Haley's Hangdog Holiday Read online

  “It’s about time you figured that out. It’s like the verse in second Corinthians where God tells us His grace is all we need because His power is made perfect in our weakness.”

  “I’ve got that weak part down pat, but I guess I’ve been wasting my time trying to be perfect. I’m never going to become this man, so what am I supposed to do with this list?”

  “You know the only people who ever claimed to have followed God’s rules perfectly were the Pharisees, and Jesus called them whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside, but full of ugly, stinky decay on the inside.”

  “But you said I needed to become the man on this list if I wanted a woman like this.”

  “God, help me.” Jake looked up to toward the heavens, shaking his head. “Don’t look at the actions on the list—look at the heart behind those actions. You’ve got that now. In fact, I’d be happy for you to date my little sister.”

  Gavin chuckled. “I’m sure you would be. That’s because you don’t have a little sister.”

  “I’m busted!” Jake guffawed, wadding up the list and throwing it in the nearby trashcan. “But if I had a sister, I’d let her go out with you. So keep your eyes on the Lord—that’s all you need.” Jakes words rang true with similar advice Gavin’s father had given him over the years, and Gavin had made it his mantra... Keep your eyes on the Lord.

  As his third year at UT began, his relationship with God on a firm footing, Gavin no longer searched for the perfect girl, figuring God still had work to do on his life before he was ready for a relationship. But he couldn’t help noticing a tall gorgeous redhead who sat down in front of him the first day of his advanced accounting class, her still-damp hair cascading down her back. She, however, never even glanced his direction, a habit that became a regular occurrence. When she arrived one morning sporting a long braid, he barely stopped himself from tugging on it—anything to get her attention.

  He’d seen Haley before in some of his other classes, and her reputation as the number one student in their graduation track was fully cemented. But he never had the opportunity to meet her before. Even now, they hadn’t officially met, since she never muttered more than an obligatory word or two in response to his failed conversation starters. He had to settle for bringing a bit of color to her freckled cheeks, and that became his bi-weekly goal.

  Then came the fateful Sunday when he’d heard her sing. If he hadn’t been obligated in leadership at his other church, he would have moved his membership that very morning. Instead, he relied on his memory of her siren voice and its potent pull on his soul.

  Deep in his heart he knew this chance meeting with Haley on the slopes of Vail was too unlikely to be a mere coincidence. Surely God had a hand in it.

  As he drove, he anticipated his call to tell Jake about the events of the day. With a few months of marriage under his belt, Jake could probably give Gavin some pointers about dealing with Haley’s family. And Gavin’s sisters would be happy to chime in with advice as well.

  I need to stop thinking about Haley... my cheeks hurt from smiling. She’s absolutely perfect in every way!

  Chapter Eight

  “She can’t be perfect, Gavin. You need to know that, or you’ll have unrealistic expectations in your relationship. If you’re thinking she could be ‘the one’ you should start out on the right foot. If you put her up on a pedestal, she’s bound to fall off.”

  His middle sister, Lisa, stirred a giant pot of chili on the stove, tsking her disapproval, while Gavin and his other sister, Noelle, sat at the bar. Noelle, as usual, had her nose in a book, and Gavin merely observed Lisa’s culinary efforts. Not that they hadn’t offered to help. But Lisa wanted to control every aspect of this dinner, her debut of cooking for the “whole family” after getting married. She seemed to feel the bar had been raised—that married women should be better cooks—and she was determined to prove it was true.

  At five feet two inches, Lisa stood two inches shorter than Noelle, and from Gavin’s standing vantage point at six feet, she looked downright tiny. But that diminutive body had a colossal personality bursting out of it. Though she’d only been married a few months, Lisa spoke as if she had the wisdom and authority of twenty years. Or perhaps it was merely Lisa being her customary bossy self.

  “I know she has faults, Lisa,” Gavin replied.

  “Okay, name one.”

  He scanned his memory, but nothing negative came to mind. “Uhmm.... Let’s see.... Oh! I remember a really big one—she doesn’t like dogs. Or at least, she doesn’t like having a dog in the house.”

  “I love this girl. Dogs have never been my thing, you know,” Lisa commented, blowing on a spoonful of steaming chili before tasting it, smacking her lips, and nodding satisfaction. “Yum!”

  “Well, I don’t think you should date a girl who doesn’t like dogs,” said Noelle, glancing up from her book.

  “Even if that’s the only thing wrong with her?” he asked.

  “You can’t trust a girl who doesn’t like dogs.” Noelle aimed a pointed look at her sister with her good-natured jab.

  “Look who decided to sacrifice a few minutes of reading and join in the conversation with her family.” Lisa stuck out her tongue. “I think I liked you better when your face was buried in those pages.”

  “Seriously, Gavin...” Folding a paper napkin inside to mark her place, Noelle closed her book and set it aside. “You love dogs. How would that work? Would you give up having a dog for the rest of your life?”

  “It’s not that she detests dogs or anything. I think she’s had some bad experiences and doesn’t like a dog who pees all over or chews things up or leaves hair all over the place.”

  “Sounds like pretty much every dog I’ve ever met.” Lisa held out a spoonful of chili to Gavin’s mouth. “Here—taste this and tell me what it needs.”

  Gavin obediently slurped up the chili. “Mmmm.... Tastes great, Lisa. Lots of flavor, but not too hot.”

  “The secret is roasting the chili peppers over the fire.” She gave a pleased smile. “That and adding a bit of cocoa powder.”

  “Gavin, I can’t believe you’re going to let Lisa get away with insulting dogs like that,” Noelle protested.

  He lifted his shoulders. “She’s cooking dinner. I’m not going to risk ticking her off.”

  “That’s right,” Lisa quipped. “He knows which side of the bread his butter is on.”

  “When I meet Haley, I’ll straighten her out about the dog issue,” said Noelle. “Maybe if she visits the shelter I can show her some of the really sweet puppies out there. No one can resist a puppy.”

  Gavin chuckled, as an image of Bojangles tearing at Haley’s pants came to mind. “Her brother brought a new puppy to her grandmother’s house—a Basset Hound. He’s adorable, but he’s a handful. I don’t think he’s helping our cause.”

  “Yeah, Bassets can be kind of hard to train.” Noelle wandered around the island to fetch a spoon and sample the chili for herself.

  “I don’t know why you didn’t become a veterinarian instead of a hygienist, the way you love dogs. You spend every spare minute down at that shelter.” Lisa narrowed her eyes, watching Noelle’s response. “Well? Is it good?”

  “It’s the best I’ve ever tasted!” Noelle declared. “I wish we could have it for lunch instead of waiting until dinner.”

  “You know the flavor needs to set. It’ll taste a lot better tonight if I let it simmer all day.” Lisa turned questioning eyes to Gavin. “I assume Haley’s coming to dinner tonight, right?”

  “No, I’m picking her up to go hiking up at Red Rocks and taking her home for dinner, and I barely talked her into doing that much. She’s not ready to meet my family.”

  “Why’s she afraid of us?” ask Noelle.

  “I don’t think it’s you she’s afraid of. She’s afraid her mother will get even pushier about our relationship if she meets the family. Dawn was already hinting about marriage, and Haley is so not ready for that.”

&nbs
p; “And you are?” Lisa’s perfectly arched brows rose high on her forehead.

  “If it’s the right girl, I’m totally ready to commit to her.”

  “That’s awesome!” Lisa was all grins.

  Noelle, on the other hand, looked like a frowny–face emoji. “I’m going to be so mad if you get married before I do.”

  Chuckling, Gavin put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a side-hug. “You’re not exactly an old maid, Noelle. How old will you be on the twenty-fourth?”

  Noelle scowled... probably because she hated having a Christmas Eve birthday.

  “Twenty-seven,” she moaned. “I thought I’d be married and having kids by now. But I sure don’t want my baby brother getting married before I do.”

  “You’ve got plenty of time to beat me. Haley and I are both on track to complete the iMPA program in four and a half years instead of five. Even if Haley and I get serious, I don’t think we’d actually get married until after graduation, and that’s two years away.

  “But we should start working on it now.” Lisa’s eyes were wide and eager.

  “Working on what?” Gavin asked, dreading the answer. Maybe my sister is going to be as bad as Haley’s mother.

  “Working on finding a husband for Noelle,” she said. “Reece says they just hired a new guy at Holiday, Inc.”

  “Nooooooo!” Noelle fled the kitchen in such a hurry she left her book behind. Gavin picked it up, turning it over to look at the front cover: Learn How to Say No.

  “RED ROCKS IS ONE OF my favorite places. Once I could drive, I always came up here when I got upset about something.” Gavin blew out a long breath, making fog in the cold air at the top of the trail overlooking the Red Rocks Amphitheater. “Knowing God made all this beauty... it helps put things in perspective.”

  Piles of white snow covered much of the mountainside park, with pieces of the massive red rocks jutting out in contrast. The sight took Haley’s breath away. Or it would have, if she hadn’t been so nervous.

  How can my palms be sweating when it’s thirty degrees outside?

  Haley covertly wiped her hands on her jeans while Gavin concentrated on the scenery. “I love coming here when we’re at Gammy’s house. The mountains always make me appreciate God’s creation. I envy you growing up with this practically in your back yard.”

  “I envy you growing up with ski slopes in yours.”

  “Yeah, I admit that was pretty awesome.”

  “Are you sure you’re warm enough?” Gavin asked, his brows knitted with concern. “I’ve got an extra jacket in the car. And some gloves.”

  “No, I’m fine. I’m all layered up.”

  “Want to walk on the trail a bit more?” Gavin tipped his head, pointing down the narrow gravel path with patches of snow.

  “Sure.”

  He reached for her hand, and she cringed, knowing hers would be clammy. But as she tried to decide if she could politely decline, he paused to wipe his hands on his pant legs.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled, as his face reddened. “My hands are kind of... I guess I’m a little nervous.”

  “You’re nervous? Why would you be nervous? Aren’t you kind of a ladies’ man?”

  He shrugged, sporting a sheepish grin. “I don’t know how I got that reputation, but I guess I didn’t refute it. It never bothered me... not until now.”

  “So you aren’t... experienced?”

  As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished them back. Her cheeks burned, putting off enough heat to melt a foot of snow in the area.

  “You mean, am I experienced with girls?”

  Haley nodded, afraid to speak for fear her voice would shake at the intimate topic.

  The toe of his boot dug into the gravel. “I’d like to lie to you and tell you I’m not, but I’ll just say I’ve done more than I should have. I’ve... been with girls at parties—girls I barely knew. There was alcohol involved. I never initiated anything, but I didn’t try to stop it, either. My first two years in college aren’t something I’m proud of. But God really spoke to me last year.” He cleared his throat, and shot a glance her direction. “He used a couple of people to get through my thick skull. My roommate was one.”

  He stopped talking as a group of hikers passed by—college-aged by their appearance. When they were alone again, Haley didn’t respond. She had no idea what to say.

  He blinked hard, his voice cracking. “I’ll take you home, if you want to go.”

  “No! I don’t...” She put her hand on his arm, squeezing until he turned to look at her, his sad eyes tugging at her heart worse than Bojangles. “Why would I want to leave when you were only being honest?”

  “Because I’m not good enough for you. I mean, part of me wants you to confess some bad stuff, so I won’t feel so lousy. But, I’m betting you’ve never done anything wrong in your whole life.”

  “Oh, I’ve got plenty of sin in my life. It’s just different.” She swallowed the lump of air in her throat. “I’ve spent my whole life trying to maintain control—trying to keep my mom from regulating every aspect of my life.”

  “That makes sense,” he said, his hand covering hers where it rested on his arm.

  It felt warm. Secure.

  God, help me do this.

  She took a deep breath and said the words quickly, like ripping off a Band-Aid. “I haven’t told any of my friends at UT about this, but I struggled with bulimia.”

  He looked like he’d been socked in the stomach.

  What is he thinking? Is he disgusted?

  His hand clutched her arm. “You said ‘struggled.’ Did you use past tense on purpose? It’s over?”

  “Maybe. I’m better some days than others.”

  Haley watched the warring emotions crossing his face as she waited for the inevitable questions. “How can you make yourself throw up? Why don’t you just eat less instead? Why can’t you just stop?”

  In a sudden move his arms wrapped around her, pulling her against him, pressing her face against his chest, his wildly beating heart pounding in her ear. She could feel his labored breaths.

  “Haley,” his voice sounded tight, like he was barely hanging onto his composure. “Have you gotten help?”

  “Kind of. I have it under control, I think. I don’t throw up very often. I just exercise a lot.”

  “No. That’s not good enough.” His stern response brooked no argument. “This disease damages your body. My cousin died from bulimia when she was only twenty-eight years old. I don’t want that to happen to you.”

  Somehow, the sound of his voice rumbling through his strong chest made her feel safe, like she hadn’t felt since she could remember. She reveled in it, making no attempt to move away.

  “I’m sorry about your cousin.”

  “So am I.” Silence. And then he said, “Listen, Haley. If you’re still willing to give this relationship a try, knowing what you know about me, I think we should take things really slow. And you have to promise to see a counselor.”

  The anxiety in his tone tore at her, and she wished she could make him stop worrying.

  “Okay, Gavin. Slow sounds good.” I think I can keep everything under control if we go slow.

  “I want to make sure I’m a part of the solution, so I don’t say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing and make it worse.”

  “To be honest, Gavin, you’ve already made it better, because you didn’t judge me.”

  “How can I judge you for something that isn’t your fault? My mess was a result of my own poor choices, and yet you didn’t reject me.”

  They stood on the trail, looking out over the canyon, alone in their embrace, even as another group of hikers struggled to pass them, single-file.

  When his arms fell away, she hid her disappointment, knowing they couldn’t remain forever hugging at the top of Red Rocks. Then his warm hands cupped her face, tilting her chin up toward him. His hooded eyes, deep lakes of dark chocolate, locked with hers, and her heart began to thump as if it could esca
pe from her ribcage. His mouth descended toward hers, in a tentative brush of his lips that made blood rush her cheeks. Then he pulled away just far enough to ask a question with his eyes.

  He must have seen the answer he sought, for his mouth returned to caress hers, branding her lips with a searing heat. His fingers slid along her jaw and down to her neck, leaving a trail of fire behind. His eager mouth possessed hers, and she didn’t resist. Instead, her hands lifted of their own accord, caressing the soft growth of beard along his jaws and sliding around the back of his neck to pull him closer. Her nerves sent sparks from her lips to the coals burning in her stomach like a hunger.

  As his fingers moved to bury themselves in her hair, he broke away, trailing his lips lightly up her face and pressing a chaste kiss on her forehead, while his chest heaved with quick breaths. She moved her hands to rest on his chest and felt his heart beating as fast as her own.

  She chuckled.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “You and I are so competitive, our hearts are racing one another.”

  His laugh vibrated under her fingers. “I’m sorry about that kiss.”

  “Ha! I was a willing participant, if you didn’t notice.”

  “Yes, but... I promised I would take it slow, and I almost lost control.”

  “I seriously doubt you would do anything too embarrassing on a public trail at the top of Red Rocks.”

  His lips spread in a roguish grin.

  “Be careful... That sounded like a dare!”

  Chapter Nine

  March—three months later

  “Mom, class has already started. I need to let you go.” Haley paced outside the lecture room, watching the clock on the wall, as her mother fretted about her safety, riding home with Gavin for Spring Break. For once, Haley wasn’t flying to Denver with her mother, who was throwing a tantrum over it.

  “I guess you don’t value spending time with your family. Ever since you started dating Gavin, you act like you don’t need us anymore.”