Dannika Dark - Six Months

“Are you here to save the day again?”

“I might,” he contemplated, nibbling another piece of candy and staring at my legs.

“Denny! Lexi said I could have a bag of candy, but I can’t reach the big round ones,” a blond-haired girl whined, tugging at his shirt.

“No hard candy, Peanut,” he said in a firm voice. “What did I tell you about that?”

“But it doesn’t hurt.” She pointed at her new missing tooth.

Denver rubbed a worried look off his face.

I’d met Maizy a couple of times; she was Lexi’s six-year-old little sister with a candy obsession. She was charming and sweet, so I couldn’t help but sneak a piece to her now and again. Maizy appeared so innocent compared to some of the kids who wandered in our store. She sometimes played by herself in a corner while her mom talked to Lexi, and a few times she’d brought in a wand. It seemed a little immature for her age, but I found it endearing. It’s a sad day when children realize magic doesn’t exist and they have to grow up.

“Hi, Miss April.”

“Hi, sugar. You’re getting so tall,” I said with a dramatic gasp. “You grow faster than a wildflower!”

She laughed and ran back into the shop.

“You’re good with kids,” he said, complimenting me.

“Is she okay?”

Denver stuffed his free hand in one of his front pockets. “She banged her tooth hard enough they had to pull it. Good thing it was a baby tooth, but the dentist isn’t sure if it’s caused any damage for when her real tooth grows in.”

I smiled softly. “She seems to like you.”

He shrugged and turned his head to the side. “I look after her. Kids should be protected from the lowlifes in this world. Her dad’s not around, and Austin’s not in a position where he can devote that kind of time.”

“That’s sweet of you to do. I’m sure Lexi’s mom appreciates a little help.”

Denver inhaled sharply and the conversation shifted gears. “One of my brothers is missing. I dropped by to see if Lexi would watch Maizy for about an hour while I look for him. I had to take her to the dentist, but I don’t want to drive her home and have to come all the way back into town. I know you’ve met the twins, have you ever met Reno?”

I chewed my lip. “Guy with the short brown hair who wears sunglasses all the time? Muscular arms and…”

Then I blushed and looked down so fast that my bangs covered my face. My inner monologue started up again. Yeah, tell him just how hot his brother is. Then he might go for you because that’s what every guy wants to hear.

Denver lifted his cupped hand to his mouth and slid all the candy in, talking with a mouthful. He wiped his hand across his T-shirt. “That’s probably him. He’s not a man who falls out of touch, and we’re a tight family who keeps tabs on one another. Seen him?”

“He was at Walgreens yesterday on his bike. Maybe he was at a party or left his phone off the hook. Sometimes I turn mine off when I just want to sleep in.”

Denver sniffed out a laugh. “We all live together and his bed is made up so tight you could crack an egg on it.”

“You all live in the same house?” Lexi had talked about Austin’s brothers, but I’d assumed only one or two lived there, not the entire family.

He slowly ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Yep. Don’t you live with anyone?”

“My fish.”

“Ah, is that so? Well, I hope he’s a fintastic roommate.”

“Here, April,” Lexi said, tossing me a pair of sandals. “They might be too big for your feet, but that’ll get you through the day. Did you walk all the way up here? I thought you took the bus?”

“I just stepped in some mud is all.”

Maizy ambled in, chewing on a wad of red gum.

“Maze, do you feel like treasure hunting today?” Lexi asked.

Maizy ignored her and Denver shot Lexi a private glare. “You need to give that shit up,” he said with a pop of his brow.

Lexi sighed and began tapping her fingernails against the doorjamb.

“Did Reno say anything to you?” Denver continued.

“No. I just saw him park his bike and go into the store.”

“ The fuck? ” Denver exclaimed in frustration, throwing up his arms. Lexi covered her little sister’s ear and had one of those pissed-off smiles that told me she’d tried a dozen times to get him to curb his language around Maizy. “He wants tabs on every single one of us , but he thinks he can just cut loose and…” Denver thinned his lips and made a sharp noise with them that made Maizy giggle.

Lexi didn’t seem as worried about Reno as Denver was.

“I’ll keep an eye out for him,” I promised.

Denver stared privately at Lexi. “Did you invite her?”

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “We’re having a house party on Friday. It took some time to settle in, but we wanted to have a big barbecue and throw on some music. You have to come. I know you don’t normally do these, but you’ve been such a big help to me these past few months, April. If we’re going to be running this shop together, then I think we need to hang out. What do you say?”

“Um, I don’t know.” I hesitated. I really wanted to go more than anything, but the transportation conundrum was a real party killer. “Where?”

She fed me the location and I knew I couldn’t go. Buses didn’t run out there and no way could I walk that far. Trevor might not be back by then and who knew if he’d want to go?

“I think I have something planned, but I’ll let you know.”

“I smell bullshit,” Denver sang in a low voice. “If you don’t have a ride, I’ll come get you, but you’re coming,” he said, wagging a finger at me. “Let me know if you see Reno. He’s always forgetting his damn phone, but it’s just not like him to vanish.”

“Sure thing.”

After a long workday, the evening crowd died down and I prepared to close the store . Lexi had gone home early to do some research on coffee shops, and I knew why. She’d always dreamed about buying the empty space next door and knocking out the wall to join two shops. That was a lot to take on, but the potential was there. The only downside was the noisy kids in the candy store would disturb the adults next door who were trying to read and enjoy their espresso.

One alternative would be to change the coffee shop idea into a pastry shop. Moms could relax with a croissant while their kids scoped out the candy next door. Lexi liked that idea and wanted to talk to Austin about it. She was a crazy-good baker, and if she were involved in baking the sweets, then we’d be a surefire hit. After eating eleven of her homemade peanut butter cookies with macadamia nuts, I could testify on her behalf in a court of cookie law. I didn’t know how she’d swing that kind of money to start up a separate company, but she’d mentioned a couple of Austin’s brothers might be able to help out for free.

God, no.

I could only imagine that tattooed guy scaring the kids. Then again, his twin might actually draw in some of the women because every mother on a bad day wants to feel like she’s still got it going on, and Ben sure liked to let women know how sweet their asses were.

“Are you open?”

A nice-looking Hispanic man poked his head through the front door and I realized I had forgotten to flip the sign.

“I’m about to lock up. Is there something I can help you find real quick?”

He slipped in through the crack and the bell jingled. “Nice place.”

“Thanks.” I looked him over, trying not to be judgmental about the fact he was wearing saggy pants and I could see his red underwear. I had serious objections to men who showed off their drawers in public.