A Curvy Girl for the Cadet: A Perfect Fit Novella (13 page)

“Okay. Have a seat and you will be served shortly.” She dished out two hearty spoonful’s as he took his seat at the head of the table.

She set it in front of him, and for a moment he was unsure if he really wanted to go through with it, but then he looked at Aubrey, who looked so damn hopeful that he knew he couldn’t back out.

“You don’t have to do this.” Daisy whispered in his ear. “I could sneeze in it. Or knock the tray on the floor.”

He shook his head. He had eaten grosser stuff in his army days. He dug his spoon in and took a big bite.

“How is it?” Daisy asked him as he chewed.

“He likes it, Mama!”

“I do.” He went in for another spoonful. It was creamy, sweet, buttery and a little bit salty at the same time. The crunch of the graham cracker crust was a good balance with the soft macaroni. He wasn’t lying. He did like it. “Good pick, Aubrey.” He quickly ruffled her hair before he went in for more.

Daisy bent to kiss his cheek, but he turned his head so that his lips brushed against hers. He kissed her softly, a little longer than he should, a little bit more intimately than he should have in front of a child, but he couldn’t help himself.

Every moment he spent with her made him want to be with her even more. And he knew that was a dangerous thing, because he knew one day he would leave her.

Chapter 12

Daisy looked in her closet for the perfect thing to wear that evening.

What did one wear to have dinner with the parents of her fake fiancé?

Fake.

She had to remember that. Remember that none of this was real. That Clayton was just going along with this because he was trying to help her. But she looked down at the ring he gave her. The one that was perfect. That one that was thoughtful, and sweet, and her favorite piece of jewelry that anyone had ever given her even though it was fake. She thought about how it felt when he came home after work and ate dinner with them and helped her do the dishes and hugged Aubrey goodnight. She thought about how it felt when he slept beside her. He felt like somebody she could lean on, and depend on, and talk to. He felt real. Like he really wanted to marry her. But she knew that wasn’t true. She knew she couldn’t let her heart fool her brain into thinking that.

He was leaving. He had told her so.

It would be stupid to fall in love with him.

So she wasn’t going to. Or at least she was going to try not to.

“Wear the blue and white one, Mama.” She turned to see that Aubrey was standing a few feet behind her, already ready to go in a pretty purple sundress with tiny white flowers printed on it.

“The blue and white one?” She pulled the 50s style color block sundress that she got at
Size Me Up,
the store Maggie managed, and held it up to her. “You think so.”

“You look like a pretty lady in that dress.”

“Only in this dress? What do I look like normally?”

“You’re always pretty, Mama. But this dress makes you look like a lady.”

It wasn’t something she typically wore. She liked bold prints and colors and wearing concert tee-shirts and jeans with holes in them. She liked mixing and matching things that might not normally go together and standing out in a crowd instead of fitting in. She didn’t want to look like anyone else. “Does it bother you that I don’t look like your friends’ mothers?”

“They think you are cool,” she said softly.

“Your friends?”

“Yes.”

“But you didn’t answer my question. Does it bother you?”

“You’re different. You aren’t my mother, but you are my mama and you dress the way a mama should. I don’t want you to change.”

“Okay, Cookie,” she said feeling touched. “Help me get dressed. We’ve got to get going.”

Fifteen minutes later Daisy walked out of her front door to see Clayton standing on her porch. His face was blank but she could tell he was annoyed. He hadn’t known about the dinner till Daisy had informed him. His mother, Betty, had come by her flower shop and invited them all over to her ex-husband’s house. Daisy thought Clayton had spoken to his mother about it, but when she called to ask what to bring he was surprised and that surprise turned to quiet anger. She had liked Clay’s parents immediately when she had met them, but there was obviously some deep rooted issues with them. She hated to think that Clayton was going to be uncomfortable all evening but she couldn’t say no to Mrs. Calhoun. But maybe she should have. It would have been much easier when things ended if they thought she was a rude bitch. Then there would be relief rather than disappointment.

“You both look very beautiful this evening.”

“Thank you,” both she and Aubrey said in unison. Aubrey left her side and wrapped her small arms around Clayton’s middle.

“Don’t be sad. It’s just dinner.”

“You think I’m sad?” Clayton gently smoothed his hand down Aubrey’s hair.

“I think you’re sad. I don’t like it.”

“You don’t?” He picked her up and squeezed her, kissing the side of her face. “Okay, kid. I’m not sad anymore. You cured me.”

Aubrey grinned at him. Her grins were coming easier lately which made Daisy incredibly happy and incredibly apprehensive at the same time. She didn’t want her kid hurt, but she was afraid that it might be too late.

She watched as Clayton put her down and stepped toward her. “I missed you today.” He told her as he wrapped his arms around her.

This man.

Her heart.

It was going to be impossible not to fall in love with him.

She rested her head on his shoulder. “You want me to call and cancel?”

“Yes, but I’m not going to let you.”

“Should I be a real bitch then? Make them totally hate my stinking guts.”

“I don’t want you to be anything else but who you are.” He kissed her mouth softly, before he moved his lips to her ear. “I’m loving you in this dress, baby. You’re every housewife fantasy I’ve ever had rolled into one. All you need is a string of pearls. The only thing I would like to see you in is a string of pearls.”

“Clay…” He made her blush. He was the only one who could make her do so.

“My new grandparents are here.” Aubrey tugged at her hand.

“Oh. Are they?” She lifted her head to see that they were walking towards them. She hadn’t heard the car pull up, she had been that preoccupied with Clayton.

He let her go, but not for long. He grabbed her hand, slipping his fingers through hers as they walked towards them. “You weren’t expecting them tonight, were you?”

“No. We didn’t make plans for this evening.”

“Hello, Senator and Mrs. Scott,” he said formally. “How are you this evening?”

“We’re doing very well thank you.” The senator looked at Aubrey and smiled at her. “We know we didn’t call ahead, but we just learned that there is a little carnival on the green and we wanted to know if we could take Aubrey there after we take her to dinner. Our housekeeper has mailed some pictures to us. We would like to tell you about your father some more.”

“Oh. No thank you,” Aubrey said politely, even before Daisy had the chance to say anything.

“No thank you?”

“We have plans.” She slipped her small hand into Clayton’s. “Mr. Calhoun is going to be my papa now. I have to get to know his family, but thank you for inviting me.”

Aubrey wanted Clayton to be her father. Daisy should have seen this coming, but it was too late. She was already in too deep.

*

Clayton’s childhood home looked sweet from the outside when they pulled up. There were little flowerboxes on the window sills and a classic Chevy parked in the garage. It made Daisy wonder about his childhood here. She could almost see him riding his bike around the cul-de-sac and climbing the big oak tree in the front yard. But she knew he hadn’t grown up that happy. It must be tough to be here, to come back, to be faced with all the invading bad memories. It was no surprise that he wanted to leave Durant. Just to escape his past.

“I hope your brother-in-law brought cake or pie or cookies or something I can feel bad about eating too much of later.”

“I’m sure there will be a cake and some form of pig and a special mixed cocktail just for the occasion.”

“A pig?” She looked at him as he opened his door and went around to her side to open hers.

“My mother’s boyfriend is a butcher. My father fancies himself a bartender. Specializes in fruity drinks.” He opened Aubrey’s door and helped her out before grabbing the large paper bag that was on the seat next to her.

“Really? I’m more of a beer girl myself.”

“I know. Look in the bag.”

She did to see her favorite spiced beer, the kind that they only sold in one store locally that was two towns over. The kind of beer she only mentioned to him once in passing. He had to go out of his way to get it. He went out of his way to get it because he knew she liked it. “I can’t believe you got this for me.”

She looked up into those gorgeous icy eyes of his that she couldn’t read half the time, but knew there was something there. With the way he looked at her she knew there had to be something more there. “I didn’t get it for you. I got it for me. I wanted to try it. So I picked some up. You can have some if you want.”

“You’re a liar, Clayton Calhoun. You’re sweet. You just try to hide it behind all your macho warrior-ness.”

“Warrior?” He puffed out his chest. “I like the sound of that. And I’m not sweet. Army Rangers aren’t sweet. They like war and beer and stuff.”

“I know they do, sweetie pie.” She pecked his cheek as the front door opened and his father appeared wearing a kiss the cook apron.

“Hey, kids! Come on in.”

*

The whole gang was there, Clayton saw as he walked into his childhood home. Gordon, his mother’s boyfriend, was talking to Maggie. Alex was beside her with his arm protectively wrapped around her shoulder. His mother was deep in conversation with his father’s girlfriend, Tina. His father’s
older
girlfriend, who was probably one of the hottest sixty-five-year-olds on the planet with her leather skirt and fiery short red hair. He couldn’t deny that his father had excellent taste in women, but still her presence there seemed wrong. Gordon’s presence in their family home seemed wrong even though he liked the guy very much.

He was glad he didn’t have to walk in alone tonight, unlike every other time he had a family function. Maggie had Alex. His parents had their partners. He always felt like the odd man out. But now Daisy was at his side, the warmth of her body combined with the scent of sweet flowers calmed him. And there was Aubrey who slipped her little hand in his and looked up at him as if he was her protector. In a way he was. Or at least he felt like he was. He felt protective of both of them, like they were his tiny unit.

They felt like his family, even though it was fake and this whole charade would end when the summer was over.

He didn’t want to think about that. Or how it would end. He didn’t want to think about the future, just like when he was in the army he only wanted to think about getting through each day.

“My brother is here!” Maggie waddled over to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. He hugged her back the best he could with a bag in one hand and Aubrey’s fingers locked with his. “And this little gorgeous thing must be Aubrey. How are you, Aubrey? I’m Clayton’s sister, Maggie.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Aubrey extended her hand to shake, just like any polite adult would, but she didn’t step away from Clayton’s side. She was never afraid to speak up when she had something to say, but Clayton could sense a little shyness in her.

“She looks exactly like you, Daisy. It’s amazing.”

“She looks like me, but acts like Jane. It’s weird how genetics work.”

“Tell me about it. I managed to get all the brains and beauty, but poor Clayton here is rather dim, and quite homely.” She winked at him.

The rest of his family made their way over to greet Daisy and introduce themselves to Aubrey. Gordon congratulated him on his upcoming marriage by slapping him on the back. “I could supply the beef for the reception. Beautiful filet mignons. Or if you want to do one of those rustic shindigs, we could do a big beef brisket. With my special barbeque sauce. Oh, and some grilled chicken. I know a guy who can get me the freshest free range chicken you’ll ever have the pleasure of putting in your mouth.”

“Gordon is a butcher,” Clayton said for Daisy’s benefit. “Although, with the way he’s talking, he sounds more like a caterer.”

“I’m glad he brought it up, Clay,” his mother said. “What are you thinking about for your wedding, Daisy? Do you have a time of year, or the type of wedding you want in mind?”

“No.” Daisy shook her head. “It’s too soon. We just got engaged. I want to be Clay’s fiancé for a while. I didn’t get the chance the last time. I got married on a whim in Vegas.”

“I got married in Vegas too, dear. It was such fun!”

“What?” Both Clay and Maggie said at the same time.

“We did.” His father wrapped his arm around his ex-wife which seemed the right and wrong thing to do at the same time. When Clayton was a kid he longed to see his parents share casual affection like that. They never had. But now his father’s arm was wrapped around her and he was looking down at the woman he seemed so angry at for years with love in his eyes.

Love.

Now when they were divorced. Now when it was too late. “I asked your grandfather for your mother’s hand. He said no. She was only eighteen at the time, but she was the prettiest damn eighteen-year-old on the planet and I knew I had to have her as my wife. So we snuck away to Vegas. There was really nothing your grandfather could do after that.”

“But I saw your wedding pictures, Mom. I saw the church and grandma crying and your sisters in those God awful mint green dresses.”

“I know. We had to do it all over again for the families. Your grandmother refused to get out of bed until we agreed to. Threatened to die of heart failure if she couldn’t see me walk down the aisle. That woman always knew how to guilt me. Your father was a trooper. Didn’t bat a lash when the guest list exploded to two hundred.”

“I was glad to stand at the altar again, because I wanted to see you walk towards me again.”

“Aren’t you sweet, dear?” Betty smiled up at her former husband and patted his cheek.

Clayton said nothing, but felt a knot growing in his stomach. His parents were unbelievable.

“Maggie and I would be happy to help you plan, Daisy. We’re both so excited that Clayton has finally decided to settle down. You must be something special.”