by Boyd, Eliza
“No,” she said over him, taking her hand away from his. Then she brought her legs to her chest and wrapped her good arm around them.
Jared’s heart stopped beating for a second as he took that answer in. Perhaps the worst was happening right off the bat. Getting it over with sounded like a good idea, but he also didn’t think it’d be that easy. He’d have to work for her trust back, and that started now.
“So you’re involved with someone else?” he asked. “Or is it just me you’re saying no to?”
“I mean,” she started before pausing. Then she shook her head. “No, I’m not with anyone.”
At that, his heart flared back to life. “So it’s not a no?”
Hailey gazed at him, hiding nothing. “I don’t even know what the question is, Jared. But the answer probably should be no. I have a business to focus on, just like you did all those years ago.”
“Believe me,” he said. “I get it. But I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I made plenty of them to learn from.” He was hoping to get a chuckle out of that, but she looked as serious as could be. “Focusing on only work is no way to live.”
Her mouth fell open as she scoffed at him. “You think I don’t know that? That’s only what I was trying to tell you for years,” she said, emphasizing the last word. “Years, Jared! I’m not sure you can fix that in five minutes on the beach.”
“I don’t want just five minutes.” He swung himself around so he was facing her. He kept his legs bent, close to his chest, as he reached for the hand of her good arm. When she didn’t flinch away from him, he took it as a sign to continue. “I know it sounds crazy, but maybe we could try this again.” With his thumb, he caressed her fingers, waiting for her to respond.
“Didn’t you just tell someone on the phone that it would never work though?” she asked, gazing at the ocean.
Jared hadn’t realized she’d heard that. He scooted closer to her, the breeze combing through his hair and birds sounded overhead. “You know what,” he said, opting for the truth. “I did say that. I told Thomas that when he tried to tell me that it wasn’t coincidence that we’re both stuck in that house together. But now…” He gave her hand a squeeze. “Now, I think he’s right. There’s a reason we’re both here.”
“Maybe it’s for closure,” she offered, her hand limp in his. “Maybe it’s so we can both apologize for the roles we played and move on.”
He brushed his thumb over her hand. “Is that really what you want?” he asked. “To move on?”
Hailey’s chest puffed up with a deep inhale. When she let it out, her body shook. “I don’t know what I want.”
That would have hurt more if she hadn’t squeezed his hand as she’d said it. Though tiny, that action gave him hope.
“We could start by getting to know each other again,” he offered. “That’s enough for now.”
Hailey let out a small laugh, glancing at him. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”
“Fair enough.” He smiled at her and brought her hand closer to him. “What do you think about having dinner tonight? I’ll grab some stuff from the store when we go to get what you need. That okay?” His heart kicked up the pace as he waited for her answer. When she didn’t answer right away, he continued. “You can tell me about your plans for your business. Or what else you’ve been up to for the last seven years. Up to you.”
Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she gazed at him for so long without answering that he was sure she was going to turn him down. She was probably thinking about all the ways she could tell him to get lost or the different excuses she could use to leave early. It was silly for him to think he could simply run into his ex-wife through peculiar circumstances and win her back with a single trip to the beach.
So when she nodded almost imperceptibly, he couldn’t even believe it.
“Yeah?” he asked to make sure he’d seen correctly.
She pinched her lips together and nodded again. “Yeah. Okay. That sounds nice.”
Jared couldn’t contain the smile all over his face if he’d tried. It spread from his lips to his eyes as he faced the ocean again and lay back on the beach blanket. Then Hailey did too, and they enjoyed the sun and the salty air together.
Without letting go of each other’s hands.
* * *
Hailey and Otis both slept on the ride back to Portland. After a quick stop at the grocery store, they got back just in time to make dinner. Jared pulled a chair out for Hailey so she could sit back and watch the magic happen while she rested her shoulder some more. Then he got to work, chopping potatoes and broccoli for the soup he planned to make. He even used the Vitamix since he had it on hand. A half hour later, he had the soup warming on the stovetop.
As he put the garlic bread in the oven, Hailey asked, “So where did you learn this recipe?”
Automatically, he answered, “From my chef, Robin.” The man would be proud of the skills he’d taught him. He’d shown Jared this recipe for precisely times like this: when he’d need a good meal on the table fast when Robin wasn’t around or available.
The only sound that greeted him was the closing of the oven door. Hailey wasn’t responding, and when he thought back on what he’d said, he realized why. When he met her gaze again, her face said the same thing.
“Yeah, I have a chef now.” He sounded self-effacing. He wasn’t trying to boast or brag. It was just part of his life now—and he hoped Hailey would be too.
“Wow.” Her face relaxed from its surprised expression. “Sounds like you have more money than I thought.”
“If that helps make my case for this,” he said, waving a finger between the two of them before stirring the soup again, “then I’m not afraid to use it.”
Her soft smile warmed his heart. “Jared, it was never about the money.” But then she looked away, bringing one knee up to her chest. She put her chin on it and said, “If it were, I would have ignored how hard you were working.”
His shoulders fell as he thought that over. “I know. I’d like to think that I’ve learned better balance now, but I probably haven’t. I haven’t had to.”
Hailey’s head popped off her chin and she perked up at that. “No?”
Inwardly, Jared lit up—she cared if he’d had a relationship in the time they’d been apart. “No, not really. I tried here and there, but nothing ever felt right.” He tasted the soup for flavor and temperature, pleased with how it was coming along. Then he hoped he’d be pleased with the answer to his next question. “What about you? Anything serious?”
She bit her bottom lip, which made his stomach clench. Maybe this wasn’t the time for this kind of conversation.
Then she shook her head. “No. Me either.”
Relief flowed through him at the same time a sadness washed over him. She wasn’t attached at the moment, but she hadn’t found love in over seven years? Longer if he included the time when they had been together but she hadn’t felt like he’d loved her. That only made him want to try harder to be the man she deserved.
They both went quiet as he stirred the soup some more. In the silence, he gathered bowls, utensils, napkins and more cupcakes for dessert. He even gave Otis more of the ones she’d baked for him. He deserved them for having been such a good boy at the beach.
Once dinner was ready, he ladled soup into bowls and set them on the table. When she dipped her spoon into her bowl, he hoped she liked it. The moan of delight made it sound like she did.
“Wow,” she said, pointing her spoon at the soup. “This is so good.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
She took another bite and made the same noise. “Tell Robin I said thank you.”
With one shoulder, he shrugged and dunked his own spoon into his bowl. “Or you could tell him yourself one day.” He smirked as he popped the spoon into his mouth.
She smirked back. She didn’t have to say anything else for him to understand. He could tell she was thinking about it, and that was enough for him.
For now.
13
When dinner was over, Hailey patted her stomach. If Jared’s chef had taught him to cook that well, she couldn’t imagine what Robin could do himself. It had to be amazing, and she wondered why Jared wasn’t eight hundred pounds from all the delicious food he had every day.
But thinking about Jared’s having a chef was strange. What else did he have now that he’d become a millionaire? Apparently not a new wife—which made Hailey happier than it should have. She had no business wanting her husband back after everything that had happened between them, but there she was. In those shoes. And it frightened her.
“I should probably go to bed,” she said, standing and pushing her chair away from the table. “Thank you for today though. I had a great time at the beach, and I’m glad we…” She searched for the right way to finish that thought.
Sooner than she could, Jared said, “Talked?” as he rose from his chair too.
While he collected the dishes at the table, she nodded and smiled. “Yeah. That.”
He grinned back before heading to the sink. “Me too.” Then he turned the faucet on and started washing the dishes.
Hailey turned to go upstairs, but she glanced over her shoulder to get a last peek at Jared as he did something he wouldn’t have been caught dead doing years ago. It was so domestic of him, and it made her wonder why he could do those things now when doing them when they’d been together could have saved their relationship. Worrying about the past wouldn’t get her anywhere though.
Staying in the present and making the best of it? That would. So instead of going straight to bed, she went to the sink, stood beside Jared, and used the dish towel to dry their bowls and spoons as he finished cleaning them off. Side by side, they worked in comfortable silence until even the pot was scrubbed clean. She did everything carefully enough so she didn’t hurt her shoulder. When it was all done, they said goodnight to Otis, and Jared accompanied her up the stairs and to the door of her room.
“Thanks,” he said, opening the door for her. “For everything today. It means a lot to me.”
“You’ve been a big help to me too.” She stepped through her door and faced him, clasping her hands in front of her. “I appreciate that.”
With his hand still on the doorknob, he stood there watching her in appreciative silence. She squirmed a little under his studious gaze, but she also felt the warmth in it. She hadn’t experienced that in so long that she didn’t mind simply standing there for a few moments and basking in it. But if she waited any longer, her aunt would be asleep, and she needed to gain some perspective after this unexpected turn of events.
Hailey jutted her thumb toward the bed. “I should probably lie down, rest my shoulder…” She splayed her hands out to her sides. “Big day tomorrow. So I should get some sleep so I can get up early to bake.”
“Then I’ll see you bright and early,” Jared said, the promise shining in his eyes. “Goodnight, Hailes.” He grinned wide before closing the door.
That image and the sound of her nickname would forever be ingrained in her mind. It was a brand-new happy memory with Jared, and she hadn’t thought she’d get those ever again. Her heart fluttered against her better judgment, and even as she dialed her aunt’s number, she couldn’t wipe the beaming smile off her face.
It was even apparent to her aunt, who could hear the happiness loud and clear just through their initial greetings.
“What has you so chipper?” Aunt Shirley asked.
“Don’t make me say it,” Hailey answered, laughing a little.
Her aunt tsked. “I think you need to. I’m not sure I’ll believe it otherwise.”
In her pajamas, Hailey got into bed, pushing the covers down. “We just… We had a really great day today.”
After a long pause, her aunt said in a quiet voice, “Well, I’ll be. I didn’t think I’d see this day.”
“You and me both.” Hailey adjusted the blankets around her body and got comfortable. Then she sighed. “It’s ridiculous, right? I’m setting myself for heartbreak, aren’t I?”
Aunt Shirley was quiet for a long time. Hailey had to pull the phone away to make sure they were connected, but then her aunt’s voice came over the line and she brought it back.
“I wouldn’t say that’s true, dear. You two could have a long road ahead. You just have to get to know the people you’ve become. Neither of you is the same as you were back then, you know?”
“Yeah,” Hailey conceded. “That’s true.” She glanced around the room as she thought about that. “But there are so many things to consider. Like he lives in New York now.”
“Long-distant relationships are a thing, Hailey,” Aunt Shirley deadpanned.
That made Hailey chuckle lightly. “Okay, but that doesn’t mean I want to have one. How would that even work?”
“Weekend flights? Monthly visits?” her aunt answered. “I’m not sure, but maybe you’re putting the cart before the horse here.”
Aunt Shirley had a point. Getting to know her ex-husband again was a better idea before throwing so many questions at the idea. Plus, someone with money for a chef probably had money for flights to visit her. And maybe all the visits would make him want to move back. Maine was his home too, after all.
Perhaps it could work?
“Maybe,” Hailey responded, snuggling against her pillow. As she thought over the day, another happy smile took her face over. “He took me to the beach today, Aunt Shirley. Even though he had an important call to make for work. He had someone else handle it.”
Her aunt’s small intake of air was audible over the line.
“Yeah. Can you believe that?”
“Wow,” her aunt said. “See? I told you. This was all part of the plan to help you two at least put the past behind you.”
“Yeah,” Hailey said on an exhale. “You’re probably right.” But as she thought about it more, her heart started to speed up. “I just can’t bank on it being like that forever. He’s clearly been successful in business, and that kind of thing doesn’t just stop because he’s fallen in l—” Before she spoke that word, she let it melt on her tongue. She wasn’t going to go there yet.
“You’re overthinking it, dear,” her aunt said soothingly. “Just promise me you’ll enjoy the rest of your time there with him, okay? The happy memories will be good for you two.”
Hailey sighed, trying to relax. Her aunt made sense. She didn’t need to get too ahead of herself. Jared had said that he wanted more than five minutes on the beach. He’d wanted her to tell him about what she’d been doing since they’d split. They hadn’t had that conversation, but she decided to tell him in the morning—along with some rules she had if they were going to give this another shot.
Just the idea of being with Jared again made her heart soar. She hadn’t wanted their marriage to end, but she’d grown tired of being the only one trying to make it work. If he was on board with being a real part of a relationship again, especially if they started out through long distance, without so much pressure, it might actually work. That made Hailey more excited than she wanted to admit. Especially to her aunt.
“So,” Aunt Shirley said to break the silence, “when do you need to have your cupcakes ready tomorrow?”
Hailey’s eyes flashed wide. With everything that’d happened earlier, she’d almost forgotten about her meeting with Fontell Foods. She’d mentioned it in passing to Jared before bed, but the space in her brain was mostly taken up by him, not her business.
That wasn’t a good sign.
She took a deep breath. “My meeting is at three, so the cupcakes need to be done by noon so they can cool properly and I can leave at two thirty.”
That was what she needed to focus on. Not her new relationship with her ex-husband. Not what might happen between the two of them. Only what she could do to make the meeting the next day a success.
“It’s going to be fine, dear,” her aunt told her. “Nothing you can’t do in your sleep.”
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br /> “Or with only one arm,” Hailey countered.
“How is that shoulder doing?”
She gave it a test lift, which wasn’t too painful. “Better. I think the ice has helped.”
“And maybe the fresh ocean air too?”
Warmth grew in Hailey’s chest as she thought about being at the beach with Jared. How he’d held her hand. How he’d told her the truth about thinking it’d never work and then changing his mind.
That was when Hailey realized she hadn’t been completely truthful with him. She was still waiting for Dr. Campbell to get back to her about the test results. She was supposed to hear back the next day. Then it’d be one less thing to worry about—or one more thing to worry her. Either way, she just wanted to know where she stood.
That wasn’t something to throw at a new relationship though. Which was all the more reason to focus on work until she knew.
“Maybe,” she told her aunt. “I should probably get to sleep though. I have a few different batches of cupcakes to bake in the morning and I didn’t get to run trials on all of them. So I’ll get up early, knock those out, and pray that this meeting goes well.”
“Will Jared be able to help you?” Aunt Shirley asked.
“After he walks Otis, probably. But it’s best if I do this on my own. This isn’t his battle to fight.”
After a long break that had Hailey wondering what she’d said wrong, her aunt answered with, “Do you think that’s how he felt throughout your marriage, dear? That he shouldn’t involve you because he needed to do it on his own?”
Hailey opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t have any words.
“Perhaps you should let him help you so things don’t turn out the way they did before, only you’re on the working-too-hard end and he’s desperate to make the one-sided relationship work.” Aunt Shirley paused again as those words sank in for Hailey.
