Chapter 17
17
“THAT GANG OF DUCKS LOOKS LIKE TROUBLE.” I stared down the cluster of white-feathered creatures several yards away, letting them know they weren’t getting the jump on us.
Hayley snorted. “You think all animals are trouble.”
Saturday afternoon found us in City Park, making our way through the Old Grove, home to an expanse of live oaks dating back eight hundred years. Hayley ignored the beauty around us, her attention on a trembling Precious, who needed near-constant coaxing to keep moving. The dog sported a purple body harness that could fit a guinea pig and a matching leash. Precious eyed one of the metal crutches supporting a massive branch on one of the trees. Her tail slid between her hind legs, and she released a pitiful whimper.
Hayley scooped her up. “Precious isn’t trouble.” She peppered her puppy’s face with kisses as we continued walking toward our destination.
“Do I need to remind you of the trouble I stepped in? In my bedroom? Barefooted? I think that Old Testament decree of an eye for an eye should be utilized, with you having to experience it.”
“Jesus did away with that rule.”
Out of the mouths of babes.
“Love your enemy and turn your cheek.” A hint of smugness shaded her tone.
A grumble rumbled within me. “I know. I know.” I also knew it was a hard lesson to follow. Especially when it came to double-crossing ex-fiancés. And people who cut in lines. And smokers who littered.
We approached Bayou Metairie and crossed a stone footbridge to Goldfish Island. Surrounded by the murky waters, the smidgen of land was just enough to house two live oaks, several stout palm trees, and one concrete bench. Hayley set Precious down, the dog taking all of two steps away to sniff the dirt.
I sat on the bench, a mere yard from the bridge, placing my purse next to me. Although we were alone on the island, the park bustled with activity. Across the water lay the Peristyle, an enormous open-air pavilion over a century old. With its towering stone columns, the colonnade appeared as if it’d been plucked right out of ancient Greece. A group of teenagers skateboarded through the oblong structure, while others rested on the stairs enjoying the scenery and cool front that had rolled through last night.
Precious scratched at Hayley’s black-and-white-checkered Vans, and she picked up the dog again, taking a seat beside me. “Mr. Micah knows to meet us here?”
“Yes, he chose the spot.” I cast my gaze behind me to the footbridge and beyond. No Micah. Just a family of four on bikes pedaling along a paved path. Why Micah had selected this place to brainstorm the next library event, I had no idea. But meeting was a necessity since I’d thought of squat.
I turned around and ran my damp palms down the thighs of my skinny jeans, uncertain about my feelings toward Micah but very certain he would strictly remain a friend. As if to prove my decision, I’d worn a short-sleeved cardigan sweater set. A beautiful deep violet sweater set. Considering he was only a friend, it didn’t matter what he thought about my stuffy style.
Hayley lowered Precious to her lap, and the dog curled into a ball. “So were you and Mr. Micah like boyfriend and girlfriend back in school?”
Ugh . First Julia, now Hayley. “No.”
Her auburn brows rose. “Y’all kissed and weren’t even dating?”
Puppy needle teeth. I steered my gaze straight ahead to the view of the Peristyle and the couple walking their rottweiler along the opposite bank. “It’s not like I went around kissing all the guys. It was more of a peer pressure thing.” I stared at Hayley. “Which is why you should never, ever, ever give in to peer pressure. Not with kissing or more than kissing. Or crack cocaine. Or any kind of dare.”
She did a poor job of hiding her smile, her bright blue eyes filling with mirth.
“I’m serious.”
“I’ll be sure to avoid peer-pressure kissing or more than kissing. And crack cocaine.” Her grin turned mischievous. “But only if you tell me what happened with Mr. Micah.”
“Blackmailer!”
She laughed, my favorite sound in the whole wide world. It was amazing how God could use the flu and an abandoned puppy to restore our relationship.
“Fine,” I mock grumbled. “But I’m going to get your promise in writing.”
“I’ll text it to you.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. Kids these days. “There’s not much to tell. It was the last day of school in seventh grade, and we were in the library.”
“Ew!” Hayley’s exclamation jolted Precious. “The library ?”
“What about the library?” A masculine voice spoke from behind. A voice I recognized.
Sarah McLachlan .
Hayley and I whipped our heads around, and sure enough, Micah stepped off the footbridge, toting a plastic grocery bag. What was he? A Ninja? Had they taught him to walk in stealth mode in those jiujitsu classes he took?
“Nothing!” My hand flew to my forehead, heat rising in my cheeks. “I mean ... the next library event! That’s why we’re here. To plan it.” Where oh where had the Landry Mask gone?
Precious scrambled down Hayley’s legs to get to Micah, landing with an ungraceful thump on the ground. She took off like a shot, her retractable leash raking over me. Hayley stood, skirting the bench, freeing me from the possibility of leash burn. Micah obliged the dog with a thorough greeting, rubbing her tiny, Telly Savalas head.
I fought for level breathing and calm thinking.
Hayley rolled her lips inward, smiling, rocking back and forth, as though she physically couldn’t contain what we’d been discussing.
I hurled eye daggers at her.
She smirked.
Micah took a seat, setting the grocery bag on the ground. The Hawaiian shirt he wore indicated he’d come from the library. His gaze moved between me and Hayley, amusement in his features. “I’m certain I’m missing something.”
“Nope,” I said. “You’re not missing anything. Not a thing.”
Precious nosed his bag, drawing Micah’s attention. For the second time today, I found myself grateful for the animal.
Micah reached down and pulled out the contents, giving Precious another ear scratch in the process. “I brought frozen peas. I thought Hayley might want to feed the ducks.”
“Thank you.” Hayley eyed the veggies. “But peas?”
He nodded, returning them to the bag. “It’s healthier than bread.”
Hmm. Thoughtful would have to be added to his pro-con list. Thoughtfulness toward Hayley and ducks. His list was starting to look mighty one-sided. I placed my index finger to the Crease and pressed.
Hayley pulled Precious away from the peas, her gaze on Micah. “Did that squirrel return to the book drop-off today?”
My finger stilled, my brain readjusting to the change in topic. “A live squirrel?”
Micah nodded with a wince. “It wasn’t there today. Thank goodness. Poor Nellie’s shook up, and she wasn’t even the one to find it yesterday.”
“Are there normally odd things in the drop box?” I asked.
“I haven’t found too many strange items here. Mardi Gras beads, some mail.” He leaned back against the bench. “But in Colorado I removed a McDonald’s bag filled with uneaten food, a shoe, and some Blockbuster tapes.”
“Hmph.” I picked a piece of lint from the sleeve of my cardigan. “Must be all the marijuana there that spurred such odd contributions.” I directed my gaze to Hayley. “Marijuana is bad for you. It’s the gateway drug.”
She heaved a full-body sigh with the amount of drama exclusive to thirteen-year-olds. “You’ve always said cigarettes are the gateway drug.”
I pinned her with a stare. “There’s lots of gateways. Smoking, vaping, energy drinks—”
A whistle pierced the air, putting us on alert for the park’s miniature train headed our way. Hayley stepped on the footbridge for a more advantageous sighting of the ride for kids of all ages.
“Saved by the whistle,” Micah murmured.
I turned to him, and he winked at me. Winked! Schooling my features, I conjured the Landry Mask. We needed clear lines in place between us. We would not be flirty friends. We’d be friends, period. It was the most I could offer. All my heart could afford. And the sooner I made that distinction, the better. I glanced down into my open purse and to the thank-you card I’d gotten for Micah. The friendship wording I’d used within it would be impossible for him to misinterpret.
The red train chugged into view, click-clacking along the thin tracks circling the bayou, botanical garden, amusement park, and Storyland. The conductor pulled the bell’s cord, its clang reverberating. A little boy on the train waved to Hayley, and she returned the gesture. The thrum of the motor petered out as the train disappeared.
Hayley meandered back, Precious lagging behind.
Micah kicked his long legs out, crossing them at his ankles. “Have y’all come up with any ideas for the next event?”
Hayley and I slid a look between each other, her guilty face no doubt mirroring mine.
“Slackers,” Micah teased. “Lucky for y’all, I did some checking around at other parishes and what their libraries have done.”
“Cheater,” Hayley razzed.
He chuckled. “Only to use them for inspiration. Jefferson parish arranged books to create a mini-golf course—”
“Veto.” I held up my hand. “Flying balls and swinging clubs? I’d like to keep all my windows intact.”
“Okay,” he said, undeterred. “What about a costume contest based on fictional characters?”
Hayley pulled a face.
“What?” Micah’s brows rose, questioning her. “Too lame?”
Her shoulders lifted in an attempt at a polite diss of his suggestion.
“But you dressed up as Susan from Narnia when you were little,” I said.
“ Little being the keyword.” Her nose wrinkled. “It’d be pretty cringe to do that now.”
“Cringe?” Micah groaned, tipping his eyes to the skies in mock horror.
I couldn’t help but smile at their exchange, how at ease they were. How grateful I was to Micah for the way he’d gotten her to open up in such a short span of time. Warmth tingled in my chest, an invisible balloon of appreciation inflating beneath my ribs. Maybe today wasn’t the right time to give him that card. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe we could see what happened. Maybe—
Hayley laughed at Micah, unabashed and genuine.
And realization shot through me like an arrow, deflating my building emotions and muddled thinking. Hayley and Micah had formed a friendship. A positive one in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Any romance had too high of a likelihood of ending badly. If Micah and I dated and broke up, Hayley could lose her relationship with Micah, which could in turn affect mine with her.
I gazed at her slim frame engulfed in a black sweatshirt and plaid leggings. Even if she’d been wearing neon colors, the smile on her face right now because of Micah would’ve been the brightest thing on her. Her bond with him, and me, bore the utmost importance. And I couldn’t risk that. I nodded internally, as though my brain were dispatching orders to my emotions and hormones. Ten-hut! Operation Friends Only was officially underway. I could almost feel my vulnerable heart breathe a sigh of relief.
“We could do a destination theme,” Micah said. “What’s y’all’s favorite vacation spot?”
Hayley’s smile dimmed, her gaze lowering to the ground.
My gut twisted, heaviness growing within my heart, pulsing weight out through my veins with each beat. I couldn’t catch a break today. “We’ve never been on a vacation.”
Micah became unnaturally quiet, and I could only imagine the thoughts running through his head, and how I wanted to silence them with the truth. But I couldn’t in front of Hayley.
I cleared my throat. “We’ve taken day trips here and there.” There’d never been enough time for more than that. Or funds available between investing everything in the café and sending Hayley to a private school. Although Claire and Adrian had had an ironclad will, they hadn’t had life insurance.
Hayley’s attention shifted to the oak tree behind the bench, and one of its branches that dipped, touching the ground at the shore’s edge before arcing slightly over the water. She neared the branch, leaning against it. Precious followed, and Hayley’s expression lifted at taking her in. I should’ve gotten her a dog a long time ago. Twenty dogs. And a hamster.
“Okay.” Micah rubbed his hands together as though starting a fire. “If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go?”
“Hawaii,” Hayley said.
I blinked. She sure had whipped that answer out. Guilt pricked my heart again. It took a moment to realize Micah watched me, waiting for my response. Before us, the sun shimmered on the water, and I thought of the screen saver on my computer. Of all the different destinations I longed to visit. Places bragging of God’s handiwork. The Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls. My gaze settled on Hayley. “Hawaii.”
A tiny sprout of a grin lightened her face.
If only I could make that trip come true.
Micah picked up a leaf from the bench, twirling it between his fingers. “What about a luau-themed event?”
Hayley perked. “Everyone could make their own leis.”
“Nice.” Micah nodded, letting the leaf drift to the barren ground. “I could bring all the books with ties to Hawaii or the beach.”
Hayley shifted away from the branch, moving closer. “We could have beach balls to throw around.” She and Micah regarded me, hope in their eyes.
“Beach balls are fine.”
“And inexpensive.” Micah rested his arm along the back of the bench, his hand stopping mere inches from my shoulder. “The donations I’ve received can definitely cover that.”
His refence to monetary constraints reminded me of my own reality, pushing a real trip to Hawaii further out of reach. I leaned forward, adding distance between his too-close fingers and my body. Picking up an acorn next to my feet, I rolled it around in my palm. Other than the issue of taking that much time off from work, it’d be financially impossible to afford a vacation like that under normal circumstances. But with buying the Vieux Carré Café? My posture slumped, and I let the acorn slip through my grasp, like the reality of that type of trip. We’d have to put it off for quite some time. Possibly to celebrate Hayley graduating from high school. Five plus years away. I winced.
“Kate?”
My attention returned to the present. To Micah sitting next to me, and Hayley carrying Precious across the footbridge, the bag of peas in her other hand.
“You okay?”
“Yup.” I pulled in a breath of the moist, earthy scent surrounding us, and straightened my spine. “Never better.” I kept Hayley in sight. She walked along the bayou’s edge, out of earshot, stopping near a patch of Louisiana iris. Their vivid green leaves provided a beautiful backdrop to their royal-purple blooms.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
Micah lowered his voice, leaning in. “Pretend everything’s perfect all the time.”
I swallowed, meeting his gaze. “I know.”
“Do you?” His emerald eyes softened.
I fought the impulse to fidget, not wanting to show how correct his assertion had been. Returning my attention to Hayley, I found her tossing a few peas onto the water, several ducks swimming her way. “I believe this past week you’ve seen firsthand how imperfect my life is.” A brisk breeze sailed through, untucking my hair from behind my ear. I left it there, grateful for a partial shield from his penetrating gaze.
He slid closer, bringing the scent of pine and cinnamon. “But it took you having a bad case of the flu to ... lower your defenses.”
To lower my Landry Mask. Which wasn’t a wise thing to have done. Especially given how close he was again to making contact with my shoulder. And how much I wanted to shift near and experience his caress.
He moved, the tips of his fingers grazing my elbow in a playful yet purposeful way.
A heated shiver rippled across my skin, and I swallowed, gathering my wits. Friends definitely didn’t touch each other like that. Or want their friends to keep doing it. No, once these library events were over, I’d have to put distance between us. In the meantime, maybe I’d gift Micah with a supply of garlic breath mints. Or Pepé Le Pew cologne. But first, I’d leave no room for misunderstandings. I pulled the card from my purse and handed it to him.
A twinkle of surprise lit his eyes. “For me?”
“For you.”
He peeled the flap from the envelope back, removing the card. My stomach clenched. A gift card to the Garden District Book Shop slipped out, landing on his lap. He left it, his attention absorbed by the message I’d written: Friends like you are the best lagniappe.
His cresting smile paused. A beat passed before he picked up the gift card. “I love this bookstore. This is thoughtful.”
“It was the least I could do, especially since you brought my car home from the library and filled the gas tank. Thank you for that.” I peered at Hayley, who continued throwing veggies to the ducks, Precious cowering between her legs.
Micah tapped my knee with the card. “Friends, huh?”
“Yes.” I met his stare, infusing kind resolve into my words. “Just friends.” There. If a romantic bud existed between us, it’d been officially snipped and now lay decapitated on the ground at our feet.
His gaze altered, as though a spark of determination were igniting.
Oh boy . Either I was reading him wrong, or he wasn’t in agreement with the pruning I’d done.
He tucked the card and gift card inside the envelope. “You seem set on that decision.”
“I am. I have reasons. Good reasons.” I swallowed past my dry throat. “Four of them.” Actually, only three came to mind. Hayley, risking my heart, and not having the time to date. Especially with the prospect of expanding locations. But three sounded wimpy and uneven, and I needed the appearance of a concrete case.
“Four.” He nodded gravely. “That’s a solid number.” Something in the way he said it made it sound like he didn’t think very much of my four reasons. Easing back, he adopted a casual posture. “What are they?”
I shouldn’t have been surprised at his forwardness. This was Micah Guidry after all. The same Micah Guidry who in fourth grade had told our principal she had a huge booger dangling from her nose. And yet here I sat, taken aback. “I ... I don’t need to tell you.”
“It’s only fair you do.” He placed the envelope on the bench between us, confidence and ease in his movements. “And I’ll take just two of your reasons.”
I scoffed. “You’ll take none.”
“I held your hair while you puked. That’s worth at least one.”
I gasped. “I knew you’d use that against me one day.”
“I also know about your tabloids.”
My eyes widened.
He shrugged.
“Fine. I’ll give you one reason.”
“I think Bat Boy would agree I deserve two.”
I narrowed my gaze. “It’s one or none.”
With exaggeration, he filled his cheeks with air and blew them out. “You’re a hard negotiator.” He reached over, holding out his hand to shake.
I eyed his outstretched fingers.
One corner of his mouth quirked. “We’re not allowed to touch?”
“No. Or flirt.”
“Then I guess kissing’s out?”
Fighting the instinct to outright gape at him, I clung to the Landry Mask. But that didn’t stop my imagination from wondering just how amazing kissing him would feel. I redirected the awareness rippling through me into faking a fierce glare.
He raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay.”
Taking a calming breath, I forced my eyes away from his handsome face and to the moss dripping from one of the branches above us.
“So what’s one of the reasons we can’t be more than friends? And I’d like the most important of them.”
That was easy. “Hayley.”
His brows pulled together, his head slightly flinching.
“If I date anyone, it affects her.”
“Obviously. And we’d be careful when it came to her.”
Swoon.
Here sat a caring man who wanted to be sensitive to Hayley. A man who wanted to kiss me. That snipped bud on the ground sprouted roots and began burrowing into the hard dirt. Nope, nope, nope. “Being careful isn’t enough. I don’t want her affected. At all. And most certainly not by us dating and breaking up, especially since she likes you so much.”
Crossing his arms, he pursed his lips. “We wouldn’t break up.”
The breath whooshed from my lungs, and I braced my hands against the bench on either side of my hips. He’d taken the question marks I’d had of his interest in me and replaced them with exclamation marks. Exclamation marks in bold font.
He again lifted his shoulder, all confidence.
I shook my head, regaining my composure. “Well, we’ll never find out.”
Slowly, one corner of his mouth edged north. “All right, then.”