Death of a Pumpkin Carver Read Online Free

me.”
    â€œLike I said, Danny, you have a history.”
    They ate in awkward silence for a minute.
    Danny angrily clawed at his lobster tail with a tiny fork.
    Hayley chewed on a piece of lamb.
    Finally, Danny slammed the hard shell of the lobster tail back down on his plate. “For your information, I was the one who broke it off. Not her! Me!”
    Hayley nodded, biting into another piece of lamb, frustrating Danny who was convinced she was just humoring him.
    â€œIf you must know . . .”
    â€œI really don’t need to know anything,” Hayley said.
    â€œI woke up one morning and realized Becky was just too young for me.”
    That was it.
    That was just too much to bear.
    Hayley howled with laughter.
    â€œWhat? What’s so funny?”
    It took her a few seconds to compose herself.
    â€œSince when has a woman’s age ever, ever been an issue with you, Danny? You’ve been chasing girls half your age for years.”
    â€œThat’s not fair,” Danny said, frowning.
    â€œThis has nothing to do with fairness. I’m just stating the facts.”
    â€œOkay, so what? I like younger women. That doesn’t mean my tastes can’t change.”
    Hayley desperately tried to stifle herself. “How, Danny? How have your tastes changed?”
    â€œI’ve been thinking a lot lately, and maybe it’s time I find a more mature woman to grow old with, someone who understands me and has shared similar experiences. Someone like . . .”
    His voice trailed off.
    She prayed he didn’t go there.
    She had no desire to rehash their failed marriage.
    She just wanted to enjoy her lamb and then get back to work, back to her life, without Danny and his typical shenanigans.
    They ate in silence some more until both their plates were empty except for a meat bone on Hayley’s and a hollow lobster shell on Danny’s.
    Danny cleared his throat.
    Hayley stared out the window at the harbor.
    â€œScrewing things up with you was the worst mistake of my life,” he said softly, looking at her, trying to make eye contact.
    Hayley didn’t answer him.
    She just kept her eyes fixed on the small islands dotting Frenchman’s Bay in the distance.
    Danny’s words did seem sincere, even sweet, actually, but she definitely wasn’t ready to have this conversation.
    To be honest, she still just wasn’t buying what he had to sell.
    She had seen this winsome side of him too many times before.
    Hayley flagged down Denise, who was only too happy to rush over to Danny’s side again. “Can I show you our dessert menu?”
    â€œNo, thank you. I have to get back to work.”
    â€œI’ll bring your check,” she said, disappointed.
    Danny already had his wallet out and handed Denise a credit card. “Let me take care of it.”
    Hayley was floored.
    This was definitely a first.
    Danny Powell was picking up the check.
    They weren’t even going dutch.
    He was paying the whole bill.
    It was as if she had just awakened in some kind of alternate reality.
    Danny noticed the shocked look on her face.
    â€œDon’t look so surprised. I’ve been saving.”
    â€œYou mean you actually have your own bank account now?”
    â€œYes. Both a checking and a savings. How about that?”
    â€œI’m impressed.”
    â€œI’m trying to be more responsible. I figure I’d like to get married again someday and I don’t want to be that guy I once was. I really am trying to change.”
    Denise returned with Danny’s card and a slip for him to sign.
    Danny took the card and glanced at Hayley. “Hey, imagine that. It wasn’t declined.”
    He got a smile out of Hayley and that made him happy.
    Denise pulled a pen out of her breast pocket and handed it to him.
    He didn’t even look up at her as he added the tip and scribbled his name.
    She waited a few seconds for some kind of eye contact before giving up and