Love to Hate You (Hope Valley #9) - Jessica Prince Page 0,38
careful.”
That comment earned me a smirk, the effects of which felt like riding on a rollercoaster. “Yeah, I can see that. Your girl’s pretty used to getting her way, isn’t she?”
“Most of the time,” I answered honestly, shrugging a shoulder. “But mainly only with men.”
He let out a chuckle and finally reached to take the cash. “Fine, I’ll keep this, as long as you tell her I only took it under duress.”
“You got it.”
He watched me for a beat, as if waiting for me to say something else. I struggled to get the words from my throat for several seconds before he gave up, taking a step back. “Okay, well, thanks. I guess I’ll see you around.”
“Wait!” I cried, slapping my hand on the solid wood door as he began to close it on me. “Micah, I—”
“You what?” he pressed when I didn’t finish my sentence.
“Okay, look. I know things between us have been . . .”
“A shit show?” I curled my lips between my teeth to hide my grin while nodding. “Yeah. That’s one way to put it. Anyway, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans and began fidgeting in place. “I wanted to apologize for how I’ve been acting around you. Despite what you may think, that’s not me. I’m really not a mean person, I promise. Even though I’ve been acting like one lately.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and rested a shoulder against the door jamb, like he was settling in. He was getting a kick out of watching me squirm, not that I could blame him. If the shoe was on the other foot, I had no doubt I’d be doing the exact same thing.
“So . . . I’m sorry. That’s what I wanted to say.”
“That it?”
“Yep—oh, actually, no,” I blurted, suddenly remembering the real reason I was there. “I also wanted to invite you over for dinner. Ivy told me she asked you, but you turned her down. And, well if you’d like to come, the invitation’s still open.”
His lips curved, revealing those pearly white teeth. “That so?”
His grin was infectious. “Yes, that’s so.” I started walking backward, adding, “It’ll be done in about forty-five minutes. And I know a particular little redhead, about this tall”—I held my hand out at my hip—“who’d be really happy if you showed.”
“Yeah? She the only redhead who’d be happy if I showed?” he called back as I turned and started back toward my house.
“Baby steps, Micah,” I returned. “Baby steps.”
He let out a booming laugh as I crossed back into my yard and scurried up the front walk. I was smiling wide as I stepped into the house and closed the door behind me, hoping more than I cared to admit that he’d show up.
Micah
The door flew open before I finished knocking.
“You came!” I was rocked back a step when the full force of a little four-year-old plowed into my legs, locking them in a vise grip. My arms shot out at my sides as I fought to keep my balance, looking down into a pair of big, sapphire doe eyes. “Mommy said she didn’t know, but I told her you’d come, ’cause we’re best friends!” she declared.
“We are?”
She released my legs and took a step back. “Yu-huh! You’re my best friend, Mike, who gave me six bucks!” I gave up trying to get her to say my name correctly, accepting that I would probably forever be known to her as Mike. All of a sudden, her smile drooped. Her bottom lip poked out, and her chin began to quiver. “But Mommy took my money away.” Her big blue eyes grew even brighter as tears welled up in them.
Oh shit. Oh fuck. No, no, no, no. “What’s happening right now?” I asked, panic starting to clench my chest. “What are you doing? Stop it.”
She sniffled. “N-now I c-can’t get ice cream.”
“Oh God. No. Please don’t. Look.” I quickly pulled my wallet from my back pocket. “I’ll give you the money back, okay? I’ll give you all of it. Just . . . stop whatever you’re about to do.”
Hayden suddenly appeared out of nowhere, grabbing hold of my wrist to stop me before I could throw all the cash I had—a hundred and twenty dollars—at her kid. “Ivy,” she clipped in a scolding tone. Almost immediately, the chin quivering stopped and the tears dried up. “What have I told you about that face?”