“This time with Daisy wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a short vacation fling, Juliana. Nothing more. Why am I the terrible guy suddenly? She came to a singles resort in the Caribbean. Did she really expect to meet the man of her dreams here and live happily ever after? That’s like going to a club every weekend thinking the men are just waiting for their true love to walk through the door. It’s ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous or not, you’ve never spent more than a night or two with the same woman. You’ve never asked about her life, what she’s passionate about, or anything else remotely resembling a genuine interest in her as a person. Even if it wasn’t supposed to be more, it is more. What’s so different about Daisy?”
With a heavy sigh, I reply with the first thing that pops into my head. “Everything.”
She covers a giggle with a fake cough. “Can you be a little more specific?”
“All the usual characteristics you’d imagine. She’s beautiful, smoking body, sassy mouth. She’s also funny and thoughtful and genuine. She helps underprivileged kids every summer. She spends her time gathering corporate sponsors to give these kids a fighting chance, even though she doesn’t have much herself. She has enough backbone to call me on my shit and she makes me want to protect her at the same time. Something about her is so familiar, I feel as if I’ve known her forever. But she does not know who I am or how much my company is worth. It’s refreshing.”
“Big brother, I don’t know how you could ask for a better sign from the universe that you two belong together. Everyone isn’t after your money, Rod. If she was a heartless gold digger, you would’ve figured that out already. You haven’t told me anything that would make her seem like that type, though.”
“I don’t think she is. We had a run-in with one woman who recognized me and wanted to sink her claws in for the kill. If Daisy’s lying, she deserves an Oscar for her performance.”
“How about you try the opposite of your usual approach this time? Try trusting her until she gives you a reason not to, but not a second before then.”
“It’s not a matter of trust—”
“The hell it’s not. You don’t trust anyone enough to keep them around. You have Kevin, Isabelle, and me. I’m not counting Hunter and Jace. They’re hopeless cases. There’s no one else in your life. Take it from me, finding someone you love and who loves you back is a veritable miracle. Don’t make the mistake of thinking she’ll always be there, waiting for you to decide.”
“I hate it when you’re right.”
She laughs out loud. “Yeah, I know you do, but get used to it. I know what I’m talking about. Worrying about you being sad and alone keeps me up at night, Rod. You deserve to be happy. You won’t make the same mistakes he made.”
She doesn’t have to define who “he” is. We both know all too well.
“You shouldn’t lose a wink of sleep over me, baby girl. I’ll be fine. Besides, maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill. We have a couple of days left here, but she hasn’t mentioned continuing anything once we leave. She may not have any desire to see me again.”
“Don’t start making up excuses to hit the self-destruct button, Rod. Please. For me. Just this once—let it ride and see where the chips fall on their own.”
“Damn, you know me far too well. I need to change up my tactics to keep you on your toes.”
“Go get the girl, big brother. Don’t come home without her.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Hey, before I forget, Isabelle and I are staying at your house for a few nights while you’re gone. Your house is closer to her school than mine. I can forward my work phone line to your house since I’m eyeball deep on a big project. It’ll be the munchkin and me when you get texts from your alarm company, so don’t worry.”
“That’s fine with me, you know that. Make yourselves at home.”
We chat for a few more minutes about what she and Isabelle have been doing since I’ve been away before we disconnect. Then I stay planted on the beach, watching couples frolic in the water or families build sandcastles. Regret fills me, flooding my senses, when I think about the hundreds of millions I’ve made, the days, nights, and weekends I’ve spent working, and the time I’ve lost with my family along the way.
In the years since my business took off, we could’ve had annual family vacations and seen the world. Instead, I dedicated my life to the almighty dollar, even after I’d made more than enough to sustain us. Dissecting my reasons will take more time and effort than I’m willing to waste this morning, but I have a sneaking suspicion this won’t be the last time it comes up.
My jog back to the resort is slower than the race I ran getting away from it, but I have more time to think about what both Kevin and Juliana said. Their depiction of me is eerily similar, too much to consider it a coincidence. In the late hours of the night while Daisy was in my arms, we talked about so many things and I’ve gotten to know her much better than I ever planned. When she asked questions about my life, I found ways to steer the question back around to her instead.
If she has noticed my tight-lipped nature, she hasn’t mentioned it, and I have to wonder why. The thing is, I know how clever and inquisitive she
