His Forever (His #3)

by Octavia Wildwood

  Reluctantly, Clancy nodded. “We have a deal. I’ll see that your contract is reinstated.”

  “And make sure my name is in the running for the promotion,” I interjected. “Of course it goes without saying that you’ll have no say in whether I’m selected for tenure – you’ll leave that decision in the hands of your very capable and qualified colleagues.” I could have insisted Clancy get me that promotion, but I could only justify so much blackmail in one day. Besides, I wanted that promotion fair and square. I wanted the satisfaction of knowing I’d earned it.

  “Okay, okay…you can start tomorrow, same salary as before.”

  “Your buddy Mark was paid more than me when he worked here. I want what he was getting,” I informed Clancy matter-of-factly. “After all, as experts in our field we wouldn’t want to perpetuate gender inequality in the workplace, would we? I’ll see you tomorrow, Clancy. Oh, and I want your parking space,” I added as an afterthought. “It’s closer.” Maybe I wouldn’t need to wear sneakers with my skirt suits after all.

  With that, I turned on my heel and walked out of his office, my head held high.

  It felt so good to stand up to my bully of a boss. I was proud of myself for asserting my power the way I had. My career was not only back on track, but I’d be returning to a better workplace than the one I’d left, with great things on the horizon.

  I just wished Hayden was there to share my triumph with me. He would have been so proud.

  Instead, I returned to an empty house.

  The silence was deafening, so I called Mina. She sounded exhausted – I could only imagine what being stuck at home all day with a young child and no partner was like. But she was genuinely thrilled for me when I told her what had happened.

  “You’re amazing!” she crowed in delight as soon as I’d finished giving her a word-for-word rendition of what had gone down. “You’re seriously my hero, Daniella. I wish I had your career – and your guts!”

  Her encouragement felt good, but there was still a vast emptiness inside me that couldn’t be filled. It was the hole Hayden had left in my heart. Instead of dwelling on that, I tried my best to focus my attention and energy on my friend. She’d been nothing but supportive and I wanted to return the favor any way possible.

  “You could do what I do. You could always go back to school and get the rest of your credits,” I pointed out. “I think there’s an on-campus daycare, and I could help you with your research in my spare time, if you wanted. I could even babysit a couple evenings a week. It would probably be tough juggling school with work and a kid, but it wouldn’t be impossible, Mina.”

  “I know,” she agreed. “And thank you for the offer. To be honest, I’m not sure teaching Sociology was my true calling. At the time I thought it was, but I was younger then and life was different,” she continued, sounding nostalgic. “The thought of being on campus all day doesn’t appeal to me at all anymore. But now that the kiddo’s getting older I do need to find a full-time, decent-paying job – and soon.”

  “Well I’ll let you know if I hear of anything,” I promised as I absentmindedly paced through my living room with my phone pressed to my ear. Suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes as wide as saucers. I was so stunned that I nearly dropped the phone. “Mina, I’ve got to go…Hayden’s standing on my front step.”

  Chapter 11

  “Hi,” I said softly as I slipped out the front door and shut it behind me.

  It had grown cold and windy out like a storm was on the horizon and I wasn’t wearing a jacket. My long hair whipped around my shoulders like a brunette mane of flames. I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm and tried to maintain some semblance of strength.

  Though I wouldn’t let him know it after the way he’d left, I really just wanted to crumble at Hayden’s feet. It had been such a long day full of ups and downs, and seeing him made me realize just how exhausted I was. I looked at his arms longingly, my teeth chattering.

  Hayden, as in tune with me as ever, immediately saw that I was shivering. He immediately took off his jacket and put it over my shoulders. His hand brushed lightly across my neck as he did so. It was probably unintentional but it nonetheless sent a shiver through me. The sparks were still there – and why wouldn’t they be? It had just been a stupid fight. Or at least that’s what I’d thought until Hayden had up and disappeared in the middle of the night.

  He looked as pained and unsure of himself as I felt. “You left,” he said. His accent was stronger than usual – I’d noticed it had a way of creeping to the surface during times of stress. It was clear that Hayden was emotional. I saw that his shirt was wrinkled and his eyes were bloodshot, like he’d been up all night – or maybe crying.

  “Me? You’re the one who left,” I replied, hoping we weren’t on the verge of having yet another fight. I didn’t think I had it in me to get into it with him again. “When I woke up and found out you were gone…well there was nothing left in Malibu for me. So I came home.”

  “Gone? I wasn’t…oh, Daniella.” He smacked his forehead as a look of understanding came over him. “You didn’t see my note?”

  I stared at him blankly. “What note?”

  “I wrote you a note before I left,” Hayden explained, sounding relieved. “I know I usually leave notes on my pillow but after our argument I wasn’t sure you’d take too kindly to me just barging in on you. It kind of seemed like you wanted space. So I taped it to the outside of your door.”

  “I didn’t see any note,” I said as I felt a crushing weight begin to lift up off of me. I finally felt like I could breathe again. “What did it say? Your father said you told him you were headed for the streets…”

  “I was,” Hayden nodded. “But only for a few hours…or at least that was the plan. I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to talk to Steve, both to get some more money to him and to get advice after our argument.”

  “Steve?”

  “Uh huh, but I went down to where he’d been sleeping and couldn’t find him. That really worried me. I thought something bad had happened. I spent the entire night walking the street looking for him until a shop owner in the area was able to point me in the right direction. I guess,” he said with a wry grin, “that’s what I get for breaking my phone. Had I just called you, I could have saved myself the sore feet and anxiety.”

  “I was going to tell you but I didn’t get a chance…”

  “It’s okay. Steve filled me in. He told me how you pawned the jewelry I gave you so he’d have enough money for a deposit on an apartment. Thanks to you he hasn’t had to sleep outside. He’s been comfortable and well fed, with a roof over his head and a bed to sleep in. I love that you did that for him, Daniella. I’m sorry I got mad when you told me you’d pawned the jewelry. I should have let you explain.”

  “I really did love it,” I told him with a twinge of sadness. “I hated having to give it up but I didn’t know what else to do. That jewelry set was the most valuable thing I owned. I could see how much Steve’s situation was bothering you and I wanted to help him…for you. Your father wasn’t watching me as closely as you. That meant I could do things right under his nose that you couldn’t get away with…like helping Steve get back on his feet.”

  “After talking to Steve, I had a feeling you might be sad about giving the jewelry up,” Hayden said. He slipped his hand into the pocket of the jacket he’d draped over my shoulders and pulled out a small velvet pouch. “After I found out what you’d done, I went down to the pawn shop and bought the jewelry back.”

  Unable to mask my surprise and delight, all I could do was stand there, speechless. I pulled the necklace out of the pouch and admired the way it sparkled. It truly was gorgeous…and so was the man who’d given it to me.

  Hayden leaned in and kissed me, his lips brushing mine gently.

  My face was flushed when he pulled away. I looked at him. “Does this mean…?”

  Even though I didn’t finish the question, Hayden nodded. He seemed to know exactly
what I was asking. He knew me. “I’m sorry for our fight.”

  My smile spread from ear to ear. “So am I,” I said, flinging my arms around him. “I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions when you were gone in the morning.” It was ironic that jumping to conclusions was exactly what I’d warned Henrik not to do. I made a mental note to get better at the whole ‘practice what you preach’ thing.

  “Consider it forgotten. And you know,” he confessed, “I hate to admit it but you were right.”

  “Oh?” I teased, giving him a playful nudge in the side as we went inside. “Tell me more! I want to hear all about how right I was.”

  He groaned, but then humored me.

  “When I got back the mansion, before I knew you’d left, I had a word with my father. I told him all the things I wish I’d said over the years. I told him how I wished he’d been there for me and how it was wrong of him to cut my mother out of my life. I got him to give me her contact information,” he admitted, sounding uncharacteristically unsure of himself.

  “Are you going to get in touch with her?”

  “I don’t know, maybe. It’s a lot to take in right now, you know? I can only focus on one parent at a time, I think. Even that is a lot to deal with. My father is a lot to deal with.” Hayden sat on the living room sofa and pulled me down next to him. “He’s a messed up guy, Daniella.”

  I nodded, holding my breath. There was no doubt about it that Henrik had issues, but I hoped that wasn’t all that had come of Hayden’s discussion with him. After the way I’d pushed Hayden, I’d feel terrible if he’d reached out to his father and things hadn’t gone well.

  “But he’s still my father,” Hayden continued, ducking his head and running a hand through his hair. “We’re going to try to start over,” he admitted, sounding cautiously optimistic. “It will be a long process, but maybe going forward things can be better.”

  I cut him off then with a kiss. “I’m proud of you.”

  “That means a lot. Actually, it means everything. But there’s something else, Daniella.” Hayden’s voice sounded strange like he had to force the words out. I couldn’t quite get a read on his emotional state. After a pause, he said, “There was one thing my father wouldn’t take no for an answer on.”

  “Oh no,” I murmured, half-afraid to hear what stupid condition Henrik had imposed on his son this time. Just when I thought I’d gotten through to the stubborn old man he’d gone and doled out yet another ultimatum. It would be almost laughable if it wasn’t so incredibly frustrating. “What now?”

  Hayden cleared his throat. “He vowed to never let money come between us again. And to show me he was serious, he insisted on giving me a big chunk of my inheritance early, to use however I see fit. No strings attached.”

  “Are you serious?”

  He opened his wallet and pulled out a cheque bearing Henrik Slate’s signature. When he handed it to me for closer inspection I nearly passed out. “Holy shit, that’s a lot of zeroes!”

  “Yeah, it is. So here’s what I’m thinking. I want to use the money to set up a foundation to build orphanages and hospitals in third world countries,” he said. “I want to be involved in every aspect of it, but I’m going to need to hire someone I trust to be on location and oversee things in person. I can’t think of anyone better for the job than Steve.”

  “Hayden, that’s a fantastic idea.” Steve was virtually unemployable now so it was perfect that Hayden was giving him an opportunity. I paused then and asked, “When you say you need someone there to oversee things in person, does that mean…”

  “I’m staying here,” Hayden interjected, suddenly sounding nervous. “If you’ll have me, that is.”

  “Of course I’ll have you – uh, Hayden, what are you – oh my goodness…” My hand flew over my mouth and my eyes widened as I tried to process what happened next.

  As I was speaking, Hayden had gotten off the couch and onto one knee. He pulled a magnificent ring out of his pocket and held it out to me in offering. “Before I gave my fortune away, I decided I wanted to buy you one other piece of jewelry,” he said. “I don’t even remember who I was before I met you and I don’t care to. You make me a better man, Daniella. If you marry me I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy.”

  My eyes filled with tears of joy, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him. “You already make me happy,” I whispered as he slid the ring onto my trembling hand. It was a perfect fit.

  After we’d calmed down, Hayden led me into the kitchen and made us tea. So it wasn’t five hundred dollar champagne at an exclusive nightclub – who cared? Tea in my kitchen with Hayden was so incredibly ordinary, but that was exactly what I loved about it. All I’d ever wanted was a simple life with Hayden Slate at my side. And now I had it.

  “Will you still love me if I give away my fortune?” he asked as he handed me a chipped #1 Teacher mug a student had given me the previous year. His tone was teasing but I could see a hint of worry in his eyes as they searched mine for hidden truths.

  “I’ll love you more because of it,” I assured him. “The expensive dinners and fancy dresses are nice, but they’re not me. I don’t need a life of excess. I’m perfectly happy to be here in this house with you, teaching and living a quiet life.”

  “Good. But you’re probably going to have to deal with fancy dinners whether you like it or not.”

  I smiled and ran my hand through his hair like I’d done a hundred times before. “You’re going to cook for me?” I asked hopefully, my stomach growling at the mere thought.

  “For you and hopefully for a lot of other people,” he replied with a twinkle of excitement in his eye. “As of today I’m done with my father’s art business. I’m a free man. I can do anything I want, go anywhere I want…but all I want is to be where you are. Do you remember when you told me you’d follow me anywhere?”

  I nodded.

  “Well it’s my turn. I’ll follow you anywhere, Daniella James, and I’ll love every second of it.”

  My chin resting on my hand, I studied Hayden’s handsome face carefully before posing a very serious question. “This isn’t exactly a glamorous place. It’s quiet. Not a lot happens here. Do you think you could be happy living in Burlington?”

  “I know so.” There was no hint of doubt whatsoever in his answer. “Seeing you happy will make me happy, I can guarantee that. Oh, and do you remember that little hideaway we ate at the first night we met?”

  “How could I forget?” I smiled at the memory. “That was an amazing night.”

  “It was,” he agreed at once. “And that’s why I want to buy the place and run it myself. I’ve always wanted to open my own restaurant and…I mean….it wouldn’t be completely obnoxious to spend a little bit of the money on my dream, would it?”

  “Absolutely not,” I assured him, eager for him to have what he’d always wanted. “Hayden! I think that’s a fantastic idea.” I couldn’t hide my happiness as Hayden carried me into my bedroom – correction: our bedroom. All our dreams were coming true. It was a remarkable feeling.

  Chapter 12

  A few months later, winter was in full swing. I didn’t mind. The snowflakes looked beautiful as they danced on the wind, swirling through the air like delicate ballerinas made of ice. But I probably would have thought anything looked beautiful given the state of mind I was in. I’d never been happier.

  As I walked up the snow-covered front drive and into our house, there was a spring in my step. Not even the chill in the air could put a damper on my mood. I was a woman madly, deeply in love and that’s all there was to it. There was nothing quite like coming home to my husband at the end of a long day of teaching.

  A delicious aroma greeted me the second I walked in the door.

  “Hey, is that you?” Hayden called when I shut the door behind me. He walked out of the kitchen wearing jeans and a t-shirt, his feet bare. Gone were the days of him wearing designer suits – and he commented often that he couldn’t be happie
r. “I thought I heard something,” he grinned, coming over to kiss me hello before returning to the kitchen.

  I set my bag down and followed him, eager to see what he was making for us.

  “How was your day?” he asked, stirring something in a pot that smelled fantastic.

  “It was long but good,” I replied. “I can’t complain. Having tenure is pretty cushy.”

  He chuckled. “You say that, but I see how hard you work.” I knew it wasn’t a criticism. He told me often how proud he was of me for chasing my dreams and supported me one hundred percent. It meant everything.

  “You’re one to talk!” I replied affectionately. “You come home from cooking all day at the restaurant to cook for me. Talking about bringing your work home with you! When do you ever get a break?”

  “I don’t want a break,” he replied as he added some spices to a pot on the stove and held out a spoon for me to have a taste. “It doesn’t feel like work if you love it, you know?”

  “Mmm,” I murmured, nodding in response as Hayden fed me his delicious stew. It was the perfect dish on a cold winter’s day, hearty and filling. Not many people around these parts could boast that they had their own live-in chef to cook for them. I was a lucky woman.

  He grinned and wiped the corner of my mouth with his finger. “I have to say, Mina’s been a godsend. All the customers tell me she’s the greatest hostess ever and lately she’s been getting a few cooking lessons during slow times…not that there are many of those these days. It was crazy tonight when I left, but Mina assured me she had it under control.”

  “I’m pretty sure being a mom makes the managing of a busy restaurant seem like a piece of cake,” I laughed. “Don’t worry, if she says she’s got it under control then I’m sure she does.”