Chapter 15

Q Note:  I've never been to Disneyland so don't shoot me if I get the details wrong.  Thanks and enjoy!  :)

Richie set the guitar aside. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything other than Stephanie’s parting words to him that morning. He hadn’t wanted to admit it to her then, but she was right. He could have put this off. Should have put this off and gone with them.

He looked at the woman in the chair across from him. Her head was bent and her long, blonde hair draped over the body of the guitar as she played. She was an amazing guitar player. She made him want to be that much better than he already was. It was a continual learning process and he was going to get his master’s degree if it killed him. She chose that moment to pause and look up at him.

Her blue-gray eyes peered out at him from under a heavy fringe of bangs and he felt that thing again. There was something there that he just couldn’t ignore. His eyes slid from her face to the guitar in her lap, then lower. Her legs, bared by the simple shorts she wore were slim and smooth. 

I shouldn’t be thinking about her legs. 

What was he doing? He picked up his guitar again. Anything to get his mind back on the music and off of her.

“Are you all right, then?” He’d been fussy ever since she had arrived at his house that morning.

He set the guitar aside again. “Can’t get my head in the game today.” It was useless to think he’d get anything accomplished with the argument with Stephanie weighing on him and the thoughts he definitely should not be having about Ori circling around his brain.

“Do you want to talk about it?” If he couldn’t concentrate there was really no point in her wasting her time. “Or should we call it a day then?”

Richie stood, paced to the windows and turned. The sun was haloed around her and her eyes were full of smiles. Yeah, he needed her to go before he did something insanely stupid. “It’s just something I need to fix. Can we get together another time? When are you back out here again?”

She opened the calendar app on her phone, “I can rearrange a couple things.” She packed up her guitar and grabbed her purse. “Call me next week?”

He led her out of the room and down the hall toward the door. “That’d be great, and thanks.”

“Sure thing.” She turned and kissed his cheek. “Good luck and all.”

He shut the door behind her, leaned against it and blew out a breath. It was time to get his head out of his ass. He was married to a fabulous woman, had two beautiful, precious daughters. No way was he going to throw that away for a woman half is age just because she looked like an angel and could play the guitar like a demon.

He headed toward the other side of the house, pulling out his phone on the way. He shot off a text to Ava as he was backing out of the garage.

YYYYYY

“No mama, no ‘troller!” Lily whined.

Stephanie scooped her up, “sorry baby doll but yes, stroller. Do you see how many people there are?”

From the safety of her mother’s arms Lily looked around. “Lots.”

“That’s right, lots.” Stephanie slid a slightly calmer toddler into the seat. “I don’t want to lose you, so you get to ride today.” She crouched down in front of her daughter, “unless you want to push mama around?” That got her the giggle she was hoping for.

“You too big mama.” She pushed her face away after getting covered with kisses. “Let’s go!”

“Okay girls,” she looked over at Ava and her friend Shea, “are you going to stay with us or go off on your own?”

“We’ll stick a bit” Ava decided. “And then we’ll see what’s what.”

“Good enough.”

They headed down Main Street USA along with the rest of the crowd.

Stephanie took Lily into the Emporium while Ava and Shea hit the Starbucks in Market Square. Ava had just placed her order when her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was a text from her father.

Where are you?

Starbucks…Market Square Papa Bear. Why?  Steph had told her that her father was working today and couldn't come with them so why did it matter where they were?

The barista called her name, her order was up. Her phone vibrated once more.

Be there in 10-15. Don’t tell Steph.

She furrowed her brow, okay that was weird. Why not?

The shuttle Richie was on slowed to a stop at the main entrance gate.

Trying to fix a prob. C U soon. 

He pulled his ball cap lower and adjusted his sunglasses and waited for everyone to depart the bus before making his way down the aisle. The line to get through the security check was long, but he moved to the far left side and, carrying nothing but his wallet and phone in his pocket, was able to get through the crowd with little fuss.

He moved up Main Street, his long smooth stride eating up the distance as he bypassed the Fire Department, Disneyana, the Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (a particular favorite). He got to Starbucks in time to see Ava and Shea head into the Emporium. Dodging a small crowd he moved on to the Emporium and scanned the store. He was never going to find them. He walked through, keeping an eye out for his girls. It took a few minutes, but he finally caught up to Ava.

 “Hey Baby Girl.”

Ava smiled and threw her arms around his waist. “Papa Bear, you made it!”

He returned the hug and pressed a kiss to her head. “Yeah, sorry I didn’t start the day with you though.”

She laid her head against his chest, “s’okay, you’re here now.”

He rubbed her back, “where’s Steph and Lily?” He had a lot of crow to eat with Steph and he wanted to get it over with.

“Last I saw she was over in the kiddie section.”

Richie untangled himself from her, “I’m going to find her, you guys wait by the exit for us when you’re done, okay?”

She saluted him, “aye aye, papa bear.”

“Smart ass” he laughed as he walked away.

He made his way toward the section for his littlest princess. He scanned the room full of ruffles and bows, glitter and sparkle. He didn’t see them anywhere. He wandered through and back toward the front of the store. He finally saw them as they were heading out to where he told Ava to wait. Easing through the throng of people crowded near the cash registers he stepped out into the sunshine at nearly the same time Stephanie pushed the stroller through a door a bit further down the sidewalk.

He couldn’t help but smile at the picture they made. Lily turned and looked up at her mother, purple sparkly princess ears perched on her small head and her dimples radiated joy as she grinned at her mother. He shook his head at his own stupidity. Had he really thought to miss this? He should kick his own ass.

He had taken no more than a couple steps when Lily noticed him. “Daddy!”

Stephanie hadn’t seen him yet and she leaned down to her daughter, “he’s not here baby doll, remember?”

Lily was adamant, and pointed her little fingers in Richie’s direction. “No mama, daddy!”

Stephanie followed her daughter’s fingers, sure she had seen someone that resembled Richie. Surprise and confusion warred for purchase on her face as she straightened and watched Richie stride toward them.