Road Rage Read Online Free Page B

pulled the extra-butter popcorn bucket from the microwave and lowered himself to the floor to curl up with Haley in front of the couch. She was too old for cartoons, she’d informed him at the video kiosk when he’d extolled the virtues of Pixar, but she wasn’t too old to cuddle with her daddy. It wouldn’t be long, though. Pretty soon she’d want to do her own thing on the weekends, and he’d be relegated to the role of chauffeur or chaperone. Then before he knew it, the only female in his life he’d ever been able to keep his temper around would be off to college and all grown up.
    “Why don’t you date anyone, Dad?” she asked.
    “Why don’t you watch the previews? Someone worked really hard to put all those clips together and try to get you interested in their movie.”
    She dug her elbow into his ribs. With a mouthful of popcorn, she said, “Mom says you’re in danger of becoming a crotchety old man. She thinks you need to have a girlfriend.”
    Deidre dated enough for the both of them, but Haley didn’t need to know he thought so. “I appreciate your mother’s concern, but my social life is none of her business.” He did his best to keep the ire out of his voice, but when Haley’s shoulder tensed, he worried she might have picked up on it.
    He fast-forwarded the previews and got the movie going. The upbeat musical set in a high school that had never seen budget cuts failed to hold his attention. His mind wandered to the nightmare he’d had last night. Seeing that crash on the freeway must have done a number on him. He’d never dreamed the same thing twice in a night. Until last night. Fortunately, the second version hadn’t been as bad. He’d never forgotten it was a dream, and he’d had the strangest feeling he hadn’t been facing it alone. His arms erupted in goose bumps as he remembered what Haley had said.
    Who was she? The woman who tried to wake you up.
    Had Haley seen what he’d glimpsed? Auburn hair? Eyes so pure a blue they reminded him of the ocean when he went deep sea fishing?
    Impossible. Must have been part of the dream. Just his subconscious working out the kinks of witnessing something pretty hairy. He didn’t have to worry about it anymore. He’d had a great time with Haley today and had hardly thought about the wreck. Ancient history. Time to move on.
    The movie ended, and he called bedtime. Haley tried bargaining for an extra half hour, claiming he’d eaten more than his share of the popcorn and thus owed her. He appreciated her effort, but didn’t give in.
    “I’ll go to bed if you promise you’ll ask someone out this week,” she said.
    “Not this again.” He got up off the floor about as gracefully as a drunken elephant. His back made a series of pops, and a rope of aggravated muscle kinked his neck on one side. “Sorry kiddo, but bedtime’s non-negotiable.” He extended a hand to her, and she popped up like one of those Whack-a-Mole things.
    “I just don’t want you to be lonely,” she said, swinging his arm by their clasped hands, then letting go to pick up the popcorn bucket that now held nothing but kernels.
    He followed her to the kitchen and poured her a glass of milk. “I’m not lonely,” he said as he plunked the glass on the table. “I’ve got my Haley-girl.”
    She downed half the glass, then wiped her mouth on the back of her wrist. “But you only have me on the weekends. What about Monday through Friday?”
    “I work hard Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays and Sundays, I like doing things with you. I don’t have time for any other woman in my life. Now go get ready for bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow. Hiking at Whiskeytown, then shopping for school clothes.”
    “But pancakes first, right?” She drained the glass.
    “Wouldn’t miss pancakes with my Haley-girl.”
    Ten minutes later he found her on the futon amidst the sea of stuffed animals he kept for her. She’d wrapped herself up in the quilt his grandmother had made for