Page 19 of Her Daddies' Everything

“Of what?” she asked.

“You’re unusual.”

“Is it a bad thing?” she asked.

“Dunno. Sometimes it’s bad to stand out in a crowd. Sometimes, it’s the only way you feel alive.”

“I like you, NOYB,” she declared, kicking her feet back and forth. “You gonna be here a lot?”

She’d come here feeling down after Lauren’s ‘chat.’ But now that she’d made a new friend, she was feeling better.

“Dev.”

“Huh?” she asked.

“My name is Dev. And no, don’t plan on coming here again.”

She sighed. “Too bad.”

He grunted. “Why do you look sad?”

“No reason.”

“Bad life?” he asked.

“No, I’ve got a great life. A wonderful family. A good job. Nice place to live. Plenty of food. Good healthcare.”

“What’s the problem then?”

Nothing. Absolutely nothing in her life was a problem. It was time to stop feeling sorry for herself when her life was charmed.

“Nothing is the problem.” She smiled wide. “It’s just that I have to change my mindset from wanting something I can’t have to being grateful about everything I do have.”

It was going to hurt. She’d loved him for so long. First, as a friend, then as something more. But she’d never want to harm him or get in his way. And she certainly didn’t want to ruin the relationship that they had now.

“Everyone wants something they can’t have. It’s the human way.”

“Well, I’m going to stop or learn to hide it better. I don’t know. But I lead a charmed life and I should be grateful for it, not sad about what I don’t have.”

He grunted again, getting off his stool. “Gotta go.”

“Sure I won’t see you again?” she called out.

“No!”

“Nice chat, then. Have a great life!”

People around turned to stare and she smiled and waved. “Hi! Sorry, didn’t mean to be so loud.”

“It’s not your loudness,” Amos told her. “It’s the fact that you’re smiling. People in here don’t smile.”

“Right. Sorry.” She attempted a frown. “Better?”

Amos just stared at her. “No.”

“You really do need some sleep. You’re quite cranky.”

“This is the way I always am.” He moved along the bar to another customer, and she took another sip of soda.

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