She had to get a grip on herself.
“So, what is this place?” she asked as she sidled up to him.
“This is a supernatural hangout. I thought since you were such a big fan of the supernatural, I’d take you here.”
“Wow, that’s awesome. I’m looking forward to it.”
The two walked inside, after Kenzie let Sage out so she could go exploring. She wasn’t sure how long they’d be and she didn’t want Sage stuck in the car all that time. Besides, she was intelligent enough not to run off anywhere.
The interior of The Toadstool was simple and rustic. Hayden led her to the bar and asked her what she’d like. Considering she’d eaten breakfast not too long ago, she ordered a nacho platter.
“You don’t want an actual meal?” Hayden asked.
“No, thanks. I ate breakfast not too long ago.”
“Oh. Well, I’m getting myself a tri-tip steak. I’m starving. What to drink?”
“Just tea, please.”
“You don’t want something a little more...exotic?”
“Uh…I don’t really drink that much.”
“Then we’ll give you something small. How about a Pink Bunny?”
“I know nothing about drinks.”
“Okay, well it’s kind of sweet but fruity. I think you’ll like it.”
“Well, I do love animals.”
Hayden grinned and then ordered a Pink Bunny for her and a Band Slam for himself. The bartender made the drinks right in front of them and placed them on the bar quickly. Kenzie looked quizzically into her glass before taking a small sip. Surprisingly, it did taste sweet and fruity, just like Hayden had said.
“So,” Hayden said as he dug into his steak, which arrived shortly after. Kenzie couldn’t help noticing that it was rare with red liquid seeping out of it. How could he stand that? “Tell me about what it’s like being a detective.”
“Uh...you must be the only person that hasn't heard. I’m not a detective anymore.”
“No, I heard. You’re going to be a PI. That’s not all that different, so I still consider you a detective.”
“Oh. Well, I enjoy it, really. It makes me feel good to help people. Sure, I’ve had my share of being in tight spots, but in the end it’s always been worth it. What exactly have you written about me?”
“I have to confess...nothing. I’ve heard of you but I mean, unless there’s some major crime or something connected with Moonlight Falls, you don’t get mentioned as being the detective who solved the case.”
“Oh. Well, yeah, that makes sense.”
Kenzie looked down at her glass that was now half empty as the bartender cleared their empty plates away. It seemed so strange that Hayden would suddenly take an interest in her after their awkward encounter yesterday, but she knew it was purely platonic. Hayden was obviously interested in her just because of his job as a reporter. Maybe it was a slow news day and he needed a story.
“No, that’s not it at all," he said when Kenzie inquired about this. "But now that you mention it, it might be nice to have a story about a famous detective like you coming to town for a supernatural convention. Kind of like a celebrity.”
“A newspaper isn’t the same as a celebrity magazine or a gossip column.”
“We do have one of those.”
“But I’m not a celebrity.”
“You don’t have to be. You’re well-known and I think readers would find it interesting.”
“I don't know. I don’t usually like to draw a lot of attention to myself.”
“So humble, yet one of the best detectives around.”
Kenzie took another small sip of her drink as she tried to hide the color rushing to her cheeks. She didn’t want to spend this entire outing talking about herself, however. She switched gears and tried a different subject.
“So, you aren’t big on supernatural creatures, and you seemed to really disagree with the werewolves yesterday. Any reason why?”
“Detective mode on vacation?”
“I guess it’s programmed into me.”
“Yeah, I know how it feels to have something programmed into you.”
“What do you mean?”
Hayden looked away, almost as though he were ashamed for saying too much. As he was facing the opposite direction, Kenzie took the opportunity to nonchalantly study his perfect features. Her heart kept beating erratically until he finally shifted his gaze back to her. She quickly turned her head away, hoping he hadn't noticed her circumspection.
Then she realized he hadn't answered her question.
“So, you didn't tell me. Why did you disagree with the werewolves so much yesterday, and what was it about?”
“Why do you care?”
“Well, I really love wolves, so naturally I’m fascinated with werewolves. They’re half wolf, half human.”
“You don’t know anything about werewolves.”
Hayden’s bitter tone caught Kenzie off-guard. He’d sounded so welcoming and friendly before, but now it was like whoever broached the subject of werewolves, or even the supernatural, would be verbally rebuked.
Still, Kenzie wasn’t one to give up. She pressed the issue some more, even though her gut was telling her not to. Why was she so determined to find out what was going on? Was it because Hayden was so handsome? Was it because this handsome guy had a conspicuous quibble with werewolves, the supernatural creature she was most interested in? Or was it just because she had interrogated so many people over the course of so many years that it was programmed into her as she’d said earlier?
Regardless, Hayden’s demeanor didn’t improve. If anything, he became even grumpier.
“Can’t you just leave it alone? I don’t want to talk about it. I realize your job requires you to ask people questions, and so does mine, but you aren’t on a case.”
Kenzie was taken aback, but she finally nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry.”
Hayden glanced at her with apologetic eyes. He seemed to be hiding something. Kenzie just got that impression from him. But she didn’t dare push it. She had a feeling this guy was too good to be true. He obviously had a dark, hot-headed side. Even the most perfect specimens of mankind had their flaws.
Kenzie tried what she hoped was a more subtle approach. “You seemed to be into Paige.”
“You really are observant.”
“It comes with the job.”
“I know that feeling. But what would it matter if I was?”
“It wouldn’t. I was just making conversation.”
“Okay, well, no I’m not into her. I just gave her a compliment. That’s it.”
“Oh, I see.”
Kenzie hoped her relief wasn’t shown across her face. If Jillian were here, she’d undoubtedly tell her to pursue this guy who had her heart all aflutter. But as it was, she was cautious when it came to relationships. The last few she’d had turned out disastrous. She didn’t even want to think about the most recent one, which surprisingly was almost two years ago. Where had the time gone?
Hayden suddenly stood up and said, “Well, I better get going. Enjoy your vacation here, and the convention.”
“Thanks.”
Hayden began to head out the door when Kenzie was suddenly overcome with a huge shock of courage. She bolted behind him and said, “Hey, maybe we can talk again sometime. I’d love to hear more about your work. I can give you my number.”
Since when was she so aggressive? Still, she tried to hide her dismayed expression when Hayden crossed his arms, looked her in the eye, and said, “Kenzie, trust me. You want nothing to do with me. It’s in your best interest to stay away from me.”
Kenzie was once again taken aback. What was with this guy? Maybe that’s why he was so intriguing – her career was to solve mysteries. This guy was a mystery in and of himself.
Still, befuddled, she prodded, “What do you mean?”
“Please, just trust me. I’m not the kind of guy you want. I know you may think that right now, but believe me, I’m not.”
“How could you possibly know...”
“It’s not hard to get. Your attempt at nonchalance didn’t go unnoticed. I’m sorry, Kenzie. Really.”
Kenzie ignored the flooding that threatened to burst from behind her eyes. Why the hell did she even care? This guy was vastly different from her (apart from his job). Sure he was hot, but had she truly become that shallow?
Swallowing her pride, she nodded mutely and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...”
“It’s not that. You don’t understand...”
“I get it. I think I’ll head back to the hotel and get some sleep or something. I mean, I’m here to be on vacation and have fun, not hook up with someone.”
“Kenzie...”
“Goodbye, Hayden.”
Kenzie scooted around Hayden and headed out the door. She half expected Hayden to follow her and even console her, but she knew better. She was still a hopeless romantic, even after high school and her heart had been shattered several times. That heart was now heavy in her chest as she traipsed to her car. She called to Sage, who jumped in, and drove off toward the hotel.
She could still have fun on vacation. Rejection wasn’t something new to her. Even when she first started liking boys, she wasn’t one of the girls who could have any guy she wanted. It appeared that still hadn’t changed.
Just as her instincts had told her, and just as she’d feared, Hayden was too good to be true.
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