Chapter Twelve #2
“I know this much is true,” Bailey sang, sounding a bit off key but enjoying herself.
He loved the way she seemed very unapologetic about everything she did.
She was someone who seemed very comfortable in her own skin.
It had taken Landon a lifetime to get to a place where he felt good about himself, and on any given day he might slide back into a negative headspace.
Maybe he would finally feel whole if he resolved his issues with the laboratory.
It still hung over his head like a massive dark cloud.
“Here we are,” Bailey said as she turned into a driveway on Robin Hood Road.
It was a modest home, a one-story ranch style the color of eggshells.
Bright-blue shutters perfectly complemented the color of her house.
He quickly noticed that there wasn’t a single holiday ornament on display.
It gave him a sad feeling to know that she was shut down about the holiday season.
Yet she still hadn’t told him why. Note to self: Ask Bailey some questions.
After all, she’d never hesitated to ask him about his backstory.
“Do you want to come in and meet Foxy Brown?” she asked. “I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but that is her name.” She chuckled. “For better or worse. She’s a rescue, and my mom named her based on one of her favorite movies. Then when I moved out, Foxy Brown came along with me.”
“I love that,” he said. “You can’t stop destiny. Clearly the two of you were meant to be.”
“Right? Foxy Brown made her choice, even though my mother accused me of dognapping.” He could tell by the way that she recounted the story that there had been no hard feelings about Foxy Brown’s relocation.
“I love dogs. I’ve been wanting to get my own for the longest time. Maybe this year,” he said.
“We’ve got some great local rescues, so keep that in mind. Anytime you need someone to help you look, I’m there. I’m wild about rescue dogs.” Bailey’s voice radiated enthusiasm. He could tell she was passionate about the subject.
Landon didn’t want to say it, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he would be back in California by the time he was ready for a dog. He almost felt guilty not mentioning it to Bailey. Would it matter to her?
Once they got out of the car, Bailey led the way to her house, quickly opening up the door and stepping inside.
Landon followed after her, looking around with curiosity.
The vibe of her home was cozy and artsy.
Vivid paintings were hanging on the walls with a variety of different designs: blues, reds, purples, oranges.
Clearly she loved being surrounded by color.
He spotted a framed family photo of her and three women who had to be her sisters based on the resemblance.
Judging by the photos, they were all beautiful.
There was one photo of her mother with a man who looked a lot like Bailey, the same brown skin tone and freckles.
Not to mention the magnetic smile. Pure joy emanated from the photo.
There was no question that this couple had been deeply in love.
He nodded toward the framed photo. “Is that your dad? He looks a lot like you. You practically stole his face.”
“Thanks, it is. I love this picture of them. It was right after they got married. My mom always says they still had starlight in their eyes because they were so in love.”
“I can tell,” he said. “You can’t look at this photo and not feel it.”
Just then the pitter-patter of little feet announced the arrival of Foxy Brown. The pup was small with brown and white fur. She was wearing a bright-red collar dotted with rhinestones.
Bailey let out an excited squeal. “Hey, my little angel. Mama’s here,” Bailey said, bending down to scoop the little dog up in her arms. “Foxy Brown, this is Landon. And, Landon, this is my sweet Foxy Brown.”
“Hey, Foxy Brown,” Landon said, reaching out and patting her on the temple. Foxy immediately licked his hand and nuzzled against his palm.
“Oh my goodness,” Bailey gushed. “She never does that. She likes you, Landon. She really likes you.” The dog began wriggling and making little noises.
“I don’t think she’s feeling too well,” Bailey said, biting her lip. She nuzzled her nose against the dog’s face. “She has seizures, so it’s hard to leave her at home for long amounts of time. I’ve put her on medication, but she still has episodes.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Must make it hard on both of you while you’re at work,” Landon said.
He wondered whether Yukon Cider would ever implement a policy allowing employees to bring their dogs to work from time to time.
In California he had noticed a lot of canines accompanying their owners into office buildings.
It might not be possible in the cider lab due to contamination fears, but maybe a doggy day care on the premises could benefit employees.
“During the week I have a dog sitter, Imani, who keeps a close eye on her.” She made a face. “Trust me. I feel guilty leaving her each and every day.”
“I get it, but she seems like a very happy dog.”
Landon watched as Bailey cuddled Foxy Brown.
“Hey, this may be overstepping,” Landon said, “but I wouldn’t mind if we did our brainstorming session here instead of at the lab. That way you could keep your eye on Foxy Brown.”
Surprise shone in her eyes. “Really?” she asked. “I know we planned on heading to the lab.”
“Of course I don’t mind. I love being at the lab, and it stimulates my mind, but as long as we have some white poster boards, we can make this happen. If we don’t, I can run out and get some.”
“I definitely have some in my garage. I’m a visual learner, so I love having poster boards at the ready.”
“If you have some colored markers, we’re going to be cooking with gas,” he said, repeating one of his grandmother’s favorite phrases.
Bailey chuckled. “Now you’re sounding like Hattie. She’s rubbing off on you.”
Landon scoffed. “Just what I wanted, to sound like an elderly woman.”
Bailey held her hand up to her mouth as she giggled. “Oh, come on! Hattie-isms are everything!”
In reality, Landon was proud of all the ways that his grandmother had rubbed off on him.
“Why don’t you make yourself comfortable while I grab the supplies?
” she asked. “Help yourself to anything in the kitchen—water, soda, a snack. I’ll be right back,” she said, holding out Foxy Brown so Landon could take her in his arms. “Just hold her close and she’ll love it.
She seems to like you.” Without another word she raced off, leaving him alone with Foxy Brown.
Landon looked down at the cute dog in his arms. She was speckled brown and white with floppy ears and a sweet little face. The pup looked up at Landon with big eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you,” Landon crooned. “I’m just holding you until your mama gets back.”
He looked around the living room. It was a cozy space with a sectional sofa and a comfy-looking love seat. A stone fireplace centered the room and served as a focal point. This would be a comfortable room for them to work in.
Landon enjoyed working with Bailey and brainstorming with her.
So far, every moment he’d spent with her had been special.
There wasn’t a single thing he didn’t appreciate about her.
He was still wanting to peel back Bailey’s layers so that he could get a glimpse of the things she was holding in.
Come to think of it, the night of Hattie’s party she’d been full of questions for him but hadn’t revealed all that much about herself.
Although she was lively and full of personality, he still didn’t know her on her most basic level.
He sensed that there were things about herself that she was keeping close to the vest. There was something that hinted at a vulnerability she didn’t share with the world.
He wanted to know everything about her, particularly the things he’d been wondering about.
It was crystal clear to him. Landon needed to flesh Bailey out.
Starting now.
Armed with sodas, a bag of chips, and a bowl of M&M’s, Bailey and Landon hunkered down in her living room.
They both were curled up on her couch with Foxy Brown nestled between them.
The dog had instantly fallen in love with Landon.
Pretty ironic considering her conversation with Hattie where she’d admitted that she was falling in love with her grandson.
At some point, she realized with a sigh, she would have to tell Landon himself how she felt, which was downright scary.
But first they had to get through this holiday campaign.
She had always honored her professional obligations.
Personal feelings didn’t mean she could shirk her work.
Thankfully they worked well together. Landon’s intellect and hardworking nature went a long way toward contributing to their successful partnership.
Although she was stressing a bit about the short amount of time they had to prepare the presentation, Bailey didn’t have a single doubt that the line wouldn’t be a massive hit.
With the poster boards and markers on the coffee table, they were intent on making a visual aid to highlight the steps they’d taken to produce a winning holiday line. Before the meeting, Bailey would make a PowerPoint presentation with all the bells and whistles.
“Okay, we obviously don’t have a lot of time to get this presentation straight, which means we have to finalize what flavors we’re moving forward with.”
“And the names of each drink. Or should we leave that to marketing?” Landon asked, his brows furrowed in concentration.
“Absolutely not! We definitely have naming privileges. Consider it a perk.”
“Score!” Landon said, his excitement bubbling over. “I’ve been keeping a list.”