Reaching Danny

By Dorche Harris

Now that Danny had returned home from the most tragic event of her life, she had to pick up the rest of herself and move on. She had promised herself that she would never let anyone get that close to her again. She wasn't wasting her time on love. It was pointless until Kaiden came along, consistently pushing against her barrier and forcing his way in. Besides dealing with her depression and entering the world of a single mother, Kaiden was on her mind. 

**Currently in Progress

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Mar 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9783743805200

Dorche Harris

Dorche Harris is a single mother of two, currently living in Maryland with her family. At the age of 13, she started role-playing online with friends which sparked her passion in writing. She is an aspiring writer and a Beauty Guide for her make-up business. She spends her days reading, writing, designing pictures and learning to love her life with her kids.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Marie is coming home this weekend. She’s been looking forward to seeing you. My mother was checking messages on her phone as she spoke.

       I nodded, barely hearing the words coming from her mouth. She had been trying to keep Marie and I together since I graduated college. I couldn’t lie. I loved her, but not the way my mother wanted me to. She had been pushing a proposal since I got a job with the government.

       You are stable now. She kept reminding me. You two were young and made a lot of mistakes. You had to get yourselves together before you could truly be together. I don’t want you throwing this away, Kaiden. She’s good for you.

       I sighed. If I wanted to be with her, I would have called her myself.

       She eyed me with an annoyed look on her face. I walked out of the house towards my black BMW I8. I loved this car the moment I laid eyes on it. She was my baby. I received a text from my best friend, Charles, to meet him in Crofton. We frequently visited the Waugh Chapel shopping center if we didn’t feel like traveling to D.C. or Baltimore. I turned up the music, driving down 301, trying to drown out the thoughts of my mother and Marie.

       Marie was my first love. I met her in my sophomore year of college. She was walking around aimlessly as a freshman. I was quite the flirt back then, maybe a little corny but it worked, and walked right up to her.

Excuse me. I couldn’t help but notice a damsel in distress and I had to come to her rescue. I startled her when I touched her arm.

       She jumped a clear foot away from me before looking to see who I was. She placed a hand over her heart and spoke with a Spanish accent. How dare you scare me! I was going to have a heart attack!

       I smiled, motioning to the papers in her hand. I suppose I can help with both situations then. You seem lost, beautiful. How may I help you?

       She smiled, a small blush creeping up her neck, before handing me her schedule. I’m looking for my Science Lab. I was told to walk this way but all the buildings look the same. Can you help me?

       I did a quick scan of her schedule and bowed before her. This way madam. I motioned towards my right and started walking once she took the lead.

After that moment, we were inseparable. I met her after every class, even after she learned where to go. Our relationship lasted for two years and I planned to marry her. She broke up with me before my graduation.

I’m not ready for this. She said to me, handing me the ring I had proposed with.

       She avoided me after that night. I spent months in anger, focusing on my career to try and forget about the pain. I moved on after a year of not hearing from her, which she seemed to have snuck back into my life through my mother. I wasn’t going to let that happen. She was a coward, still not directly talking to me.

       I pulled up next to Charles’ blue pickup truck that he had since high school. He was waiting for me, taking a puff of his cigarette, before jumping out of his truck.

       What took you so long? He asked, noticing the exhausted look on my face.

       I followed along as he headed into Old Navy. Marie is coming home this weekend. I think she’s staying for the summer and planning to reconcile.

       Charles looked at me with a smirk on his face. She’s still trying, huh? I thought you would have had a new woman to push her off by now.

       I chuckled, watching as he held up two different types of shirts. One was plaid and the other was a pale bluish grey with a v neck. I pointed to the blue v neck and watched as he struggled to try and fold back the plaid shirt.

       I haven’t really been looking, honestly. I’ve been focused on working. I responded, picking up the same type of shirt he had in black.

       That’s because you were secretly hiding being heartbroken…like I wouldn’t notice. You have a lot going for you, bro. You deserve a good woman, for someone to take care of you. I’m tired of having you at my house on Saturday nights eating all my pizza.

       I burst into laughter as we headed to the register. Fine. I’ll find somewhere else to spend my Saturday nights.

       Yes, at your own house. With your own woman. He declared.

       As we walked out of Old Navy, I heard a little girl screaming. We both turned to see a young female. She had on a pair of faded shorts with a blue floral print blouse. I hadn't seen a nice pair of legs on a woman since Charles' garage party. She had strong shoulders, which would have looked manly on a female, but fit her petite body well. She was trying to walk as fast as she could while struggling to carry her crying child and bags. Her son followed closely behind her, carrying a small bag of his own. She looked exhausted and tried to contain her anger with her daughter. Charles pursued walking to his car and I followed behind him.

       Please stop Alex. She pleaded, trying to grab her son’s hand as she walked.

       I’ll be right back. I started walking towards her before he could protest. Excuse me miss?

       She looked around, confused, before her eyes found mine. Yes? I could see the anger in her brow. She wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

       I just noticed that you were struggling with those bags. Can I help you? I asked, motioning towards the bags that her daughter was kicking.

       But I’m helping mommy. Her son shouted. His expression turned sour which made me smile.

       It’s okay Peter. She looked down to him before looking back towards me. I guess it’s fine. Thank you.

       She leveled her daughter on her right arm and reached her left arm towards me. I took all her bags and followed as she proceeded to her car. She walked up to a Nissan Altima with an I love Jewelry in Candles sticker on the bumper. I waited while she got her kids settled and calmed her daughter down. She opened the trunk and started taking the bags from my hands.

       You have beautiful children. I complimented, trying to ease the embarrassment and anger from her face. How old are they?

       Six and two. She answered quickly, closing the trunk once the bags were in. She turned towards me. Thank you for helping me.

       Now that I was closer, I could get a better look at her. Her face was small and slender but her cheeks told me she wasn't a woman afraid to eat. She had the most beautiful, molasses colored eyes I had ever seen. Her full lips held a fake smile. There was pain and sadness in her eyes. What happened that was causing so much pain?

       Well, I need to get going. My kids are in the car. She said, turning away from me. I stepped back as she walked towards her door and settled herself in. I noticed the green, fuzzy pillow that she sat on and smiled to myself. Her kids were waving at me through the window. I waved back.

       I couldn’t let her go without knowing her name. I leaned in on her door as she rolled down the windows. What’s your name?

       She looked at me, the anger coming back into her brow. Why?

       "Because I want