bailey on a little dirt bike or the fact that I wanted to jump Kye and kiss him for being so sweet.

"I didn't clarify? My bad," he said, giving me that smile. The one showing that he knew he was in trouble, but thought he was sweet enough to get out of it.

And he was right.

"You seriously bought her new everything?"

"Yes, and she loves it, so you better not yell at me in front of her."

"I didn't doubt that she would love it, but you didn't have to do that."

"Obviously. Consider it an early Christmas present."

"It's June."

"Then consider it an early, or late, birthday present. When is her birthday?"

"Next month. The 23rd."

"There you go. Happy early birthday to her."

I only shook my head and watched as she drove in little circles. "As much as I would like to hang out, I still have to work, and I suggest you two move along home because the women inside are deciding who gets to be in line first to have your babies."

His eyebrows shot up, looking around me to the diner. I didn't even need to turn back to know that the group of women was still looking out here.

"Where does the line start?" he asked.

"I'm assuming they would have to trip over each other to line up in front of you wherever, but I'm not sure of the rules."

He rolled over on the dirtbike until he was right in front of me.

"Well, look at that, Daze. Looks like you're first," he said, smiling up at the women with a wave.

They waved back, and I turned to him.

"Funny."

"Do you come home with me now to get that done? Or just go behind the building? I can try to make it romantic either way, or go get a milkshake if you feel like getting wild." His eyebrows jumped, and he smiled.

Well, damn.

Younger Kye was hot. All the reckless, unruly energy he had, the way he had been so obsessed with me.

Grown Kye was worse, though. That same recklessness was there, but now he was a little more free somehow. Funnier, sweeter, caring. Calmer in a dangerous way.

And I suddenly knew that he meant every word. I was worried that if I asked, Kye would figure out how to do exactly that.

I really wanted to ask.

"Stop talking. Please , stop talking," I said, needing to get away from him before I took him up on that offer. I hadn't stopped wondering if Kye could affect me the way he used to. So far, even him being close to me was turning me on, but I knew that every time I had touched him was worse.

It made me wonder if he felt the same or if the wild way he liked touching me had disappeared like he had thought it would.

"Go ride your bikes and try not to get worn out before she does."

Instead of dwelling on those thoughts more, I kissed Bailey and told her to behave.

"You, too, Kye. Behave."

"I always try to behave."

"Right, try being the keyword there. You both try to behave. I'll be home in a few hours. Please let there still be a house when I get there."

He nodded, and they took off, Bailey hitting the gas and the little bike speeding up the slightest bit. It couldn't be going any faster than a peddle bike, but she had to feel like it was flying. Kye moved alongside her, popping the front of his bike up onto one wheel again and watching as Bailey tried to do the same, but never making it more than an inch off the ground.

I realized that all I had done with letting Kye babysit was give my Evil Knieval daughter a teacher.