Love to Hate You (Hope Valley #9) - Jessica Prince Page 0,45
leg tighter, like she was trying to fuse herself to me as she mumbled, “Hello.”
“Well, hey there, Ivy. My, aren’t you a pretty girl? You look just like your momma,” he said, looking up to shoot me another wink. “It’s real nice to meet you.”
She turned her face away, burrowing into my skin. The sudden shift in the happy vibe that had filled the shop coupled with my daughter’s strange reaction to Greg left me feeling a bit unsettled. I let out an awkward laugh. “Sorry about that. Guess she’s feeling a little shy today.”
“Didn’t realize she had a shy bone in her body,” Sylvia muttered under her voice. My gaze shot to her and I saw she was watching Greg closely, her expression closed off in a way I’d never seen before. It was almost as if she didn’t trust this man.
“Yeah, well . . . Maybe it’s just one of those days.” I attempted to brush her off, knowing full well she was right, and that my girl had never, in her four years, had one of those days. “So, what brings you by? You in the market for some flowers?” I’d tried to make my tone teasing, but everything about this situation felt uncomfortable and awkward.
“Not today, but maybe soon.” That got me another wink, as if he were sharing a secret, when in all honesty, the wink was getting a little played out. Three in less than five minutes was too much. “I don’t have long before I have to get back to the station; I just stopped in to see your gorgeous face.”
“Oh, uh . . .” That comment threw me. It felt far too intimate for a man and woman who’d only spoken one other time, and for less than ten minutes. “Thank you. That’s sweet.”
“Actually, I came by to see if you were free Saturday night. I’d love to take you to dinner.”
“Oh. Well . . .” Micah’s command to stay away from this guy came back to me all of a sudden. I’d initially thought he was marking his territory in some alpha caveman sort of way, but I remembered the look on his face when he’d issued the order, and I could have sworn I’d seen something other than jealousy there.
My gut instinct was screaming that something was majorly off here. I just didn’t know what it was.
Before I had to make up a lie or turn him down in front of an audience, Sylvia spoke up. “How sweet. Unfortunately, she already has plans on Saturday.” She looked at me with that arched brow. “Remember, sweets? We have you and Ivy’s welcome cookout. Practically the whole town’s coming.”
“Of course!” I said loudly as relief washed over me. “Things have been so crazy, that totally slipped my mind.”
“I bet they have,” Sage murmured under her breath with a mischievous grin.
I chose to ignore her and looked back to Greg, who was staring unhappily in Sylvia’s direction. The expression on his face sent an unpleasant chill down my spine. “I’m sorry. But I really appreciate the invitation,” I told him, trying to lighten the sudden tension crackling in the air, while hoping to move him out the door faster.
He turned back to me, the displeasure gone from his features in an instant and replaced with the charming smile he’d walked in wearing. “That’s all right, beautiful. There’ll be other weekends.” He took a step back, rapping his knuckles on the counter. “I’ll see you soon. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Yeah, you too.”
He turned and headed out of the shop without acknowledging anyone else.
Ivy went back to acting like her normal self almost as soon as the door closed behind him, and Sylvia didn’t say anything about her odd behavior, so I chose to brush off the uncomfortable feeling clinging to my skin and pretend everything was perfectly normal.
Ivy pulled Sage across the shop to show her the fairy garden she and Sylvia were making, leaving me and Dani alone at the counter. I twisted my head, prepared to speak, when she started before I could.
Leaning in close, she lowered her voice to a whisper and said, “Be careful, Hayden. That’s the kind of man you don’t want attention from.”
A chill burrowed its way beneath my skin. “What do you mean?” I asked, keeping my voice as quiet as hers.
“I’m sorry but I can’t say. Please, just stay away from that guy, all right? He’s dangerous.”