20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
The moment Hailey avoids eye contact with everyone and rushes inside, I know she’s barely holding it together.
Her shoulders are tense, and the way she moves―hurried and purposeful―screams that she’s on the verge of breaking.
I turn to Jasmine, keeping my voice low so the others won’t hear. It’s weird enough as it is. “Cut the party short.”
She doesn’t argue. Jasmine’s sharper than most people give her credit for, and she can read the room better than anyone. The mood has shifted, and everyone can feel it.
“Yeah,” she says softly, already turning toward the others to wrap things up.
I follow Hailey, finding her on the balcony. She’s gripping the banister tightly, her knuckles pale under the cold light. The wind tugs at her hair as she sniffs quietly, her head bowed.
For a second, I hesitate, my heart aching as I watch her shoulders shake. Even in this moment, she’s trying to hold it all in, but I can see her breaking under the weight.
More than anything, I’m angry at her family for doing this to her. I had been planning this day for Hailey and Leo for a while now. I put my everything to it, poured my heart out into it because I was doing it for the woman I love. Only for her family to ruin it.
They’re the most self-centered people I’ve ever seen and they don’t deserve Hailey in their lives. She doesn’t deserve this―not on her birthday. Not now. Not ever.
And I’m glad she’s finally put an end to it.
I step closer to her, my voice steady but full of warmth, as I gently place my hands on her shoulders. “Hailey.” She shivers under my touch, her body trembling like she’s holding the weight of the world. “You did something incredibly brave today.”
She sniffs harder, a harsh, breathless laughter escaping her lips. “It doesn’t feel brave. It makes me feel like shit.” Her voice cracks, raw with emotion.
I gently turn her around to face me, the wind sifting through her hair, tossing strands into her face.
She refuses to meet my eyes, her gaze fixed somewhere over my shoulder.
Carefully, I tuck her hair behind her eyes, my fingers brushing her chilled skin, and tip her chin up so she has no choice but to look at me.
Reluctantly, her tear-brimmed eyes meet mine, shining like crystals caught in a storm of blue.
“Standing up to them like that,” I say quietly, “takes more strength than most people will ever know. You fought for yourself, Hailey. That’s bravery. That’s courage.”
Her bottom lip trembles, and a tear spills over, sliding down her cheek. “Then why does it feel like I’ve just lost everything?” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I mean, sure, they weren’t the best people. But I feel like shit now that I cut them off.”
“Because you walked away from something that hurt you, even if it felt familiar.” I pause, my thumbs brushing her cheeks to catch the tears before they fall.
“But what you did―standing your ground, choosing yourself―it’s the first step to finding the life and happiness you deserve. And you deserve better, Hailey.”
She closes her eyes for a moment, more tears escaping as a soft sob escapes her lips. When she opens them again, there’s a flicker of something―hope, maybe―breaking through the storm.
I let my hand slide down her arm until our fingers entwine. “You’re not alone in this. I’m here, Hailey, and I love you. Always.”
Her lips part, as if she wants to say something, but instead, she steps closer, her hands gripping the fabric of my shirt. Before I can react, her lips fully claim mine, soft but urgent, like she’s trying to pour everything she’s feeling―her pain, her gratitude, her longing―into the kiss.
The world fades for a moment. It’s just her and me, the cold wind biting at our skin, her tears still fresh against her cheeks. I pull her closer, my hands sliding up to cradle her face as I deepen the kiss, trying to tell her without words that I’m here, that she’s not as alone as she feels.
One of her hands slides up my chest and neck, her touch igniting a fire beneath my skin, before trailing along my ear and slipping into the roots of my hair.
My hand follows the curve of her spine, tracing ever dip and rise as though memorizing her by touch.
She trembles against me, a soft whimper spilling from her lips, and my fingers dig into her hips, anchoring her to me, pressing her so close it feels as if I could dissolve into her entirely―like I could live in her skin and never want for anything else.
When my tongue meets hers, the faint taste of cola lingers, sweet and intoxicating.
She moans, low and soft, the sound vibrating at the back of her throat and unraveling something primal inside me.
Her fingers tug at my hair, curling around the back of my head as she melts into me, surrendering herself completely, as if this moment is the only thing keeping us grounded.
The sound of the balcony door creaking open snaps us both back to reality. We break apart, breathless, and I glance over to see Jasmine standing there, her eyes a mix of confusion, hurt and annoyance.
“Oh, wow,” she says, her tone thick with disbelief. “I guess you do have every reason to be comfortable around each other.”
Hailey steps forward first. “Jas―”
“How long has this been going on?” she asks, her voice quiet but cutting. “And when exactly were either of you planning to tell me?”
Hailey shakes her head, her face scrunched up in a grimace. “Jas, I didn’t want to hurt you―”
“But you did,” Jasmine interrupts, her gaze snapping to me. “Do you know how messed up this is? You’re my brother and she’s my best friend. Was I just supposed to be okay with you two sneaking around behind my back?”
“We weren’t sneaking around,” Hailey says before I can respond, her voice tinged with guilt that only annoys me further. “Jas―”
“I’ve got this, Hailey,” I tell her, my tone calm but firm, silently urging her to step back. “You should go inside. Leo’s probably getting sleepy by now.”
Hailey hesitates, then swallows hard. She gives a reluctant nod before walking past Jasmine and heading inside, her shoulders slumped in resignation.
I turn my full attention to my sister. “Will you fucking stop overreacting?”
Jasmine blinks, taken aback by my bluntness. She scoffs, clearly furious. “Excuse me?”
“I get why you’re upset,” I continue, trying to keep my frustration in check. “But Hailey and I are both adults. We’re allowed to make our own decisions. We didn’t do anything behind your back―just because you didn’t know doesn’t make it a betrayal.”
Jasmine looks at me, stunned, and for a moment, I can see the hurt in her eyes, the confusion. Then, as if weighing my words, her expression softens just slightly, but only for a second.
“Well, what’s going on then?” she asks, her eyes narrowing. “How serious is this? Is this just some fling? Because if it is, Hailey doesn’t deserve to be another one of your impulsive decisions.”
My jaw tightens. “It’s not a fling, Jasmine,” I say evenly. “This is real. I care about Hailey. More than you could ever know.”
Jasmine exhales, her frustration and hurt still evident, but something in my tone makes her pause.
“You care about her?” she repeats, her voice softer now but laced with doubt.
“Because Hailey’s been through enough, Matthew.
If you’re not serious about this, if you’re just going to mess with her head―”
“I’m serious,” I cut in, my tone firm. “I know what this looks like, and maybe I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner. But this isn’t just some fling to me.”
She starts to speak again, but I don’t let her.
“And I’m not asking you to just accept this,” I say, my voice gentle now. “But I’m asking you to trust me. I’m in love with Hailey and I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life before than my feelings for her. I’m not going to let anyone or anything get in the way of that.”
The words hang in the air for a long beat, and the weight of them hits Jasmine hard. She opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I can see the shock in her raised brows and parted lips.
Then, after a long pause, I add, “And you know what? If you want to help, then convince Hailey to let me help her with the custody case. She’s going to need all the support she can get even though she’s still in denial.”
Jasmine’s eyes widen at the unexpected shift, and for a moment, I can see the gears turning in her head as she processes everything. Finally, she takes a breath and nods slowly. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” I say, relieved that we’re making some progress, even if it’s small. “Because she’s not going to fight Ethan on her own. And neither am I.”
“I’ve never seen you this passionate about something that isn’t football,” Jasmine says slowly. She steps closer to me, pressing her lips into a thin line as she sizes me up. “You’d better not screw this up, Matt. From the look on her face when I walked in, I can tell she’s in love with you too.”
I let out a breath, my gaze steady as I meet her eyes. “I won’t.”
She watches me for a moment, assessing my sincerity. Then, her expression softens just a fraction. “I hope you don’t. For both your sakes.”
I nod, grateful for her understanding, though the weight of her words settles heavy in my chest. Then, her voice takes a different tone.
“By the way… Mom and Dad have been asking about you. They saw the news of the engagement, and they’re waiting for you to respond.
They’ve been pushing for an explanation, but you’ve been avoiding them. ”
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “It was easy to avoid them because I wasn’t ready. It was a charade, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to take them down that lane. But now… now it’s real. I’m ready to let them know. Hailey is my dream woman. I’m not hiding that anymore.”
Jasmine studies me, her gaze a little more thoughtful now. “I hope you mean that. Because when you tell them, there’s no going back.”
“I know,” I say, my voice firm. “But I’m not going back. Not this time.”