Quinn
Oh no…
Carly
Jax!
Kye
I will see you guys in an hour.
I pushed the phone back into my pocket and grabbed my bag. I had only been gone for a week this time, so I didn’t have much with me. This week, I had gone to Georgia for a race event with Holt, but ended up staying a few extra days for a drift event. Usually, it wouldn’t be an issue, but it meant I was cutting it a little close getting back today.
Now I had a week off for Scout’s wedding, another week of being home, and then a few races and events planned after that. It was non-stop, and exactly the way I liked it.
My life was racing and events. From plane to car, and back to the plane, just to go to a new place with a new car. Holt used me in every area of his business that he could, and I never took it for granted. He gave me everything I wanted for my career, and in return I worked my ass off to be the head of all his drift and stunt areas of his company, while trying to add anything else I could manage.
I pushed my hat back on and found my car in the parking lot. Home was another hour’s drive, but I was heading right to the restaurant, which would add a few more minutes. Hopefully, Scout wouldn’t hate me forever if I made it by the hour mark.
The car flew down the highway as I got lost in thought. I came home pretty often. Sometimes I would be gone for months, sometimes days, but it never mattered.
Every time I crossed the sign letting me know I was back in town, I always thought of one thing.
Daisy.
THIRTY-TWODAISY
My phone rang for the fifth time in a row, and I finally picked up.
“What, Dad? If you couldn’t tell, I’m busy. Hence the not picking up,” I said, my tone already annoyed. Not that I didn’t like my dad, but he always went overboard on everything, and I knew this wouldn’t be any different.
“You’re busy, but it’s my day to see Bailey and you’re ignoring me.”
“Because I told you I have the get together today with my friend for her wedding next weekend.”
“And you can drop Bailey off with me while you go.”
“No, Bailey is friends with all of their kids and wants to go. Which is why I’m even attempting to get her ready to go out. She wants to go, and I like her getting to hang out with kids close in age.”
Between Liam, Fox and Ash’s kid, who was five, and Lily, Jax and Carly’s four-year-old daughter, there was a pack of kids that were quickly becoming inseparable when we got together. It was one of the biggest reasons I started hanging out with the crew again. Now, though, I was best friends with the girls and ended up spending most of my free time with one of them, if not all of them.
My dad was still going on about seeing Bailey. “She’s my granddaughter, Daisy. You know your sister would want me to have more time with her.”
“My sister would understand that her daughter has more of a life than I do and would like her to have friends.”
“Exactly. She’s Willow’s daughter, not yours, and you need to stop acting like you get to make all the decisions for her.”
Red hot anger sliced through me anytime he tried to say Bailey wasn’t mine. “Bailey became my daughter the minute Willow passed, and someone had to take custody of her. I took full custody and as sheriff, I think you understand that means I get to make all the decisions for her.”
“Daisy, you need to bring her here. I—”
“I will bring her to your house tomorrow. For now, I’m going to my friend’s dinner. Goodbye.”
Bailey ran past me, yelling out the same line of a song over and over with her dress already twisted and halfway off. I grabbed the backup clothes I had for her and shoved them in my bag before grabbing her.
“Come on, Bee, we have to go.”
She screeched, and I continued out the door.
Mark pulled into the driveway. The window to his cruiser was down, and I waved as he stopped next to me.
“Thank you so much for the ride,” I said, and he nodded, getting out to help me. “My car will be back from the garage tomorrow, hopefully.”
“Come on, Bailey,” I said as she hesitated. “You get to go see Liam and Lily.” Her head fell to the side, and she gave me a sweet smile.
“Okay, let’s go,” she said, sliding down my side to get into the car. Mark was already putting the car seat in the back and Bailey jumped into it.
Her little crush on Liam was already paying off for me, and she happily got into her car seat and buckled herself in. I tried to tell myself that every month, and every year, was only getting easier. Bailey was becoming more self-sufficient, which I thought would be a relief, but it somehow became a nightmare with how smart she was getting. It didn’t help that she had a wild streak in her I couldn’t contain.
Bailey would never be the girl following her friends jumping off the proverbial bridge. She would be the leader, and I never realized how scary it was for the parent of the leader.
“Really, Mark. I appreciate the ride.”
He smiled, reaching over to pat my hand as he drove. “Anytime. I don’t mind getting to see you two for a few minutes.”
While we’d gone on a couple dates, and while I considered us dating, I still couldn’t bring myself to call Mark my boyfriend. He was sweet, and likable. My dad loved him, and I really had nothing to complain about, but I still hesitated to push the relationship along any faster.
“You work all day?”
