Page 51 of Inviting Trouble
Mad’s jaw dropped. “You’re just mentioning this now?”
Hailey loosened her hold on the wheel and sighed. “I needed not to think about it for a while. I’m terrified, actually. Clover Park has always been so safe.”
“We’re getting you a security system.”
“Yes, of course. I never thought we needed one before. The police said the person smashed the glass on the back door and opened it that way.”
Mad blew out a breath. “Okay, no problem. I’ll go with you.”
Hailey glanced over. “I’m scared to go back to work after the New Year. I mean, I spend a lot of time there by myself. Sure, there’s occasional cooking classes, weddings, and planning appointments, but it’s also my office, and in between appointments, it’s just me.”
“The security system will help. And I’m teaching you self-defense.”
“I’m not very athletic,” Hailey said in a small voice. She forced a laugh even as her hands shook on the steering wheel. “You’ve seen me play basketball.”
It killed her to see the usually confident Hailey reduced to trembling. “You know how you’re teaching me to be pretty?”
“You’re already pretty. I’m just enhancing it.”
“I’m going to teach you to be a badass.”
Hailey straightened, eyes wide. “You really think you can?”
“Yes,” Mad said firmly.
Hailey stopped at a red light on Main Street and stared at Mad, part hopeful, part uncertain.
Mad barreled on confidently. “It will go against every bit of pageant training you’ve ever had. There’s no room for polite manners or graceful good looks when it comes to defending yourself. You’ve got to hit their weak spots hard. No mercy.”
Hailey’s hand went to her throat. “You’re scaring me.”
“Your eyelash curler scares me, but I still let you near my eye.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “You knocked it out of my hand.”
“So let me get near you at the dojo and then you knock me away.”
“At the dojo?” Hailey screeched. “I don’t know how to do karate!” She faced front, saw the light was green, and hit the accelerator hard. “Oh, gosh. This all feels like too much.”
“Okay, okay. We’ll take it slow. How about a self-defense class with the book club? We could just do it at the high school gym with some mats. I’ll teach. Keep it simple.”
“Everyone?” Hailey brightened. “Like a singles mixer? Should we invite some single guys?”
“If they’d like to kiss the floor, then yeah.”
“Oh. Maybe we’ll just keep it us ladies.”
“I’ll find one guy to dress up in pads and helmet so we can practice on him. The bigger the better. Otherwise, sure, all girls sounds good.”
Hailey launched into her usual planning mode, which made Mad smile. That was more the Hailey she knew. “I’ll advertise to bring in some more single women. Maybe we can transition them from the class to our book club.”
“Sure.”
“This could be good,” Hailey said, enthusiasm gaining in her voice.
“It will be. I’ll toughen you up.”
Hailey nodded. “Okay. Yeah. Tough.” She bit her lower lip.
