Page 88 of Run, Run Rudolph
“Know what he told me?” Haden asked.
“What?”
“He said I was an annoying mansplainer.”
I laughed, surprised. “Furthest thing from it. You taught me a lot.”
Haden moved his chair again, pressing his knee into my thigh. He stroked the side of my cheek and I leaned into him. “You were a very curious young woman. Still are.” Those shadows that kept me from understanding him had dissipated, and for the first time, I felt like I could read Haden. Really read him.
“How long have you liked me?” I whispered, my heart thundering in my ears as I waited for his reply.
“I don’t know. I think for quite a while. It wasn’t appropriate to have those sorts of feelings when you were younger, and then when you were dating my brother.” He was looking at me, his gaze prolonged, and not shy like mine. “I found you interesting and fun. I liked hanging out with you. And then somewhere, that turned into an attraction that I definitely denied. It’s been a while.” He grew quiet, his attention dropping to our intertwined hands. “The first time I realized I was attracted to you was the day we were shoeing my dad’s Clydesdale.”
“That’s when Kade said all that stuff.”
“He must have seen how I felt.”
“And me.” Shyly, I ducked my head and cleared my throat from the shame I felt for feeling things for Haden while dating his brother. “I was crushing pretty hard that day, too.” It had felt wrong, but it had also felt more like an unattainable fantasy than a viable crush. Sort of like the kind of feelings you might have for a celebrity you’ll never actually meet. But those feelings had made it easy for Kade to separate me and Haden.
“I don’t think I ever moved on,” Haden admitted.
My head popped up, my curiosity taking over. “Sorry? What?”
He shook his head, mind elsewhere.
“What? No. Tell me.”
“I think maybe you’re the reason I don’t really date.”
His eyes met mine and I could see the truth of his words in the bottomless depths of his blue eyes, right down to his soul.
“Me?”
“Nobody’s ever been as fun, sweet or curious. They all fall terribly short, and I can see it after just one date.”
Oh, my word. It was me. I was the reason he seemed like a womanizer, moving from woman to woman without ever settling into a relationship.
Haden’s lips grazed my cheek, his words a whisper. “Some people are hard to get over.”
Chapter 24
~ Estelle ~
Gram-Gram was pacing her office.
“Is Tamara actively trying to ruin the holiday?” she complained.
“She’s trying to help,” I said meekly. The head fairy had not been pleased when I told her about my earlier failed visit to Char. She was even less pleased now that I was unmistakably in a make-a-wish standoff with two of my clients and losing.
“Permission to explain her situation more fully to her, please. Tamara doesn’t know about magical world extraction, and how much she needs it.”
“Permission not granted.”
“Ma’am, with all due respect?—”
“Don’t start.”
“—the severity of this situation?—”
