The Trouble With Snowmen (4 page)

Chapter 7

They parked and walked a few blocks to Discovery Green, a park in downtown Houston. Larry didn’t think the early April day could’ve been nicer if he had created it himself. A clear blue sky, lots of sunshine, cool in the shade. As they neared the entrance, the smell of carnival food wafted in the air. They strolled through the gates, mingling with the crowd and the sounds of laughter and music.

Haley’s hair had dried and her face was fresh, the sun catching her cheekbones. She grabbed Larry’s wrist and with a bright smile said, “Come on. I love festivals!” She zigzagged him through the crowd.

The park was packed with vendors, several food trucks, clowns, and street magicians, but they bypassed everything and headed toward an outdoor stage. The music became louder as they approached, and a country band, which Larry wasn’t familiar with, played on their guitars and wore cowboy hats.

Haley seemed to know them, though. As soon as they’d squeezed and excused themselves to the front of the crowd, she sang the lyrics and swayed to the music. She would glance at Larry every now and then and smile her contagious smile as she sang.

After a couple of songs, the band’s front man announced, “I’m looking for a couple of real fans to come up here on stage and be backup singers.”

The crowd whooped and hollered, full of volunteers.

The vocalist said, “You, in the orange shirt, and you, in the Texan’s hat, and one more . . . the redheaded lady here in the front.” He pointed straight at Haley.

Haley put her hand on her chest and shook her head.

Larry smiled and nudged her to go on.

Haley didn’t budge. “No, thank you.”

“Come on, y’all, let’s give her some encouragement!”

The crowd clapped and whistled but Haley still shook her head.

The singing cowboy finally gave up and went on to someone else, and they started playing another song.

Larry found it strange, yet endearing that Haley’s cheeks were so flushed again. Shy, he mentally noted. He would’ve never used that personality trait for Lexi Dylan before he met Haley.

“Did you like them?” Haley asked when the band took a break. “Do you listen to country?”

Larry shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“Oh.” Haley’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I should’ve asked you. So what do you want to do?”

“I’m fine with watching you have such a good time.”

She bit her lower lip smiling and turned away. “Do you at least like snow cones?”

“Who doesn’t like snow cones?”

Haley causally interlaced her fingers in his, giving Larry a warm, cozy feeling, as they headed toward the snow cone cart.

“What’s your favorite flavor?” she asked.

“What’s yours?”

“I asked you first, and I’m the one who’s buying, so -”

“Fine, I like pineapple.”

“Pineapple?”

“What’s wrong with pineapple?”

“Nothing, it’s my favorite flavor too. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Sure,” he said and laughed.

After Haley had paid for the snow cones, she seemed to zone out, staring, unblinking into the crowd.

“You okay? Where are you?”

“Yeah.” She shook her head and they started walking. “I just wish I had my camera.”

“Isn’t there one on your phone?”

“I mean a real one. I have a Canon Rebel at home.”

“Oooh, a Rebel,” he teased. “My mistake.”

“Yeah, I’m that crazy camera person who people keep telling to stop taking their picture. But I’m getting better at becoming invisible.”

They found a bench under a canopy of trees a little ways away from the main crowd. Larry wished things were different. He wished they had met at a different time, perhaps before Haley had decided to make a living selling her body. Then another thought hit him. Maybe she didn’t. It was kind of presumptuous of him to think so just because of the way she dressed and undressed last night. Although the answers to the few questions he had asked made it pretty obvious. She seemed like two different people, the Haley from last night . . . and this one.

But Larry couldn’t very well come out and ask now, because no matter the answer, it would sour the mood at best. He didn’t want the afternoon ruined or shortened. He just wanted to stay there on the park bench with her for as long as possible, prostitute or not.

“I don’t see how you could ever be invisible,” he said.

Chapter 8

In that moment, Haley felt like she had known Larry forever, sitting there on a park bench eating snow cones, quietly, without even a hint of awkwardness. She liked being with Larry. Why did it have to feel so darn comfortable? Something was going on inside her that wasn’t supposed to be going on. He wasn’t her type. He wasn’t! Larry wasn’t supposed to be her type. She needed to make her move and fast. Make sure he fell hard for her, and then leave him standing in the dust.

She scooted closer to Larry until their shoulders touched, their legs touched.

He stared at her, his smile replaced by bedroom eyes.

She kissed him, the sensation of their cold, sweet lips and cool breath ran shivers up Haley’s spine. She had to keep a clear head, stay focused on her plan, but things inside her stirred.
Plop
. “Ahhh! That’s cold!” she cried and stood up. She’d lost her grip on the snow cone—had forgotten she even held the dang thing—and it had landed upside down on her exposed leg.

Larry laughed and slapped his knee.

“Oh, you think that’s funny do you?” She picked up a small piece of ice and flicked it at him.

“Hey!” Larry stood and grabbed her hand before she could do it again—an obvious ploy to bring her closer.

A second before impact, she whispered, “I want to show you something,” and stepped back. Haley had really wanted to kiss him again. But between the hangover leftovers, the breakup with Travis, and whatever this was going on inside her, she felt a bit dizzy. She needed a moment to sort it all out.

“I believe I’ve seen it all,” he said.

“I didn’t know you were such a funny guy. Come on.” Haley wrapped her arm in Larry’s and strolled him this way and that way through a flower trail to two large, round cement sculptures. “These are listening vessels. You sit in this one.”

“There?” He nodded toward it and went ahead and sat inside the circle on the little bench-like area.

“I’m going to that one.” She pointed to the other one about sixty feet away. “And we can talk to each other.”

Haley walked to the identical sculpture, and Larry gave a little wave after she’d sat down.

“Hey, Larry,” she said.

“I heard you!” he shouted.

“I heard you too.” She smiled. Larry was so cute, in a haphazard sort of way. She thought maybe he wa
s like Johnny Depp as the pirate. You knew that under the ridiculous costume was the sexiest man alive.

Larry said, “So now that I have your attention, did you grow up here in Houston?”

“Lufkin.”

“I’ve never been there. Your parents still there?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“Do you talk to them a lot?”

A breeze found the inside of the vessel, and Haley moved her hair away from her face and tried to tuck it behind her ears. “My mom calls me at least once a week, and I go down to see them once a month. You?”

“I need to see them more,” he said and then sat quiet.

Even from this distance, Haley felt his stare. She switched her crossed legs and leaned back and tried to think of something funny to say to lighten the mood.

“Haley,” he said, his voice steady, “you’re so beautiful.”

Guys said stuff like that to her all the time, but the way Larry had just said it gave her goosebumps. She didn’t want him to give her goosebumps! Nevertheless, she couldn’t deny it anymore. She was definitely attracted to him. The way he carried himself and talked and treated her completely contradicted his appearance.

“Thank you,” she whispered, wondering if she should ditch the plan. She could have him take her home, exchange phone numbers, and suggest a real date. What did it matter that he was a little rough around the edges and poor?

“Tell me a secret,” he said from across the way.

“You go first.” And just because he was poor right then didn’t mean he would always be poor. Who knew, his book might sell some day. Maybe he’d consider getting a regular job in the meantime. She could buy him a few clothes or at least pick better ones out of his wardrobe, and try to convince him to cut his hair or at least shave. It didn’t matter to her what he looked like, but it would matter to potential employers. Maybe there would be something he could do at Kickers.

“Hmm. Okay. When I was little boy, I wanted to be a scientist until I found out you had to touch rats.”

“Can’t say as I blame you.” She sighed. Larry talking about little boys made her think about earlier by the snow cone cart. She’d watched the family pass by and had wanted to capture that image of the young family, holding hands, laughing. The mom, the dad, and the little boy—happy, little, perfect family.

“Your turn,” Larry said.

“Let me think,” she said.
But what happens if I do try and date Larry only to realize he’s not the right man for me? I’ll have to break his heart anyway, and I wouldn’t have learned a thing. So I should finish what I started, right now. Be the snowman! Be the snowman!
“My secret is . . . I really like you.”

At first she wasn’t sure if he had heard her. The silence seemed loud inside the listening vessel as she stared at Larry, who seemed to have become part of the sculpture.

Oh my goodness
,
he might think I’m a total weirdo by saying I liked him already.
The complete opposite of what was supposed to happen. She wondered if she should follow up with,
well, not like you, like you
.

No, that was so middle school.

Finally, he responded, “I like you too, Haley.” And then he jumped up.

The memory of his kiss and the way he kept his eyes locked with hers as he neared made Haley’s heart pitter-patter.

Larry stood in front of her and held out his hand. As she accepted it and stood up, she tried to keep the words ‘cowgirl boots, ass kicking, you can do it’ in her mind. He drew her close, and she immediately felt stupid tingles explode all over her body as his beard tickled her face. He kissed her, parting her lips and slipping his tongue inside her mouth for the first time. She tried to ignore the longing and heat from within but it escaped as a sigh. So help her, she wanted so much more. “Can we go back to your place?” she heard herself whisper out loud, and then quickly assured herself that it was just the next step in being a snowman.

Larry pulled away, his breath heavy, his eyes excited yet questioning. Now she wondered if she had come on too strong. He was actually a nice guy. She really felt slutty now, taking off her clothes last night and now she had propositioned him again. “You know, if you don’t—”

“I can’t think of anything I’ve ever wanted more.”

Chapter 9

Larry’s confusion over how he felt about Haley grew with each mile. At the park, he had done everything he could to stay on track and keep to the character questionnaire, but those little things she did drove him insane. She kept crossing those long legs and the wind whipped her hair around, and he hadn’t been able to stay focused. But what was it with this girl? Yes, she was beautiful and alluring, but he always had beautiful women at his disposal, ones who weren’t paid for sex. Men handed Haley money after sex, or did she take credit cards? Money! He didn’t have any money. He should tell her, but she already knew. “I don’t have any money,” he blurted. What was that?

“I know,” she said. “It’s okay.”

A freebie? He nodded. A freebie. Why? Because she liked him, she said so, and that was why. She liked him, even in his sad state, without knowing his true identity, which was kind of refreshing. And he hadn’t lied. He liked her, too. Haley Monroe, the bombshell, was so contradictorily mystifying.

Keep focused
.
She is a prostitute
. What if he had brought his wallet? Would he have paid her? He had never paid before. Dinner and a movie, did that count? No, those were dates.

He had to come to terms with this.
Research. That’s what I’m in this for!
He had to push his feelings for this girl aside because they could never have a real relationship. She was a fantasy. A fantasy for a lot of men. Shit! He glanced over at her. She nodded and smiled one of those, “I’m still here” smiles at him.

But then Haley turned her head, wrung her hands, and then fidgeted with her blouse.

She seemed nervous too. Why would she be nervous? Maybe the nerves didn’t come from the thought of sex but because of this immediate attraction, this electricity between them. That must be why it all felt so right yet awkward. She liked him but didn’t want him to know what she did for a living. The word
prostitute
had never been said. Maybe she had no idea that he knew. Maybe she didn’t want him to know.

As they entered the apartment building, Larry interlaced his hand in hers like Haley had done at the park. His heart beat fast as he unlocked the door.

Earlier, he had so many reasons why he should hold back his desires. Now, he couldn’t think of a single one. The only thing on his mind was how Haley would feel in his arms, how it would feel to be tangled up with her.

Right there by the front door, Larry grabbed Haley like she belonged only to him. He felt her quiver in his arms as he kissed her deeply, passionately, Haley’s fingertips gently digging into his back. Hot adrenalin rushed through his body as he found the buttons on her blouse. His mouth tasted down her neck, and he made his way to those perfect breasts he’d been dying to caress since last night.

Haley’s head eased to the side as her body arched into his, her sensual moans heating Larry from the inside out. As his ache for her escalated to unbearable, he knew he actually belonged to her.