30
Hayley
2018
It’s an odd thing, sitting in the same room with a man your heart refuses to stop feeling something for. Every time he looks at me, I feel like a teenager again, the girl who would do anything to have him glance my way. His hazel eyes are older, wiser, and the faint lines at the corner of them make him look like he’s seen the world at its worst and survived. I know I shouldn’t be thinking these things, but I cannot help it. It’s been years, and we are entirely different people, and yet, in the few hours we spent with our daughter, it was like time stood still.
Why does he have to be so attractive? I’m not immune to that fact, and it makes it all the harder. Tonight, when he said he wanted to be here for London and me, my heart skipped a beat, and I allowed myself to falter by hoping he would be.
I leave London in my bedroom watching a cartoon and step into the bath, letting the warm water and bubbles soothe me as I close my eyes and listen to this new opera duo, Belle Voci. Their voices singing the“Flower Duet” lull me to a state of calm. I hear my phone buzz and ignore it. I’ll call whoever it is back later.
I step out half an hour later feeling so much more relaxed.
I pick up my phone and see a few missed calls from Logan. I’ll call him back tomorrow. For now, I need to get London into bed.
“Can I sleep here tonight, Mommy?”
“Of course you can.” I get into the blankets with my daughter and spoon her tiny body.
“He isn’t such a meanie.” She yawns. “Wyatt. He’s actually nice.”
“It’s great you feel that way, baby.” My heart does a flip-flop.
“I think I could be his friend.” She nuzzles the pillow, and I hold her close to me.
Oh, my baby girl. You’ve been smitten too.
* * *
The bouquetI’m working on is unique. The bride has requested that all the roses be spray painted the colors of the rainbow. I’ve threaded pearl beads into the center of all the roses, and it looks absolutely exquisite. I’ve worked all morning tirelessly, and I could use a break.
“Coffee?” Carl hands me a cup.
“You know me so well.” I moan when I take a sip of the delicious drink.
“So how’d the visit go?”
“Better than I expected, if I’m honest. London likes Wyatt, and he is besotted. I just— It’s so awkward being around him like this. It’s all happening so fast.”
“You still have feelings for him,” he smirks.
“No, it isn’t that.”
“Yes, it is, and you know it.”
“We have a history. He’s sure to affect me.”
“But.” He narrows his eyes at me, scrutinizing, trying to get everything out of me.
“But I didn’t realize just how badly he’d affect me. I can’t get the man off my mind, and the last thing either of us needs is to jump into something. He recently lost his wife, for God's sake.”
“Just see where it goes, babe. A day at a time, no more.”
Carl is right. I’m making too much of this. For all I know, he is completely over me and not interested in anything. Am I interested?
