Perfect Kind Of Trouble

36 Daren

With carefully planned routes through the inn, I manage to avoid Kayla for most of the day. It’s not that I don’t like to see her—I very much enjoy looking at her. But I just don’t know what to say to her. I loved feeding her, but she was so sad about everything she’d learned about her mom that I felt like drudging up any issue she and I have would have been petty.

I need to say sorry but sorry has never come easy for me, especially when it comes to girls. I’ve never really put much effort into making up with members of the opposite sex. Once they burn me, I typically back off so I can’t get burned again. It’s a rule of mine and, up until three days ago, it worked flawlessly.

But for some reason my chest just won’t seem to loosen up with all this guilt and gloom. I can walk away from any girl anywhere, but not Kayla.

The sound of jingling keys meets my ears and I turn to see Ellen approaching the front desk, where I’ve been restacking printing paper for the past ten minutes.

She smiles. “The repair guy towed Kayla’s car to Latecomers and gave it a jump, so it should be working now. I’m going to grab Kayla and we’ll meet you outside. You ready to go?”

I nod. “Yep. I’ll be out in fifteen minutes. I’m sure Kayla wants to get away from me as soon as possible.”

Ellen narrows her eyes. “Why?”

“Because,” I sigh, angry with myself, “I basically slaughtered her to pieces with my words the other day.”

“Ah,” she says softly with a short nod. “That explains your guilt.”

I frown. I wasn’t aware my guilt was noticeable. Shit.

“But what about hers?” she says.

“Hers?” I wrinkle my brow.

“Yeah,” Ellen says. “Kayla’s been darting her eyes away from you and looking at the floor every time I try to speak with her about you… just like you’re doing now.”

I snap my eyes from the floor and meet her gaze. “That doesn’t mean she feels guilty.”

“Well it certainly doesn’t mean she’s angry. You should talk to her.” She smiles. “Girls are big on communication.”

“Why, so she can tell me what a jackass I am?”

“Maybe.” Ellen shrugs. “But if it meant you’d get her back, wouldn’t it be worth it?”

“Get her back?” I shake my head. “I never had her.”

Ellen smiles with a twinkle in her eye. “Oh, Daren. There is so much you don’t know about women.”