Page 7 of Discovering Daisy

She left it at that.

He gave her a thoughtful nod but didn’t press for more.

“You know,” she said, after another drink of sweet tea, “I felt funny pulling into the parking lot of that bar. I didn’t really havea choice, though. But somehow, I just had this feeling inside that told me it was dangerous.”

“You should listen to that feeling. Always,” Wyatt said. “If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut.”

“Sometimes I feel guilty doing that,” she said. “Like I’m judging people.”

“It’s not about judging them,” Wyatt said. “But your safety is more important than anyone’s feelings. Including your own. Even if you feel guilty, trust your gut. Always remember that.”

She tucked that little bit of advice away, hoping she never needed it, but realizing she probably would. The world could sure be a big, scary place. Especially for Littles like her.

She smiled as she realized she was trusting her gut now. She’d known Wyatt was safe from the moment she’d laid eyes on him. There was just something overwhelmingly protective about his presence.

Too bad you’re going to say goodbye soon, Daisy. Because he sure seems like the Daddy you’ve always dreamed of. Right down to that protective nature. And those strong, broad shoulders and that dimpled smile.

She told herself not to focus on saying goodbye and just to live in the moment.

It was a moment she’d always remember.

Chapter Four

Daisy was trying hard not to tear up as she said goodbye to Wyatt.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said.

“There’s no need to,” he said, leaning down with his arms resting on her door, her car window rolled down so they could say goodbye. “But if you want to, you can thank me by texting and letting me know you’ve reached your destination safely. Will you press on today or stop overnight?”

She thought of telling him that she would drive on, as she didn’t have enough money for a hotel, but she didn’t want him to offer her cash.

He probably would.

Besides, six hours wasn’t too long. And they were expecting her tonight.

So, she just said, “I’m going to press on. I need to reach my destination soon and I can still get there by a little after eight.”

“Well, I won’t keep you. But take my number. I’d truly appreciate an update when you get there.”

She eagerly plucked the numbers into her phone and created a new contact.

Mmm. Did this mean she would have more encounters with the sexy farmer beyond a simple text tonight? She had his number now. That might offer a world of possibilities.

She tried not to giggle or appear too excited when he said, “And I’m heading to Florida, too. Who knows. Maybe we’ll be close. If you run into any trouble, give me a shout. I’ll come running.”

“Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”

He simply nodded and stepped back after tapping her door. “Be careful. This isn’t goodbye. See you around, Daisy.”

She waved, carefully backed out, and zipped down the road out of that small town, beyond Valdosta, and to Florida’s blue ocean waters where the Little Star cruise ship was docked, waiting for her and other passengers.

But Wyatt McCall was still on her mind.

And she suspected he would be for a long, long time.

***

Daisy reached Port Everglades just after eight that night, as she’d suspected. She was tired from the day’s events, but also excited about this opportunity.

---