Hayden’s breathing evened out and like a creeper, I watched him sleep. My mind was whirling and sleep was alluding me. Today had been a lot. And not just what I heard, but what I’d realized. Even when I was in freak out mode, Hayden didn’t flinch. He just stood tall, promised me it would all be okay, and talked me down off the ledge. With thoughts about the perfect man beside me, I finally drifted off.
I’d been dreaming of tropical islands, cocktails, and sex in the surf when Hayden’s phone blasted, waking both of us with a start.
Leaping from the bed in one fluid movement he answered and I knew it wasn’t the first time a call in the middle of the night had woken him.
Flicking on the lamp beside the bed, Hayden answered. “Dickson. What do you know?”
31
HAYDEN
I hadn’t slept.Something that was starting to become not only a habit but a problem.
Waking up to Dickson’s call had sent my night into overdrive. Thankfully I’d managed to coax Skye back to sleep with a few white lies. There was no point in us both having a sleepless night.
I was sitting at the desk shoved in the corner of the hotel room, almost looking like an afterthought, clicking on my laptop. Dickson had forwarded me what he’d found out, and to say I was blown away was an understatement.
I loved Cassidy. I had no doubt in my mind about that, but some of the shady shit her family was tangled up in left me speechless. The only comfort I had to cling to right now was the fact that I one hundred percent believed she was just as clueless about all the bullshit and drama as her mother and sister.
Dickson had done an incredible job. He was thorough and detailed and I definitely owed him a beer when I got back to Chicago.
Behind me, Skye was restless. Mumbling something incoherent, she rolled over but thankfully never woke.
Grabbing the key card from the bedside table, I headed downstairs to find coffee and make a couple of calls.
I was sitting outside in the garden, having just finished my second cup when my phone rang, and for the first time since I’d been woken up, I didn’t snarl at the name flashing on the screen.
“Morning, beautiful,” I answered.
“You’re not here,” Skye whined and I could just picture her upstairs, wrapped in a sheet pouting.
“I’m just getting you a coffee and I’ll be back,” I said, adding another little white lie to the growing collection.
I wasn’t a fan of lies, not even little white ones, but I understood that sometimes they were a necessary evil. And at two o’clock this morning, I was standing by my decision.
Standing up, I headed for the heavy glass doors and on my way to join the queue to get Skye some coffee.
“And a cinnamon roll?” she asked.
“If you want a cinnamon roll, then I guess I’m getting you a cinnamon roll,” I replied. I love that Skye was so down to earth and easy to please. She wasn’t asking for diamonds or expensive vacations. All she wanted was snuggles and baked goods, both of which I was more than happy to deliver.
She squealed and I was forced to pull the phone away from my ear so I didn’t burst an eardrum. “You’re the best, Hayden!” she stated and I felt myself stand up a little straighter. Having someone believe in you, someone that you can do something so trivial as bringing them their morning coffee and they were happy, was the best life could get. At least I thought it was. “I knew there was a reason I loved you.” I heard the words spill from Skye’s mouth before she hastily started cursing herself. “Shit! Fuck! Shit!” she swore. “Um, ah, I’ll see you when you get back upstairs,” she added before ending the call.
“Next!” I was summoned forward and shuffled in line to place our orders, Skye’s words completely distracting me.
I didn’t know what to do with them. I certainly wasn’t ready to hear them. And there was no way I was ready to say them. Or was I?
After placing our order, I stepped to the side to wait, wondering what the hell I should do next. Did I pretend she didn’t say it? Was it the same as blurting them out in the throes of sex? Like they just came out because you were so high on endorphins, or did she really mean it?
Hayden:Help
Hannah:What’d you do?
Thankfully my sister didn’t make me wait. If anyone could help me untangle this mess and not make fun of me for it, it was Hannah.
Hayden:Skye said those three words
Hannah:And?
