I STARED AT the pile of brand new clothes on my bed. I’d already tried on countless new dresses and nothing seemed appropriate for spending the day with Hayes and his family.
Just thinking about it nearly had me running to the toilet to throw up.
I didn’t know why I was so nervous.
I’d met his parents already and he assured me that his sisters would love me, but that did nothing to calm my nerves.
I picked up a simple black dress and put it on, quickly vetoing it.
Hayes was going to be here in less than an hour and I hadn’t even done anything to my hair. At least Mia was ready…although, that fact could prove to be a disaster if she tried to get into anything.
I picked up the last dress I had to wear, vowing that this would be the one.
The fabric felt silky as it rubbed against my skin. It was on the shorter side, ending above my knees, and a soft cream color. I closed my eyes before I looked in the mirror, saying a little prayer.
When I opened my eyes I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw in the mirror. The dress was simple but pretty. I looked dressed up, but not like I was trying too hard.
Satisfied, I stuffed the rest of the dresses back into the bag and stuck it in my closet.
“Momma! Momma!” Mia chanted, running into my bedroom and face planting into my legs.
I laughed and reached out to steady her. “Hey, silly girl, are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she pushed her hair out of her face, looking up at me sweetly, “I haz a qwuestion.”
“And what’s your question?” I asked, moving into the bathroom.
She bounced behind me and stood by the counter while I tried to make my hair presentable.
“My bwirthday is soon…and I want a kitten.”
“A kitten?” I laughed.
She nodded her head eagerly, her red curls swinging around her shoulders. “Day’re so fluffy and cute.”
“And who would take care of the kitten?” I smiled down at her, amused by the random ideas she always came up with.
“You would swilly.”
“Ah, I see.” I nodded, fluffing my hair and leaving it hanging down my shoulders in soft waves. “I’ll think about it, how does that sound?”
“Sounds wike a deal.” She nodded adamantly and flounced out of the bathroom.
I applied my makeup, opting for light and natural—like usual—and added some pink lipstick and gloss for a pop of color.
I grabbed a pair of heels from my closet and dangled them from the end of my finger as I padded through the house.
Mia was sitting in the living room, playing with her new baby doll Hayes bought her while we were in New York City. It was her new favorite toy and she could barely stand to go five minutes without it in her sight.
I set my shoes by my purse and grabbed my phone.
There was a text from Hayes telling me he was running a little late since he had to stop for gas.
“Mia, do you want to leave your hair down or put braids in it?”
Her lips pursed as she pondered my question. “Can Hayes do it?”
“Um…” I paused, shrugging. “If he’s willing to do it when he gets here.”
Mia returned to playing with her doll and muttered, “Den ask him.”
I chuckled. “I’ll ask him when he gets here, baby girl.”
Ten minutes later a shadow fell across the front of the house as Hayes pulled his massive truck into the driveway.
Mia gasped and ran to the door, looking out through the glass. “Hayes is here, Hayes is here!” She chanted, jumping up and down.
You know, if I was going to fall in love with someone it was only appropriate that Mia loved him too. In fact, I think the fact that she loved him so much was one of the reasons I fell so hard and so fast.
Hayes jumped out of his truck and stole the breath from my lungs.
He was dressed nicely, in a pair of dark jeans, a button down shirt worn open over a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of black boots. His hair was perfectly styled like always. The sun hit his hair making the normally sandy, almost brown, strands look even lighter. He wore a pair of stylish sunglasses that I was sure cost more than I made in a week.
He looked up and saw Mia and I standing in the doorway and a smile split his face. My stomach was assaulted with butterflies from that one smile.
I pushed the door open and he stepped inside, immediately bending down to pick up Mia and plant a loud kiss on her cheek. “Hi, Ms. Mia,” he greeted her, removing his sunglasses and tucking them in the collar of his shirt.
“Hi.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Will you bwraid my hair?”
Hayes chuckled and set her down. “I might be able to do that.”
His eyes swam to me and he looked me up and down. His Adam’s apple bobbed and he finally met my eyes. “You look stunning. You’re always beautiful, but that dress…your legs…” He stepped impossibly closer and bent to whisper in my ear. “All I’m going to be able to think about tonight is burying my face between your legs and licking—”
“Hayes,” I groaned, pushing him away as a blush blossomed over my cheeks, down my neck, and into my chest.
He shrugged, smiling innocently. “Sorry, Little Bird. I got a bit carried away with my thoughts.” He winked.
I closed the front door as Mia took Hayes’ hand and led him to her room.
I followed, watching as she handed him her brush and ponytail holders.
She sat on the floor and he sat behind her, spreading out his long legs. He ran the brush through her hair, separating it into two even sections.
“What have you and your mommy been up to?” He asked her, beginning to braid her hair.
“Um,” she tapped her chin thoughtfully, “we whatchted a movie last night?”
“Which one?” He secured the first braid before moving on to the next one.
“Tangled!” She cried gleefully.
Hayes chuckled at her exuberance. “Was it good?”
She nodded her head eagerly.
“Hold still,” he warned gently, finishing the second braid.
“Sowwy.” She frowned.
“It’s okay,” he assured her. With a pat on her shoulder he said, “All done.”
She jumped up and tackle hugged him.
He rocked back, bracing an arm against the floor to keep from falling over. “Whoa,” he chuckled.
“Tank you.” She told him before letting go and running off, probably in search of her doll.
Hayes grinned, jumping to his feet. “She’s so adorable.”
“I tend to agree.” I laughed where I stood in the doorway.
He sauntered towards me in that lethal way he had and I found myself stuck in the doorway, my back pressed into the wood molding as he blocked me, pressing in so there was no room for me to escape—not that I wanted to.
“I haven’t had a chance to kiss you properly,” he breathed, his eyes flicking down to my lips. My heart thumped madly, it always did when he was near. “The problem is,” his fingers ghosted against my chin, “once I start kissing you I never want to stop.” His lips replaced his fingers and they glided up my jaw to my ear. “It feels like it’s been ages since I touched you…really touched you. I’m desperate to hear the sound of you falling apart in my arms.”
My eyes closed and my shaking hands landed on his forearms, holding on so that I didn’t fall over. “I want that too.” I admitted, tugging my bottom lip between my teeth and wishing it was his teeth instead—nipping and biting all over my body.
I felt the barest touch of his lips to mine. “Soon.” He promised.
Cold air whooshed around me and I looked up to see that he was gone.
I took a moment to calm my racing heart before finding him and Mia waiting in the living room.
“Ready?” He asked.
“I just need to put my shoes on.” I grabbed the heels and slipped them on while Hayes put Mia’s car seat in his truck.
When I stepped outside he was already buckling Mia in.
He turned and saw me, freezing in his tracks. “Jesus Christ…those shoes…between them and this short dress I’m going to spend all day walking around with a hard-on in front of my parents and sisters and that’s pretty fucking embarrassing.”
I laughed and rose—still having to perch on my tiptoes even in my heels—and kissed him lightly. “You’ll live.” I patted his chest.
“I might die,” he argued. “From blood loss,” he added, “since all the blood in my body will be going straight to my dick.”
I couldn’t help myself and busted out laughing as I strolled around to the other side of his truck.
He followed, helping to boost me into the truck. “Don’t laugh at my pain, it hurts my feelings.”
I only laughed harder as he closed the door. My laughter was a welcome relief after all the stressing I’d done the past few days in preparation of today.
It was the first Thanksgiving I hadn’t spent with my parents in a long time. My mom had been understanding when I called to tell her, but insisted that she and my dad got to meet Hayes soon. I hadn’t said anything to Hayes about that yet, and I figured now was as good a time as any.
I waited for him to back out of the driveway before dropping the grenade.
“So…” I started.
He glanced at me. “Yes?” He prompted.
“When I called to tell my mom that Mia and I were having Thanksgiving with my boyfriend’s,” I thrilled at the word, “family, she was kind of shocked since I hadn’t told her about you yet. But she was happy too, since she’s been telling me to get out and date for a while.” My hands wrung together. “Anyway, she and my dad want to meet you soon.”
Hayes grinned his signature goofy smile. “Look at us being all official and meeting the ‘rents.”
I busted out into laughter once more. Of course Hayes wasn’t going to freak out over this. I was pretty sure nothing ever fazed him. He went with the flow of things.
“So, you’re okay with meeting them?” I questioned.
“’Course,” he shrugged, “granted, I’ve never actually met a girl’s parent’s before…” He frowned. “That makes me a pretty pathetic twenty-seven year old, doesn’t it?”
I shrugged, glancing out the window at the trees and houses whipping by. “You got famous at a young age, therefore I think you acted like most guys in your situation would. Not everyone is Maddox and Emma who meets the person they’re supposed to be with for the rest of their life at such a young age.”
“True,” he shrugged, concentrating on the road ahead. “I envy him though, for finding that special person so young…then again, I think if I had found you when I was nineteen I probably would’ve screwed up everything.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I was a bit…wild.”
“A bit?” I laughed. “I read magazines.”
“Okay, so maybe I was a right piece of work. Regardless, it’s made me who I am today and brought me to this point here with you and Mia and I’m happy…” He paused, mulling over his words. “I feel like I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and I would say I’ve always been a fairly happy person. It’s just that I feel…” He glanced at me and whispered, “Complete.”
I was unable to stop the smile that spread across my face. It felt good to hear him say that—almost better than when he told me he loved me. I didn’t want to be a burden to him and hearing that he felt like I completed him made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Hayes reached over then and took my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.
I smiled at him and then at Mia sitting happily in the back seat.
My life had been a series of shit storms thrown my way and it made me wary to trust when something good happened, but I wasn’t holding back anymore.
Screw Todd.
Screw my own insecurities.
Screw it all.
“We’re here,” Hayes declared, pulling into the driveway of a modest two-story brick front home in Middletown.
The home was simple, but pretty. Even though it was November the lawn was well kept—not a leaf in sight, and I was sure in the spring and summer the bed out front bloomed with a kaleidoscope of colors.
“It’s beautiful…is this where you grew up?” I asked, wanting to know a little more about his past.
He nodded. “I’ve tried to move them to a newer place, but they’re both stubborn to a fault. My dad says he bought this house to die in and that’s what he’s going to do.” He shook his head. “Silly man,” he muttered, cutting the engine.
“Are your sisters here already?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he replied. “They got in yesterday.”
I took a deep breath before climbing out of the vehicle. I caught the movement of a curtain in a front room and stiffened, knowing that someone was watching us.
By the time I made it around the side of the vehicle Hayes was already holding Mia in his arms. She laid her head on his chest, content to be held.
“Show time,” Hayes grinned, reaching for my hand.
We followed the brick walkway up to the front door.
“Breathe,” he whispered to me a moment before the door swung open.
His mom greeted us with a huge smile. “My favorite son!”
“I’m your only son,” Hayes chortled, stepping inside the home.
“Same thing.” His mom shrugged. To me she said, “Josh didn’t introduce us properly the first time we met. I’m Darla.”
“Arden,” I replied. “Thank you for having me.”
“Of course, dear.” She reached out, opening her arms for a hug.
While I hugged his mom Hayes eyed me, seeming to silently say, See, I told you they would love you.
She let me go and smiled warmly. “James is in the family room fiddling with that new TV you got him. Can you help him?” She asked Hayes. “The poor thing doesn’t know how to work anything that was made after the year two-thousand.”
Hayes laughed and set Mia on her feet where she quickly scurried to my side and grabbed ahold of my leg.
“Sure thing, mom.” He kissed her cheek before striding down the hall.
I silently cursed him for leaving me alone with his mom. I wasn’t good at this kind of thing. Having him near acted as a buffer, but alone I had no idea what to say.
“And this is your little girl?” Darla asked me, looking down at where Mia hid her face against my leg.
“This is Mia.” I rubbed the top of her head in a soothing gesture.
“She’s beautiful.”
“Can you say thank you, Mia? She’s talking about you.” I smoothed my finger down her cheek, but she didn’t budge. Looking up at Darla, I shrugged, “She’s shy.”
“That’s okay. Why don’t you join Josh in the family room? That’s where everyone else is. I’m almost done in the kitchen and then we’ll be ready to eat.”
“Uh…okay.” I squirmed uncomfortably. “I don’t know where the family room is though.”
“I’ll take you.”
She led me down the hallway and I tried not to gawk at the walls which were covered in family photos as well as photos of Hayes from magazines. It was like taking a step back in time. The further we walked, the older the pictures became. I stopped at one of Hayes as a toddler wearing a pair of cowboy boots, naked except for his diaper, and covered in mud.
“He was a cute thing, wasn’t he?” His mother mused beside me.
“He’s still pretty cute,” I laughed.
“This is when we brought him home from the hospital.” She pointed to another picture of a younger version of herself holding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket. She stood in front of this house, with her husband by her side, and her oldest daughter clinging to her leg much the way Mia was to me right now.
She smiled wistfully at the photo. “It seems like this was just yesterday.” With a shake of her head she turned down the hall and an archway appeared. “Mind the stairs,” she pointed to the three stairs descending into the family room, “if I don’t tell people they don’t seem to realize they’re there.”
I smiled at her as she passed and I stepped down into the room.
I saw Hayes fiddling with the large TV. He’d pulled it out and was redoing the wires while his dad stood with his hands on his hips, surveying what his son was up to.
As much as I wanted to keep staring at Hayes, I couldn’t. The weight of other eyes in the room was too much to bear.
His sisters sat on the couch side by side appraising me like I was some organism shoved under a microscope. I felt exposed beneath their cutting glares and I had the sudden urge to run from the room.
Adrenaline surged through my veins as I felt my fight or flight senses kick in.
Somehow, I managed to stand my ground.
“Hi, I’m Arden.” I said it as pleasantly as I could. Unfortunately, my voice shook, giving away my fear. “And this is my daughter Mia.”
Mia scooted behind me, hiding even more.
The sister closest to me stood, extending her hand. She smiled, but it wasn’t a friendly smile and did nothing to end my fears. “I’m Jessica.”
I took her hand and she shook it roughly.
I remembered Hayes saying Jessica was his older sister. She had the same sandy colored hair as his, but her eyes were brown. Her face was thin with angular cheekbones. She looked so much like Hayes that there was no mistaking them as siblings.
“I’m Jaclyn.” His other sister stood. Instead of shaking my hand, she actually hugged me but it was rather awkward and ended quickly.
Jaclyn had a softer face than her sister, making her look infinitely kinder. Her hair was dyed in a rainbow of colors. There was something relaxed and subdued about her. Like she didn’t have a care in the world. I was beginning to understand why Hayes said he thought she sold pot.
A door from the outside opened and a little boy ran inside with a man behind him. The boy was maybe a year or two older than Mia and when he saw her he immediately ran behind me to greet her.
“Hi,” he said cheerily, “I’m Ian. Wanna play?” He held up the bouncy ball in his hands.
Before Mia could respond, Jessica spat, “Ian!” Snapping her fingers she motioned him over to her side.
Frowning, the little boy hurried to his mother. She placed her hands on his shoulders like she was afraid he might escape and try to make friends with Mia again.
“This is my son Ian.” Jessica squared her shoulders, sticking her chin in the air haughtily. I knew you shouldn’t judge some you’d only just met, but I really didn’t like her. “And this is my husband Grant.” She nodded at the man.
I didn’t even bother to acknowledge her husband. I was afraid if I spoke to him she might put him in the corner like an unruly child.
“I’m going to see if your mom needs help in the kitchen,” I mumbled. I took Mia’s hand and hurried out of the room.
“Arden!” I heard Hayes call after me, but I didn’t stop. I wasn’t going back in that room to speak to his judgmental sister. “What did you say to her?” He growled at his sister.
She responded, but I was already out of earshot.
Tears stung my eyes, but I dammed them back. I wasn’t going to let his rude sister make me feel inferior. I knew me being here meant a lot to Hayes and I didn’t want to make a scene.
I followed the homey scent of a home cooked meal and found the kitchen nestled in the back of the house.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” I asked, the sound of my voice echoing around the kitchen.
Darla jumped, raising a hand to her racing heart. “You scared me,” she said unnecessarily.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized quickly.
“It’s okay.” She waved away my words. “Help,” she mumbled to herself. “Ooh! Could you ice that cake for me?” She pointed to where a three-tiered chocolate cake waited with a bowl of chocolate icing.
“I sure can.” I sighed in relief, pleased to have a task to complete and not feel like a useless pile of crap.
I helped Mia onto a stool and Darla handed me a knife.
I scooped some icing onto the cake and began to swirl the knife, spreading the icing around.
Hayes breezed into the kitchen. “Ooh! Cake!” He crowed, swiping his finger into the icing I’d already layered onto the cake.
“Hayes!” I scolded, laughing at him.
I bumped him with my hip and he chuckled, bending his head to kiss me quickly and smearing icing on my lips in the process. “Love you,” he murmured, and I thrilled at how easily he said it—and in front of his mother no less.
Once he’d grabbed a screwdriver from a utility drawer he was gone again.
I became lost in my own little world as I frosted the cake, but my solace was short-lived when Jessica entered the kitchen.
She strolled right up to where I stood in front of the cake and leaned her hip against the counter. She held a glass of deep red wine and slowly raised the glass to her mouth, taking a delicate sip so as not to ruin her lipstick.
“So…you’re a single mom, obviously.”
My spine stiffened, but I wasn’t going to let her words get to me. “Obviously.” I said the word flatly, refusing to let her hear how upset I was.
“Did you get knocked up in high school and the baby daddy didn’t stick around long enough for the paternity test to come back?” She sneered, looking me up and down. “Cute dress…did you get that at K-Mart?”
“Jessica!” Her mom yelled, looking horror stricken.
“It was just a question, mom.” She batted her eyes innocently.
“What’s your problem with me?” I asked softly, continuing to ice the cake and refusing to look at her.
“Problem? I don’t have a problem.” She put a hand to her chest and looked at me like she was shocked I would ask such a thing.
I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. I’d only met her five minutes ago and she’d made it pretty obvious she didn’t like me. But the last thing I was going to do was stand here and pick a fight with Hayes’ sister.
She must’ve grown bored with me, because eventually she drifted away. Probably back out to the family room.
“I’m so sorry.” Darla hurried to my side. She appeared appalled at her daughter’s behavior. “I don’t know why Jessica would say such horrible things to you…well, I do know,” she frowned, “Jess is…very over protective when it comes to Josh. He’s her little brother, and as the oldest she think she has to look out for him and Jaclyn. Hayes has never, and I mean never brought a girl home before and I think it’s throwing her.” With a sigh, Darla shrugged. “She forgets he’s almost thirty and not a baby anymore.”
“It’s okay,” I mumbled.
She placed her hand on my arm, squeezing softly and giving me a sad look. “No, it’s not.” Stepping away, she seemed to gather herself. “Would you mind helping me set the table? It’s almost done, I only need to carry the food out.”
“I’d love to help,” I assured her. I rinsed the knife off in the sink and then let her dictate which dishes she’d like me to carry to the table.
Hayes rounded the corner and caught sight of me carrying a bowl of mac n’ cheese and another of mashed potatoes.
“Whoa, babe, let me get that.” He skidded to a top and took the dishes from my hands.
I halted, shock widening my eyes.
“What?” He asked innocently. “Is something on my face?”
“You…you called me babe,” I stuttered.
He chuckled. “How about that? I didn’t even realize it.” He bent and kissed the corner of my mouth. “Want me to say it again?” He grinned. Before I could respond he lowered his head and murmured, “Babe,” into the crook of my neck.
I shivered and he pulled away with a laugh, disappearing into the dining room before I could collect my wits.
In no time the whole table was set and we sat down for our meal. Hayes, Jaclyn, Mia, and I were on one side, with Jessica, Grant, and Ian on the other. Darla and James sat at the heads of the table.
Food was passed around and I piled it onto my plate, even though I doubted I’d be able to eat much. I was still too worked up from my encounters with Jessica—and as luck would have it, she was seated across from me where she could glare at me. I really wanted to ask her who pissed in her Cheerios, but I doubted that would score me any points.
Conversation circled the table, but for the most part I kept quiet unless addressed specifically. I wanted to avoid the wrath of Jessica as much as I could.
“You were in Manhattan recently?” She questioned Hayes, her fork poised inches from her mouth with a piece of macaroni dangling from the end of one of the spears.
“Yeah, why?” Hayes asked, shoveling food into his mouth so fast I didn’t know how he didn’t choke.
“I just find it odd that you were in Manhattan, where I live, and you didn’t bother to try to see me. It’s not like I get out here often to visit, and when I do you’re usually on tour or screwing anything with two legs and a decent ass.”
“Jessica!” Darla slammed her hands on the table. “Stop this nonsense.”
Hayes bristled beside me, glaring at his older sister. “Maybe this is why I didn’t want to see you? Did you ever think of that? Huh?” He waved his hand at her husband. “Ever since you met Mr. Goody-Goody over there you’ve been nothing but a pretentious snob living in your nice Manhattan apartment, with your perfect robot husband and robot kid.”
“Oh my God, you two! Stop it!” Darla pointed at her children. “If you act like five-year-olds I’ll treat you as such and put you both in time out. I mean it!” She warned.
Across the table James and Jaclyn laughed manically at the scene playing out before them. If I were them I’d laugh too, but since I was part of the reason they were fighting I wanted to sink under the table and hide until it was time to leave.
“What do you know about this girl?” She pointed at me. “Tell me, Joshua?! Because I’ve got news for you, she’s just some gold-digging whore looking to get your money! Wake up, Josh!”
Hayes was eerily silent beside me. “So, what? I’m so unlovable that a woman would only want me for my money? Is that what you’re saying?”
“She has a kid! Don’t you see that she’s using you? You’re her golden ticket to give that brat a better life.”
That was it. I’d had it.
I pushed away from the table so roughly that Jessica’s wine glass fell onto her lap, staining her blue dress. She said something else, no doubt rude, but it was like I was in a tunnel and couldn’t hear anything she said.
Without saying a word I grabbed Mia’s hand and walked out of the room.
I didn’t have a car, so I couldn’t leave, but I wasn’t going to sit there and let his sister belittle my daughter and me. It wasn’t right.
Somehow I found myself in the family room and I pushed the door open onto the outside. Mia followed, quiet at my side.
Before I closed the door I heard more shouting coming from the dining room.
A tear fell down my cheek.
I hated that my presence was ruining the Thanksgiving dinner Hayes should’ve been enjoying with his entire family. I’d known I shouldn’t come, but I’d let his charm talk me into it.
Once the door was closed I turned around to find Mia running through the yard with her arms spread out at her sides. She was clearly happy to be out of there too. Even though she was young I knew she understood enough to know that we’d been insulted.
A tire swing hung from a branch of one of the large trees in the massive backyard. We’d had one similar in my yard growing up. I made my way over to it and swung my legs through the hole and wrapped my arms around the top of it, holding on as I spun around.
Today had turned into a huge clusterfuck of epic proportions and I was exhausted.
“Momma! Wook at me!” Mia called, spinning around and around the yard.
“You’re going to get dizzy,” I warned her.
“I won’t!” She said as she stopped, swaying slightly. She let out a small giggle and grinned her adorable toothy grin.
His sister could think and assume what she wanted, but that little girl was the single most important thing in my life. And yes, I did want her to have a good life, but that wasn’t why I was with Hayes.
The fact that she thought I only liked him for his money was insulting and revolting.
“Momma,” Mia called, running over to me on the tire swing, “can we go home now?”
“In a bit,” I assured her. I wasn’t going to rush Hayes. If he worked things out with his family and wanted to stay, that was fine. I wasn’t going to force him to cut his day short, but I also wasn’t going to be in any room his sister frequented.
I wasn’t sure how long we were outside, but eventually Hayes emerged from the family room with hunched shoulders, looking forlorn.
Mia ran up to him and said something and he nodded before she took off again. He made his way towards me with his head ducked so I couldn’t see his eyes. My stomach dipped in fear that maybe his sister’s words had had some effect on him and he was going to tell me this wasn’t going to work.
He stopped in front of me and finally his head rose as he looked at me.
“Arden,” he cleared his throat, “I was afraid you’d left when I couldn’t find you in the house,” he rambled. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe she said those things. It’s unforgivable and—” He rubbed his hands over his smooth cheeks. “I never expected her to act like that.”
“It’s not your fault,” I mumbled, holding onto the tire swing rope.
He grabbed ahold of the tire to keep me from spinning away. “In a way it is. I asked you to come here. I thought today was going to be great, and I was wrong.”
I twisted my lips. “She hurt my feelings,” I admitted, “and I know I should be an adult and not let silly things like that get to me, but she was so mean, and for her to think I’m only with you for your money…” I let my sentence drop and shrugged. “You know I love you for you, right?”
He chuckled, sweeping his fingers against my cool cheek. “I know, Little Bird.”
He let go of the tire, and I began to swing around, letting out a laugh. I caught his grin at my laughter and my heart skipped a beat. After Todd I’d never believed I’d find someone I trusted and loved so completely and then Hayes came barreling into my life.
He stopped the swing once more and pulled it close, lowering his head to kiss me. “Let’s go,” he whispered.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I don’t want you to leave because of me.”
He grinned. “S’okay. Mom’s packing up some food for us and I figured I’d sweet talk my way into your house and you, me, and Mia could have our first Thanksgiving as a family instead.” My heart sped up in excitement at his words. “Because I plan on there being many more.” He kissed me again.
“You’re kinda sorta amazing, you know that, right?”
“I do,” he grinned cheekily, “but I like hearing you say it.” He winked. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
He helped me out of the swing and Mia came running over to us. He scooped her up and spun her around like she weighed nothing. Her laughter filled the air and I couldn’t contain my smile. I was so happy that Mia finally had a man in her life, one that was good and kind, that she could look up to.
I saw his mom standing on the other side of the glass sliding door and when she noticed us approaching she slid it open.
“I’m so incredibly sorry,” she told me immediately, “I hope you come back to see James and me. We would both love to get to know you better.”
“I’d like that,” I said, even though I was afraid that I’d only be able to think of Jessica’s cutting words every time I saw this place.
“I fixed a bag of food for y’all and set it by the door.” She patted my cheek gently in a motherly gesture.
“Thank you. I’m sorry I ruined your dinner.”
She dismissed my words with a wave of her hand. “It’s not ruined, dear. I got to see my kids, and you, and your adorable little girl. But most importantly I got to see how foolish my son is when it comes to you and it’s good to finally see him settle down.”
“Maybe we could have dinner at Hayes’ place soon?” I suggested.
“That sounds like a great idea.” She hugged me.
Hayes was waiting for me and together we headed towards the front entry.
His dad and Jaclyn came out of the kitchen and said their goodbyes.
I didn’t see Jessica, her husband, or her son, and I wondered if they’d left or if she was avoiding us. I guessed it didn’t really matter. I had a feeling nothing I did or said would ever make her like me, and that was fine. The only person’s approval I needed was Hayes’.
“I’m really sorry this happened.” Hayes apologized again as he lifted Mia into the truck.
“Stop apologizing,” I told him, “it’s over and done with and now all I want is to go home and spend some time with you. Okay?”
He nodded as he closed the truck door, but his eyes were still haunted.
His sister’s words had hurt, but I knew it wasn’t his fault. She had her own issues, clearly, and I wasn’t going to blame him for that.
Standing on my tiptoes I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Maybe you could stay the night.” I said coyly.
His hands ghosted down my sides, settling on my hips, and a slow smile appeared on his lips.
“Mmm,” he hummed, “I like the sound of that.”
“Good.” I kissed him quickly and hurried around to the other side of the truck.
On the drive home, Mia chatted endlessly—telling Hayes all about her favorite Disney movies, which princess was her favorite, and which prince she was going to marry.
When she got to the prince part, Hayes replied with, “You won’t be getting married for a very long time if I have anything to say about it.”
Mia mused quietly. “Even when I’m tirty?”
“Never.” Hayes chuckled.
Mia crossed her arms over her chest and pouted in the backseat. “Dat’s not fwair.”
“Sorry, Ms. Mia.” He shrugged, turning onto my street.
“You don’t sound sowwy.”
Hayes pulled into the driveway and put the truck in park.
He ignored her, staring intently at the front of my house. “What the hell?” He whispered to himself, reaching for the handle and climbing out of the truck.
Mia gasped. “Momma, Hayes said a bad word.”
“I know, baby, that wasn’t nice of him.” I undid my seatbelt and leaned forward, trying to see what he was looking at, but my efforts were futile. “Mia, mommy will be right back.”
I hurried out of the vehicle and over to where Hayes stood in front of the window beside the front door.
I opened my mouth to ask him what he was looking at, but the words quickly turned into a gasp when I saw. The window was completely broken in—the screen that was normally in front of it was lying on the grass completely useless.
“Get back in the car with Mia and lock the doors,” Hayes warned.
My eyes widened in horror. “Do you think he’s still in there?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” He declared, standing with his hands on his hips like he was poised to take on the world.
“You can’t go in there!” I cried. “What if he has a gun?”
“I’ll be fine.” He assured me.
“You’re not invincible,” I reminded him, “and I’d never forgive myself if you were hurt because of me.”
“Don’t worry about me,” he turned away from the broken window to look down at me, “go be with her. She shouldn’t be by herself.” He nodded towards the car. I knew he was right, so I headed back to the truck without protest. “Oh, and Arden?”
“Yeah?” I paused, hesitating on my next step.
“You’re staying at my house for the foreseeable future. Don’t even try to argue with me. This,” he pointed over his shoulder at the shattered remnants of the window, “is not okay.”
“I know,” I replied. “I won’t argue.”
He nodded once and waited for me to get in the truck and lock the doors before he opened the front door. Since it was unlocked—and hadn’t been when we left—I let out a sigh of relief, believing that if Todd had broken in then he must’ve already left. And who was I kidding using the word if? Of course it was Todd. It couldn’t be anyone else.
Even though I believed he was already gone my heart thundered like a vicious storm in my veins while I waited for Hayes to emerge.
I busied myself by calling the police and reporting the break in. Someone was to be dispatched within thirty minutes.
I hugged my knees to my chest, waiting for him to emerge from the house. Each minute that ticked by on the dashboard clock was a minute too long.
I was just about to bust inside when he finally stepped outside with two large suitcases in tow.
He wheeled them down the driveway and hefted them into the truck beside Mia.
“I wasn’t sure what all you’d both need, so I grabbed pretty much everything.”
“The police are on their way,” I informed him as he climbed into the driver’s seat, “so we should wait.”
“Okay.” He agreed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Did it look like anything had been taken?” My voice sounded small when I asked the question.
“Some pictures were missing,” he shrugged, “looks like that was it.”
“I don’t understand why he’s doing this now?” I whispered, more to myself than him.
Hayes sighed heavily, turning to look at me with sorrow filled eyes. “Do you want my honest opinion?”
“Always.” I didn’t hesitate to reply.
“I think he’s probably always been hanging around, back in the shadows watching you, and then I showed up.” He frowned, his brows crinkling together. “And now he feels like his territory is threatened.”
“Territory?” I scoffed. “I’m no one’s territory.”
“I know that,” he rushed to assure me, “but I think someone as twisted as he is probably thinks you both belong to him.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands, “this is all so messed up.”
“I know and I’m sorry.” He reached over, massaging the back of my neck. “We’re going to fix this.”
My body relaxed at his use of the word we’re as opposed to I. He wasn’t trying to be all macho and saying that he’d get everything under control. No, he was saying that we, he and I, would do it together as a couple.
I think I fell in love with him a little more in that moment.
The police arrived a few minutes later and we each gave a statement before they searched the house. I was required to go along this time and list off anything I noticed was missing.
By the time they finished and we were allowed to leave, I was completely exhausted.
Hayes took my hand as he drove, slowly stroking his thumb over my fingers.
“We’ve got this,” he whispered at one point, “you and I…we’re going to get through this.”
“I know,” I whispered.
I was just afraid of how far it would go before Todd was stopped.