Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 99(@200wpm)___ 79(@250wpm)___ 66(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 99(@200wpm)___ 79(@250wpm)___ 66(@300wpm)
“Red, I...” She’s overwhelmed, a tear in her eye. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“You can’t stop me from falling in love. I’m sure you’ve had this same conversation with Dad.”
She sighs. “He didn’t listen either.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think we can. It’s not like falling in love is something we control. We call it falling, Grandma. Not controlled descent into love.”
She laughs. It’s so nice to hear after the thoughts of her lost love had made her so dour.
“You can’t protect me from every negative feeling, Grandma. But you can support me. You can be there for me. Nothing’s perfect. Not even Hood, or Grandpa, or whoever we fall in love with.”
“You’re such a bright little girl, Red. I see so much of myself in you. I guess I have to trust you to make the right decisions. And I guess with the way you talk? This Hood isn’t the only one falling in love.”
I blush. I didn’t want to admit it. That’s why I worded it the way I did. It felt foolish, like I should know better, but I can’t escape it.
“I trust you to take control of your own life, Red. Even if I find what you do silly, I’ll live with it. Kind of like that time you dyed your hair black because you thought it was too on the nose that your name is Red when you have red hair.”
“Grandma, I was sixteen. It was a mistake, please.” Stupid goth phase.
She laughs. “Do what you need to do, dear. Even if you gotta be a blonde this time.”
I shake my head smiling, as I step away, heading to my room. I have a date to get dressed for, and I’m not sure how to do it. I didn’t exactly pack a shimmering evening gown. I came up here to tend to my grandmother, not meet hot guys, even if that ended up being the result.
Not to mention it is still February in Northern Washington. Anything that exposes a lot of skin seems like a very bad idea. Ultimately, I decided to just dress in a sweater and a pair of jeans, and made sure to put some extra effort in my hair and make-up, this being as nice as I could dress up for such short notice.
Despite him being so head over heels for me, I don’t want to risk it. I want him pretty bad, and while I’m less inclined to throw the L word around, I can’t exactly deny that it might be what I'm feeling too.
My memory flashes back to our tryst. How intense his touch was, the intense pleasure I felt, and more importantly? How it made me feel. It’s not just the sex, it’s that he looked at me like I’m some sort of angel sent from heaven, blessing him with my presence. That he makes me feel important, wanted, and... well...
Loved.
It makes me feel a way I never felt before, and I can’t possibly deny it.
Love at first sight is definitely the thing of fairy tales, but if fiction can sometimes become reality, why can’t those childish stories work the same way?
I head back down stairs, and Grandma looks my way. “Well well, I haven’t seen you dolled up this much since... well.. Forever.”
“This isn’t a date I want to botch, Grandma.”
“I can tell. Would love to see what you could do with time to prepare. Never let any man tell you you aren’t beautiful, Red.”
I smile. “I think the only man whose opinion I care about has told me I’m beautiful multiple times already.”
She chuckles. “This Hood has worked some magic on you, hasn’t he?”
I pace about, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m thinking, Grandma, that maybe he’s not the only one with sudden, intense feelings for someone he just met.”
“You too, huh?”
I nod.
“Well, as we talked about earlier, I can’t stop you, dear. I can only wish you the best. And hope that I raised you right after your mother passed. “
I go to her, and wrap my arms around her, holding her tight. “You did. You absolutely did. Just sometimes weird things happen. Good, weird things.”
“Like meeting mountain men you fall in love with?”
“With how quickly things are going now, Grandma, I wouldn’t be surprised if by this time tomorrow, I’m engaged.”
“Oho,” she laughs. “Well, I can take solace at least that he’s not a man afraid of commitment.”
“I guess he just knows what he likes when he sees it, and wants to make sure he gets a ring on it before it’s too late.”
I speak like I have other offers in wait. Or that I would even remotely consider them.
The more I think about it?
The more obvious it is that Hood is the one for me.
9
HOOD
A fresh shower, a little grooming, and a stop by the Chinese place, and I’m roaring up toward Red’s grandmother’s cabin.