A Dad For Charlie

Wasn’t that just a great big piece of terrific?

She recognized that look in Fletch’s eyes when she mentioned Jasper O’Neill. She’d seen the expression on the face of the detective who had questioned her back in New York. The detective who had decided a kid was guilty simply because of his circumstances and history. The same young man whom Paige had gone out of her way to help.

Paige bit the inside of her cheek. Until now she’d thought Fletcher Bradley to be one of the most charming...and honorable men she’d ever met. Open, friendly, honest. Sticking her nose into a situation only to come up against him?

Paige clenched her fists around her bouquet.

Boy, she’d really stepped in it this time. She’d promised Willa and Nina. Following through meant dealing with Fletcher. Somehow she’d have to find a way to make that work and still stay under his speculative radar.

Did he have to sound so logical? She was an outsider. This really wasn’t any of her business. But if she could make the days just a little easier on Jasper’s mother and sister, how could she not jump into the fray? If Deputy Do-Gooder wasn’t going to be forthcoming with more information, clearly she’d have to find out on her own.

“Take a break, ladies,” the photographer called, motioning to his suddenly silent camera.

“Thank goodness.” Holly Campbell, now Saxon, sagged a bit in her tea-length antique lace wedding gown and massaged her cheeks with her fingers. “I can’t feel my face.” The miniature roses and tiny fabric butterflies woven through her shoulder-length brown hair made the diner owner look like a fairy-tale princess come to life; all that was missing were cartoon birds flying around her head.

The just-married couple gazed at each other in a way that made Paige’s stomach hurt.

She’d given up on happily-ever-after even before Charlie’s father died; her one shot at happiness, and of course Paige had somehow found a way to ensure it completely misfired.

As if her eyes had a mind of their own, she found herself glancing at Fletcher before she ducked her head.

She couldn’t let today be about lamenting the past or the choices she’d made. Today was about Holly and Luke’s future. Listening to the roar of the ocean over the other side of the expansive Pacific cliffs, feeling the barest hint of sea spraying mist on her face, Paige had to admit, the day had been perfect.

“I thought maybe you were hiding in the kitchen with Jason a while ago.” Maid of honor Abby swooped around the bride and wrapped an arm around Paige’s waist. On the short side with tumbling blond curls and a generous, radiant smile, the hotel manager was considered Butterfly Harbor’s personal pixie. “Imagine our surprise when we saw you up on the cliff with Deputy Studly.”

“You did not just call him that.” Paige couldn’t help but consider the moniker appropriate.

“Hey, what’s said between bridesmaids stays between bridesmaids, right, Holly?” Abby blinked wide-eyed innocent eyes at her.

“If you say so,” Holly said before she wandered over to Luke, who slipped his arms around his new wife with as little effort as it took for him to breathe.

“Jason said something about needing a taste tester,” Paige said against the rush of happy tears. “Just be careful you don’t accidentally cook anything while you’re in there.” Abby stuck her tongue out at Paige. Paige chuckled. “Even today you couldn’t drag him out of the kitchen, could you?”

“Jason’s still working on the whole public-interaction side of things. We’re lucky he came to the ceremony. But not to worry. I will acclimate him before our wedding day comes.” Abby leaned her head on Paige’s shoulder as they watched the bride and groom interact. “I’m so happy for her.”

“Me, too.”

“That could be you, you know.” Abby squeezed her arm. “All you have to do is give Fletch the all clear—”

“I’m not interested, Abby.” Even as she said it she found it difficult to pull her gaze away from the entertaining view of Fletch hamming it up with his friends. He always seemed to be having a good time. What it must be like to be so unencumbered. So carefree. “Even if I was—”

“Please.” Abby rolled her eyes in the same irritated manner Charlie had a while ago.

“Even if I was,” Paige repeated as her stomach gave an odd little jump, “he’s not my type.”

“He’s a nice guy, he’s got a steady job and he loves your kid.” Abby looked at Paige as if she’d grown an extra head. “Plus he’s quarterback handsome. How is that not any woman’s type?”

“I don’t date cops.” There it was; she’d used her “don’t talk to me about this anymore” tone. “Please stop pushing this, Abby. Yes, I agree. Fletcher is a great guy, but I’m not looking for anyone.” Paige cleared her throat and eased her expression. She had to keep whatever happened between her and Fletcher completely professional. If she had to tick him off to ensure he kept his distance, so be it. “I’ve got Charlie and my jobs—”

“You work too hard.” Holly joined them while she kept an eagle eye on her son as he and Charlie reappeared in time to dance an awkward jig around the photographer’s assistant. “I assume we’re still talking about Fletcher?”

“How about you bask in your own joy right now and leave me alone?” Paige sighed. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that after a few months she’d feel as if she’d known these two women forever. Not that she was complaining. She’d spent most of her life wanting friends, needing them. Her welcome to Butterfly Harbor only proved what Paige had learned early on: life could indeed turn in the blink of an eye.

“Speaking of joy,” she said to Holly. “When are you guys leaving on your honeymoon?”

“Well, we talked about going to San Francisco in a couple of days, but then we figured since Simon’s got a school break in a few weeks—”

“You’re taking Simon on your honeymoon?” Abby balked. “Honey, I love my godson to death, but he’s a definite mood killer.”

“We were thinking about AdventureWorld.” Holly looked between the two of them. “What? Bad idea?”

“Can’t your dad watch him?” Paige asked before Abby could answer honestly.

“He’s taking off on an RV trip with an old friend.” Holly leaned back to where her father, the former sheriff, was helping Abby’s grandmother up the porch steps into the inn. “He’s really looking forward to his first vacation in years. I can’t ask him to postpone.”

“Leave Simon with me,” Abby volunteered. “My hours are flexible enough now I can work around his school schedule. Besides, Jason would love to give Simon a lesson or two with the pressure cooker.”

“Ten bucks says Simon turns the cooker into a space shuttle,” Paige joked about Holly’s wicked-smart son.

“A weeklong slumber party at your place?” Holly shook her head. “I love you, Abby. Why would I subject you to that?”

“Then I’ll take him when she needs a break,” Paige offered. “Charlie has a trundle bed in her room. I don’t mind.” Not a day went by those two weren’t tied at the hip, anyway.

“It’s settled,” Abby said. “Unless Simon has his heart set on going.”

“We hadn’t told him yet,” Holly admitted with a sly smile.

“Because you were hoping one of your best friends would offer another solution?” Abby nudged Holly with her shoulder. “You’re a tricky one, Holly Saxon.”

Holly’s cheeks turned pink. “I’ll talk to Luke tonight.”

“Talk to him tomorrow,” Paige corrected, her pulse giving a bit of a kick when she caught Fletch watching her. “Why does he do that to me?” She didn’t realize she’d spoken out loud until she found Holly and Abby grinning at her. “What?”

“You only noticed he was looking at you because you were watching him.” Holly touched a hand to one of the flowers in her hair. “I don’t understand why you don’t give him a chance.”

“I’m not asking you to understand,” Paige said as kindly as she could. “I’m just asking you to respect it.”

Paige didn’t take chances. Not anymore. Chances were what got her into trouble; taking a chance was what had her leaving her home in the middle of the night and high-tailing it across the country with her daughter. Charlie was already paying a price for Paige’s lack of judgment. She wasn’t about to add Fletcher Bradley to the mix. Any response she might have given her friends evaporated as the photographer waved them over.

Charlie’s laugh eased the tension racing through Paige as the assistant arranged the hems of their dresses. Paige looked over to where Luke and his other deputy-ushers finally got to twist open their beers. But it was seeing Fletcher bend down to straighten Charlie’s flower crown that made Paige’s breath catch. Abby was right. He was great with her daughter and Charlie had a serious case of hero worship going on.

Fletch laughed as Charlie grabbed his hand and twirled herself like a ballerina.

“Yeah, guy like that, totally not your type.” Abby leaned across Holly then frowned when the photographer ordered her to stand up straight. “But fine. I won’t say another word.”

Holly actually snorted.

Paige struggled to keep her smile in place, wishing she was wrong to keep Fletch at a distance. What she wouldn’t give to trust herself, to confide. To believe...

But she couldn’t. The secrets she held were too dangerous to share, when Charlie’s future was at stake. She couldn’t come clean. Not with her friends, not with anyone. Especially not with Fletcher Bradley.

* * *

PAIGE NEARLY STOMPED on the ragged bundle of flowers she found on the doorstep early the next morning. “What on earth?” She stooped down and scooped up the wilted daisies and sprigs of lavender that, despite their haggard appearance, gave off a subtle, relaxing aroma. No card, no note. Just flowers.

Picking up the anemic town newspaper, Paige leaned over the railing to peer around the corner toward Monarch Lane. No one around, just as expected. The stores and businesses were still closed, and there were no people wandering around town, nor friends meeting, groups organizing and kids racing between the bookstore to try to see past the still-boarded windows of the soon-to-reopen arcade. She loved this place. Especially this time of day, before anyone else was up.

Before the town came back to life.

The diner doors opened early, and it was near impossible to be late when Paige lived in the one-bedroom apartment above the Butterfly Diner. Not that that was why Holly had insisted she and Charlie take up residence here. Holly’s offer had been exactly what Paige needed at the time: a new start. But the generous no-rent opportunity had instilled a definite sense of goodwill and obsessiveness when it came to Paige’s friend and boss’s business.

The longer she stayed here, the longer they stayed, the bigger the risk became. They should have left weeks ago and put some distance between them and Butterfly Harbor. Placing herself in jeopardy was one thing; if Charlie hadn’t been part of the equation she never would have left New York in the first place. She’d have owned up to her mistake and taken her punishment. But that was before she’d been threatened with losing her daughter.

The banked fire of anger and resentment continued to burn. Why was hindsight always twenty/twenty? How many times did she wish she could go back and do...everything over again? But it was too late. She’d made her choices.

But no way was Charlie going to pay for them.

Two months. That’s all she needed.

And with that, she pushed the fear and regret aside and settled into the day, beginning with a last glance down the street.

Butterfly Harbor wasn’t exactly a hub of activity this time of year, but most residents didn’t hold down three part-time jobs like Paige. She’d gotten used to five hours of sleep back in school, and her internal clock had never reset. Not something she’d passed along to her daughter, who would sleep her life away if Paige didn’t drag her out of bed every morning.

She closed the door, set the flowers on the table and bent down to pull her ready bag out for her morning check as was her habit ever since she’d been in care. The essentials were always packed to go: clothes, spare medications, a good chunk of cash—Paige didn’t use credit cards or checks which made getting paid interesting—a framed photo of Charlie when she was a baby. Anything else, they could pick up on the way, like the odds and ends that decorated the small apartment her friend had cleaned up just for her.

Paige yelped when Charlie wandered into the doorway of her bedroom wiping the sleep from her heavy-lidded eyes. “What’s going on, Mom?” She frowned at the bag before that familiar panic flashed. Darn it! “We’re not leaving again, are we? Mom, you promised we could stay longer this time!”

“We aren’t leaving.” Paige popped up and kicked the bag back in place. She hated that alarm in Charlie’s eyes—a look Paige was doing everything she could to avoid ever seeing again. “And we have stayed longer.” Longer than any other place in the last year. “I promised to give you some warning next time, remember? Are you feeling okay?” She immediately pressed her hands against Charlie’s freckled face. No fever. Paige breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t have time for either of them to be sick. “The sun’s barely up.”

“I couldn’t sleep anymore.” Charlie’s gaze widened as she looked at the flowers. “Simon’s coming to the diner for breakfast. We have stuff to talk about.”

“Ah. Still thinking about the mysterious Butterfly Harbor treasure, are you?” Paige nodded and finished making her daybed that doubled as a sofa in the small living area. “I bet you miss Simon now that he’s in school. Makes it hard to go cave searching.” She’d worried how Charlie would adjust to Simon attending a charter school for gifted children just outside town. Thankfully Charlie’s common sense had kicked in and she hadn’t gone exploring on her own, while she waited for her school to start classes next week. All the more reason to keep her daughter occupied. A bored Charlie was never a good thing. “Don’t forget we have that meeting with your new teacher this week.”

“I know. I even drew her a butterfly picture.” Charlie’s voice brightened. “Who gave you the flowers?”

“Who says they’re for me?” Paige asked. “Maybe someone left them for you.”

Charlie shook her head. “Flowers are things adults do. Do you think maybe they’re from Deputy Fletch?”

“Fletch?” As much as the idea unsettled her, Paige had to admit the thought crossed her mind. Until she remembered how they’d left things yesterday at the wedding. She’d wanted to discourage him, to cut off his interest in her. Challenging his honor and reputation seemed to have done the trick.

She retrieved the flowers and put them in a glass of water on the small dining table by the window. No need for the flowers to suffer. One of the daisies drooped in exhaustion. “No, I don’t think they’re from Fletch. What makes you think they are?”

“’Cause he smiles when he looks at you. I heard Abby and Holly talking. They think he likes you.” Charlie sat in her usual chair and watched Paige skim her schedule for the day. “I think he likes you, too, Mom. And that’s what boys do when they like a girl. They give them flowers.”

“Hmm.” Paige typed notes onto her calendar app on her phone then set her reminder alarms. She needed to find some time to talk to Willa again and thought she might be able to pop by her house later this afternoon. Since Holly and Luke weren’t leaving on their honeymoon until tomorrow morning, she wasn’t due at the diner today until after ten, which gave her time to stop at Duskywing Farm and get Calliope’s deliveries out of the way before heading to the Flutterby Inn for her second-floor housekeeping gig. “You want to come with me to Calliope’s this morning before you meet Simon?”

“Moooooom, you’re not listening to me. I said I think Deputy Fletch likes you.”

“I heard you. There’s just nothing to talk about.” Paige set her phone on the table and tweaked Charlie’s nose. “Deputy Fletch and I are friends. Nothing more.” And maybe not even that.

“But I thought you liked him.”

“I like him fine. There’s nothing wrong with just being friends, Charlie.” Paige tugged on her sneakers before heading into the bathroom to tie up her hair. When Charlie didn’t respond, Paige looked over her shoulder. The frown on her daughter’s face was part frustration, part confusion. “What’s all this about?”

Charlie shrugged. “I’ve just been thinking about stuff. You know, how Simon has a dad now and he’s really happy. They’re like a real family.”

“Hey.” Paige tried to swallow the lump in her throat as she returned to the table to stoop down and take hold of Charlie’s hands. On days that started like this, Paige had to wonder just how badly her mistakes had screwed up her kid. “We’re a real family. We always have been, right? We do okay together, don’t we?”

“I guess.” Another shrug. “Sometimes I just wish I had a dad.”

“I know you do, baby.” Paige stroked a hand down Charlie’s face. That Charlie had never known her real father was still a knife to the heart. Despite Doug’s flaws, he would have made a great dad, but a freak accident at his construction job when Paige was six months pregnant destroyed Paige’s hopes she’d finally found the family—and home—she’d always longed for. “But it’s not as easy as wishing. We have to work for what we want, you know? Just like I have to work to make sure we can stay here. If I just stood back and waited for something to happen, nothing would. Life doesn’t work that way.” She leaned forward and kissed Charlie’s forehead. “Now, how about you go get dressed. I bet Calliope will show you the butterflies if we’re early enough. Five by five?”

The word butterfly worked its magic and erased the sadness from her little girl’s eyes. “Five by five.” Charlie confirmed everything was all right by using their secret code. “But I still think Deputy Fletch likes you.”

“You can think that all you like, little Miss.” Paige tapped her on the bottom to get her on her way. “But Fletch and I are friends. That’s all. Now, scoot.”

* * *

“MORNING, CHARLIE!”

Charlie pushed open the glass door to the Butterfly Diner and waved at Holly. She took a deep breath and smelled fresh-baked pies, buttery pancakes and crispy bacon along with coffee, which made Charlie’s nose wrinkle in distaste. Yuck. How did adults drink that stuff? “Good morning.” Charlie shifted her new school backpack—an honest-to-goodness butterfly bag with wings and everything—higher onto her shoulder. She had a big day planned between going to the library and taking a computer class at the youth center, and maybe, just maybe, she could do some exploring and find those caves. She’d printed a map off the internet after doing a search for the treasure box, but none of that was going to matter if Simon came through for her.

She walked up and gripped the edge of the counter. “I’m meeting Simon before he goes to school.”

“He’s in your usual spot.”

Charlie looked over to the two seats at the counter in the corner and found a sluggish-looking Simon slumping half-asleep, chin barely propped up on an unsteady hand, his other hand dangerously close to dropping into his bowl of uneaten oatmeal.

“I think the wedding wore him out.” Holly chuckled. “Luke will be by to take him to school in a bit.”

“M’kay,” Charlie said and moved out of the way as the door opened and a bunch of customers walked inside. The noise in the diner picked up, much to Charlie’s relief given what she needed to talk to Simon about. “Hey, Simon.” She set her bag on the floor and hauled herself up on the bright orange high-backed stool as Holly set a mug of hot chocolate brimming over with whipped cream in front of her. “Thank you.” Holly fixed the best hot chocolate ever.

“Simon, up and at ’em.” Holly knocked her knuckles on the counter. “You’ve got company.”

“Hmm?” Simon blinked sleepy eyes behind his thick-rimmed glasses. “Oh, hey.” He smiled at Charlie. “Sorry.”

“You want a waffle for breakfast, kiddo?” Holly asked her.

Charlie nodded. “Yes, please.” She’d liked Holly from the instant she’d met her. Not only because she’d given them a place to live and her mom a job, even though that had been supercool of her. Knowing Holly was around reminded Charlie of New York, back when they had a bunch of neighbors around, people for her to talk to, stay with, play with. After New York and before Butterfly Harbor, Charlie had been afraid she’d never have friends again. And now she had a best, best friend. And his mom was superawesome.

“Simon?” Holly asked. “You want eggs?”

“Whatever.” Simon shifted in his chair, his already askew tie going even more crooked.

Charlie frowned. She didn’t like Simon’s uniform or the changes that came with it. The light brown pants, white shirt, blue tie and matching button-down sweater reminded her of her teacher a few years ago, except Simon was way smarter than Mr. Abernathe had ever been. Simon was smarter than most people Charlie knew.

If anyone could figure out how to get her mom and Deputy Fletch to like each other, it was Simon Campbell. Charlie bit the inside of her cheek as Holly headed off to take care of her customers. “The flowers didn’t work,” Charlie leaned over and whispered in Simon’s ear, her declaration knocking the exhaustion from his face.

“You mean I got up extra early to drop those off for nothing?” Simon covered a yawn and rolled his eyes in that dramatic, why-am-I-doing-this way he had. “And I almost got caught by Mrs. Ellison. I thought grown girls liked flowers.”

“I didn’t say she didn’t like them, I said they didn’t work.” Charlie crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. She’d given up on finding the Butterfly Harbor treasure because Simon had ideas. But that was before he’d gotten so busy. “She still says they’re just friends.”

“Oh. Well, what do you think we can do about it?”

Charlie felt an odd tightening in her belly. This didn’t sound like the Simon she knew, the Simon who had gone out of his way to make his now-stepfather’s life miserable when Sheriff Saxon had first arrived in Butterfly Harbor. The Simon who was always plotting something.

“You told me you’d help,” Charlie reminded him. “Just like I helped you try to get rid of the sheriff even though I didn’t want to, remember?”

“I know.” Simon’s sigh made Charlie’s nose twitch. “And I said I would, but I don’t know—”

“That’s because you haven’t tried. You don’t care anymore.” Charlie did her best to stop the tears from filling her eyes. Her mom didn’t cry when things got tough. She just pushed forward. “You got everything you want. A new school, a new dad, and now that you do you don’t care what I want. If you did you’d be coming up with ideas in that stupid notebook of yours instead of falling asleep in your oatmeal. Don’t you want me to stay?”

Simon frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Charlie pressed her lips together. She wasn’t supposed to talk about it. Not to anyone other than her mom. “I think we’re going to move again.”

“What?” Simon shot up in his seat. “No, you can’t. You’re my best friend! Where will you go? I’ve never had a best friend before. You can’t leave!”

Tears blurred her vision. She dropped her chin and shook her head. “I don’t want to. But the way my mom is acting, it’s like it always is before we leave. If we can find a way to make her and Deputy Fletch fall in love, maybe she’ll change her mind. Unless you have another idea.”

“I don’t.”

Her stomach gave that weird flip whenever she got upset. “Mom told me this morning that you have to work for what you want. If you aren’t going to help me make Deputy Fletcher my dad, then I’ll just do it myself.” Charlie didn’t want to leave this place. Ever. It was the best place in the whole world. But the only way she could make that happen was if her mom had a reason to stay. Charlie slid off the stool and picked up her bag.

“Charlie, wait.”

Charlie felt a single tear drop onto her cheek.

“Charlie, don’t cry. I’m sorry.” Simon got up and bent down to stop her from putting her backpack on. “You’re right. I promised I’d help, and best friends always keep promises.”