“You didn’t ask?”
“No.” I didn’t stay long enough to. Grandpa’s question made me realize how impulsive I’d been. I’d left Lauren there to deal with our mess. I’d pursued her, secretly, and then when it all came out today, I ditched and ran. I had turned off my phone, didn’t go to my house, didn’t call. I even thought maybe she’d assumed the worst about me like the rest of her family. Some boyfriend I was.
“I need to go.” I jumped to my feet and picked up Grandma’s box. “Thanks for listening.”
They nodded, looking confused by my sudden shift in mood.
Grandpa clapped me lightly on the shoulder. “Olsen men do better when they’re employed, son. ‘Bout drove your grandma nuts back in ninety-three when the postal service let me go. Finding work again saved our marriage.”
I nodded to reassure him I understood. “Point taken. I will definitely be working somewhere the next time you see me.”
“Good. Good.”
Grandma darted over to the mantel. “One more thing for the box, Clayton. I don’t want this anymore.”
She came back with the Nutcracker doll and placed it in the box I was holding. The thing stared up at me with his freaky white teeth and snowy eyebrows. Really? After all this time of being chronically creeped out by the thing, he was going away, just like that?
“You can keep him if you’d like. I know you’ve spent a lot of time looking at it. That’s why I kept him for so long.”
I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. “No, I don’t want to keep him. Thanks though. I’ll make sure he gets donated.”Into the ground somewhere far, far away.
All these years I’d spent locked in a losing staring contest with a doll, when I could have just said something to Grandma and ended it. What else wasn’t I speaking up about?
30
___________
Lauren
My worry was starting to turn into irritation. I could go home to my apartment and wait for Clay to come or call, but what if he came here after I drove off? He’d quit. I’d quit. He’d stormed off. I’d stormed off. And yet I felt out of sync with him and ticked off that he was shutting me out.
When the stubborn came out in me, it was hard to turn off. I decided to wait him out, even if I was here all night. But after ten minutes of sitting with nothing to do, I started worrying about all the work that wasn’t getting done at the job I’d just quit. I logged into the system while I still could and went through the equipment intakes, making sure everything was accounted for, and that the equipment slated for rental the next day was ready. It was easier to focus on things like that than think about resumes and job searches. Was that going to be my reality tomorrow?
The rumble of Clay’s truck coming down the road almost caught me off guard. I closed up my computer, dropped it on the passenger seat of my truck, slammed the door shut, and ran for the hibiscus bushes on the left side of Clay’s porch. There was just enough room to duck behind the tallest one. The element of surprise was going to be a lot less surprising with my truck parked in his driveway, but I couldn’t help myself. Somehow, just sitting on his porch glaring up at him would not be nearly as satisfying.
He pulled into the spot next to my truck and got out, shutting his door behind him. Although I couldn’t quite see him yet, I could hear the scuff of his boots approaching.
“Lauren?” he called out.
Just a little closer, buddy.
I had enough common sense to let him see it was me in the half-second before I took a flying leap and tackled him into the flowerbed on the opposite side of the porch. It’s not like I had a death wish. I just wanted revenge.
We both went down, and Clay groaned. “Thanks for killing the landscaping. And my back.”
“Thanks for not answering your phone.”
“I wasn’t ready.” He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, but it just fell back out again with me leaning over him.
“And now you are, Mr. High-and-Mighty?”
He rolled me over and stared down into my eyes. I was getting dirt in my hair, but that thought was lost as he dipped his head and kissed me with the certainty of someone who had just given up everything to be with me.
The relief that brought made me realize some of my frustration had been fear. What if he’d decided this was too hard and I wasn’t worth it?
“You don’t hate me?” I whispered. “I screwed up everything.”
Clay smiled down at me. “No, you didn’t. I should have realized Parker would figure it out. His detective skills are top-notch when it comes to getting you in trouble.”
