shock and numbing pain. Or even the quiet grief of acceptance that he was getting a divorce.
Yeah, anger was good. Anger carried a potent strength and a mind-sharpening sense of purpose— within reason. He knew he'd have to let it go soon— get back to normal. Whatever the hell normal was.
Tony climbed into the high truck, then made sure Parker's seat belt was fastened. It seemed just like yesterday that he was getting used to having a small child, learning how she behaved, how he should react when he was with her.
When he met Kim, Parker's dad was out of the picture more than he was in it. As far as Tony knew, the guy was still an absentee father. Tony had given the little girl the first sense of stability she'd had and it cut him to the core for her to think he was bailing on her.
"Do you still love me, Tony?"
Just before turning over the ignition, her words gave him pause.
Turning toward her, he stared into her small face, the white-blond hair that framed her red cheeks, the rosebud shape of her mouth.
He fought off an emptiness that left him hollow. His voice cracked slightly. "Always, Parker."
"Me, too, Tony."
He started the truck and pulled away from the house. "So do you want Burger King or McDonald's for lunch?"
"McDonald's."
"Okay."
He'd taken Parker out to lunch on his weekend days off ever since the first of the new year. Either on a Saturday or a Sunday. He'd come at noon, but didn't go into Kim's house. She didn't come out to talk to him. They were both talking through lawyers now, not particularly arguing, but it was obscene that they were paying strangers to represent them.
He wondered when this would get easier on him, on Parker. He had no way of anticipating when Parker would one day say she would rather be with Kim and Brian, wouldn't want to come anymore.
He wondered when she would gradually phase him out of her life to begin her new one. He'd see less and less of her—until he stopped seeing her at all.
It was a truth he had a difficult time reconciling.
So for now, he promised himself to make the most out of the time he had with Parker.
"Toe-Knee," she said in her silly voice. "Do you know what the toy is in the Happy Meal today?"
"Nope. But we'll find out."
"Are you going to get a Happy Meal, too?"
He glanced at her and smiled. "Yeah. I think I will."
----
Chapter Six
Renegades and Outlaws
The window of Hat and Garden was filled with Valentine hearts and cowboy-clad teddy bears. A saddle was used as a prop for a plant sitting in a cowboy boot, a big red satin bow spilling over the side of tooled leather. Varieties of silk flowers in shades of pink and a sprinkling of red glitter hearts finished off the display.
Tony cupped his hand, peeked into the window before going inside. The last time he'd been here his mind had been elsewhere and he hadn't paid much attention to the flower store.
He did now.
The inside of the shop smelled good. Candles burned on the counter and in several other strategic locations. Sweet roses and other fragrant scents collected in the air. A large cooler with an assortment of flowers in tall buckets took up one wall, the other areas were small coves with theme-filled items.
Valentine's Day was about two weeks away and Natalie had her store ready for the increase in business.
A female clerk greeted him, and asked if he needed help. He recognized her from his last visit. She was young and fresh, and had a friendly smile. She gazed at him with an eagerness he had seen in women's faces many times before. He knew he stood out—was bigger than most men. Most of the time he forgot about being so tall, so filled out. Other times, when women were all smiles and acting as if he were a pair of shoes to try on, he grew more aware.
Suddenly, after reminding myself why he'd come, he felt self-conscious. "Is Natalie working today?"
"Yes, she's outside in the flower shed making arrangements. Is there anything I can help you with?"
He gazed around, but
Yeah, anger was good. Anger carried a potent strength and a mind-sharpening sense of purpose— within reason. He knew he'd have to let it go soon— get back to normal. Whatever the hell normal was.
Tony climbed into the high truck, then made sure Parker's seat belt was fastened. It seemed just like yesterday that he was getting used to having a small child, learning how she behaved, how he should react when he was with her.
When he met Kim, Parker's dad was out of the picture more than he was in it. As far as Tony knew, the guy was still an absentee father. Tony had given the little girl the first sense of stability she'd had and it cut him to the core for her to think he was bailing on her.
"Do you still love me, Tony?"
Just before turning over the ignition, her words gave him pause.
Turning toward her, he stared into her small face, the white-blond hair that framed her red cheeks, the rosebud shape of her mouth.
He fought off an emptiness that left him hollow. His voice cracked slightly. "Always, Parker."
"Me, too, Tony."
He started the truck and pulled away from the house. "So do you want Burger King or McDonald's for lunch?"
"McDonald's."
"Okay."
He'd taken Parker out to lunch on his weekend days off ever since the first of the new year. Either on a Saturday or a Sunday. He'd come at noon, but didn't go into Kim's house. She didn't come out to talk to him. They were both talking through lawyers now, not particularly arguing, but it was obscene that they were paying strangers to represent them.
He wondered when this would get easier on him, on Parker. He had no way of anticipating when Parker would one day say she would rather be with Kim and Brian, wouldn't want to come anymore.
He wondered when she would gradually phase him out of her life to begin her new one. He'd see less and less of her—until he stopped seeing her at all.
It was a truth he had a difficult time reconciling.
So for now, he promised himself to make the most out of the time he had with Parker.
"Toe-Knee," she said in her silly voice. "Do you know what the toy is in the Happy Meal today?"
"Nope. But we'll find out."
"Are you going to get a Happy Meal, too?"
He glanced at her and smiled. "Yeah. I think I will."
----
Chapter Six
Renegades and Outlaws
The window of Hat and Garden was filled with Valentine hearts and cowboy-clad teddy bears. A saddle was used as a prop for a plant sitting in a cowboy boot, a big red satin bow spilling over the side of tooled leather. Varieties of silk flowers in shades of pink and a sprinkling of red glitter hearts finished off the display.
Tony cupped his hand, peeked into the window before going inside. The last time he'd been here his mind had been elsewhere and he hadn't paid much attention to the flower store.
He did now.
The inside of the shop smelled good. Candles burned on the counter and in several other strategic locations. Sweet roses and other fragrant scents collected in the air. A large cooler with an assortment of flowers in tall buckets took up one wall, the other areas were small coves with theme-filled items.
Valentine's Day was about two weeks away and Natalie had her store ready for the increase in business.
A female clerk greeted him, and asked if he needed help. He recognized her from his last visit. She was young and fresh, and had a friendly smile. She gazed at him with an eagerness he had seen in women's faces many times before. He knew he stood out—was bigger than most men. Most of the time he forgot about being so tall, so filled out. Other times, when women were all smiles and acting as if he were a pair of shoes to try on, he grew more aware.
Suddenly, after reminding myself why he'd come, he felt self-conscious. "Is Natalie working today?"
"Yes, she's outside in the flower shed making arrangements. Is there anything I can help you with?"
He gazed around, but
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