Craving You (The Donovans #5)

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

“Take a deep breath in through your nose, and exhale gently through your mouth.” Hailey followed her own instructions as she closed her eyes and relaxed. Only…

What the hell is that smell?

Peeking out of one eye, she glanced around her studio to see if anyone noticed it too. No one was making a face, so it had to just be her.

“On your next inhale, reach your arms overhead…exhale, fold forward.” Again, following her own instructions, she slowly bent forward, but the powerful aroma of the incense nearly choked her. The yoga instructor in her told her to just breathe through it, but unfortunately, it was the breathing that was making her nauseated.

Note to self: throw out the frankincense after class and choose a new scent ASAP.

Not that it was going to help her for the next forty-five minutes, but she’d just have to power through.

Moving through the next few poses, she put her focus on all of her other senses. “Notice any sensations in your body—what feels good, and what doesn’t?” she gently asked, moving into a reverse warrior. When she was finished, Hailey straightened and continued to guide her students as she walked around adjusting their positions and offering encouragement.

It wasn’t until the final five minutes that she went back to her spot at the front and joined them in some restorative yoga poses—gentle twists, forward folds, and backbends. “Let go of any tension and allow yourself to just be.” After a couple of deep breaths, she opened her eyes and smiled serenely at the group. “Gently bring your hands to your heart center and bow your head in gratitude.”

A moment of silence later, they were done. Her first thought was to go and douse the incense, but she bided her time as she chatted with her students and slowly ushered them toward the door. It took almost fifteen minutes for the studio to empty, and once it did, Hailey grabbed the offensive stick, tossed it in the restroom sink, and turned on the cold water. “Good riddance.”

It had been a few days since she took her first pregnancy test, and it seemed like things were starting to bother her senses. She didn’t have morning sickness, but smells were definitely becoming an issue.

“Or maybe I’m just being weird and telling myself these things,” she murmured as she grabbed her stuff and headed for the locker room to change. Today had been another full day of yoga classes and it’s the way she preferred it. But now that her last class was done, she was more than ready to head home.

Where she planned to take yet another pregnancy test.

This would be her third one—she’d been taking them daily—and it looked like she was going to have to face the reality of the situation. Sighing, she opened her locker, grabbed her duffel bag, and changed. For a moment she considered taking a shower here, but opted to wait until she got home so she could put on jammies afterwards and truly relax. She was packing all her things up when her phone dinged with an incoming text.

Fishing for her phone in her purse, Hailey tapped the screen and saw it was from Billie. “Huh. That’s odd. I wonder what she wants.”

Then she opened the text and found a picture. It looked like it was from the wedding reception, and…

Billie: Do I want to know how you and my brother-in-law ended up kissing in this picture?

“Crap,” she mumbled. What was she supposed to say to that? It wasn’t like she could deny it.

Hailey: What can I say? Max was a delicious flirt, and I couldn’t help myself!

Hailey: Are you mad?

Billie: What? No! Of course not!

Billie: I’m just surprised I missed it.

Hailey: Well, it was your wedding day. You were kind of busy.

Billie: True. Very true.

Billie: I know I’m being totally nosy here, but…are you interested in Max? Like, are you going to see him again?

Ooh…awkward.

Hailey: I mean…if we lived closer, it would be great.

Hailey: I like him a lot, and he seems like a great guy, but I’m here, he’s there and it just seemed like one of those fling things.

Then she held her breath and waited for her older cousin to reprimand or lecture her about…flinging.

But she didn’t.

Billie: Oh. I’m a little bummed, but I get it. Max truly is a great guy, but I guess logistics aren’t really on your side.

Sadly, Hailey nodded.

Billie: I just hope this doesn’t prevent you from ever coming to visit.

Billie: And tell Sloane there’s a town festival coming up.

Billie: With a kissing booth.

Billie: The little weirdo. LOL!

Yeah, her little sister definitely had some sort of strange fetish for kissing booths, but…whatever.

Hailey: I promise to tell her, and you have nothing to worry about. I won’t have any problem seeing Max again.

And it’s probably going to happen sooner rather than later.

Billie: Okay. Whew! Good.

Billie: Then I guess you’d be okay with me giving him your number?

Yes! That might make things a lot less awkward when she had to talk to him after she went to the doctor.

“Okay, don’t sound too excited,” she murmured, even though her heart was racing.

Hailey: Sure. No big deal. That would be fine.

Billie: Great! He asked me the other day and I wanted to check with you before I did.

Billie: Keep in touch! Love you!

Hailey: Love you too!

It took a full minute for her to breathe calmly and put her phone down. It was kind of good news, knowing Max asked for her number. Unfortunately, that didn’t necessarily mean he was going to call. For all she knew, Billie had ambushed him with the picture and put pressure on him about it.

“Well, that would suck.” Sighing, Hailey gathered up her belongings and headed out of the locker room. A hot shower, some dinner, and a quiet night is what she needed more than anything. But when she got home, she found her sister parked outside.

“Don’t be mad,” Sloane said as she climbed out of her car. “I just wanted to check on you and I knew if I called or texted, you’d say you were fine and that would be it. I needed to see for myself.” Then she held up a bag of takeout from the local Italian restaurant.

It was hard to be annoyed when it was so sweet.

“I really am fine,” she assured her as they walked into the house. “There’s nothing for you to be worried about.”

“Well, I needed to see that with my own eyes. Have you taken another pregnancy test?”

Nodding, she put her stuff down and immediately went to the kitchen to get plates and silverware. “And I was going to take another one tonight.”

“Still positive?”

Another nod. “Still positive.” They set the table and put all the food out. When they sat, Hailey mentioned the text. “So, um…I got a text today.”

“From who?”

“Billie. She got her pictures back from the wedding and there’s one where you can clearly see me and Max kissing.”

Her sister’s eyes went wide as she laughed. “Wait! Seriously? Ooh…I have to see it! I can’t believe there’s a picture! Was Billie upset?”

“It’s not a big deal. We’re all adults, and she’s fine with it. Besides, it’s nobody’s business but mine and Max’s,” she said with a shrug.

“That’s not totally accurate. I mean…if you really are pregnant, this is going to suddenly be everyone’s business.”

“No, it’s not,” she argued. “It’s between me and Max and no one else. I get the whole family dynamic thing, but it’s still private.”

With a snort, Sloane served herself some gnocchi. “Right. Because the Donovans are known for staying out of each other’s business.” Another snort. “Lemme see the picture.”

With no choice, Hailey went and got her phone and pulled up the picture before handing it over for Sloane’s inspection. “There.”

“I think this was one of the best weddings I’ve ever been to. I mean, all the ones we’ve been to in Sweetbriar Ridge have been great, but Billie’s was amazing from start to finish. Such a fun weekend.”

I’ll say…

“Oh my God! Look at you! Even in the background I can tell you were ready to climb him like a tree! Damn, Hales.”

Glancing over at the picture again, she remembered the moment so clearly. Max had dared her to kiss him in the middle of the reception. They had been flirting like mad since they met the night before and that kiss was like hitting the launch button on their sexy weekend.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Sloane playfully demanded. “I knew you and the groom’s brother were flirting like crazy, but I thought you didn’t actually do anything until after the wedding, not during it!”

“I told you the flirting started at the rehearsal dinner and then got serious at the reception. And it was just a couple of kisses there.” She sighed. “And I regret nothing.”

“Still…now everyone’s gonna know! I mean…it’s right there in the pictures! Don’t you think it could make things…you know…awkward? Although, telling everyone you're pregnant after hooking up at the wedding is going to be awkward no matter what.” Then she giggled. “Boy, when you decide to be reckless, you go big!”

“And this is why I never do anything reckless! Sheesh! One time I throw caution to the wind and now look where I am!”

“When you say you threw caution to the wind, does that mean you didn’t use any…”

“Of course we did! I’m not stupid, Sloane! I’ve been on birth control since I was seventeen. But you know nothing’s one hundred percent accurate.”

“I guess.” They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Sloane asked, “Are you going to call him? Do you think you’ll tell Mom and Dad first? Have you thought about how you’re going to tell them that your dirty weekend guy got you pregnant?”

Rolling her eyes, she snapped. “His name is Max, okay? It’s incredibly offensive when you talk about him like he’s some nameless nobody. And for the record, I plan on telling Max before Mom and Dad. That just seems fair.”

“Fine, but just think about this—are there ever any secrets in this family? Don’t you think that picture of you is going to be the topic of conversation around the family? If Billie shows everyone her wedding photos, everyone’s going to see the one of you and Max. Then Uncle Ronan will say something to Dad, Dad will say something to Mom, and…”

“And I’m going to have to answer a ton of questions,” she said with a sigh. “I’m just going to play it by ear. I have no idea what’s being said and until I do, I’m sticking with my plan.” She took a forkful of penne. “Oh, and Billie said there’s a town festival coming up.” Turning her head, she grinned. “With a kissing booth.”

Sloane’s eyes lit up. “So…if I go up for the festival, will you go with me?” she asked, handing the phone back to Hailey.

She stared at the photo again and her heart did a little flip. He was so sexy and handsome and if it weren’t for logistics, she had to wonder where they’d be right now.

“Hales?”

“Sure. Plus, for all we know, I might be spending more time up in Sweetbriar Ridge once I tell Max about the baby.”

Frowning, Sloane nodded. “I guess that would make sense. And you had been saying how much you’d like to move there.” Her shoulders sagged. “Part of me thought I’d talk you out of it at some point, but it looks like that’s not really an option anymore.”

Reaching across the table, she gently squeezed her sister’s hand. “Sloane…come on. Don’t be like that. We don’t know how any of this is going to go and, believe me, this isn’t the direction I thought my life would go. But…”

She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

“Were you expecting anyone?” Sloane asked.

“No, but I ordered some new yoga blocks. I’m sure it’s just FedEx. I’ll be right back.” Wiping her mouth, she stood and made her way to the door. “The spa always gets them for me to use in class, but I’m a little picky about the ones I use myself.”

“That makes sense.”

But when she opened the door, there were no boxes or delivery guy, but her mother was standing there looking more than a little peeved.

“Mom? Hey! What are you doing here?”

Her mother responded by holding her phone up, practically in Hailey’s face. “Hailey Shae Donovan! What in the world were you doing with the groom’s brother at Billie’s wedding?”

And before she could answer, her mother stormed past her into the house.

“Okay, I guess we’re doing this,” she mumbled before closing the door and following her. “I don’t understand what the big deal is. So I kissed the groom’s brother? So what?”

Sloane coughed so hard she almost choked.

“For goodness’ sake, Hailey!” her mother admonished. “You were at a family wedding, and you look like some…some…hussy the way you are wrapped around that man! What were you thinking?”

That I wanted to rip his tux off…

But instead, she replied, “I was thinking that an attractive man and I were dancing and flirting. It’s not like we asked the photographer to take pictures of us, Mom. Jeez.” Sitting back down, she motioned to the table. “Why don’t you grab a plate and join us? Sloane brought more than enough.”

Their mother glared at both of them and you could have heard a pin drop. Hailey glanced across the table and saw how Sloane was trying hard not to laugh.

“Fine. But we’re not done talking about this!” And as her mother went to get herself a plate, she kept mumbling about how they were the talk of the entire Donovan clan and how everyone knew her older daughter was a floozy.

“Tell her you’re pregnant,” Sloane whispered. “That will make the whole floozy thing seem like it’s no big deal!”

“Are you insane?” she hissed, kicking her under the table.

“Ow!”

“Girls, stop fighting. I’m not in the mood.” Bridget Donovan was a very no-nonsense kind of mother who enjoyed playing the long-suffering martyr of the family. She helped herself to some pasta and a few garlic knots before looking at Hailey. “What on earth possessed you to throw yourself at that man?”

Sighing softly, Hailey shot a glance at Sloane before turning her attention to her mother. “I didn’t throw myself at Max. We met at the rehearsal dinner and just…connected. He’s an incredibly attractive man and we’re both adults, so I don’t see why this is anyone’s business.”

“She’s right, Mom,” her sister agreed. “She made out with the best man. So what? You should be happy that Hailey’s even interested in guys again. After her breakup with he-who-shall-not-be-named, haven’t we all been worried that she’d sworn off dating?”

“Wow. Thanks. I think,” Hailey mumbled.

“I suppose you’re right. It is good that you’ve finally moved on after that whole disaster. And it was just a kiss. It’s not like you did something crazy like sleep with a stranger and get knocked up!”

Hailey knew her eyes went comically wide as she stared at her sister. Sloane nodded and then…

“Um…funny story, Mom…”

Bridget looked up at her and waited.

“It wasn’t just a kiss and…” Pausing, she swallowed hard. “Turns out…I’m pregnant.”

The apartment was officially unpacked and box free.

His cybersecurity business was benefiting from him being organized again.

And he had Hailey Donovan’s phone number.

All in all, it was a pretty good week.

Now, Max was tending bar at The Cornerstone—a pub he liked to work at from time to time—and nearing the end of his shift. It was a Saturday night and nowhere near closing time, but since his move back to Sweetbriar Ridge, it was an hour’s drive to get home.

Plus, this was just sort of a hobby for him and a way to get out and socialize after working from home for so long.

“I can’t thank you enough for coming in tonight, Max. I know it’s more of a hike for you now that you’re not local.” Ned was the owner of The Cornerstone, and even though he was closer to his dad’s age, Max considered him a good friend.

“You know I enjoy doing it. If anything, I’ve missed working behind the bar since the move. This used to be an every weekend—and sometimes a few weeknights—thing for me. I’m kind of getting tired of my own company.”

“Then maybe you ought to find a beautiful woman and start dating. You’re too young to be living such a solitary life. I know you had to take care of your dad for a while, but John’s better now and you have your brother there to help. Maybe it’s time for you to do a little something for yourself.”

“I’m thinking about it,” he said, and then decided Ned might be the perfect guy to talk to about Hailey. His brother and Billie were too close to the situation. “I met someone at my brother’s wedding, and…we really hit it off.”

Ned grinned. “Really now? And have you asked her out?”

And then, since he had shared more than one personal story, he felt safe talking about his weekend with Hailey.

Just without all the intimate details.

“So, let me get this straight. You met a beautiful woman, spent a sexy weekend with her, and didn’t exchange phone numbers?”

Max nodded. “But now I have it. Billie asked first before giving it to me, but I haven’t called her yet. I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to say.”

“You could start by texting,” Ned suggested. “You know, test the waters that way.”

“I thought about it, but figured it might be lame.”

“Don’t people your age primarily communicate by texting? That shit bugs me, but I’m old.”

Unable to help himself, Max chuckled. “You’re not that old, but I get what you’re saying.”

“It’s getting late. Call it a night and tomorrow, text this girl. For all you know, that’s what she’s been waiting for.”

“Maybe.” Raking a hand through his hair, he glanced around. “You sure you’re okay if I go?”

“I’m used to closing up alone, Max. I’ve been doing this for far too long. Don’t worry about me. Be careful driving home. I know those roads in and out of Sweetbriar Ridge aren’t well lit and can be treacherous at night.”

He grinned. “Now you sound like my dad.”

“Well, I’m old enough to be him. Go and have a good night and call and let me know when you want to come in again.”

“Thanks, Ned. Have a good night.”

The drive home was long and quiet, and honestly, exactly what Max needed. Talking to Ned confirmed what he’d been thinking about reaching out to Hailey. A text would be a great way to reach out. He still had no idea what he was going to say, but he was excited just thinking about talking to her again.

Working for himself meant that his schedule was flexible. Maybe he’d see about taking a trip down to Florida to see her. That would be preferable to her coming back to Sweetbriar Ridge. With so many Donovans around, they wouldn’t have any privacy.

“There would be plenty of Donovans in Florida too, doofus. That’s where her family lives.”

Okay, so neither was ideal, but considering he had family in Sweetbriar who would be watching them too, he had to imagine Florida would be the lesser of two evils.

So he’d start by asking how she was, maybe tell her how much he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her, and then see about him flying down to see her. Logistics still weren’t on their side, but he genuinely felt like Hailey was worth trying the long-distance relationship thing. It wasn’t ideal, but he knew he’d regret it if they didn’t even try.

“I can’t believe I was stupid enough to let her leave without even trying to make plans to see her again. What the hell was I thinking?”

She didn’t ask or try either, though…

While that was true, the morning she left had been borderline chaos. They had overslept and she was supposed to meet her parents and siblings so they could say goodbye to everyone before leaving for the airport. Max hated how rushed their own goodbyes were, and he probably should have done something sooner, but he was going to do it now and, hopefully, he wasn’t too late.

It was obviously too late to text her tonight, but tomorrow after he had brunch with his family, he was going to do it.

Feeling confident, he finished the drive home thinking about his plans for the upcoming week. He had several calls with clients, a few in-person meetings with local clients, and needed to work on some plans for a proposal he was working on for the town. He enjoyed what he did, but cybersecurity wasn’t his passion. As crazy as it may seem, working at The Cornerstone was something he loved. Bartending had been a great way to make money after he graduated from college and needed the money, but the longer he did it, the more he realized it was something he could easily see himself doing as a career.

But he had a college degree that he worked hard for, and he knew tech jobs would be far more stable and offer him a fairly secure future. Working weekends for Ned gave him that outlet he craved after being chained to a desk all week. In a perfect world, he could own a pub of his own and have someone else run it. Then, he could go in whenever he wanted and know it was his.

“That ship has clearly sailed,” he murmured, and it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He was making good money and maybe at some point he could find someplace closer to where he lived, where he could tend bar occasionally. “Because this drive sucks.”

When he pulled up to Marcus and Billie’s house, it was almost one in the morning. Their house was completely dark, and he was more than ready to crash. His father and Billie’s dad were joining them for brunch tomorrow around eleven. If he went upstairs right now, he could realistically be asleep by two and sleep until ten.

And as he trudged up the stairs to his studio over the garage, he yawned and was already thinking about the French toast and cinnamon rolls Billie was going to make. After stripping and sliding into bed, he fell asleep faster than he thought he would.

And with a smile on his face.

Morning came way too soon, but it wasn’t his alarm clock that woke him up, but his father.

“Max! Max, you awake?”

“What the…?” Slowly sitting up, he had to blink a few times to bring things into focus. “Dad? What are you doing here? What time is it?”

“It’s after ten. I thought you’d be up by now.” It was hard to believe that six months ago, his father’s health had been so bad that they thought he was going to die, and now he was healthy and active and looked better than he had in a long time. “Ronan’s already here too, and Billie said we couldn’t eat until you came down. So I told everyone I’d come and get you. Why aren’t you awake yet?”

“Because I didn’t go to sleep until after one.” Scratching his head, he yawned before explaining, “I worked for Ned last night. That drive home is a real bitch.”

“Why are you still doing it then? If the drive is that bad, it doesn’t make much sense to keep working there.”

“Yeah, well…it’s something I enjoy.” Another yawn. “Go back over to the house and tell everyone I’ll be there in around twenty minutes. I need to grab a quick shower to wake myself up.”

“Twenty minutes?” his father whined. “But everything’s ready!”

“The longer you sit here and argue with me, the longer it will take for me to get ready,” he said lightly, kicking the blankets off.

“Fine. But try to rush.” And as his father walked down the stairs, Max could hear him mumbling the entire time.

Not that he blamed him. Anyone would be annoyed if they had to sit and wait to eat anything Billie made.

“And that’s my inspiration to get my ass in gear.” As much as he would have loved to lie in bed for a bit longer, brunch was waiting. Five minutes under the hot spray was all he allowed himself before quickly drying off, brushing his teeth, and getting dressed. When he grabbed his phone and began heading down the stairs, he congratulated himself on getting it all done in only fifteen minutes.

“Finally!” his father called out as soon as Max stepped into his brother’s kitchen. There were plates of cinnamon rolls, thick slabs of coffee cake, a variety of muffins, and some sort of egg casserole.

“Hey, Max!” Billie called out. “Can I get you some coffee?”

Walking over, he kissed her cheek. “Good morning, and it looks like you’ve already done enough. I can make my own coffee. Why don’t you go and sit down?”

“Aww…you are very sweet, and I think I’ll take you up on that.” She moved around the kitchen island and called out, “Breakfast is served!”

For the next few minutes, everyone piled up their plates with goodies before sitting down at the table. Billie’s dad, Ronan, was there with them, and it felt nice to have these small family get-togethers. Typically, there were always a bunch of Donovans at every gathering, so this was a pleasant change of pace.

“Dad said you were working over at The Cornerstone last night,” Marcus began after a few forkfuls of breakfast. “I didn’t realize you were still doing the bartending thing. I thought you gave that up when you moved back to Sweetbriar Ridge.”

Max took a sip of his coffee before replying. “I told you when you first came back to town how much I enjoyed it. If there were a place here in town, I’d apply to tend bar there.”

“Me too,” Ronan chimed in. “I miss it. As much as I love going down to Laurel Bay every once in a while to help out at my brother’s pub, I really wish there was a bar here in town. That pub here has turned into more of a family spot. You hardly ever see anyone sitting at the bar.”

“I have to agree,” John said, reaching for his coffee. “It would be nice to have a bar in town that offered some food, but also had things like some dart boards and maybe a couple of pool tables.”

Nodding, Max added, “Not a full-on sports bar, but there would be a couple of TVs up playing whatever game happened to be on. Man, that was always my dream—a bar of my own.”

“Are you serious?” Marcus asked incredulously. “Really? You have a successful cybersecurity firm, Max. Surely the bar isn’t your dream anymore.”

“Cybersecurity is my job, but a bar of my own? That would be my passion.”

Across from him, Ronan laughed softly. “Maybe you and I should play the lottery, Max! And when we win, we build a bar right in the heart of Sweetbriar Ridge! This town is getting all kinds of businesses here, so why not a bar?”

“I know my bowling league buddies and I used to always wish for a place we could go after playing,” John told them. “Like you said, Ronan, the pub is more family-oriented now. We need a place where people can go to just hang out, have a few beers, eat some light foods like wings or sliders, and catch the game with friends.”

“Our family pub down in Laurel Bay has been around for generations. Working there and running the place is like second nature to me. I’ve been a bit bored out of my mind since I retired,” Ronan went on. “Don’t get me wrong; I love being near all you kids and the grandkids, but I need something to do with myself.”

“Dad, you should be enjoying your life,” Billie gently said. “You’re going to have three more grandkids soon. Won’t it be fun to spend time with them?”

“Billie, you and I both know that there’s only so much an old guy like me is going to be able to do with a bunch of infants. No matter how much I love them. I need to do something for me.” He sighed. “My whole life, it was always someone else’s pub. I know it belonged to the Donovans, but it was never mine. Sometimes I imagine what it would be like if I’d had a place of my own.”

“Ronan, if I had the money to make it happen—and I do have a decent savings, but I also need to buy a house—I'd be all in with you,” Max said confidently. “You know more about running a business than I do, and honestly, I want to keep my day job, if you know what I mean.” Now it was his turn to sigh. “Unfortunately, I don’t even know how much we’d need to get started. For all the times I thought about doing this, I never did the research into what it would take to make it a reality.”

“You know, you could…” Billie was saying before someone’s phone rang. “That’s mine. Excuse me a moment.” She got up and grabbed her phone from the countertop as she walked out of the kitchen.

Marcus watched her go before looking back at everyone. “You’d need startup capital for a bar,” he stated. “A great location, contractors, a business plan, and investors.”

Frowning, Max asked, “Wait, are you seriously answering the question or are you trying to discourage us? Because I honestly can’t tell.”

His brother mimicked his expression. “I was seriously answering it. I think something like this could be a great addition to the town and if you’re all interested, then there’s probably a lot of people who would be as well. You’d probably do better at finding space in a building with other retail space rather than a free-standing building—at least from a financial standpoint—and there are still plenty of spaces available downtown. We’d just have to see if any of them are zoned for this kind of business.”

“That’s all fine and well,” Max countered, “but it’s kind of a moot point. I don’t have the startup capital, and I certainly don’t know any investors.”

“Maybe you do,” Marcus replied with a grin. “I might be interested in doing this with you.” Pausing, he shrugged. “It would be a way of investing in the town—like my wife is prone to do—and I’d be doing this with you. I trust you.” Then he looked over at Ronan. “And my father-in-law, I mean, we can make it a real family venture. It doesn’t have to be a Donovans Pub, but it can certainly be something like it, right?”

Ronan seemed a bit stunned and simply nodded. When Billie walked back into the room, she was all smiles.

“Who was on the phone?” Marcus asked.

Billie’s smile was part smirk and part giddiness. “You’re not going to believe it, but that was my cousin Hailey on the phone.”

Max knew his eyes went a little wide and it was crazy how curious he was to know exactly why she had called.

“Is everything okay?” Marcus asked.

“Actually, everything’s great. She wanted to congratulate us on the pregnancy and to see how I was feeling.”

“That was very nice of her.”

“It was, wasn’t it?” Billie said, her smile turning a bit devious as she looked directly at Max. “But the main reason she was calling was to ask if she could come and visit.”

Now his eyes went comically wide, and his heart raced a bit.

“I hope you told her she’s always welcome,” his brother replied, but Max could feel him looking at him as he said it.

Great. All eyes on me. Awesome.

“Oh, I did. She’s flying up on Wednesday and I told her she could stay here, so…I hope that’s okay with everyone.”

It was too much—all the staring and smirking! “Just say what you’re all thinking,” he snapped.

“What?” Billie asked innocently. “I’m just saying what Hailey and I discussed. Why? What do you think I’m thinking?”

Frowning, he said, “I think you’re waiting for me to react, so here it is. I’m actually happy that Hailey’s coming to visit. I had planned on texting her today. I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to reach out and realized I was overthinking it. Did she say why she was flying up? Is she okay?”

Shrugging, Billie sat back down. “She didn’t say anything was wrong. All she said was she felt the need to get away and this was the first place she thought of. The weekend of our wedding, she mentioned that she was considering moving out of Florida.”

“Didn’t she also mention that to Chloe and Tanner when she saw them on their way to their honeymoon?”

“I think she did,” Billie agreed before looking at Max again. “Since we all know what happened between the two of you, I guess I want to make sure that you’re not going to feel awkward with her coming and staying here. If you are, I can ask if she can stay with either of my sisters. I wouldn’t ask Levi and Jade because they’ve got their hands full with their boys.”

“You don’t have to ask anyone anything,” Max assured her. “It’s not like Hailey and I ended on bad terms. Logistics just weren’t on our side, that’s all.” Pausing, he took a sip of his coffee. “Did she mention how long she was going to stay?”

“No, but I told her she could stay as long as she liked. This house is too big for just the two of us, so it will be nice to have someone getting some use out of one of the guest rooms.”

“We really need to talk about which one we want to use for the nursery,” Marcus said. “I know it’s too soon, but I’d rather designate it as such and maybe let Hailey use one of the other rooms.”

“The largest room upstairs already has an en suite. We always knew that room was going to be our main guest room, so…”

At that point, Max tuned them out.

His brother was interested in investing in a bar with him.

And Hailey was coming back to Sweetbriar Ridge.

It suddenly felt like his life was about to become a whirlwind of the best kind of chaos—like everything was potentially falling into place. And the only surprise was how nothing else could surprise him. Every plot twist he could imagine had already happened.

It’s all upward from here!

It was mid-afternoon before Max was back up in his apartment, and he knew he needed to reach out to Hailey. Now that he knew she was coming to visit, he was curious if maybe he was part of the reason for her visit.

Max: Hey, Hailey! It’s Max. How are you?

“Ugh…that was so lame. Why didn’t I say something charming or at least less generic?”

Max: I hear you’re coming to visit this week. I would love to see you again.

“Okay, that was slightly less generic,” he murmured, and hoped she’d respond so he could figure out what to say next.

It took about fifteen minutes, but she did.

Hailey: Hey, Max! I’m fine and hope you are too.

Hailey: Yes, I’m flying up on Wednesday and I was hoping we’d get to see each other.

“Yes!”

Max: Can I pick you up from the airport? I work from home and am my own boss, so I can totally take the time off to come and get you.

Hailey: That’s very sweet of you to offer, but I’ve already made arrangements.

Hailey: I’ll call you when I get into town and get settled.

He realized she probably didn’t know that he essentially lived with Marcus and Billie, but thought it could be a pleasant surprise when she got here.

Max: I’m looking forward to it.

Max: Have a safe trip and I’ll talk to you soon

Hailey: Thanks, Max. I look forward to talking to you.

And that was it.

It wasn’t the most exciting conversation, and it was a far cry from the sexy banter they’d shared the weekend they met, but it was probably because they were both a little nervous.

Either way, he knew he’d make up for it once she got here. Then he could take her out on a proper date and spend some time getting to know her and do all the things he should have done a month ago.

Now that he knew she was coming to visit and she was open to seeing him, he had hope that they could possibly give the long-distance thing a try.

Leaning back against the sofa cushions, he couldn’t help but smile. So many things were just falling into place and life was beyond good.

“And it’s about to get a lot better.”