Page 33 of Making A Mess of Things

He shook his cane. “Well, I’m not. You should have seen her with her young man. It did not go well. They did not even get past ordering. She walked out on him. Besides, she asked for my opinion, didn’t you?”

Suzy flushed all over. Other patrons coming and going from the popular restaurant stopped and stared with smirks. This might be worse than Mr. Peterson catching Daniel and her making out.

“Dad! Please get in the car. She’ll be fine.” The woman looked exasperated with her father.

He shook his head. “She will not, I tell you. I feel it in my bones, and they are never wrong. They told me sure as day that your mother was the love of my life.”

Suzy stepped forward and opened the car door for him. “Thank you for your concern, I appreciate it.”

He hobbled to the car and climbed in. “Well, here is my opinion: that young man is crazy for you. He is your destiny.” He shook the newspaper at her. “If you have an ounce of sense, you will march back inside and sit down. I have a feeling about you two. I can feel it in my bones. You can name your first son after me, Harold."

“Okay, Dad, let’s get you home,” his daughter said with another forced smile.

Suzy squeezed his hand. “I think I’ll follow your advice, thank you.”

She gently shut the door behind Harold and went inside the restaurant as she took a deep breath. The table where Daniel had been seated was empty. Just two glasses of water remained.

She bit her lip—probably for the best. Megan said he was damaged and had a dog. Dogs and cats rarely get along, but what if Harold was right about them?

Chapter ten

Daniel and Suzy walked toward Twisted Paint. Suzy’s eyes widened. It looked like a massive Valentine’s party exploded. Hearts and red and pink balloons with sayings on them like Love you More and You’re Mine Forever surrounded the small building.

“This can’t be the right place.” She glanced at him. “Did you type in the wrong address? This looks way—”

Daniel groaned. “Vivian must have set us up for a couple’s paint night.”

“I don’t understand,” she said, stopping in her tracks. “Why on earth would she do such a thing?”

“Because I’m unpleasant and need fun, aka you.” He rolled his eyes. “She’s delusional. Just wait until I see her again.”

“We can’t go,” Suzy said, panic rising in her voice. “There’s no way.”

“I know.”

She frowned. He agreed with her quickly and didn’t even hesitate for a second. Harold, the older man she met outside therestaurant, must be wrong in his opinion of them. They were not destined for each other, nor did it look like their first child would be named Harold.

“Oh, there you two are.” A woman waved, stepping outside. “You’re late. We’re all waiting for you. Please hurry. It’s not nice to keep others waiting.”

They stood still like a couple of frozen deer caught in the headlights of an upcoming disaster.

“She must be a friend of Vivian's,” Daniel whispered to Suzy. “Let me handle this. I’m used to difficult situations and people.”

“So, am I, remember Billy?” She raised her chin. “I managed him well.”

“Trust me, I have way more difficult people than one kid in my experience.” He pointed to her. “You, for example. Let’s not forget Vivian. Besides, did you handle him well? I remember the situation differently.”

She slugged him.

“Ouch.” He rubbed his arm. “That wasn’t called for.”

“I disagree,” she muttered.

“Come on, you two love birds.” The woman tapped her foot. “We don’t have all night, and as soon as we’re done painting, we have a lovely dessert I baked.”

Suzy leaned closer to him. “Get us out of this.”

The woman walked over to them, frowning. “Why aren’t you moving?”

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