Haley's Hangdog Holiday Page 5

  She scrunched up her face like they’d run over a skunk. “I don’t know, Gavin. I see your logic, but this is too fast for me. Maybe I made a mistake...”

  “No, no, no,” he backtracked. “I won’t push you—I promise. We can take it a step at a time. I won’t invite you to meet my family until you’re ready. And I won’t say anything to your family about us dating until you’re ready.”

  She drew a long breath, closing her eyes and huffing it out between loose lips. “I think it would be best if you just dropped me off out front instead of coming inside. Just pull up to the mailbox and let me off. It’s on the left up there, two houses away, the one with the red ribbon wrapped around the pole.”

  He pulled the SUV over to the left side of the road and stopped, even with the cheerily decorated mailbox leading up the sidewalk to a white clapboard house with a front porch.

  He was dying to go inside, especially since he could see the glow of the fireplace through the front window. Even more enticing than the fire or the thought of meeting her family, he knew there was a puppy in there. But he decided it was wise to keep his mouth shut. It was a miracle he’d gotten her to agree to date him, and he couldn’t risk screwing everything up by pushing her beyond her comfort zone.

  I must really like this girl to give up playing with a puppy to make her feel more comfortable.

  Hopping out, he ran around the car to open her door while she was pulling on her coat.

  “What are you doing?” Her arched eyebrows pulled down. “I can get out by myself.”

  “No doubt you can, but my Dad and both my sisters drilled these manners into me, so you might as well get used to it.”

  Gavin offered his hand, and she slipped her slender fingers into his. He wondered how her skin could feel so soft and silky when she’d been skiing all day. As she slid out of the seat to the ground, he put one hand on her side to hold her steady. She was so close he got another whiff of her sweet-smelling hair. How he wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her! He was dying to taste her lips. But she shied away like a skittish stray kitten, twisting around to grab her purse.

  I’m going to need a lot of patience for this relationship to stand a chance, and that’s never been my forte.

  Retrieving the skis from the roof rack, he refused to hand them over, though she crossed her arms and tapped her foot with impatience. Proving he could be as stubborn as she, he jutted out his chin with the most determined expression he could muster.

  “I’ll carry them to the front porch, and you can wait until I drive away to open the door.”

  “Okay, but you have to be really quiet so no one will hear you.”

  Just then the front door popped open and a bright light spilled down the sidewalk.

  “Oh no,” Haley moaned.

  “Bo! Come back here! Bojangles! Come!” Tad yelled.

  Within a few seconds, a small white hound with black and brown patches bounded to their feet, immediately attacking Haley’s pant leg with tenacious teeth.

  “Hey, Hotpants,” Tad called as he trotted down the sidewalk in his bare feet, jumping from foot to foot in an effort to avoid contacting the freezing concrete with his toes. “Dang, it’s cold out here.”

  “No duh, Tad.” Haley snatched her skis from Gavin’s hands when he wasn’t paying attention. “It’s Colorado in December.”

  “We didn’t hear you drive up, Gavin. Why didn’t you pull in the driveway?”

  “Gavin’s in a hurry,” said Haley, flashing pleading eyes at him as she shook her leg and the attached puppy.

  “That’s right, I need to get home,” Gavin agreed, albeit with a great deal of reluctance. He squatted down to pry the persistent puppy from Haley’s pant leg. Scooping the wriggling dog into his arms, he was rewarded with a few sloppy kisses.

  Ha—the only ones I’m getting tonight.

  “You can’t leave until you come inside and let Haley introduce you to the family,” Tad objected. “Especially Mom.”

  “No, Gavin really has to rush off.”

  From the look on Haley’s face, Gavin wondered if her mother had some embarrassing disfigurement.

  Haley moved to block the sidewalk. “Gavin didn’t realize how far out Gammy’s house was, and his family is waiting for him at home. Right, Gavin?”

  “Uhmm... right.” Technically, all true.

  “You could call them, couldn’t you? Mom’s been itching to meet you ever since I mentioned the d—” Tad cleared his throat. “I mean, the dinner.”

  “Tad Martin! If you told Mom I went on a date, I’m going to kill you!”

  “It wasn’t my word, it was hers. You know how she is.”

  “I’m going to make it slow and painful. I may read an accounting textbook to you while you starve to death!”

  “Noooooooo!” Tad screamed, clutching his head and falling to the ground, laughing hysterically.

  Bojangles wriggled out of Gavin’s grip, bounding over to nip at Tad’s ear.

  “What’s going on out here?” asked a deep male voice from the doorway. “Is that you, Haley?” He cupped his hand around his mouth, calling out, “Hey, Dawn! Haley’s back with her date!”

  “Noooooooo!” Haley dropped her skis and boots, leaping on top of her brother and digging her fingers into his armpits, resulting in screeching laughter. “This is all your fault, Tad!”

  She continued her tickling torture until Tad bucked her off and flipped on top, pinning her to the ground with her hands over her head. Bo took this opportunity to dash in and lick Haley’s open mouth.

  “Yuck! Ssppplllttt! Stupid dog!”

  Chuckling, Tad released her, rising to his feet with Bojangles secured in his arms. “Don’t listen to her, Bo. She’s a mean, crotchety old hag.”

  An arm slipped around Gavin’s elbow, and he found himself propelled toward the house. “You must be Gavin. I’m Haley’s mother, Dawn. We’re so excited to meet you.”

  He glanced over his shoulder at Haley, who sat on her bottom on the soggy cold ground, glaring, while her father gathered her ski equipment. Gavin mouthed, “I’m sorry,” but her eyes only narrowed further.

  Tad appeared at Gavin’s side carrying Bo, having evidently abandoned his sister. “Don’t worry about Haley. She’ll get over it.”

  “If I were you, I’d make sure my door was locked when I went to sleep tonight,” Gavin mumbled.

  Tad looked over his shoulder and flinched, turning back with a grimace on his face. “That’s a good idea.”

  Chapter Seven

  Haley’s mother Dawn had a tendency to drive her crazy, and tonight she’d exceeded all expectations.

  “He seems like a really nice young man, Haley. I’m so glad you finally have a boyfriend.”

  Her mother still looked trim and fit, even though in her fifties. She exercised, ate healthy foods and kept up with the latest clothing trends. But her current goal in life was to plan a wedding. All of her friends’ daughters had gotten married with lavish ceremonies, replete with sprays of flowers, orchestras and bands, dancing and formal dinners, horse-drawn carriages and the like.

  Dawn couldn’t wait to plan Haley’s wedding. In fact, she’d already started. She had an entire Pinterest page devoted to Haley’s future wedding, with a ton of pins—probably five million. She’d chosen music and found the perfect venue. She’d discovered the best caterer and scouted for live bands. All she lacked was a groom. And it seemed to Haley that any old groom would do, perhaps even the kind that took care of horses. Consequently, Haley had one more reason to resist having a relationship while she was in college.

  “Mom, he’s not a boyfriend.” Haley’s head throbbed.

  This entire day has been stressful. I went to Vail this morning to ski Gavin Holiday out of my mind, and I came home in a dating relationship with him. And now Mom is ready to marry me off to him.

  “Well, whatever it is you call it these days. You’re dating him aren’t you?”

  “We’re not exactly dating, Mom.”r />
  “You had dinner with him, right? And he paid for it?”

  “Yes, but that’s not what defines a date, you know. Nowadays, the girls sometimes pay for the date.”

  “I guess I’m old fashioned then, because I think that’s silly, for a girl to be the one to pay.”

  Haley secretly agreed, but she wasn’t in an agreeable mood.

  “I can’t believe you embarrassed me like that, Mother.”

  “What did I do?”

  “What did you do? Are you kidding me? You grilled him about his grades and his career intentions and his family, like you were interviewing him to be your son-in-law.”

  “You’re pushing on your temples, Sweetie. Do you want me to get you some Advil for your head?”

  “I want you to stop avoiding the issue.”

  Her mother let out a long-suffering sigh, with an expression that said, O the things I must endure. “I didn’t grill him, Haley. I was expressing interest in his life. It’s not like I asked him to propose to you.”

  “What do you think you implied when you talked about your wedding and showed him pictures of Gammy and Grandpa’s?”

  “I didn’t imply anything. I was simply sharing stories about our family. Some of my stories weren’t about weddings.”

  “Oh yes... thanks so much for telling him about the time I was a baby and you found me in my crib with poo smeared everywhere. That was a lovely story. I’m surprised you didn’t save it for some time when we were all eating dinner together.”

  “Do you think that might happen? We’d love to have him join us for Christmas dinner!” Her mom chewed on a ragged fingernail. “But I suppose he needs to be with his own family at Christmas. I’m sure by next year you’ll have Christmas together.”

  “Mom! Are you listening to yourself?”

  “What? I don’t understand what you’re so upset about. Gavin seemed to enjoy himself. In fact he didn’t seem in a hurry to leave at all, despite what you told us.”

  “Yeah, I noticed,” she mumbled.

  “So, is he a good kisser?”

  “Mom! I can’t believe you asked me that!”

  “Why not? I’m sure you would tell your other friends. Why wouldn’t you talk to your own mother about it?”

  “I don’t have a single friend I’d talk to about that. And it doesn’t matter because we haven’t kissed. For Pete’s sake, we just went on our first date tonight.”

  “Aha! So now you admit it—you are dating.”

  “Mom... could I please have that Advil now?”

  I’m so getting Tad back for this. I hope he doesn’t lock his door tonight.

  AS HE DROVE TOWARD home, Gavin sang at the top of his lungs, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the music blaring from the speakers. He couldn’t wait to get home and call his roommate, Jake, and tell him about the events of the day, especially the fateful visit to Gammy’s house.

  Haley’s grandmother had pulled him aside during the hour-long, I-can-only-stay-for-a-second visit, warning him to be very careful not to hurt Haley. Of course, he’d received the same, cautionary advice from Haley’s father, Rob. Even Tad took the time to question Gavin about his motives, with a surreptitious warning about the fact that Haley was in fact his sister and, as such, should be treated with respect. Only Haley’s mother, Dawn, treated him as above suspicion.

  Gavin struggled to keep a straight face while Dawn played out Haley’s worst nightmare, hinting about the idea that Gavin and Haley might have a permanent relationship, despite the fact they’d only had their first date a few hours prior. The entire situation struck his funny bone rather than making him uncomfortable, which was surprising since he’d never had a serious girlfriend in his life.

  Oh, as a freshman, he’d thought he was in love with Janna Readfield, a petite blond cheerleader a grade ahead of him. She was his introduction to girls-who-cheat-and-don’t-even-apologize-for-it. So, at the tender age of fifteen, he learned to distrust girls. And since he caught her making out with his best friend, Gavin learned guys were equally untrustworthy. From that point on, dating was simply a game to him—one he learned to avoid. He hung out with friends in groups and avoided one-on-one dating throughout high school, much to the consternation of the female teammates on the swim team.

  But nothing convinced him to try dating again until the beginning of his second year of college. That’s when he met Alicia Parker, a sweet and beautiful girl who possessed the most genuine faith Gavin had observed in someone his age. She didn’t simply attend church on Sundays and talk about God, she lived out her faith every day. Often, this meant showing love to some less popular people, many who were difficult to like. She served food at the soup kitchen and volunteered at the children’s hospital. She also chose to sit beside the loneliest students in the cafeteria each day. Some people laughed and made fun of her, but Gavin thought she was the bravest soul he’d ever met. He knew he wanted to marry a girl like Alicia.

  Unfortunately, by the time Gavin met her, Alicia was already engaged, and happily so. But the thought occurred that, with a bit of discernment and hard work, he could filter through the chaff and find a potential mate who possessed not only beauty and intelligence, but also the same spiritual maturity as Alicia.

  And so began the Great Unicorn Quest, as Gavin developed a list of qualifications for his future wife, so extensive and detailed that it earned the dubious moniker from one of his friends. Through prayer and Bible study and hours of visualizing, he tweaked and refined his perfect mate list during the fall semester, preparing to pursue his search with fervor during the spring.

  The day Gavin completed his labor, he printed out the detailed list with the unimaginative title, “Qualities of My Future Spouse.” He passed it around his study group, most of whom declared him insane. Laughing off their assessment, he knew non-believers would never appreciate a list of biblical virtues and supporting Bible verses.

  Gavin’s best gauge of success would be Jake, his roommate, a senior finance major who practiced his faith with the discipline of an athlete. As the president of the Christian fraternity of which Gavin was also a member, Jake had plenty of experience as a mentor.

  Gavin cringed when his roommate took a long look at the fruits of his labor and shook his head, raising a single eyebrow in the same expression of incredulity he wore when Gavin took a shared gallon of milk from their refrigerator and drank from the jug.

  “What is this?” asked Jake, holding up the paper.

  “It’s my list... I finally finished it. All the qualities God told me I should look for in a spouse. All I need to do now is find a girl who has these qualities.”

  “Gavin, if you found a girl this perfect, why would she want to go out with you? This hypothetical woman is practically a saint.”

  Jake threw the list on the coffee table and propped his feet on top of it, turning his attention back to his television show.

  “I’m a saint,” Gavin defended. “In the Bible, Paul calls all the believers saints.”

  “I’m talking about the other kind of saint—a person who’s extremely virtuous, like your imaginary girl.” Jake punched the remote, switching channels.

  Wanting his pal’s undivided attention, Gavin snatched the remote from Jake’s hand and pressed the mute button.

  “I’m plenty virtuous,” Gavin declared.

  “Really?” Jake put his feet down and sat forward, his expression as dark as a winter storm. “This from the guy who couldn’t drag himself out of bed last Sunday morning to go to church because he got so drunk the night before?”

  “It’s not a sin to drink alcohol,” Gavin contended, wishing he’d left his roommate to his television shows.

  With his arms crossed over his chest, Jake growled out, “Number one, you didn’t just drink—you got wasted. Number two, you won’t be twenty-one until next October, and I think God generally disapproves of breaking the law.”

  Gavin returned a defiant stare as long as possible, but it wasn’t
too long. He knew his roommate was right. He’d fallen into some less-than-stellar company and habits of late.

  Handing the remote back, Gavin picked up the discarded list from the coffee table and reviewed the qualities he’d chosen for a mate. He’d been so careful. He’d studied the scripture and prayed over every item. He’d been so confident he was following God’s plan by making this detailed list of desirable qualities in a spouse. Was this God’s way of telling him the list was incomplete? Had he left something off?

  “What am I missing?” he mumbled, rereading the words he knew so well. “I really thought God was leading me to do this.”

  “I’ll tell you what you’re missing.” Jake flipped the television off and stood up, taking the list from Gavin’s hand. His finger ran down each column. “Nothing. This list is great, just like it is. All the qualities a mate should have.”

  Gavin felt a weight drop from his shoulders, relieved to garner approval from someone he respected so much.

  “But Gavin.” Jake gripped his shoulder and waved the paper in front of his face. “You need to be this kind of man before you look for this kind of woman.”

  Gavin didn’t want to hear it.

  But he did.

  And so the Great Unicorn Quest ended before it actually started. Or at least it had been postponed while Gavin got his life in order. He turned his eyes inward, examining his own faults and making a hardy, but fruitless, attempt to change his ways. After his third huge setback, Jake reminded him that he could only be transformed by renewing his mind, as per Romans, chapter twelve.

  So instead, Gavin looked upward. He didn’t change completely, but he did change. At first, the subtle alterations in his heart made little difference in his actions, merely affecting his motivations. But he soon found himself involving God in more and more decisions, until God became an integral part of his life, rather than a distant father figure or judge or gift-giver. Still, he considered himself woefully short of the standards he’d set.

  Months later, when Gavin went to Jake, bemoaning the fact he could never come close to being the man defined by his list, Jake smiled, clapping him on the back.