“I haven’t the foggiest notion how to solve problems of the adult male variety.”

“Will you go out on a date with me?” he asked.

“No.”

“In that case, will you travel to Atlanta next weekend to see me?”

“No.”

“Fine. Then I’ll come back to Misty River next weekend to see you.”

“I recommend that you spare yourself the effort.”

I’ll see you then, he thought.

On Monday, a top-of-the-line graphing calculator arrived at Leah’s front door. She hadn’t known calculators could be personalized. But apparently they could be if someone was persistent enough, because Professor Montgomery was etched into its back.

It could not be returned.

On Tuesday, Dylan received an Atlanta Falcons jersey with Montgomery stitched across the shoulder blades.

It could not be returned.

She began to pray, asking God to let her know if going on a date with Sebastian was a viable option or an absolute no.

She couldn’t discern His answer.

On Wednesday, a copy of The Theory of Numbers, first edition, published in 1914, landed on Leah’s doorstep. In an act that verged very near desecration, someone had written Property of Leah Montgomery in Sharpie on its first page.

It could not be returned.

On Thursday, two very large boxes addressed to Dylan were delivered. The instant he returned home from football practice, she handed him a pair of scissors so that he could open them. Inside each box lay two hubcaps for his truck. Upon closer inspection, she noticed they were each engraved, in small print, with Dylan is chillin’. Subtle.

What wasn’t subtle? Sebastian’s methods.

The hubcaps could not be returned.

This could not go on!

A date would be preferable to this—this deluge of presents. The prospect of continuing to accept charity from him carved ice into her soul.

God had not yet made His guidance clear regarding Sebastian. But if gifts were going to continue to arrive daily, she didn’t feel she could postpone her decision until she’d received divine confirmation.

She dialed Sebastian and, for once, he answered.

“You rang?” he said.

“I’ll go on a date with you this weekend on one condition.”

“Which is?”

“You agree to cease sending Dylan and me presents.”

“Done,” he said immediately. “Can I pick you up at seven on Saturday?”

He was beyond exasperating! “Fine.”

As skilled as she was at chess, she sensed that Sebastian was no amateur at his tactics.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

On Saturday morning Leah regarded her reflection critically in the dressing room mirror of the Buttercup Boutique.