Trevor is Not Danny
Lacey took in a deep breath after she kissed Thomas goodbye for the third time. She heard Phoebe and Samuel talking to a man with a deep baritone voice downstairs. Thomas was sitting in the corner of his room playing with his legos. Lacey checked herself in the mirror before making her way to secretly peek at her blind date.
Wow. He was good looking. He was probably 6'5" tall and seemed to have a muscular build. The date was supposed to be semi-casual. Therefore, Trever was dressed in a light gray sweater with darker gray dress pants on. Lacey swallowed remembering how Danny looked in that type outfit. Then she shook her head promising herself she wasn't going to do this tonight.
Lacey exhaled before nervously walking downstairs. She had on a slim fitting pair of jeans topped off with a light beige sweater. It fit her figure perfectly. Her hair was in loose waves framing her gorgeous face. Trevor glanced up with a shocked look. He'd have to thank Jo later. Lacey was breathtakingly gorgeous just as Jo had described her. When Lacey smiled, Trevor was lost in her charm. He was a goner due to her dimples and perfect smile.
Lacey almost giggled like a school girl when she noticed Trevor's looks were very much like a young Denzil Washington. The actor was always her mother's favorite. Lacey had to admit. He was gorgeous just as Jo said.
"Hello." Trevor spoke first. "It is very nice to meet you, Lacey."
"Hi." Lacey said coyly before placing her hand in the crook of Trevor's arm. "It is nice to meet you too. Are you ready to head into the big city?"
"Yes. I hope you like the restaurant I picked." Trevor stated as he placed his hand over Lacey's hand. "I live not far from the place. I eat there often but never get tired of their food."
Lacey gave Phoebe and her dad a side eyed glare because both were gawking at her and her date. Finally, Lacey reminded Phoebe to make sure Thomas got his medicine at 7 pm sharp and no later or he would not sleep. That was partly to remind Trevor that she had a son. Jo had told Lacey she informed him but Lacey wanted that point clear.
The date was going well as Trevor was being the perfect gentleman. He was interesting to talk to as well. Lacey didn't have much to say. However, she did enjoy his explaining about his family. It seems Trevor came from a large family of six sisters with him being the baby of the family and the only boy. Lacey laughed at his explaining his sister's still treating him like a baby despite him being thirty years old.
"Jo told me about your mother and Clara." Trevor smiled sweetly allowing Lacey to know that Jo had informed him of Lacey's life.
"Jo likes to talk too much." Lacey returned his smile. "She has always been like that. I guess I get used to it after all these years. But now I have nothing to talk about." Lacey grinned shyly. "Except Thomas. Did she tell you about my wonderful son?"
"She did." Trevor reached out and placed his hand gently over Lacey's. "But I'd love to hear more about him."
Lacey chuckled under her breath. "Thomas is an ornery thing. But I love him more than life."
Lacey felt the warmness of Trevor's hand over hers. She tried to forget the way Danny would lay his hand over hers when they went out to dinner as a young teen couple. He had long put behind him the whole fiasco of flaunting his money for her. Their dates had turned into wonderful conversations of their future. Danny had made it plain that some day he wanted to marry Lacey.
Lacey made sure to push those thoughts back as she started to talk about Thomas. "My son is a genius at math. Seriously, he can work out small equations faster than a calculator at times."
"Really?" Trevor said stunned. "Jo said he was autistic. Isn't he only three as well?"
Lacey didn't take offense of Trevor's questions. A lot of people didn't understand her son's diagnosis. "He is. But sometimes, autistic children have special talents for things. They are known as savants. Although I'm not sure that Thomas is. He is still brilliant."
Danny pulled back his shoulder length hair and secured into his patent bun style. He rubbed his fingers over temples as he listened to Bruce drone on. Charlie blinked a few times knowing his younger brother wasn't really into the business meeting. Danny had acted strangely since visiting his mother's grave in Green Grove over a month ago. Charlie had a suspicion that he knew exactly why Danny was off kilter. Danny probably had seen or something reminded him of the woman who had stole Danny's heart from his youth. Lacey Porter was in Danny's blood. The boy had tried and failed to get over her. But Danny still considered Lacey the love of his life despite the many years that passed without seeing her.
"It boils down to the business you invested in is costing more than it is making." Bruce glanced over at a few more men sitting in three piece suits around the long oak table. "It is such a small business in such a small town. We all know that Green Grove is your hometown, Mr. Desai." Bruce always made sure to speak to Danny with the respect of an employee when around other colleagues. "But this business is not making us anything. Like I said, it is costing us."
Danny glanced over at Charlie, who like the rest of the men in the room, wore a suit and tie. Danny was the only one casually dressed. The twenty four year old was the man in charge and he let every one know it. Some of the men were in their forties and resented that Danny Desai held their future in his hands. Danny wasn't a very personal boss either. He barked out orders and all did as he said. Of course, when it came down to it, Danny always knew best in the long run. He really was intelligent about how to make money.
Charlie loosened his tie. "The business will not close. We need to find another way to make this a success."
Bruce pushed back his flaming red hair in frustration. "It is such a small..."
"I know how small the company is, Bruce." Danny stared defiantly at his friend. "But I am not closing the doors. That is finale." He glanced around at the men around the table. "Find a way for that business to make money or I'll find someone who can. End of story. This meeting is over."
The men, including Bruce, exited nervously. Charlie stayed behind to speak to his younger brother. Danny leaned back propping his feet on the table.
"Jo really is doing her best with this company. She has no clue that you are the silent proprietor." Charlie knew Danny was helping Jo out with this business adventure.
Jo was CEO of the small company. The company sold small items around the area of New York and even shipped some items to other cities. The products ranged from scented candles, gourmet coffees, and various flavored teas. The company was based off of one small café. It was a risky venture of a small coffee café that reminded all that entered it's doors of the coffee shop in the old tv series friends. They even featured poem readings, singing, and art displays by the locals. This type café was much more desirable for New York City. The residence of Green Grove would usually travel for an atmosphere like this. However, Danny remembered Lacey talking about wanting something like this café when they dated in high school. She spoke of wanting to have reminders of the things she loved in Green Grove to sell in other parts of the world. Therefore, Danny opened the business a little over two years ago. He had hoped that Lacey would apply for manager position. However, she did not. When Danny saw that Jo applied and not Lacey, He hired her. Unknown to Jo or anyone else, Danny was the sole owner to this small failing business.
Charlie leaned his elbows on the table. "Maybe if we cut out the product part of the business. We could just keep the small café open. Johnny Cakes shut down due to the owner dying last year. The café may bring in some money but the product line of Love Laced could be eliminated."
"No." Danny closed his eyes as he sighed. "I can afford to lose money on this. I make more money in one hour than this small business loses."
Charlie rubbed his chin wondering if he should bring up the obvious. "You saw her, didn't you?"
Danny opened his eyes then stared at his older brother. "Don't."
Charlie knew Danny didn't like mentioning Lacey or Jo. Jo because there was a friendship bond that Danny always thought would be there. But that changed when Jo actually thought he could murder someone. Lacey was another story entirely. From the time Danny was ten years old, he had developed a crush on Lacey. When he returned to Green Grove, he understood his draw to Lacey was romantic. The last two years of high school while Danny and Lacey dated, he fell deeply in love.
"Just answer me, Danny." Over the years, Charlie and Danny had built a relationship as brothers should. Danny gave Charlie a large amount of money as well as hired him to be a part of Desai Industries. Charlie was basically set up as second in charge. Charlie had grown to love his younger brother. That caused Charlie to worry for Danny as well. "Don't bottle up, Danny. It's me."
"Yeah." Danny stood up. He walked to the large rectangular window overlooking the city. "I saw her when I was at Mom's grave." Danny leaned his hand against the stainless steal framing around the window. "It is so hard, Charlie. It still hurts."
"I know." Charlie did know.
When Danny's mother died, Danny wanted to see Lacey again so badly. He was going to declare his undying love for her if she'd have him. He would travel the world with her and take Clara too. He figured Clara would love it. Or Danny was willing to settle down anywhere Lacey wanted. He would held make Lacey and Clara his family as he had always dreamed. Danny even had the perfect diamond ring picked out for Lacey. He would never propose on the day of his mother's funeral. However, he planned on proposing after spending time getting to know Lacey again. He knew his heart had not changed. Lacey's heart must have. Because the day after they made love, Lacey told Danny she had moved on from him. He needed to go and that their lovemaking was a mistake. It was only left over emotions that should not be revisited.
Danny's ex-girlfriend, Angela Canon, showed up at the funeral. It wasn't strange for Angela to be at his mother's funeral. She was very fond of Karen. Danny and Angela dated his first year out of high school. It didn't last long. When Lacey told Danny it was over for good this time, Angela seemed to be there to try and pick him up. They dated for a month or two before Danny once again broke the relationship off.
What Danny didn't know was that his ex girlfriend, Angela Canon, had conspired to rid Lacey from Danny's life forever.