Chapter 5
FIVE
H aley rushed to put the finishing touches on her outfit. While she would have never admitted this to another living soul, she cared what Ian thought of her. She knew she was a bigger girl and wasn’t ashamed of her body. However, a lifetime of being told to wear black because it’s slimming and never to wear horizontal stripes wears on a girl.
Grabbing her lip gloss for one final swipe, Haley peeked out of her curtain to see Ian waiting patiently on her porch. Before she could turn away, she saw him shifting his weight from foot to foot.
Was he nervous? The thought was asinine, she chided herself. Ian had dated the most beautiful girls in high school and went on to date the most beautiful women in college. He was a ten, and Haley was a strong seven and a half on a good day. Again, it wasn’t that she didn’t know her worth. It was far more that she’d had to carve her self-esteem out of a litany of do-gooders who often made her feel worse about herself.
Between the supermodels, TikTok stars, and influencers, everyone seemed to have an opinion on everyone else’s body image. What could Ian be nervous about? It certainly couldn’t be her… could it?
Haley shook her head. She was overthinking it. This was Ian— put a frog in her underwear drawer Ian. He didn’t get nervous. She rapped on the window, enjoying his look of surprise before a slow, sensuous smile graced his handsome face. Haley ignored the way her stomach flipped and pasted on a returning grin. She mouthed, “Be right out,” and grabbed her shoes.
When she opened the door, the sun was dipping low, and the sounds of crickets began filling the air.
“You’re on time,” she teased, giving him an appraising look. “And you look good. Johnson, who are you, and what have you done with Ian?”
“Smartass, you’re always making assumptions,” Ian shot back, his smile widening. He offered his arm, and Haley scoffed but linked her arm with his anyway. “I figured I'd break character just this once. And you look incredible—you don’t smell that bad either.”
Haley turned to catch his smirk, and soon they fell into an easy banter that helped take the edge off her nerves.
The restaurant was cozy—a small, local Italian place that smelled of garlic, basil, and warmth. Haley's eyebrows arched as she looked around. “I have it on high authority that you hate Italian food,” she accused with a bemused expression.
“Maybe when I was nine my idea of fine dining was a frozen pizza and soda. It might surprise you, Hales, but I have grown up.”
Haley knew it wasn’t very nice, but temptation got the better of her. She looked at him appraisingly and purposely let her gaze fall to his lap. “Are you sure you’re fully grown? Maybe you’re more of a grower than a shower?”
Ian choked on the sip of wine he’d just taken. Before he could defend his manhood, Rosetta greeted them with some garlic bread.
“Haley, it has been too long. You are more beautiful every time I see you. And, Ian, you sweet boy,” she beamed. “Thank you again for helping me out the other day. My yard hasn’t looked that good in years!”
Haley blinked, her eyes moving between Ian and Rosetta. “You helped her with her yard? I thought they kept you pretty busy at the fire station,” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Oh, they do,” Ian said with a shrug. “It’s no problem at all to help Rosetta cut the grass. You know how close my mom and Rosetta have been. My brothers and I take turns helping out. It’s no big deal.”
Rosetta smiled warmly at Ian, squeezing Haley’s shoulder before returning to the kitchen. Haley turned to Ian, her lips quirking up into a sly smile as she teased, “Wow. I didn’t realize I was out with a mama’s boy.”
“Have you forgotten who my mother is? One doesn’t grow up in Bridget Johnson’s household and not toe the line. I am proud of my mama’s boy status. Worked hard for it,” Ian said without hesitation, his eyes twinkling at her laughter. He gave her a daring grin. “You’ve got a problem with that?”
Haley shook her head, her smile teasing. “No. I think it’s kind of adorable. I just didn’t know you had a soft side. It’s weird. Are you about to tell me you knit scarves for kittens or something?”
Ian snorted. “Nah, I’m more of a crocheter. It keeps my hands busy when I’m not being a pain in your ass.”
Their conversation flowed easily, laughter filling the table as they traded barbs and shared stories. They talked about high school—the pranks they had pulled on each other and the trouble they’d gotten into separately. Haley was surprised by how effortless it was—how comfortable she felt.
Suddenly, raised voices echoed from the kitchen, and they both turned their heads toward the sound. Haley saw Rosetta darting out, looking distressed. “The stove—it’s caught fire!” she cried, panic edging her voice.
Before Haley could fully process what was happening, Ian was already out of his seat, heading toward the kitchen. Haley watched as he disappeared behind the swinging doors, her heart pounding. Without wasting a second, she pulled out her phone and dialed 911, her voice steady as she reported the fire.
The next hour was a blur. The fire was contained quickly, but the kitchen was a mess. They sat outside, the cool night air starkly contrasting the heat of the earlier chaos. Rosetta joined them, her eyes misty as she thanked Ian for his quick actions.
“You’re a hero, Ian,” Rosetta said, patting his hand. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Ian shrugged. “I’m just glad everyone’s okay. Besides, I like to think of myself as a low-budget superhero. No cape, but I will do my best.”
Haley smirked, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Low budget, huh? I can snag you one of those tablecloths, and we can make you a cape. Or better yet, maybe you could knit one.”
“Crochet, remember?” he quipped, not missing a beat.
Her laughter bubbled out of her. “For a man who promised dinner with no heroics, I have to tell you…. I feel slighted that I received heroics and no dinner.”
Ian laughed, his eyes crinkling in the corners that made Haley’s stomach flip.
“Anyway, I just want to say thank you. I never figured you could be so much fun.”
“Wow, that almost sounded like a compliment,” Ian said, nudging her shoulder. “Who are you, and what have you done with Haley?”
“Don’t get used to it. It’s a one-time thing,” she said, rolling her eyes but smiling.
Eventually, Ian turned to her, giving her a lopsided grin. “I guess I should get you home before my shift starts,” he said, standing up and offering her a hand.
Haley took it, though a part of her felt oddly disappointed. She wasn’t ready for the night to end but forced a smile. “I didn’t realize you worked tonight,” she said, trying to keep her voice light. “Wouldn’t want you to be late. You might lose that 'Employee of the Month' parking spot.”
“Sadly, unless I learn to cook, that will never be my spot,” Ian lamented, opening her door and ensuring she was settled before getting into the driver’s seat.
The ride home was quiet, though not uncomfortable. There was a weight to the silence, an unspoken something hanging between them. Ian pulled up in front of her house, and before Haley could make a move to get out, he was already out of the truck, walking around to open her door.
In some ways, Haley felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. Ian had been many things to her over the years, but a gentleman? That had never happened. “You know, I’m perfectly capable of opening my door.”
“I know,” Ian replied, his eyes glinting. “But where’s the fun in that? Besides, it’s part of my charm. I open doors, save restaurants from burning down, and annoy the hell out of the neighbor girl.”
“Oh, is that what you call charm?” Haley teased, raising an eyebrow. “Here I was thinking it was just a mild personality disorder.”
“Harsh,” Ian said, wincing dramatically. “You wound me, Hales.”
“I humbly apologize,” she said without remorse, and they were silent for half a second before erupting in laughter. “Okay, no, I don’t feel sorry—not even a little bit.”
“There’s the Haley we know and love,” he teased.
Haley couldn’t help the blush that stained her cheeks at his words. Obviously, it was just a phrase, and he meant nothing by it. But she couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her stomach at his words.
They walked up to her porch, Haley trying to fill the silence with idle chatter about the night. She was halfway through a sentence about how much she liked the restaurant when Ian’s hand gently caught her arm, spinning Haley to face him.
There was only silence for a heartbeat—the world around them seemed to fade, leaving just the two of them in the quiet glow of the porch light. Ian's eyes held hers, an intensity in his gaze that sent a shiver down her spine.
Then, without a word, he pulled her closer, his lips pressing against hers in a kiss that stole her breath. Haley froze for a split second, her heart pounding in her ears, and then she melted into him, her arms wrapping around his neck as she kissed him back.