Chapter 9 #2
“But sitting out here isn’t going to get it over with any quicker, so let’s just go.”
“It’ll be—”
“If you say it’ll be okay one more time, I might have to hit you with a snowball, Captain Riley.”
The sound of his laughter eased the worst of her tension. She could get used to that sound, if only he weren’t leaving in a few days.
One problem at a time, Haylee.
“Fair enough,” he said, stuffing keys in his coat pocket.
When they made it inside the restaurant, the Webbers were already seated at a table in the corner. They spotted Logan and waved before the hostess could direct them.
Then Marianne saw Haylee, and her elated expression fell like a boulder off the side of a cliff.
A very steep cliff.
Haylee clenched the manila envelope she brought even tighter, mindful not to bend the photos inside. But she had nothing else to hold on to.
“I got you,” Logan said, low against her ear, as though he could read her mind. He put his hand on the small of her back and urged her toward the table.
“Logan, it is so very good to see you!” Marianne trapped him in a hug as he approached the table. Jim waited his turn to shake Logan’s hand, his gaze averted from Haylee. Neither seemed in a rush to acknowledge the fourth guest.
Could this be any more awkward?
“You both remember Haylee Evans?” Logan said, pulling out a chair for her against the wall. Was he putting her in the corner to protect her or trap her? She couldn’t decide.
“Vaguely, yes,” Marianne said, as though she hadn’t just been ignoring Haylee’s presence. “You were one of Dylan’s friends, from college. Right?”
“Before West Point,” Jim added.
“She was more than a friend, Marianne,” Logan said, his tone so chipper it was hard to argue with him. “They dated for nearly a year.”
“Oh, yes, how silly of me to forget. It’s just . . . with his passing . . .”
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Haylee said, meaning it. Even if they were being dismissive of her—what was new, really?—she wouldn’t wish the loss of a child on any parent.
“Thank you, dear,” Jim said.
“I didn’t know you and Logan were acquainted,” Marianne said, waving the server over. She ordered some type of fancy wine Haylee could never pronounce even if she tried. No doubt, the bottle was more expensive than a month of rent for her, so she ordered water.
“It’s a recent acquaintance, actually,” Logan said. “I’m staying in Sunset Ridge with my grandma for Christmas this year.”
“Can’t say I’ve been there.”
“It’s a charming town,” Logan said, accepting the draft beer Jim insisted he try from the server and setting it in front of him on the table. “Grandma Charlotte got to pet a reindeer just the other day. She was thrilled.”
“How is your grandmother?” Marianne asked.
“Better than I expected she’d be. We lost Gramps last year, shortly after Dylan passed.”
Haylee’s heart dropped as she fought the urge to reach her hand onto his knee beneath the table. He hadn’t told her about losing his grandpa so recently. But then again, why would he? They barely knew each other.
“I’m so sorry, hun. I know you two were close,” Marianne said.
Something about her expression made her look .
. . human. They cared about Logan, and that made Haylee feel a little bit better.
Maybe this whole thing wasn’t a terrible idea after all.
She didn’t want to deny them a chance to know their granddaughter should they want it, but she didn’t much care for the idea of them being as cold and indifferent to Melly as they were to her. This gave her some hope.
“How did you two meet?” Marianne asked.
“Dylan put me up to it, actually,” Logan said.
“Dylan?” Marianne repeated, her expression mostly shocked, with a hint of appalled.
Haylee fought the urge to get up from the table and wait in Logan’s truck. He might have sensed her flight instinct kicking into high gear, because he reached his arm around the back of her chair and rested his hand on her shoulder.
It was a nice hand.
A warm hand.
One that made her feel safe.
Brave, even.
Which was why she set the envelope on the table and slid it toward the Webbers.
“What’s this?” Jim asked, between sips of his draft beer.
She shared a glance with Logan, and he nodded. The simple gesture carried so much weight, giving her the courage she desperately needed to go through with this. No matter how this went, he was there. For her. He would never truly know how much this meant to her.
“I want to preface this by saying Dylan didn’t know.
After he . . . broke up with me, I never heard from him again.
” Haylee left out the part about him ignoring her texts and calls until he eventually changed his phone number.
“He also made it pretty clear that he wanted to focus on his military career.”
“I don’t understand,” Marianne said, staring at the manila envelope as though it might contain a bomb.
“You have a granddaughter,” she said.
“No, we don’t.” Marianne shoved the unopened envelope back at Haylee. “Why would you say such things? Don’t say such things.”
“Dear, calm down,” Jim said to his wife as a few heads nearby turned their attention to their corner table. Her reaction was extreme, but understandable. The news had to be a shock. “I’m sure this is all a horrible misunderstanding.”
“It’s true,” Logan said, opening the envelope and pulling out one of the photos of Melly to show them. “Dylan has a daughter.”
Marianne shrieked at the sight of the photo—one of Melly’s school pictures from this year—flinching back as though someone slapped her.
“I tried to tell him—”
“Leave,” Marianne said through gritted teeth.
“I know it’s a shock—”
“I said leave,” Marianne screamed, cutting off Logan and making their table the spectacle in the otherwise quiet restaurant. “How dare you play this sick prank on us. Are you trying to get our money?”
“What? I don’t want your money,” Haylee said, disgusted by the suggestion. “Why would you even think that?”
“You were never good enough for him,” Marianne spat.
“Lower your voice, dear,” Jim said to his wife, but it was no use. She was fired up.
Haylee stood, yanking the envelope off the table, sending the lone photo Logan pulled from it flying into Marianne’s lap.
Logan stood too, tugging her out from the corner by the elbow.
It would be best if Haylee walked away, but she was feeling particularly bold. She turned and stared Marianne down.
“I thought I was doing the right thing by telling you about Dylan’s daughter. But it’s clear now that Melly’s better off not knowing how spiteful and judgmental her grandparents really are.”
With that declaration, she stormed out of the restaurant.