Page 27 of Chasing I Do
Today, the slick sales guy had traded in the slacks for a pair of worn blue jeans, a rock band tee, and a day’s worth of scruff. He looked warm and approachable, and like he’d really listened to her concerns and, most importantly, taken them to heart.
But what had her releasing a warm sigh was a ball cap. A simple, faded ball cap that was pulled low, the bill curved like he’d been worrying it with his palm. Darcy had given it to him on his birthday, years ago.
He hadn’t tossed it or burned it. He’d kept it, and that had to mean something. Something that gave her hope she’d made the right decision, and today would indeed be perfect.
“That he is,” Darcy said with a smile, helping Kylie out of the car. She took her hands as they crossed the street.
“Do you think he knows how to twirl?” Kylie whispered, her voice animated with excitement. “‘Cuz I brought my veil, just in case he wants to learn. Sometimes a twirl comes in handy.”
Darcy bit back a smile. “That was smart of you. You never know when you’ll need a veil.”
Kylie stepped up on the curb and then paused to look back wistfully at the car. “I should have brought my tutu.”
Darcy wasn’t the only one struggling with nerves. Ever since she’d explained that Gage was her uncle, Kylie had been looking through her Daddy Photo Album, and asking all kinds of questions. Where Gage lived, how old his dog was, if he was free for Christmas dinner, and if he liked cake as much as they did.
With Darcy’s dad unknown, and her mom passing before Kylie was born, her daughter had never met any relatives. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, because it also meant that Kylie didn’t know deep disappointment.
Darcy had made a wonderful group of friends, who’d rallied around them, but at holiday time it was always just Kylie and Darcy. Which had been enough for Darcy, but it was clear that Kylie was ready to expand their circle.
“Maybe next time,” Darcy said optimistically, hoping for Kylie’s sake there would be a next time.
“He brought the dog,” Kylie squealed, dropping Darcy’s hand so she could wave the beanbag excitedly at the white ball of excitement. Fancy took one look at the “pillow” and went bridezilla, barking and tugging at his leash to get free—and get the pillow.
“He likes it! He likes it!” Kylie tugged on Darcy’s dress, which was cute enough for this monumental day, but not so dressy that it gave off a business vibe. This afternoon was about Kylie, about making friendships, not the wedding.
In fact, Darcy had told Gage to have Stephanie or Rhett contact her about the wedding. It was her way of keeping things simple. Making sure one relationship didn’t interfere with the forward momentum of the other. Now that she’d decided to let Kylie and Gage meet, Darcy was committed to making this work. And introducing the elevated emotions of a wedding into an already fragile situation wasn’t a smart move.
Darcy was determined to be smart about this, so she’d broken up the day. A quiet afternoon at the park with Gage and Kylie, then a late cake tasting with the couple of the hour back at Belle Mont House.
“I see that,” Darcy said. “Why don’t you run over and say hi. His name is Fancy.”
“Fancy!” Kylie’s feet picked up pace the second they hit the grass. She didn’t slow down until she was sitting on the bench with the dog in her lap. “Mommy said you might bring Fancy, so I brought this to play fetch. Does he play fetch? Because our old neighbor Ms. Kent had a dog and he didn’t like to play, but he was okay with pets. Does Fancy like pets?” Kylie said in one long breath with no pauses, her voice elevating with each word.
Gage sat speechless, taking in hurricane Kylie, with a look of complete shock. Maybe awe was a better word, because beneath the amazement was so much adoration Darcy could feel it. He was taking an inventory, putting every single feature and moment to memory, storing it for a rainy day.
“Mister?” Kylie turned those baby blues Gage’s way. “Did you hear me?”
“Yeah Tiny, I heard you.” He reached out to ruffle Kylie’s hair, but his gaze landed on Darcy—heartfelt and full of gratitude. “And I don’t know. He’s not my dog, he belongs to a friend. But I do know that he likes to play dress up.”
“I like to play dress up too!”
“I figured. So, instead of getting Fancy dressed, I brought along all of his clothes. Maybe you could help me get him ready?”
“Do you have a tutu?”
“You know what, I just might.” Gage opened his briefcase, and instead of contracts and files, it was filled with dog clothes. Feminine, frilly, couture critter wear that put Darcy’s dress to shame. “Take a look in there and see if there isn’t something you like.”
“There’s a higher chance that we’ll be here all day while she puts Fancy in each and every one that shedoeslike,” Darcy laughed. “That Marry Poppins briefcase of yours is every little girl’s fantasy for dress up.”
“Does that apply to mothers of little girls, too?”
“What?” Darcy jerked her gaze north, away from the way his soft tee stretched across his chest.
Not that staring at his lips was any better, but that’s where her gaze hung. She’d like to think it was because he was smiling, but she had a feeling it had more to do with how kissable that smile was.
“Dress up?” he said. “Is that a mother’s fantasy too?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
