Chasing Fireflies Read online

  “I don’t know. Dude, I swear I don’t know who that was that came out shooting.” The smell of blood and sweat burned Devin’s nose as he stood there.

  “Lew, take care of this fucker.” Devin walked back to the car and shut the door as he heard a single gunshot.

  He knew Jax was dead, Lewy put a bullet between his eyes. “Let’s go.” He told the driver.

  Word on the street was the DEA had a price tag out on Jax head. The news speculated on what went down that night. Devin sat there drinking his high ball as the twins watched Cars on tv. His mind reeled, playing the scene over and over. What went wrong, he thought they’d been careful. The close call had caused him to lie low for the coming weeks.

  “HEY GIRLS, DEVIN,” Lewy said as he walked into the room.

  “Hey, what brings you by?” Surprised by the visit, Devin stood and followed him into their office and to refresh his drink. He turned to face Lewy, “what brings you by?” He asked again as he handed him a glass.

  “I’ve been thinking. With the shit getting hit in the US we need to cross borders.”

  Devin paced as he ran his fingers through his hair. He was tired of this conversation. Him and Lewy had almost come to blows several times over it. “No,” he said under his breath.

  “Devin, it’s time. I can have us all the business we can handle.”

  “Lewy, we’ve talked about this and I’ve not changing my position on it.”

  Lewy paced this time as his face grew red, “why the fuck not?”

  Devin walked over to him and took the front of his shirt into his fist, “Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean you can march in here and make demands. You’re crossing the line man. Get a grip.” Devin let go of Lewy's shirt and straightened it out, patted his chest, then walked away.

  Chapter One

  Devin McCallister

  Devin helped his identical twin daughters out of the car and held their hands, a child to either side, as they walked into the Publix grocery store. Cassidy and Claire were five years old. Their skin was a fawn-beige, their hair dark brown, and their eyes bright blue. They were indistinguishable, apart from the small birthmark on Cassidy’s upper lip. Most people mistook the mark for a Kool-Aid stain.

  Devin stood at a towering six-foot-two, with a solid physique, and sported a full sleeve of tattoos and one that covered a quarter of his neck. His t-shirt and jeans fit like a second skin, and his appearance attracted a lot of attention from the ladies. Everybody who knew him believed he had a one-woman heart, and that woman had been Mariana.

  The girls walked beside him as they chatted about what they wanted to eat for dinner that evening. Claire asked if they could pick up some notebooks and pencils. Devin thought she’d be a writer one day or a journalist. She loved current events, even at her young age. Her penmanship was beyond her years. Their nanny had worked with them to incorporate writing and reading into their everyday lives and prepare them for the fast-approaching school years.

  “Daddy, can we get a cookie?” Cass asked as they approached the bakery.

  “Sure, but only one. We don’t want to ruin your appetite for dinner.”

  He strolled over to the glass display counter and looked at the variety of sweets. While he eyed the cheesecake with a nod of decision, the girls found it hard to decide what they wanted. He knew from experience this could go on for days if he didn’t encourage them to pick something quickly. As he watched them, he thought about how different they were.

  Cass was more grounded. She had a calm soul, and it took a lot to get her excited. She had a quiet demeanor that was a refreshing change from most bubbly children. They might be identical in appearance, but their inner selves were opposites.

  “Daddy, can we get this. No, actually, how about these?” Cass asked as she bounced about, pointing to some cupcakes.

  Devin stood back and watched their eyes grow bigger as they pointed at cakes behind the glass. He smiled at the negotiations between them as he listened to them banter.

  “But Cass, I want the chocolate chip one,” Claire said with annoyance.

  “So, get the chocolate chip. I’m going for the sugar cookie.”

  Claire glared at her. “Why can’t we just get a few of each?”

  Frustrated and strong-willed, Claire put her hand on the cart's handle. They didn’t disagree often, but it was a no-win situation when they did.

  Devin interrupted before the conversation escalated.

  “You guys don’t have to get the same thing. Just pick what you want, and don’t worry about your twin’s decision.”

  They often felt they had to be in harmony with each other’s needs and had difficulty when they disagreed. Devin encouraged them to be their own person; to have likes, dislikes and opinions independent of the other. He explained that twins were still individuals, telling them that although they looked identical, inside, they were unique and deserved their identity. Claire was the first to speak up. She selected her favorite.

  “Daddy, I’d like this one.”

  Devin eyed the display. His weakness was cheesecake, and he and Mariana often kept one on hand at the house. Cass chose the iced sugar cookie.

  “Hi, can I help you?” the lady asked. She smiled, and he didn’t look up at her as he spoke.

  “Yes, we’ll take a chocolate chip, a sugar cookie and this cheesecake, please.”

  She grabbed the cookies and handed them to the girls. “Here you go. I hope you enjoy them.”

  Devin looked up, and their eyes met. Wow, she’s beautiful, he thought, staring into her rich green eyes. Her accent had a slow southern drawl that made his heart skip a beat as other sensations assailed his body in a rush. He wondered where in the south she was from. “Tell the nice lady thank you, girls.”

  She went back behind the counter, and he tore his gaze from her. He felt his skin flush. Her eyes took his breath away, and it was difficult to break contact with them. He cleared his mind by focusing on his daughters. As the cart filled, his mind wandered back to the eyes of the lady at the bakery counter. The way they sparkled like fireflies and their mesmerising emerald green made her unforgettable.

  “Daddy,” Claire tugged on his loose-hanging shirt to get his attention.

  He snapped out of his thoughts and crouched before her. “What is it, sweetheart?”

  “I have to go potty,” she was standing with her legs crossed and bouncing up and down. Tears brimmed in her eyes, threatening to overflow.

  He smiled, winked at her, and led her to the restrooms. “The bathroom’s right here, Claire.”

  She let go of his hand, leaving him and Cassie to wait outside. Devin asked Cass if she needed to go as well. She shook her head.

  Their mother, Mariana, was a beautiful woman from Portugal. They’d married five years ago and were madly in love. They bought a house in an elite community called The Estates to start their family. Shortly after moving there, the twins were born, completing their lives. It wasn’t long after the twins’ second birthday that Mariana passed away. One day, they’d returned from the park and found her unresponsive on the couch. Her blank stare told Devin she was dead. An accidental overdose, he assumed, seeing the discarded needle beside her. He’d moved the girls to their rooms and yelled for their nanny to care for them.

  That day was etched in his mind and was a memory that followed him like a shadow. He’d hoped the girls were young enough for the memory of their mother’s death to fade, but this wasn’t the case.

  He smiled as he thought of how different it would’ve been if Mariana hadn’t died. He felt a tinge of pain whenever memories of her blew through his mind, and he considered how different the twins would be if she was with them. Cassie might be more outgoing and secure, and Claire could be less demanding of attention. These thoughts crossed his mind often, presenting questions he’d never know the answers to.

  He was brought out of his reverie when Claire came out of the bathroom. He enjoyed shopping with the girls and had them pick out the
fruit they liked. It brought a semblance of normalcy to their lives. The twins were well behaved and only had issues at night when nightmares chased sweeter dreams from sleep. In their dreams, they revisited the image of their mom lying on the couch. He shrugged at the helplessness of the horrors he couldn’t erase for them. No matter how strong he tried to be, that day would always haunt him. The last two years hadn’t been easy.

  Devin steered the cart to the checkout counters. The lady at the register batted her eyes as she ran the tip of her tongue across her lips.

  “Hi there, handsome. Did you find everything you need?”

  “I did thank you.”

  “Are you sure there’s nothing you forgot?” She was flirting with him.

  “I’ve got all I need.” He winked, pulled his hand from under hers and loaded the groceries onto the conveyor. She looked okay. Years before, he’d learned what his looks could do for him. Even as a high school student, he could have any girl he wanted. It was a game he played. He could hit on the girl of his choice and get laid without effort. Even now, his physique and eyes captivated the women he met. They fawned over him based on his looks but didn’t know anything about the reality of his life. His power, money and everything else played second fiddle to his looks. None of it mattered after he’d met Mariana and settled down.

  Even though his daughters were with him, he couldn’t help himself and flirted with the cashier. He realized she was going beyond a playful line when she handed him the receipt with her number scribbled on the top. She tilted her head and put a finger to her lips. He chuckled. It amazed him how often women displayed no self-control around him. That thought lost its luster when the beautiful green-eyed lady from the bakery walked by. Again, his heart missed a beat, jolting his inner cold with pangs of flushed desire. He was captivated by the hint of mystery in her eyes, her slow southern drawl and her air of innocence. He sensed more to this woman than her physical beauty, and her eyes betrayed secrets she held close and guarded. She was tall and curvaceous, and her hair was a luscious brunette flowing beyond her shoulders.

  His casual relationships before meeting Marianna had never filled the emptiness, and he never developed any significant connections. The same feelings Marianna had stirred in him rushed to his mind in the presence of this green-eyed beauty. This was the first real interest he’d felt for a woman since his wife. He’d played the field before Marianna came into his life, but he gave his heart to her and closed it when she died. His grief settled like a stone where his heart had been. Maybe he was healed and ready to love again.

  “Hi,” he injected his natural charm.

  “Hi.”

  “Did you get a break?”

  “Yeah. Just a short one.”

  “Is this your regular shift? I don’t remember seeing you before.”

  “It is.”

  “Maybe we could get together sometime? Coffee or dinner, if you like.

  His daughters ran up with bags of fruit as he made a mental note to shop more often. She smiled at the children with what he felt was genuine interest.

  “Well, I’d better get back to work.”

  “I’m Devin. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Rachel.”

  “Please to meet you, Rachel.”

  Chapter Two

  Rachel Davis had worked for Publix for four years but had only recently transferred from a store in Georgia. She’d joined the North Port store in Florida six months earlier and was taken on to manage the store’s bakery and pastry counter. She was skilled in cake decorating and loved getting intricate customer orders that nourished her creativity. She lived at the Jockey Club and enjoyed the friendship of the few neighbors she’d met so far.

  She pushed her long, brown hair out of her face and into the hairnet she was required to wear. The net wasn’t up to the job of holding it, and she hated having to wear it, but she understood and accepted the policies regarding food safety. She loved working the bakery counter and interacting with the customers. The people in town amazed her. They were so different from those she grew up with in Georgia. Most North Port people carried themselves as if they didn’t have a care in the world. She wondered if anybody else worked because they all seemed to have so much carefree time on their hands.

  Small town life moved at a slower pace than she was used to. She knew it was just her fancy and assumed people held positions that gave them more freedom. The range of customers was different, too. In Georgia, everyone was friendly, but here they seemed to have a sense of entitlement. There were a lot of older people mooching around and shopping at leisure. While at the other end of the spectrum, the hordes of kids looked like they should still be in school when they came into the store.

  Regardless of this entitlement, they were always respectful, and she’d had no trouble here. She was proud to be a part of the company and felt it mirrored the values she’d lived by in her small country town. She was polite and always put herself forward when the call went out for extra hours being available. She volunteered at a local center and played board games with the elderly in her free time. At school, her classmates ridiculed her for hanging out with old people. However, she loved seeing their eyes light up when they saw her coming to spend time with them. She had grounded character traits, and respect for the elderly was ingrained into her personality. She understood them and enjoyed their stories because they’d once been as young as her.

  After Devin and his children left the store, Rachel returned to the bakery. Glancing at the list of tasks on her calendar, she noticed the date. Her brother’s birthday was coming up, and anguish washed over her, darkening her mood. Jack was six years older and had raised her from fifteen after their parents had died. They were involved in a horrific vehicle accident coming home after a night out. Their parents had maintained a monthly date night for as long as she could remember. They’d dress up, and her mom always wore a pretty dress. She let Rachel dress up, too, just to eat the takeout food they’d have delivered while their parents were out.

  She had so many fond memories from before she was fifteen—and then, life as she knew it changed forever. Her early memories were treasured like expensive heirlooms. The police officer had spoken in a voice heavy with sympathy but told Jack they’d died on impact. The attending paramedics didn’t think they’d suffered, and he told Jack to cling to that. After such a horrific loss, Jack was lost when he was thrown into the role of parenting. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he enforced discipline and set rules and boundaries. He was tough and kept a close eye on her, rarely giving her time away from the house on her own.

  They grieved their loss differently but stayed close despite the increased discipline. They only had each other, with no extended family that they knew of. It had always been the two of them and their parents. Jack and Rachel didn’t remember any grandparents being around when they were little. Other relatives were never mentioned, and it was as if Jack and Rachel had been snapped into existence out of thin air.

  Jack was popular and witty and had a big circle of friends. He was a builder and worked hard to be a good provider. His attentiveness and professionalism saw his business reap the rewards of success. After the accident, he threw himself into work, and his company flourished with a sharp upturn in new commissions. It was the community’s way of helping him without giving him handouts. They supported him by giving him their business. Another vivid memory that Rachel couldn’t suppress was a knock at the door two years ago when her life had taken another severe blow. She was nineteen at the time. She was confronted by a police officer who had a by-the-book cold police formality. He told her Jack had killed himself.

  There was nothing left for her in her old home. Her parents and her brother were dead, and the weight of losing her family was more than she could take. It drove her from Georgia to start a new life in Florida. She wanted to put as much distance between her and her hometown of Augusta, Georgia, as possible. The old town fueled her memories, and there was no switching them off.
She needed to escape the pain of her loss, and the surroundings were a constant reminder; she had no choice if she was going to survive. She wanted to forget who she was and where she’d come from.

  The memories still cut deep here, but it was a new place to call home and what she’d been searching for. Starting over was a bold move, but she needed it. She was alone and had to find out what life was like standing on her own two feet.

  “Thanks for covering my break. Hopefully, this headache will go away now.” Rachel said to her coworker as she slipped her apron on and tied it around her waist.

  “No worries. I’m going for mine. Do you have this?” Trina asked.

  “Yes, I’ve got it covered.”

  She set to work decorating a cake for a gender reveal party, enough to bring her smile back. Seeing the joy on customers' faces was why she loved her job—that and the earthiness of mixing and baking. Taking their vision of the perfect cake and bringing it into being gave her great satisfaction.

  “Time to get off the clock,” Maggie, the department manager, reminded Rachel. Maggie was a veteran employee. She’d been with the company for thirty years. Her blonde hair, cut short and sassy, complemented her small frame, and she complimented her look with a warm smile. Rachel enjoyed working for her.

  “You got it, boss,” she said as she hung her apron and snatched off her hairnet. She shook her hair out and combed it through with her fingers, trying to tame the mane. “See you Sunday,” she said to Trina.

  Trina was large and bubbly with black hair, and she was a no-nonsense woman but warm and friendly with it. She’d do anything for anybody and had brought Rachel some lunch numerous times. She was an amazing cook and needed to be with five kids still at home, though they were in high school. Trina just loved the joy of feeding people. Rachel walked up to the front office to clock out.

  “I saw you talking to Devin. You should watch out for him. He’s bad news,” one of Rachel’s coworkers offered as she clocked out.