The Hazards of Mistletoe (Hazards #4)(14)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“Are you psychic?”

“No. I’m eighty-five. It’s practically the same thing. I’ve lived through a lot in my life.”

“I was trying to protect her.”

“Ok. I’m getting the picture here. You rejected her under the misguided idea that you were somehow doing her a favor?’

“Exactly.” Layden had figured that one out fast.

“Did you try to apologize?” He took another sip of his coffee, but his eyes never left my face.

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Today.”

“You didn’t think to apologize slightly closer to when you rejected her?” He raised an eyebrow.

“That would have defeated the point. I wanted to keep her away.”

“And I suppose you’ve come here to get my help? Or is it my advice?”

“Both if possible.”

He laughed. “First, tell me why.”

“Why, what?”

“Why do you want to fix things? Why now?”

I waited while a couple walked past our table. They were laughing and clearly having a good time. The guy had his arm around the girl, who was leaning into his side. Watching them made me jealous. All happy couples seemed to make me jealous now. “Because my feelings for her are even stronger, and she’s sad. I did the right thing, and she still ended up unhappy.”

“She’s had a tough year.”

I sat up in my chair. “What else is going on?”

“Nothing specifically. At least on the surface she’s enjoying school, but she’s lonely. Her father’s worried sick about her. Even more now that she’s lost weight.”

“She did look a little bit thinner.”

He opened his mouth and then closed it.

“What? What were you going to say?”

“I don’t want any details. None at all, but did you happen to reject her in a way that would hurt her body image?”

My entire body froze. “Why?”

He looked right at me again. “You know why. Most kids gain weight in college. They don’t call it the freshman fifteen for nothing.”

“You think I made her think she was fat?”

He shrugged. “I would like to think my granddaughter has a stronger self-image than one that would allow her to be so swayed by one man’s opinion, but it’s worth considering whether you contributed to a larger issue.”

“Damn it.” I buried my face in my hands again.

“You’re not going to find any answers in the palms of your hands.”

“I know. And I’m not going to find any from you now.” I pushed back my chair.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I figure I better move before you kill me.”

“I’m not going to kill you… at least not if you fix things. You know I’ve always been rooting for you when it comes to Savannah. I’m not giving up on you yet.”

“Fix things? How the hell am I going to do that?” I took my first sip of coffee. The bitter taste matched my mood.

“You evidently thought you had a chance. Otherwise you wouldn’t have showed up here.”

“I can’t do anything if she won’t talk to me.”

“You think some time to talk is all you need?”

“It’s a start. I need a chance to explain everything.”

“I’ll get you that chance, but you better start scheming something bigger than just a conversation.”

“What do you mean? Like I need to buy her something?”

He shook his head. “Savannah isn’t the type of girl who cares about material things. You know that as well as I do.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“That’s for you to figure out. You’ve gotten to know her rather well over the years. I assume you’ve learned a few things about her likes and interests.”

“I have.” I smiled as a plan formulated. “I know what to do.”

“Good. I’ll be in touch.”

“Now am I supposed to leave?”

“Yes. Do you think I want to be caught fraternizing with the black sheep?”

“Uh. What?”

Layden laughed. “You’re going to have to work on that sense of humor, son. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after being married for over sixty years, it’s that spending time with a woman requires one.”

“All right. I’ll keep that in mind.” I stood up and started toward the door. Then I remembered the cash. I walked back to the table and pulled it out. “Here.”

“No, you keep it. Even a non-materialistic plan is going to take some capital.”

“I have some money.”

“Then use it to treat her to a nice dinner when she forgives you.”

“You really think she’s going to?”

He shrugged. “If not then we both wasted our time didn’t we?”

“I guess so.” I nodded at him before heading to the door.

A burst of cold air hit me hard as soon as I stepped outside. I belatedly put on my coat. Now that I had a plan, I had to find a way to execute it.

Chapter Eight

Savannah

I must have fallen asleep because by the time I woke up it was starting to get dark out.

I lay there on my bed, trying to push away the fogginess of sleep. A knock on the door had me struggling to sit up. “Who is it?” I called groggily.

“It’s Dalton. Can I come in?”

I groaned. “I’d rather you didn’t.”

He ignored me and pushed open the door.

“What do you want?”

“I wanted to apologize.”

“For?”

“Being an ass. I shouldn’t have said that stuff to you.”

I ran a hand through my likely messy hair. “I probably shouldn’t have doused you with water either.”

He sat down on the edge of my bed. “I deserved that, but can we call a truce?”

“A truce?” I blinked away the last remnants of sleep. What was he doing? I preferred when people took a position and stuck to it.

“Yeah. Let’s hang out tonight.”

“Hang out?” I looked at him skeptically. “What’s in it for you?”

“I really want to see the new Tarantino movie. It’s playing at some dinner and a movie place, and I know Laney would never watch it. Any chance you’re into that kind of thing?”

“I’d see the movie, but I’d rather not go with you.” I wasn’t in the mood for more of his interrogations. Whether it was because of misguided concern or not, it didn’t make it any more pleasant.