Page 79 of The Darkest Chase
“Mm-hmm. You’re blushing,” Grandpa points out. “So it’s a friend you wish you were dating.”
I stare into his twinkling eyes with abject horror.
“What? No, I—I…” I groan, hanging my head. “Am I that freaking obvious?”
“Only because I love you.”
“I’m lucky you do.” I smile faintly.
“And any man you’ve got your eye on would be lucky to have you.” He cocks his head. “Tell me, when do I get to meet this young man?”
Never!
“Um, for real, it’s not that kind of thing, Grandpa.” I shrug. I’m a daydreamer, but I’m not completely unrealistic. “He’s not interested in me.”
“Bah. Then he’s not someone worth meeting, if he’s that big a damn fool.”
I want to say he’s wrong.
But I don’t know how to make Grandpa understand, so I just smile and blow him a kiss.
“He’s a good friend and that’s all he is,” I say before ducking into my room. “I’ll be back before I turn into a pumpkin, don’t worry.”
His loud chuckle follows me.
I dig around in my closet to figure out what to wear.
So, yeah, maybe it’s not a date.
Maybe I’ll be at Micah’s for twenty minutes before he puts me out with Rolf nipping at my heels.
Maybe I’m being silly.
But I feel like looking pretty tonight when I cross the threshold into Micah’s domain.
I flick through my closet, eyeballing outfits before I settle on a layered sundress.
It’s gauzy, pink-and-white stripes with a shirred bodice and spaghetti straps. The skirt flares out like a daffodil’s bell from the high empress waistline, skimming down to mid-thigh.
I take a quick shower, then shimmy into the dress and touch on a little lipstick and a hint of pink eyeshadow.
Pink again.
It’s like I want him to tease me into a smoking hole in the ground.
Yes, I’m doing the whole ‘trying hard to not try too hard’ thing.
My sandals match the dress, at least. My bag doesn’t, too big and bulky, but I don’t care.
Since dresses tend to not have pockets, I’m a bottomless handbag kind of girl.
Once I make sure my phone is charged and in its pocket, I shoulder my bottomless handbag, kiss Grandpa’s head, and slip out into the night.
Redhaven is a weird town.
You never know when you’ll find out that the son of the town’s wealthiest family is a notorious serial killer, but it’s also safe enough that a young woman can walk alone after dark without feeling threatened.
Micah would laugh at me for that with his big-city ways. I’m sure New York girls are a hundred times smarter and savvier, more experienced in everything from avoiding danger to attracting men.