Read Online A Girl's Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online
Authors: Debbie Macomber
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We walked back to the shop, and just after we entered I caught sight of a patch of blue pulling into the parking lot: Rocco’s tow truck.
It seemed Kaylene had convinced him to come see me. I half expected Rocco to refuse. I almost wished he had. While I wanted to help the teenager, there was no reason Rocco would listen to me, especially if he hadn’t with his own daughter.
“I need to talk to someone briefly,” I told Shawntelle. “This won’t take long.”
“Sure thing, Sugar Pie.” She sifted through the rack of clothes and peered through the window.
By the time I was out the door, Rocco had climbed out of his truck. He met me in front of the shop.
“Kaylene said you wanted to talk to me.” He crossed his arms over his massive chest and braced his feet apart. He resembled the Jolly Green Giant, except he wasn’t smiling. And he wasn’t green.
“It’s good to see you, Rocco,” I said, using a gentle tone.
He blinked and cautiously glanced toward me. “I know Kaylene told you about that father-daughter dance. I don’t care what you say, I’m not changing my mind.”
This wasn’t starting off well. “It means a lot to your daughter.”
He held firm. “I don’t dance.”
“You don’t really have to dance dance,” I assured him. “It isn’t like it is on television, where you’re going to be judged or asked to do complicated steps. This is just you and your daughter.”
“And about twenty others watching me make an ass of myself. It’s not happening.”
“Rocco, every other father there feels the same as you.”
He stiffened. “I don’t think you heard me. I. Don’t. Dance.”
My head went back at the vehemence in his voice. “Did you have a traumatic experience as a teenager?” I asked, half joking.
“No.”
He was an impregnable force, unwilling to move.
“Rocco, listen, Kaylene came to me because she wants to do something special with you. I promise it won’t be as bad as you think.”
He snickered.
I was growing desperate. “Tell you what. You and Kaylene stop by my apartment one night and I’ll teach you.”
He blinked, cocked his head to one side as if he didn’t believe me, and frowned.
“Are you willing to do that much?”
He hesitated. “You throwing in dinner with that invitation?”
“No.”
His mouth quirked and his frown deepened.
“Oh all right, dinner.” I didn’t like it, but he gave me no options.
“When?”
“Monday. Come at six.”
He cracked a smile and his eyes brightened. “You got it. See ya then.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Rocco Nyquist.” Grumbling under my breath, I shook my head and returned to the store, none too pleased. I’d gotten roped into this and I wasn’t happy about it.
Shawntelle was standing in front of the picture window with a keen eye watching me. “Who was that?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Girl, you been holding out on me.”
“Rocco’s a friend,” I said simply. I didn’t want her thinking otherwise.
“Sweetie Pie, that is one fine-looking man. My panties got wet the minute I saw him.”
“Shawntelle!”
“You say he’s just a friend. What’s wrong with you? You don’t friend-zone a man like that. You hog-tie him down and give him a piece of whatever he’s missing.”
Amused, I shook my head and explained, “It isn’t like that with us. I’m helping him and his daughter.”
“He married?”
“No.”
“I’ll tell you what. You don’t want him, then you throw him my way. I’ll be more than happy to show that man a little bit of heaven.”
By the time I got back to the apartment it was late Saturday afternoon. The first thing I did was check in with Leanne. I knew how tiring Owen could be, and I wanted to be sure she was up to the task of keeping him longer. The truth was I would have welcomed an excuse to put off dinner with Jake.
“Mommy, Mommy,” my son cried, racing toward me. “Grammy let me make cookies.”
Owen didn’t seem the least bit disappointed
It seemed Kaylene had convinced him to come see me. I half expected Rocco to refuse. I almost wished he had. While I wanted to help the teenager, there was no reason Rocco would listen to me, especially if he hadn’t with his own daughter.
“I need to talk to someone briefly,” I told Shawntelle. “This won’t take long.”
“Sure thing, Sugar Pie.” She sifted through the rack of clothes and peered through the window.
By the time I was out the door, Rocco had climbed out of his truck. He met me in front of the shop.
“Kaylene said you wanted to talk to me.” He crossed his arms over his massive chest and braced his feet apart. He resembled the Jolly Green Giant, except he wasn’t smiling. And he wasn’t green.
“It’s good to see you, Rocco,” I said, using a gentle tone.
He blinked and cautiously glanced toward me. “I know Kaylene told you about that father-daughter dance. I don’t care what you say, I’m not changing my mind.”
This wasn’t starting off well. “It means a lot to your daughter.”
He held firm. “I don’t dance.”
“You don’t really have to dance dance,” I assured him. “It isn’t like it is on television, where you’re going to be judged or asked to do complicated steps. This is just you and your daughter.”
“And about twenty others watching me make an ass of myself. It’s not happening.”
“Rocco, every other father there feels the same as you.”
He stiffened. “I don’t think you heard me. I. Don’t. Dance.”
My head went back at the vehemence in his voice. “Did you have a traumatic experience as a teenager?” I asked, half joking.
“No.”
He was an impregnable force, unwilling to move.
“Rocco, listen, Kaylene came to me because she wants to do something special with you. I promise it won’t be as bad as you think.”
He snickered.
I was growing desperate. “Tell you what. You and Kaylene stop by my apartment one night and I’ll teach you.”
He blinked, cocked his head to one side as if he didn’t believe me, and frowned.
“Are you willing to do that much?”
He hesitated. “You throwing in dinner with that invitation?”
“No.”
His mouth quirked and his frown deepened.
“Oh all right, dinner.” I didn’t like it, but he gave me no options.
“When?”
“Monday. Come at six.”
He cracked a smile and his eyes brightened. “You got it. See ya then.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Rocco Nyquist.” Grumbling under my breath, I shook my head and returned to the store, none too pleased. I’d gotten roped into this and I wasn’t happy about it.
Shawntelle was standing in front of the picture window with a keen eye watching me. “Who was that?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Girl, you been holding out on me.”
“Rocco’s a friend,” I said simply. I didn’t want her thinking otherwise.
“Sweetie Pie, that is one fine-looking man. My panties got wet the minute I saw him.”
“Shawntelle!”
“You say he’s just a friend. What’s wrong with you? You don’t friend-zone a man like that. You hog-tie him down and give him a piece of whatever he’s missing.”
Amused, I shook my head and explained, “It isn’t like that with us. I’m helping him and his daughter.”
“He married?”
“No.”
“I’ll tell you what. You don’t want him, then you throw him my way. I’ll be more than happy to show that man a little bit of heaven.”
By the time I got back to the apartment it was late Saturday afternoon. The first thing I did was check in with Leanne. I knew how tiring Owen could be, and I wanted to be sure she was up to the task of keeping him longer. The truth was I would have welcomed an excuse to put off dinner with Jake.
“Mommy, Mommy,” my son cried, racing toward me. “Grammy let me make cookies.”
Owen didn’t seem the least bit disappointed
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