Read Wishing On A Starr Online
Authors: Adrianne Byrd
“You know, I keep telling you that Ms. Roberts, my advance calculus teacher, would be the perfect match for you.”
Neve scowled. “I wouldn’t say
perfect
.”
“Hey, I thought you two wanted to come in here to do some shopping?” He glanced at his watch. “If you’re already done then we can head out.”
“Actually,” Starr peered sheepishly up at him. “I was wondering if I could get an advance on my allowance? I saw this really cute gift I’d like to get you for Christmas.”
“You want me to give you money so you can buy me a gift?” he asked to make sure he understood.
“Daaad!”
“I was just checking.” He reached inside his jacket and removed his wallet. “How expensive is this gift I’m buying myself?”
Starr’s eyes sparkled at the sight of hundred dollar bills and she quickly reached for them. “Thanks, dad,” she said after successfully relieving him of two of the bills. “This should be plenty.”
Daniel snatched one of them back. “Don’t worry. It’s definitely coming out of future allowances.”
She frowned, but he held firm.
“Oh, all right.” She turned toward her friend. “C’mon. Let’s go find him something
cheap
.”
He smiled, unfazed. “That’s my girl. I’ll do the same thing for you.”
Starr rolled her eyes.
“Meet you two back here in
one
hour,” he called after them.
She nodded.
Daniel continued smiling as he watched her stroll off. “That’s my girl.”
“Something must be seriously wrong with you. How can you not like Christmas?” Bernadette Frye tugged her friend down Fifth Avenue. “It’s the best time of the year.”
Gia Hunter rolled her eyes and was more than annoyed that she’d allowed her colleague to drag her out in the freezing cold to stare at window displays. “If you’re talking about celebrating the birth of Jesus, fine. But if you’re talking about gross commercialization, drunken Santas, and off-pitch carolers, then no, it’s not my thing.”
“Oh, Lord. Don’t tell me your middle name is Scrooge or something.”
“Why is it when someone doesn’t like Christmas they have to be called a Scrooge? Just because I refuse to plunge myself in debt to buy every single person I know a gift doesn’t make me a bad person.”
“I’m not saying that,” Bernie opted for a softer tone. “I just want you to see that the holidays can be fun. It’s the time to surround yourself with family and friends.”
Gia clenched her jaw in effort to suppress her retort. She knew, after all, Bernie was just trying to be helpful.
“Why is it that you never talk about your family?” Bernie asked.
Gia’s irritation returned like a whip. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“I know that tone.”
“Good. Then you know to drop the subject.”
Bernie held up her hands. “As you wish.”
As usual after snapping at her dear friend, Gia felt like a complete ass. Yet, she had sworn years ago that if she ever left Talboton she would never look back. So far, she’d kept that promise.
“Ooh, we have to go in here,” Bernie said, heading toward the door of Saks.
Gia sighed as she followed and glanced at her watch. “Great. Now I’m going to be here all day.”
“I’m looking for the perfect gift for Vinny.”
“In Saks?” she questioned thinking of Bernie’s mechanic husband whose obsession outside of his wife was any sport with a ball. “This doesn’t strike me as his type of store.”
“You’d be surprised,” Bernie chuckled. “Just help me look around.”
Did she have a choice? Bored, Gia strolled behind her friend, trying to muster up a smile whenever her friend showed her something “cute” or “precious.” After a half hour of this, she was certain that she was quite literally sleepwalking.
“I think my bladder is about to burst,” Bernie whispered. “Come with me to the little girl’s room.”
Gia’s face pinched at the thought at how long that line would be.
“Fine. Then wait right here for me. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Fat chance.”
“You really are no fun when it comes to shopping,” Bernie said.
“You can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Amen to that.”
Gia laughed and then turned toward a brick wall-or rather a man’s chest that felt like a brick wall. When she glanced up into deep, brown eyes, her knees buckled. Acqua Di Gio clung lightly to his skin and seduced her instantly.
“Hello,” the man’s honeyed voice poured over her. His low cropped hair and nearly trimmed mustache was peppered with a few gray strands. Everything about him spelled
sexy
.
She opened her mouth, but wasn’t quite sure she’d said anything.
When he smiled, her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. It had been years since it had experience that. She smiled back, but her gaze floated downward to the woman’s blouse he carried in his hands.
“Ah. It’s for my daughter,” he said, following her gaze. “She and her best friend sort of dragged me down here this morning,” he said with a nervous flutter in his voice. “We’re supposed to be just looking at windows.”
“I was dragged down here under the same ruse,” Gia laughed, but then caught sight of the gold band around his finger.
“Widower,” he answered the unasked question, and then added. “If you were wondering.”
Her smile ballooned. “I was.”
Chapter 2
Daniel’s chest tightened painfully when the beautiful woman before him smiled. Her warm toffee complexion held just a hint of cinnamon around her cheeks while her feline shaped eyes were perfect for her dark magnetic orbs. A pang of guilt sideswiped him momentarily and he lowered his gaze to fidget with his gold band.
“Is something wrong?”
He covered his sudden unease with a smile and met her steady gaze.
She seemed to recognize something in his expression because her smile softened. “How long have you been a widower?”
“Four years.”
She reached for the chain around her neck and, to his surprise, flashed a set of army dog tags and simple gold band. “Fifteen.”
Daniel’s brows furrowed.
“I married young,” she answered the unspoken question shortly before sadness ghosted around her eyes.
“Sooo.” He decided to break their melancholy mood. “Do you come here often?” he asked, dusting off his pickup lines.
The woman’s full lips widened as she shook her head.
He winced. “That was pretty bad, huh?”
“Yeah, I’m afraid so,” she laughed.
“Sorry, but it’s been awhile.”
“I figured as much.”
When she laughed again, he sobered at its light, haunting, and lyrical sound. After a few seconds, he realized he was staring. “I’m Daniel,” he said, jutting out his hand.
“Gia. Pleased to meet you.”
Her hand slid lightly into his and he marveled at its softness. She smelled like a bouquet of spring flowers, which was interesting in the end of the fall season. He stared again, unable to help himself. “I know this is going to sound corny, but have we met before?”
“Boy. You really are bad at this.”
“No, no.” He laughed. “It’s just that…Well, you look familiar.”
“I’m certain we’ve never met.”
“Oh?”
“I have a good memory when it comes to handsome men,” she said boldly with a twinkle in her eyes.
He smiled. “I’m supposed to do the complimenting. That much I remember.”
“Don’t worry. You can make it up at dinner.”
“Dinner? Oh, dinner. Yes, I would like…wait a minute. I’m supposed to be doing the asking, too,” he said cheekily.
“So ask me,” she smiled.
Daniel liked her sass. It was a great combination with her ethereal beauty. “Well, Gia, I was wondering if I could interest you in having dinner with me tonight? I happen to know this great restaurant in the Village.”
“Can’t.”
He blinked as his smile evaporated. “Pardon?”
“I can’t. I already have plans for tonight,” she said sadly, and then brightened. “But I’m free tomorrow night.”
His smile ballooned while relief deflated his shoulders. “Tomorrow will be great.”
Neve tapped Starr on the shoulder and then quickly pointed across the store. “Ho, alert.”
Starr turned away from the shelves of men’s sweaters to squint through her glasses. “At least this one looks a little older,” she said, still inspecting the woman. “Actually, she’s very pretty.”
“Yeah, but she could be a gold-digger,” Neve warned. “Manhattan is crawling with them. She looks like she’s chewed and spitted out a few men in her time.”
“Will you quit it?” Starr rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think it’s a little gross for you to have a crush on my dad?”
“I don’t have a crush...I’m just...concerned.” Neve shrugged. “I’ve been just as involved as you in trying to find him a new wife. You know, if he and my mother hooked up, then we could be sisters.”
Starr nodded, but continued to watch her father. “I thought about that, too, but...” She turned and smiled politely at her best friend. “No offense, but your mother does come off a little desperate at times. She baked him
three
cakes for his birthday.”
“What’s wrong with that? She likes to bake.”
Though it was on the tip of her tongue to also point out that her mom showed up every Sunday with freshly baked rolls or popped up every Wednesday with Chicken Marsala, but Starr decided against it. Instead, her attention returned to her father and the way he practically lit up in front of this beautiful woman. Starr hadn’t seen him do that in a long time. Four years to be exact.
“Then what about your backup plan?” Neve inquired. “Have you contacted the adoption agency yet?”
Starr sighed. “Not yet. I’m still a little nervous on whether it’s a good idea or not. I don’t know anything about my real mother. She could be married, dead, or in prison.”
Neve glanced back. “They are looking awfully cozy.”
“C’mon,” Starr coaxed. “Let’s see if we can get a little closer.”
“I think I can find the place,” Daniel said, accepting a business card with Gia’s home address written on the back and then flipping it over. “Ah, an interior designer?” He glanced at her. “You probably won’t believe this, but I’m in the market for a designer.”
“What a coincidence,” she said, with a tinge of disbelief. “If you prefer to have a business lunch instead”
“No, no,” he hastily corrected. “Dinner…” he glanced over her shoulder to catch sight of Starr and Neve ease into view. “…will be great. Okay, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stepped back. “Say eight o’clock?” He took another giant step.
Gia frowned. “Uh, sure. Eight is good.”
“Great.” He bumped into someone and turned to apologize.
“I’m back,” Bernie sang, approaching behind her.
Her thick New York accent penetrated Gia’s thoughts and she quickly turned around. “That was fast.”
“Turns out the lines weren’t so bad. Did you find anything?” Bernie quickly scanned the shelves.
“I found something all right.” Gia’s gaze traveled back to where she’d last seen Daniel. “But nothing that would remotely interest Vinny,” she added when Bernie turned her inquiring eyes on her.
“Tell you what,” Bernie sighed. “Why don’t we split up? We can zip through here faster that way.”
“I don’t know what to buy Vinny,” Gia whined. “Why don’t I look for something for your daughter Tonya. That should be easier.”
“Good idea. Meet you back in this very spot in one hour.”
That long?
Gia smiled. “Deal.” She waited until her friend dashed off before she made another futile glance for Daniel.
He was gone.
A bubble of hope popped, but Gia’s smile lingered. With a head and nose for business, flirting had never been Gia’s strong suit, but she was positively stunned by her performance today. Stunned and proud.
For years, Gia suffered through countless lectures from her employees that she needed to find a life outside of her work. And for years, she’d lied saying her work was all she needed to be happy. She didn’t hate men or think she was better off without them, it’s just that she’d been so driven to succeed for so long, she feared she no longer knew how to relate to the opposite sex on an intimate level. Well, long term anyway.
As loony as that sounded, it was the truth.
Yeah, sure, she dated from time to time, but thus far, she hadn’t found anyone she could stand to be around more than three dates. But something told her that wouldn’t be the case with Daniel. Daniel what?
She stopped strolling the aisles to realize that she’d given him her number, but he’d disappeared before giving her his information. And what was up with him disappearing like that?