Page 3 of My Forbidden Holidate

I swallow my jealousy by stuffing a buttered roll in my mouth and eating two more before the server’s even arrived with my drink. As he sets down my glass of water and brings a fresh batch of rolls, I try to take my mind off Dan by reviewing conversation starters in my head.

Hi, my name is Hayden.It’s so good to meet you, Mr. Not Dan. What? You think you left your oven on and have to go? Are you sure it’s not because I ate an entire basket of rolls before you arrived and am wearing black on what should be a happy evening? Oh, it is?Okay, then, I’ll go back to being single for the rest of my life.

With a groan, I set my head down on the table. I’ll continue being single until I’ve learned better social skills and how not to be so…painfullysingle. I’ve never had a boyfriend in my life, and college was supposed to open doors for me. Allow me to meet new people. Mingle a little.

All I do lately is attend classes, make straight A’s, and babysit an adorable little girl during the week.

But there’s nothing else I’d rather do than help Star learn her multiplication tables and draw five million horse pictures to put on display around her house. No clubs interest me. Even my major, which involves reading a lot of books and writing analytical essays about them, doesn’t interest me as much as picking up Star from school and waiting with her for her dad to come home.

All signs point to Hayden Padmore being built for stay-at-home mom life. I’m just missing the part about having a devoted husband and child of my own to take care of. Once I find those, I’m set.

Footsteps approach and I pray it’s not my date. The last thing I want right now is to explain to someone why they should like me, when I’m not even sure why that is.

“Your table, sir. Have a nice evening.” The server refills my water anddamn, there’s no backing out now.

My mystery date speaks, and my desires bleed into reality as I imagine it’s Dan’s voice. “Sorry I’m late, my daughter really didn’t want me to leave tonight… Are you alright?”

With a sigh, I force my head up and freeze as soon as I see the man pulling out his chair and sitting in front of me.

It’sDan, in the same pale blue button up he wore to work today, but without the tie and with a few more buttons undone at the front. I get a delicious view of his chest - more than normal - and I’d recognize the sharp edges of his hidden tattoos anywhere. Dark hair falling loosely over his forehead until he does the thing—

I watch in awe as he brushes his hair back with a casual swoop of his hand, the same way he does every time his hair is even a little out of place.

“Mr. Willows?” I must really have a screw loose to be hallucinating right now. Did the server put something in the butter? “Are you—are you at the right table?”

His entire demeanor shifts from calm and reserved todecidedly notas his head snaps in my direction. Now that I’m sitting up straight, he can see me clearly.

Hi, it’s me. Your babysitter. The girl who’s falling in love with you more and more each day.

“Hayden? You look—”

“I, um, wore my hair down,” I say sheepishly, raking my fingers through the curls laid over my shoulder.

“Beautiful.” He sounds as stunned as I feel, but he quickly recovers and licks his perfect lips as he leans forward. “If I’d known you were the one waiting for me, I would have—” He smiles and shakes his head in disbelief. “What are the odds that we were paired up tonight? Your code name was scarlet?”

“ForThe Scarlet Letter,” I explain, “because Hester should have never suffered like that for loving someone.”

“Mine’s for Scarlet, my daughter,” Dan says, confirming our matching code names for the date. The local newspaper made a call for blind dates this Valentine’s Day, using a system of pairing couples based upon their submitted questionnaire and matching color code word.

“What are the odds that we’d pick the same color?” Dan muses, a smile on his lips. “It must be fate, then.”

“It’s a small town,” I say, not daring to hold onto a word like fate.I’ll actually start to believe it. “Can’t have been too many people who picked scarlet for their color.”

Dan watches me closely, and I try not to squirm under his gaze.

“You’re nervous,” he says finally, leaning back in his chair. “It’s just me, Hayden. I promise I won’t bite. We don’t have to—” He pauses as he considers his words carefully. “Iwould like to consider this a date, if you’re comfortable with that. I know that I’m…olderthan you, and you might not be looking for the same things I am right now, but tonight doesn’t have to promise forever. It’s just one date.”

He’s right - Iamnervous, but not because it’s him. I’m elated to have been matched with him. I’m nervous that I’ll spill my heart out all over this man and he’ll go running for the hills. Because Idowant forever. Not just one night.

“I’d like that.” I try to remain casual as my heart threatens to beat itself to death against my rib cage. I’d more than like that - I’dlovethat. Taking a breath, I decide to be as honest as possible without giving too much of my heart away. “I’dloveto spend the night with you, Dan. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I mean it.”

His lips curve up into a smirk, and I realize what I’ve just said. Crimson paints my cheeks and I try to laugh off some of my embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“We’ll see where the night takes us,” he interrupts, tapping my knee with his under the table. With a look in his eyes that sets my panties ablaze, he licks his lips. “Red looks good on you, Hayden.”

3

Dan

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