One Walk in Winter

by Georgia Beers

  “Hey,” she said as she answered. I’m breezy. Casual. That’s me.

  “Hayley.” Such a personal greeting. Yeah, that was her dad lately.

  “Did you get the budget?”

  The question seemed to surprise him. “You sent it in?”

  “Last night. Yep.” Probably a bit too much satisfaction in her tone, but she didn’t care.

  “I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ll look for it.” He cleared his throat, and Hayley got a weird sensation in the pit of her stomach. A bad feeling. “I’d like to discuss your credit card charges.”

  Her brow furrowed. “Okay.” She braced, but she wasn’t sure what she was bracing against.

  “There’s a charge from a place called Glitter.”

  Shit.

  “I looked it up. It’s a nightclub.” Benton Markham’s tone made it clear what he thought of that.

  “Dad, I went out with some friends and I bought their drinks. It wasn’t that much.”

  “That’s not the point, Hayley. I told you I wanted you to focus on your work and stop screwing around.”

  “And I’m not allowed to go out at all? To have any fun at all?” Yeah, she probably should’ve counted to five before she spoke, but she was kind of shocked he was so mad.

  “This is just another example of your irresponsibility. You asked me to release your credit so you could get art supplies. You get them, and in addition, you go out partying.”

  “I wasn’t partying.” Hayley’s voice held a little bit too much of her indignation and she knew it. “And I’m not sixteen.”

  “That’s right. You’re not sixteen. You are a grown woman who should know better.”

  “Dad, I—”

  “I don’t want to hear it.” Her father interrupted her, his tone getting firmer, which Hayley didn’t think was possible. “I’ve had enough. No more charging. Understood?”

  “Come on, Dad—” She tried not to sound too childish, but was pretty sure she failed when he cut her off again.

  “Understood?” It was that tone. The I’m-the-boss-how-dare-you-argue-with-me tone. That one. The one he only used once in a great while before her mom had passed away. Since then, it seemed like it was one of the only two tones he used on her. That one and the you-continually-disappoint-me tone. She swallowed.

  “Yes, sir,” she said quietly. There was no way to win when he got like this, and she knew it. Fighting him only made it worse.

  “Good. Now, show me you’re taking some initiative over there and not just coasting. Do your job.”

  He hung up before she could say anything more, and Hayley sat there at her desk, staring at the smartphone in her hand. Sometimes her father stoked the anger fire within her until she thought the top of her head would blow off. Sometimes he made her so sad she wanted to curl up in a corner on the floor and rock herself to sleep. Sometimes it was a weird combination of the two. But today? Today she’d plowed through both of those emotions until she arrived at a new one. The current one.

  Numbness.

  She’d reached a point where she felt blank. Lost. Nothing.

  “Hey, you okay?” Olivia’s voice was soft, laced with concern.

  Hayley looked up at her, at the sight for sore eyes standing in her doorway. Dressed in a smart gray pantsuit with a navy shell under the jacket, she looked both professional and a little bit sexy. Hayley gave a small nod. “Yeah. I am.”

  “You sure? ’Cause you look like somebody stole your puppy.”

  Slow breath in. Slow breath out. “Yeah.” She held up the phone. “Family stuff.”

  “Drama?”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  Olivia seemed to debate something in her head as she studied Hayley. After a moment, she glanced at her watch. “Okay, listen. It’s lunchtime. I want to show you something.” There was a glimmer in her dark eyes that Hayley could see even from the desk.

  “Okay.” She pushed herself to her feet.

  “Run up to your room and change into something warmer. Boots. Bring your coat and gloves.”

  Hayley squinted at her. “Okay.” This time, she drew the word out, uncertain.

  Olivia grinned widely. “Trust me.”

  Hayley nodded because there really was no question.

  “And bring your camera.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Meet me at the front door in fifteen?”

  “I’ll be there.” Hayley watched her turn and leave, no idea what was in store, but absolutely on board with it. One hundred and fifty percent. She needed to be pulled out of the funk her father’d shoved her into, and she could think of nobody she’d rather follow, anywhere, than Olivia Santini.

  She headed up to get her things.

  * * *

  Hayley had sat in the passenger seat of Olivia’s SUV like an excited child as they drove. It really was super cute, the way she sat up straight, looked out the window, and almost bounced with anticipation. It was so much better than the demeanor she’d had when Olivia had looked in on her less than half an hour ago. She’d looked so dejected. A little confused. But mostly just sad.

  Olivia decided in that exact moment that Sad Hayley was something she wanted to see as little of as possible.

  And what the hell was that about?

  She’d tried not to dwell, not to think about that kind of thing—that kind of thing being how often Hayley was on her mind. Tried not to analyze it too much. Maybe taking her up to the rooftop bar on Monday evening had been a mistake, because Olivia hadn’t been able to get Hayley out of her head since then, how comfortable she’d been opening up. Olivia didn’t open up easily to other people. It had been a complaint leveled at her by more than one woman who’d tried to date her. Hayley, however, felt safe somehow, and that made Olivia nervous. At the same time, the thoughts she was having—many of them naughty—were fun. Of course they were. And wasn’t it about time she had such things in her head? So what if nothing could happen between them? They were just thoughts. Fantasies. And it had been way too long since she’d had them.

  “Where are we going?” Hayley asked for the third time.

  “God, you’re worse than a kid,” Olivia said, but kept it playful and light. “We’re almost there.” A couple minutes later, she turned into a parking lot.

  “Archer Nature Trails,” Hayley read off the sign as they drove past.

  It was the perfect weather for this. Snowy and crisp, but sunny. Olivia pulled into a nearly empty parking lot, which was what she’d hoped for. Not many tourists came here in the winter. It was more a summer attraction, but Olivia loved it on a day like this. Walking alone in the woods along the trails made her feel like she was the only person on the planet sometimes. The parking lot overlooked a small open space, and beyond that was a wall of trees. Several trailheads were visible, brown wooden signs at each one announcing the name, the length, and some history. To their left was a large building that Olivia knew housed the public restrooms and a gift shop. She turned off the ignition, then looked at Hayley. “Ready?”

  With a nod, Hayley yanked her door open and jumped out.

  Olivia did the same, then pulled on her hat and gloves. “Follow me.”

  The snow crunched under their feet. The folks at Archer were very good about keeping sidewalks and trails clear enough for walking, though if you came early enough, Olivia knew from experience that it might serve you well to bring snowshoes.

  She led Hayley to the trailhead she wanted, then waited as Hayley read another brown wooden sign, this one smaller and on a post.

  “Archer Nature Park Fairy Trail.” She looked at Olivia with a furrowed brow. “Fairy Trail? What’s that?”

  “Let’s find out.” Olivia turned and walked farther into the woods for about twenty yards until they came across another small sign.

  “Fairy Trail Rules,” Hayley read dutifully. “One. Don’t leave the trail. You don’t want to step on a fairy or wander into poison ivy.” She glanced at Olivia with a skeptical expression,
then read rule number two. “Speak softly so as not to disturb fairies that might be sleeping.”

  Olivia said nothing and walked a few more yards to a third sign that had rules four, five, and six.

  “Touch gently.” Hayley was now more curious than doubtful. Olivia could tell by the slight change in her voice. “Fairy houses are fragile and not all the doors will open. Four, take pictures and leave everything else behind. Five, we love dogs as much as you do, but they scare the fairies and the wildlife, so leave them at home.” She turned to Olivia. “That’s why no Walter.” Olivia nodded as Hayley’s gaze traveled beyond her as if scanning the path ahead. “A fairy trail, huh?”

  Olivia grinned. “It always makes me feel better to walk it, and you looked like you could use a nonstressful hour of life.”

  “You’re not kidding about that.” Hayley’s entire face softened as she said, “Thank you.”

  Their eyes locked for what felt like a long time to Olivia, and she could feel those naughty thoughts she’d banished earlier surface low in her body once again. Hayley was an odd combination of cute and sexy in her red parka, white knit hat, and matching gloves. “Are you warm enough?” Olivia asked quietly.

  Hayley nodded.

  “Good. Shall we find the fairy houses?”

  Hayley held up the camera that hung around her neck by a thick black strap. “Yes, please.”

  For the next forty-five minutes, they walked. Hayley’s ever-growing smile of joy and wonder reminded Olivia of the very first time she’d walked the fairy trail several years ago. She’d had no idea what to expect but had been surprised and filled with warmth every time she discovered a new fairy house. Artists—local and visiting—used pieces and parts of nature. Tree trunks, branches, discarded deer antlers, anything they could find. Some fairy houses were freestanding, brought in from wherever the artist worked. Others were constructed right there in the park, built into existing trees or stumps or fallen logs too big to move. The houses were small and it seemed to be an accepted fact that the fairies “living” in them were maybe an inch or two tall. Some were at ground level, perched on rocks or the tops of stumps. Others, like the one Hayley was taking a photo of, were at eye level. The artist had found a tree with a large knothole in it. He or she had added a wooden V over the top of the hole, like an awning to a front door. The knothole was painted red, a tiny doorknob and mullions added in black. Beneath the “door” was a small wooden platform, like a tiny deck, and hanging next to it was a small sign that read in itty-bitty lettering, “Shh…fairies are napping.”

  Hayley snapped away, held the camera out to check the display screen, then snapped a few more shots from different angles. When she was seemingly satisfied, she turned to Olivia, and the smile on her face was one of the most beautiful things Olivia had ever seen. Joyful and genuine, it lit up her entire face with a childlike happiness. “This place is amazing,” she said, her green eyes sparkling in the rays of sun that cut through the branches and made the entire trail feel almost like, well, a fairy tale. “I’m so glad you brought me here. This is just what I needed.”

  “You seemed pretty affected by whoever you talked to on the phone this morning.”

  “My father,” Hayley said, but the happiness on her face only dimmed a little, and Olivia was beyond curious to know more about her, so she pressed a bit.

  “You don’t get along?”

  Hayley sighed as they started walking again by unspoken agreement. “It’s…complicated. He’s always been kind of a tough guy. And I don’t mean tough like boxer tough or mob boss tough.” Olivia chuckled at that. “I mean tough to get to. Tough to impress. But I’m his only daughter, youngest child by a pretty good stretch, and he gave me more attention than most.”

  “I hear a ‘but’ coming.”

  “But…since my mom died, he’s been…” Olivia could see Hayley’s breath as she blew it out in obvious frustration. “I don’t know. Distant. Stoic. Hard.”

  “Sad?”

  Hayley looked at her like she’d never thought about that one. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “What were you talking about this morning that got you so upset?”

  Something zipped across Hayley’s face then, but she turned to face forward as they walked and Olivia couldn’t pinpoint what it was. “It’s not important. Really. Nothing I’m not used to.”

  Olivia saw the impending return of Sad Hayley and scrambled forward to the next fairy house, just before a small bridge that led over the creek running through the park. This house was one of her favorites. She squatted down and pointed. “See this one?” It was positioned against one of the bridge’s wooden posts. Its door was purple and there was a small sign above it that read “Beware of Trolls.”

  Hayley let out a high-pitched, girlish squeal. “Oh, my God, that’s adorable!” She backed away and took a couple snaps before looking around. Then she shrugged, lay down in the snow on her stomach, and took a few shots from the same level as the house, head-on.

  Just like that, Sad Hayley was gone again.

  Olivia gave herself a point and a mental pat on the back, and once Hayley was back on her feet, they walked some more.

  The two were quiet, no sound but the crunching of snow under their feet as they moved through the woods. To Olivia’s right, she heard the same sound—snow crunching under steps—and she grabbed Hayley’s arm to stop her. When those green eyes met hers, Olivia held a hand to her lips, telling Hayley to keep quiet, then she pointed in the direction of the sound.

  Three deer were meandering through the woods, stopping here and there to look for food to nibble. Maybe some stray vegetation poking through the snow. The errant crab apple.

  Hayley let out a small gasp, and one of the deer raised her head and looked right at them. She couldn’t have been more than twenty or thirty feet away and she was gorgeous, all smooth rust-colored coat and huge brown eyes. Her ears twitched as she listened. Deer were very, very common in the area, but Olivia never tired of seeing them. They were so graceful and beautiful, and she could simply watch them for a long while.

  When she turned slowly to look at Hayley, a grin spread across her face because Hayley was totally in awe. Her eyes were wide. Her mouth was in the shape of a silent “O,” and Olivia had a flash of what six-year-old Hayley might have looked like. Hayley blinked rapidly, those eyes sparkling when they met Olivia’s, and something about the absolute wonder on her face made Olivia inexplicably happy they’d come.

  Eventually, the deer wandered off into the woods, and Hayley finally blew out a breath and said quietly, “That was amazing!”

  “I take it you don’t have deer wandering around Manhattan?”

  “God, no. That was just…” Hayley shook her head, her gaze still following the direction the deer went. “Magical. It was magical. I’ve never felt such…peace. I don’t know how to explain it.” Her voice was quietly excited, and the words came out in a rush. “I’ve never felt that before. Such beauty and grace. It makes everything else pale in comparison. I feel so…alive now, if that makes any sense at all and oh, my God, could I ramble more? I can’t seem to stop talking. I just feel like my blood is pumping and my heart is happy and…and thank you. I don’t know how to say it, but thank you.” She wrapped her arms around Olivia’s neck and hugged her tightly, whispered her thanks again with her lips tickling the skin there.

  And that was when the air got suddenly heavy. Olivia could feel it, like it had become thicker and slowed movements down somehow. Hayley pulled away very, very slowly until her nose was mere millimeters from Olivia’s lips, her hands still on Olivia’s shoulders, and when she looked up, Olivia could see a million different things in those eyes, but every one of them said the same thing.

  Kiss her.

  Hayley’s head must have been saying the same thing, because Olivia was pretty sure they moved at the same time, closed the tiny gap between them in tandem. Their lips met, tentatively at first, as if testing the waters, just a gentle kiss. They pulled back just
slightly, and then there was eye contact. Eye contact that was the most sensual Olivia had ever experienced. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach. She could feel it lower. Those eyes, the deepness of the green, the darkness they suddenly had, they startled her with their intensity. They also aroused her like nothing ever had, and she realized belatedly that she really had no choice but to kiss Hayley again.

  So she did.

  Suddenly it wasn’t cold at all. Suddenly it was warm. Very, very warm as the kiss went from gently testing the waters to full-on making out so fast, Olivia lost track. First they were softly pressing their lips together. In what felt like the next moment, mouths opened, tongues pressed in, and Olivia felt herself pulling at Hayley, trying to get her body closer. Not an easy feat given all the winter outdoor gear they were wearing, but she did her best because all she wanted was Hayley closer.

  My God, this girl knows how to kiss!

  The thought ran through Olivia’s brain like a toddler on a sugar high, bouncing around in her head, ricocheting off her skull. Hayley’s kiss wasn’t forceful, but it felt erotically demanding. It wasn’t selfish, but she took what she wanted. Olivia was used to being in control, but with this kiss? She so was not.

  Time didn’t exist for Olivia. Nothing did but Hayley’s mouth. Hayley’s tongue. The small, breathy sounds she made…or was that Olivia making them? She had no idea, but they were sexy as hell. Were Hayley’s hands in her hair? She wasn’t sure, but Olivia grabbed Hayley’s coat—being careful of the camera around her neck—walked her backward until she let out a soft oof as her back hit the tree trunk, and then Olivia’s mouth was on hers again.

  Somehow in that moment, Olivia realized this had been bound to happen, that it was somehow destined. From that first walk in the woods with her dog, from her first glimpse of the red parka and those ridiculously sexy eyes, it was all leading to this kiss, and Olivia absently wondered how she’d managed to fight it for so long.