I pause and have to laugh to myself again. This woman brightens every moment.
“None of my ideas include those.”
“Good.”
There is a brief quiet while she focuses on food, and I grab a knife.
“You know, I ran into your brother yesterday. He mentioned I should probably warn you that your parents might have a new prospect for you on the housewife hunt,” she says and smirks to herself, even with her mouth full.
Instantly, my shoulders sink at the reminder of the world’s expectations. “Swell.” I’m being sarcastic. I’ll do things my own way in my own time. “You don’t need to worry about that. It’s been their scheme for years. I just never had the heart to lie and say that I already had somebody who was by chance always too busy to attend family dinners.”
Her head wobbles side to side. “That’s one strategy.”
I take a sip of my coffee while Hailey chomps down her breakfast. Did I really wear her out that much?
“We can stay locked away in this humble abode all weekend, but I need to grade papers tomorrow night. I have the generationwho feel a teacher isn’t needed when they have social media to teach them the facts of the world.”
She’s always upbeat, and I hate to dial it down. “Speaking of teaching…” Awkward lines must appear on my face. “I overheard the owner of that building with the agent. They might have a buyer, an orthodontist or someone like that.”
Her chew slows. “Oh.” A frown takes over her. “I thought he backed out. Not that it matters.”
I’m not sure why I just shared the information or why watching her contemplate all of the ideas in her head feels somber. Probably because it’s all in earnest good what she wants. I even briefly think of the kids next door; I think my neighbors mentioned once that they drive two towns over for their girls’ school.
Hailey begins to play with her bagel before taking a nimble bite.
I swivel side to side on my stool as a thought deep within whispers, and it builds like a storm brewing until it is large enough to be a tornado that spins right out of my mouth.
“Marry me.” My tone is firm.
Hailey’s eyes snap to me, and the bagel in her hands drops to the counter in one thud while her eyes grow into saucers.
“Say what now?” Her mouth hangs open.
“You heard me. Marry me.”
13
HAILEY
My eyes flicker as I replay in my mind what I just heard, and register that Oliver is standing in front of me with no sign that he’s joking.
“Really, what did you just say?”
The only part of my frozen face that moves is my tongue swiping across my bottom lip to capture a bagel crumb, because of course, this strange turn of events happens when I just stuffed loaded carbs into my mouth.
Oliver hops off his stool and steps closer but stops mid-distance to me. “Marry me, Hailey.”
It’s a few heartbeats of silence. I examine him only to realize that this is apparently a conversation that we’re about to have. In that moment, my eyes fire disbelief and I square my shoulders.
“Uhm… we just kind of established last night that you and I can’t really define what is transpiring between us and decided to maybe see where things will go, and now we’re speeding into marriage?” My face puzzles from confusion. “Dating.” I hold one hand up level with my chest. “Marriage.” My other hand soars above my head. “Dating. Marriage. Marriage. Dating.” I adjust my measurements through my arms.
That’s when a hint of a smile crosses his face, and then he rushes to me while I stay seated. His firm hands cup my face, with his eyes anchoring my own. My entire body races because I can’t count the number of times this fantasy has crossed my mind. I’m a hopeless woman with a crush. But right now, something feels as though dream weddings will remain in a box.
“You’ll get the building,” he states.
Oh, convenience.
“Huh?” That’s what I manage to say.
