She giggles and throws a tiny piece of food at me. “No, really? I’m having my first dinner date with my husband.”
My lips purse, and I bite the inside of my cheek to hide my grin of satisfaction about that, but she must notice.
“So, tell me, young Oliver, what is it that you’ve always wanted in your future?” She crosses her arms and rests against the back of her chair.
Hailey wants to pick at my brain, and in all honesty, other than being consumed by the woman sitting across from me, I haven’t taken a moment to think about what I want in life. I’m beginning to think that I’ve thrown this upon us in order to figure it out.
“Success.”
Her lips press together and her eyes squint. “You’re not happy with your job, are you?”
“I am. Really, I am. It’s never the same. Like I said a few times, I’ve been asked to work for the hockey league at theiroffice in New York. That’s gotta mean that I’m doing something right.”
“I remember when we were younger and you would hang around Liam how you always wanted to be a lawyer. I think you had even already looked up questions for the bar and you weren’t even seventeen. Therefore, I believe you. What else?”
My hand swipes across my face as I think about it. “At some point, I want to settle down. Everyone around me is.”
“Doesn’t mean you need to,” she challenges.
“Or it just reminds me that I want those things.”
Her mouth slants to the side. “Ah, you’re using me so you can get a dog and then have me babysit when you have a business trip.”
I grin at her banter again. “You figured it out.”
“You had that adorable Saint Bernard growing up.”
My face screws up. “You remember that?”
“Well, yeah. We remember the little things about the people we want in our life.” She slays me every single fucking time. “Just like you don’t want to admit how much you love the backyard of your parents’ ridiculous-sized house, but you just like to say the opposite of whatever they say.”
“Don’t be too clever on me now.” I’m enjoying this light conversation.
“Truthfully, that back patio with the river view is stunning and worthy of elegant festivities. I might endure one of your mother’s gossip sessions just so I can sit outside there.”
My brows furrow at her seriousness in that. “I didn’t realize. Otherwise, I would have done all of this there.”
“This is better. It’s original. Plus, no prying eyes.”
We talk a little more until I grab the main course from the warm bag. Then I place the plates in front of us, with chicken and rosemary potato roulade.
“Thank you so much. It looks delicious.” Hailey skates her sight between the plate and me.
“Smells good too. We can eat slow, so no rush for dessert.”
Hailey gives me a pointed look as she seems to be impressed. “Any other plans?”
I bob my head side to side. “Maybe.”
The early-evening sun turns to the night sky that covers us. Our discussion was about various things, mostly what her preschool will be like. At some point we navigated away from the table to the blanket closer to the water. I’m lying propped against the pillows while her head rests on my stomach and she lies sideways with the sound of the chimes gently blowing.
“Of course I see my house as a home,” I refute her challenge, as she said I live in only a house.
“It doesn’t look loved inside. It’s very… plain.”
I begin to stroke her hair as the hue of the candlelight glows on her face. “Sorry it’s not up to your standards,” I say, sarcastic. “I guess it’s because I’m not always home or I just work.”
“You need the house to feel as though people actually cook there, relax with a movie, or even better, have little things that show your personality. It should feel warm and welcoming.”
