On about sixteen levels, not the least of which was that I’d packed fresh condoms in my wallet. Which might have also made me ridiculous, since Macy and I had barely kissed a couple of times yet I already thought—hoped—it was time to level up.
“Yeah, but we do the hayride together.” Dani’s chin wobbled as she reached down to itch under the edge of the bandage around her ankle, kicking up my guilt to the max.
“We’ll go twice. Maybe even three times. You know how the first night usually sucks. Remember that time Mr. Ronson couldn’t even get his chainsaw working?”
She giggled. “Yeah. But it was funny.”
“Macy won’t find it funny. She’ll get pissed. Maybe I should call Sheriff Brooks and have him on standby.” I was only half joking.
“I could come and help calm her down.” Dani’s big green eyes lifted to mine hopefully. “She likes me. Everyone likes the cute kid.”
I had to laugh as I ruffled her hair, even knowing she hated it. Some habits wouldn’t die no matter what. “And the modest one too. Thanks for the offer, but you better hang with Grumps tonight. He’s back on the road tomorrow and he’ll be gone, what is it now?”
“Three weeks, give or take.” My dad folded up his newspaper and looked at Dani over his reading glasses. “Sure you aren’t ready to travel the States with me, Ginger Snap? Think of all the fun we could have.”
He was only kidding, but I still narrowed my eyes. Danielle was an impressionable kid, and I really didn’t need her deciding a life riding around in a truck all day making long-haul deliveries was more interesting than going to school. And interfering in her Dad’s love life, which actually wasn’t going too badly now that the hungry women had stopped circling.
At least Macy and I were kissing, with an option for condoms. Possibly, by the year 2023.
“No, I have to get all As to get into college.” Dani resumed coloring. “But you can buy me stuff, like from where you go.”
“Oh, can I now?”
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
I shook my head and looked down at my clothes again. “Fine, I’ll change my shirt.”
They exchanged a glance as I shed my jacket and went back upstairs to my bedroom. It wasn’t as if my dresser drawers held a ton of other options. I owned a couple of pairs of sweats and more jeans just like these, plus a black pair. Shirts-wise, most were plain white like the ones I wore to work. I did have a couple of concert tees, most of which hadn’t seen wear since I’d last been to a concert about five years ago.
How pathetic was that?
I swapped my jeans for my black ones and my white shirt for a vintage Poison shirt that I’d had forever. Poison wasn’t even cool anymore. Had they ever been cool? I wasn’t sure. But it had to be better than wearing my work uniform on a date.
My dad had been right. As usual.
When I came back downstairs, Dad was sitting beside Dani on the couch, and she was curled into his side under the glow of the adjacent lamp. He was reading her a story, something about big trucks and ice demons. You know, your standard fare for an eight-year-old who had zero interest in fairies or princesses or handsome princes.
Thank God.
“Better?” I held out my arms wide.
“Yes,” my dad said. “Though you should really try to improve your taste in music. What about The Beatles?”
Dani cocked her head. “Poison? Like to kill you? What a stupid name for a band.”
I lowered my arms and grabbed my jacket off the chair. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys.” I
came over to Dani and kissed the top of her head before doing the same to my dad, mainly to make Dani laugh. “Wish me luck.”
“Break a leg,” Dani said seriously. “Though even a sprain hurts super bad, so I’m not sure a date is worth it. Also, can you bring me home a caramel apple?”
“Sure thing.”
With that, I was off to Macy’s, after giving my father a slew of assurances I wouldn’t be late picking up Dani because he had to be up bright and early the next day. As if I didn’t. Normally, Sundays were the one day I slept in then made breakfast with the kid, but the crew was behind on The Haunt after the clusterfuck of the last week. It was hard to keep to a schedule when your team had to constantly duck and weave due to single women wanting to snag a DILF.
Who knew?
I hit the open road in my truck and turned up the radio. It was a nice night, already chilly and would get chillier as the evening progressed. I could practically smell fall in the air and in the crunch of leaves under my tires. I wasn’t one to rush summer along, especially considering how far behind schedule we were on the restaurant, but I couldn’t deny that autumn brought with it a surge of new possibilities.