Chapter 25
HAYES
Iabsently peel the label off my beer bottle as I lounge on the new couch in Julian and Savannah’s weekend home in Everhope.
Tonight is supposed to be a guys' night with Foster, Easton, and Julian, but it’s clear this has turned into our impromptu support group.
Savannah has gone to dinner with Sutton, and I assume they’ve both already visited Elodie today.
“She has no idea you’re in Everhope right now?” Easton comments more than he asks.
Faintly, I shake my head side to side. “I want to give her space.”
Foster, sitting next to me, bumps my arm. "And wanted to be close, so you pushed for Everhope as our hangout spot tonight," he says, calling me out.
Easton raises his bottle. “Hey, great move. There is a wholesomeness to the women out here that just grabs ya.”
“Is that why you’re volunteering to go to the store and pick up more beer?” Julian suggests.
Easton is fun, sometimes goofy, and we know underneath it all that there has got to be some piece of him that will surprise us all. But until that’s unveiled, then serious conversations not business-related with him are not his forte.
He’s already standing and pulling his car fob out of his pocket. “Yep, I’m going. I can take a hint. Enjoy whatever the hell you are going to say to this guy.” He hikes his thumb at me.
When he’s out of the room, the guys turn quiet. We’re all waiting for another one of us to talk, and when it doesn’t happen, I growl, frustrated, and begin. “It was a fucking mistake.”
“Oh, that is clear. I heard you yelling at the lawyer on the phone before our 9 o’clock meeting this morning,” Julian states.
“I’m confident we’ll be okay, but this is hard. I’m giving her space and hoping she solves whatever is bothering her.”
“Solid approach,” Foster supports.
Briefly, I look around my surroundings and notice how Julian and Savannah, who have only been together for not even a year, have made this place their weekend oasis. The living room feels as though they’ve made this their home, even if they’re not here too often.
“You’re happy with your weekend investment?” I wonder.
Julian instantly breaks out in a grin. “Yeah, Everhope grows on you. Nice to be away from the grind of the city, and the charm of the town grew on me fast. Why? Thinking of buying something?”
“Nah, I mean, unless Elodie wants to, then I would for her. But I think her parents would lose it if we came to Everhope for the weekend and their grandchild was staying somewhere else.”
The room fills with the sound of a cap popping off a bottle as Foster opens the whiskey. “I’ll have to explore this town tomorrow. Thanks for letting us crash here.”
Julian chuckles as he throws his feet up on the coffee table. “We have like four extra bedrooms.”
Foster slides three tumblers on the table and begins to pour, glancing at me as a form of question.
“Go on. Beer seems too subdued for my mood, anyhow.”
Foster pours a decent amount and hands me the glass. “Remember when we were in college, and you both said that you would never be the type of guy who fights for a woman? Well, look at you two now.” Foster lifts his glass to toast.
I chuff a sad laugh. “Well, now I’m the guy who accidentally has to argue over custody papers that I don’t need.”
“But… should things really not work out between you both on a romantic level, would you need them? Playing devil’s advocate here,” Julian challenges.
A pit in my stomach sinks because it’s natural for the thought to cross my mind.
“Elodie thinks I’m holding it over her head to strong-arm her.
That’s the scary part. I’m not sure she believes that or was just caught in the moment.
I don’t have a reason to need them, we could be solid co-parents.
” The thought causes me to take a long sip of my drink.
“But it’s not going to fucking happen. We’re only going one way.
” My words come out sharp. “Me and her together. This isn’t about Lola, it’s about us.
If we had actually exchanged our real names on that island, then we would still be together.
I think Lola is the easiest part of this all. We both want the best for her.”
Foster winces. “Even if being better means not staying together or slowing things down?” He’s pressing me hard tonight.
One look at Julian, and he shrugs at me that our friend might have a point.
“Like I said, Elodie and I are endgame,” I reiterate to the room.
“Geez, you are as stubborn as a fucking mule. We’re just trying to get you to see all angles because we’re not too convinced that you do,” Foster defends.
“I briefly did, and I’m sure only one direction is needed.
” My voice rises an octave from the frustration of this conversation.
I calm down for a second, but the annoyance still runs strong.
“One day you will be in my fucking shoes, Foster. Minus the secret-kid part, but even so, you’ll consider yourself lucky. ”
He grows silent, and Julian awkwardly moves his mouth as he stares down into his glass. It’s a stiff silence until he plasters on a bright smile. “I believe we are supposed to watch a hockey game. They’re on the road, otherwise we would have had box seats.”
I rub my eyes, wanting with everything inside of me to push the last day to the side.
For now, all I can do is pretend to watch a game.
Locking my car with one click of the button, I wait as Foster gets out of his own car, which he parked next to me on this chilly morning. We’ll be going our separate ways after this. It’s cloudy out, cold but tolerable, and the parking lot next to Main Street only has a few spots left.
“I’ll show you around, but as soon as I see her, I’m abandoning you,” I remind him.
He grins as he closes his car door. “I’m very aware.” Then he clicks his key fob as we both walk away from our cars.
“You’re very confident that Elodie is around here. Couldn’t you just text her?”
“I’m supposed to be giving her space, but that doesn’t mean an accidental run-in can’t happen. Plus, I’m ready to ask to talk, and if Lola is at her grandparents' and Elodie isn’t in a great mood, then there is a strong chance that she’s at the coffee shop, Foxy Rox.”
The moment we walk onto Main Street, we see an older couple slowly walking into the post office that has a giant wreath on the door. He has a cane, and she’s holding his arm steady, and they both smile as they greet a woman holding the door open for them.
Foster nudges my arm. “That could be you with Elodie one day.”
“I should be so lucky.”
He continues to survey the town curiously. “Point me in the direction of a boutique shop or something. It’s my neighbor’s birthday, the big seven zero. She lives a few floors down but always leaves me a tin of baked cookies at reception. Not quite sure why, but I like cookies.”
“There are a few places, I guess.”
I’m not moving slowly as I focus on the sidewalk, as I still have two blocks until Foxy Rox, but I stop when I feel Foster touch my arm to stop me. “We know her, no?”
I look up and see Sutton, who recently started at the office, slow her approach, and we do the same. I joined her and Elodie for a coffee the other week, and my impression was she has a laidback calm approach to life.
“Hey, Hayes,” she preambles with sympathy.
“Hi, Sutton,” I greet her, scratching my cheek. “You know Foster by now, I guess.”
They catch one another’s gaze, and I notice the way he displays his best suave grin, and her wry smile seems to challenge his cocky approach.
“I believe we’ve seen one another in the elevator, wasn't it?” She tilts her head slightly to the side.
“The newbie in legal, right?”
I roll my eyes and cross my arms, not patient enough to watch whatever is unfolding. I don't try to be a good friend or keep this meeting pleasant.
“I’m going to assume I’m going to find Elodie where I think I will?” I check with Sutton.
Her attention drifts back to me, and she sinks into the real situation. “I may be pleading the fifth on this.”
My facial expression might show how unimpressed I am with her approach.
“Don’t do that.” She sulks and drops her shoulders. “Turn broody and ridiculously over the top, maybe borderline deranged on the tenacious scale.”
“And?” I simply reply.
She takes a beat to study me before she grumbles with herself.
“Gah, okay, fine. Elodie has perhaps calmed since yesterday. I’m not sure how it was last night when she was with her parents, so perhaps stay clear of her dad for a while,” she attempts to joke.
“But this morning, I saw her while Lola was with her grandparents at the donut festival. Elodie wanted to skip that. A shame, as they are criminally good.”
I raise my brows, giving her the sign that she needs to shorten her answers.
Sutton presses her lips together, takes a deep breath, and then gives me a comforting look. “Yeah, you know where to find her. No need to ask.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and exhale a large breath. Partly from nerves, a little from not needing to search too long, and a major part relief that I know Elodie so well now. I also feel her, as though I’m telepathically experiencing her hollow stomach and mixed emotions swirling in her chest.
“I’m sure you can show Foster where to go.”
“Yeah, sure.”
They both look at me, and I nod goodbye.
You would think that I would run down the street to Elodie.
Instead, I slowly pace, each step feeling heavier than the last.
Because Elodie is honest, she’s love, she’s everything I want.
And for once, I learned not to rush to get what I want; it requires delicate maneuvering because it’s so perfect it could break.