TWENTY-SEVEN
EACH DAY WITH MADDIE OUTSHONE HEAVEN. Life began to feel like a miracle to Hayley, filled with bright, blinding joy. The knot that had lain heavy in her chest for months unraveled to make space for it all. She still had trouble believing it at times.
She had managed to reclaim the woman she had fallen so fiercely in love with, and Maddie was now, in every sense, hers. Hayley had never in her life experienced happiness that felt so permanent.
After three blissful days spent keeping Maddie close—and all to herself—Hayley suggested they go on a long-overdue date. She chose Musso and Frank’s, a Hollywood favorite that also happened to be Maddie’s favorite.
With their shoulders touching in the red, half-moon leather booth, Hayley began softly, “I reached out to a friend of mine, a realtor in LA, to help me start looking for a place out here.”
Maddie wore a tight, pinched expression.
“Or not,” Hayley rushed, backtracking. “We could do long-distance for a while, see how it goes. No pressure. I don’t want you to feel like I showed up to your front door with a U-Haul,” Hayley blurted, laughing awkwardly.
Note to self—cancel the U-Haul truck.
There was a moment of silence before Maddie’s bright laugh cut through Hayley’s spiral. “Seriously? You think that I would want to do long-distance?”
Hayley frowned. “What’s wrong, then?”
“I’ve been thinking, and well, LA hasn’t really felt the same for me since Caitlin left. I’ve also never lived anywhere else but here. Both of our best friends are in New York, and I thought, if they can fly back and forth for work, then I don’t see why I couldn’t do the same.”
Hayley cautiously scanned her face. “Maddie, what are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying… that you were a very convincing tour guide,” Maddie finished with a wink. She slid her hand into Hayley’s, intertwining their fingers. “And I would love to see more of New York—maybe even the entire East Coast—with you.”
Hayley leaned in and kissed her, tears welling behind her eyes.
——
By the end of the following week, Maddie’s house had been put up for sale.
Hayley stayed by her side throughout the entire process, ensuring that every step went as smoothly as possible.
Leaving LA was already going to be hard enough for Maddie.
Hayley told herself she was sticking close to make sure that Maddie got every dollar the modern charm of her California home deserved.
The truth was a lot simpler—she just couldn’t stand to be apart, even for a moment.
Once the house had gone into escrow, they had a moving team load up Maddie’s belongings and begin the long cross-country drive to New York.
On their final night in LA, Hayley found herself getting ready to share a home-cooked meal with Maddie’s parents.
Obsessed with making the perfect first impression, Hayley spent the entire day buzzing with nervous energy. She had already spilled coffee all over herself that morning, and as dinner drew closer, she changed her outfit at least four times.
She began to pace the length of the room with growing panic until Maddie gently grabbed her by the forearms to still her.
“I love you, Hayley,” Maddie whispered, locking eyes with her. “And that means my parents will love you just as much.” She gave her a reassuring kiss before stepping back.
Hayley took a deep breath, wiped her clammy hands down her slacks, and headed out the door.
The night admittedly started a little rocky.
Hayley had never so much as batted an eye when dealing with even the most wealthy and powerful clients, yet sitting across from the people that had raised her girlfriend—the word still felt foreign on her tongue—left Hayley’s hands trembling and her heart racing.
Within thirty seconds of meeting them, Hayley kicked herself for not asking Maddie if she had told them about her, specifically the part when she had broken their daughter’s heart a few weeks ago. But then Maddie laced her fingers through Hayley’s under the table, and her worry eased.
She eventually settled into the comfort of the evening, actually beginning to enjoy the questions from Maddie’s parents about her family and the brokerage. Her previous anxiety completely melted away as laughter filled the dining room, mingling with the steady clink of wine glasses.
After the plates were cleared, Maddie’s mom brought out a stack of heavy, worn photo albums. She dropped them onto the table, flipping through faded snapshots of Maddie as a chubby-cheeked baby all the way through her middle school years.
Pausing on a page about halfway through the book, Hayley stared down at a glossy picture of a little girl with bright blonde hair and even brighter blue eyes, balanced precariously on a bicycle with training wheels. She felt a familiar warmth bloom in her chest.
For years, her walls had been so high that she hadn’t allowed herself to imagine ever having children.
That life had felt like a distant fantasy that could only ever belong to someone else.
But as she lifted her gaze from little Maddie’s beaming, joyful smile to the woman now sitting beside her, something shifted.
Hayley reached out, gently weaving her fingers through Maddie’s as a quiet, astonishing truth settled in—she wanted so much more than just a shared future with Maddie, she wanted to build a family.
When the night finally wound down, Hayley pulled Maddie’s parents into a tight, genuine embrace. She promised that she and Maddie would fly back to visit often, and emphasized that their own door in New York would always be wide open for them.
Once they got back to Caitlin and Gemma’s house, she and Maddie made their way to the guest bedroom. Their friends had been more than willing to let them stay there while Maddie’s house had been packed up.
Before they had even changed into their pajamas for the night, Hayley wrapped her arms around Maddie’s waist and drew her close. “Do you think we should have kids?”
Maddie’s eyes widened in surprise. “You are truly a wonder, Hayley Maddox.” She started to laugh.
Hayley gently kissed Maddie’s lips, smiling. “I’d never even thought about it before, but seeing those pictures of you as a kid made me really want a mini Maddie.”
Maddie’s face beamed, her hands curling around Hayley’s neck. “Well, I want a feisty little Hayley. Can you imagine—she’ll be checking the market from the day she can read. Or he. Oh God, you as a boy? Watch out, world.”
They both fell backward onto the bed in laughter, their future feeling limitless.
In the quiet darkness of a reality that Hayley was still half-convinced was a dream, she made love to Maddie.
There was no rush, no need for control, and no reason to ever stop.
Hayley simply took her time, peeling away each layer of fabric between herself and the woman she would spend the rest of her life with, then worshiped her.
Maddie eased back against the mattress, and instead of climbing on top of her, Hayley guided her onto her side and settled into place behind her. She curled an arm around Maddie’s waist and pulled until her back was flush against Hayley’s chest.
She slowly trailed her fingers down Maddie’s torso until they were settled between her legs. Hayley was uncharacteristically gentle, rubbing soft circles over Maddie’s clit and teasing her entrance, while her other hand soothingly stroked Maddie’s hair.
Maddie turned her head to kiss Hayley, then smiled coyly. “This is nice, but please don’t ever stop being you.”
Hayley grinned and slid deep inside her.
Maddie gasped, throwing an arm over her head to dig her nails into Hayley’s hair.
Hayley had intended to hold Maddie close that night, tenderly, to reinforce to her that she would never hurt her again. But when a low moan slipped from Maddie’s lips, Hayley understood that her girlfriend wasn’t interested in a delicate touch.
Hayley bit down on Maddie’s collarbone, sucking hard, as her fingers moved faster, curling inside her. Within minutes, Maddie shattered against her, unraveling completely in Hayley’s embrace.
WHEN MADDIE’S FIRST WINTER ON THE East Coast arrived, Hayley went out and bought her a heavy jacket, gloves, and scarf, insisting that they keep up with the morning walks they had recently turned into a routine.
Hayley’s alarm was no longer set for four a.m. While she still made sure her suits were steamed and ready each night, her early hours looked entirely different now.
She slept in, holding her girlfriend close until six-thirty before finally slipping out of bed.
She would brew a fresh pot of coffee, then take a cup straight to Maddie’s bedside before waking her with a soft kiss.
Then they would go for a brisk stroll together, returning home just in time for Hayley to whip up breakfast before she would begrudgingly leave for work.
Stepping back from being the first person in the office each day was a welcome change for her.
For the first time ever, Hayley saw her life as more than her career, and she found herself itching to get home to Maddie any time she sat down at her desk.
She still managed to run the number-one-selling brokerage in the city—excellence was simply what she did best—but she had finally found a healthy balance, even embracing the quiet of working from home on some days.
——
On Thanksgiving Day, surrounded by loved ones at the Quinn-Stone household, Hayley felt a new warmth swell in her chest. Her dad was there, along with his girlfriend Alice and her children.
Jonathan had come, too. Gemma’s parents had driven up from Pennsylvania, and even Maddie’s family had flown out from LA. The house was full and vibrant—alive.
It was the first time Hayley’s family had truly celebrated a holiday since her mother’s passing.
For years, those days had been quiet and muted, just the three of them ordering take-out and losing themselves in whatever was on TV.
They’d rarely speak of her mom, each of them keeping her memory safely tucked away, afraid that sharing it might reopen wounds rather than bring comfort.
But discovering the letters had changed everything for Hayley. Now she found peace in keeping her mother’s spirit alive by weaving stories into her daily conversations with Maddie.
Sunday dinners with her dad and brother had returned, transforming into evenings where they finally shared precious memories they’d once avoided, honoring the woman who had bound them all together.
After a few weeks alone, just the three of them, they had begun inviting guests.
Alice and her children joined, Maddie was by her side, and Jonathan had a revolving door of women each week.
They let the tradition grow into something new.
In moments like this—seated around the crowded table for the holiday, surrounded by loved ones—the missing presence of her mom still washed over her unexpectedly.
Yet beneath the grief, a quiet certainty now anchored Hayley.
Reflected in the light that shone from Maddie’s eyes, Hayley had begun to believe that her mom had never really left at all.
It was entirely her mother’s doing, after all, all of this. She had given Hayley the courage to get Maddie back. Otherwise, Hayley would not be sitting there that day or any day with the smile that now resided permanently on her face.
Her mom wasn’t gone. She was her North Star, always guiding her, watching over her, and reminding her of what truly mattered.
——
When Christmastime came, Hayley and Maddie chose to shut out the rest of the world and spend the holiday wrapped only in each other’s company.
Their apartment glowed with the warm twinkle of a freshly decorated tree as they exchanged gifts between sips of crisp martinis and neat scotch.
Maddie claimed the remote for the day, forcing Hayley through a marathon of holiday romance movies while flour dusted the kitchen counters.
Their attempt at baking had quickly devolved into chaos and laughter when Maddie dabbed a bit of sticky cookie dough on Hayley’s cheek, then leaned in to slowly lick it off.
All thoughts of baking vanished instantly.
Hayley scooped her girlfriend into her arms and carried her straight to their bedroom, leaving behind a messy trail of sugar and chocolate chips in their wake.
It was one of the most magical winter seasons Hayley had ever known, full of the kind of love she once believed only belonged to other people.
As the year settled into its final hush, she realized that instead of walls, she had begun to build a life, one that her mother would have been proud of.
With Maddie’s hand in hers, Hayley walked confidently into the unknown, certain only that the best parts were still ahead of them.