Chapter 33
“Do not scratch the boss’s car.”
“Do not crash the boss’s car.”
“Park far away from all the other vehicles.”
Haylee strained to see over the hood of Febe’s black BMW as she parked as far as possible from anyone. Which wasn’t all that possible. If she fucked up Febe’s car, she would be so screwed when she got back.
Sighing, she checked her phone and saw two flights listed along with times for their arrivals. She’d managed to check at a few stoplights, and they were arriving on time and within ten minutes of each other. She snagged the paper she’d printed right before leaving and headed inside.
Haylee stood awkwardly as people arrived in baggage claim, holding the sign up for these strangers. Thank God Febe kept her car clean, because she couldn’t imagine having to pick strangers up without warning in her car. Which stood to reason, why was she doing this? Couldn’t they get a ride share like normal people?
“Are you Haylee?” The young man standing in front of her didn’t look like he was there for business. He had on jeans with a dark stain over his right thigh, a plaid shirt that was tucked into his pants, and a massive belt buckle just over his crotch.
Haylee immediately lifted her gaze to his face, her jaw clenched tightly. “Um…yes?”
“Oh good. I was worried I wouldn’t know who you were. I don’t travel much.” He rubbed his palms over his sides, as if he couldn’t stop the nerves.
Pinching her face, Haylee looked him over. He definitely wasn’t here for a conference about business and therapy. His face was rounded, his body lean as though he spent hours working with his hands, and his strawberry red hair—oh. “You’re Cherish’s brother.”
“Stuart Barkley, ma’am.” He put out his hand for her to shake.
Haylee dropped the sign to her side and clasped his fingers. Why was she picking up Stuart? What the hell was Febe up to? Biting her tongue so she didn’t say anything stupid, Haylee waited to see if he would enlighten her.
“I should probably get my bag.” He had a sweet little drawl that couldn’t quite be labeled as southern but had a definite twang to it.
“Right.” Haylee followed him toward the baggage claim and crossed her arms, staring as luggage went by on the belt. But the longer she waited, the less patience she had. “I’m sorry, but what’re you doing here? I know Cherish invited you to the gala, but you weren’t able to make it. So why now?”
Stuart sent her a brilliant smile, his face lighting up in a way Haylee envied. The last few weeks had been torture with Cherish, and yet this man seemed to embody all the joy that Cherish denied herself. “I hear you’ve been having some problems with my sister.”
“I… what?” Haylee frowned.
“Hold on, this is mine.” Stuart grabbed his bag and then put his hand on the small of Haylee’s back. “Let’s find somewhere to sit down for a minute.”
“Well, I’m here to pick up someone else, too.” Haylee pointed back to where she’d found him. “I should probably wait over there.”
“Sure.” Stuart guided her in that direction, and they found a place to stand. He put his bag on the ground and shoved his hands into his pockets, rolling up onto his toes, and staying absolutely silent.
Well, now this just got awkward.
Normally Haylee would whip out her phone and text Cherish, but something had been off in the office when she left, and she and Cherish still weren’t on the best of terms. Maybe that was it. With the shot in her system and the bad migraines, had Cherish been told not to drive and Febe had sent Haylee on this errand?
“Are you here because Cherish has been so sick lately?” Haylee rolled her shoulders, looking up into Stuart’s blue eyes, eyes that were the exact same color as Cherish’s.
“She’s been sick?” Concern filled his features.
“With the migraines?” Haylee said it like a question, not quite sure if she was supposed to share this information or not. Cherish was an extremely private person. She might not have told him.
“Oh! Those. No. Cherry’s always had bad migraines, ever since she was a kid.” He rocked back on his heels. “Here he is.”
Haylee jerked her chin up, confused. But when she turned to look in the direction that Stuart was looking, she melted. Squealing loudly, Haylee dropped the paper in her hand and ran full force into her brother’s arms. She jumped up, and he caught her, and she hugged him tight.
Fuck, she’d needed him.
When he let her go and her feet were back on the floor, Haylee punched him in the shoulder hard. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I see Stuart hasn’t spilled the beans yet.” Jackson looked over Haylee’s shoulder to the man behind her, stepping around her and holding out his hand. “Good to meet you in person, man. Finally.”
“Yes, sir.” They gave a familiar handshake before stepping back.
“I’ve got my bag here, so we can go.”
“Go?” Haylee interrupted, her eyes wide. “Where the hell are we going? What’s going on?”
Jackson grinned. “Oh, baby sisters can never handle pranks, can they?”
Stuart snorted with a laugh. “Never.”
Jackson wrapped his arm around Haylee’s shoulder and dragged her into his side in a half hug. “Let’s go get lunch. I’m hungry, aren’t you?”
“Wait a damn minute!” Haylee put a hand on Jackson’s chest and pushed him back so she could look him directly in the eye. “What are you two doing here?”
“Lunch, Haylee.” Jackson started walking out. “We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
Haylee was half tempted to take them to McDonald’s instead of a sit-down place. She kind of wanted to be an ass for not getting answers when she asked for them.
“Just give it a few more minutes until we sit down and eat. I haven’t eaten all day,” Jackson said softer. “Nothing bad is happening. I promise. It’s all good.”
Haylee gave in because she didn’t feel as though she had another choice. She needed to know what the hell the two of them, of all people, were doing there. The car ride was stilted. Jackson and Stuart talked back and forth, catching up as if they were old friends, and Haylee guided them through traffic, no longer worried about denting Febe’s car.
As soon as they were seated in the restaurant, Haylee pinned Jackson with a firm look. “Talk. Now. My patience—what little I have—is gone.”
Jackson sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair. “We’re here to tell you that you’re an idiot.”
Stuart slid Jackson a sharp look. “I think there’s a nicer way to say that.”
“How would you say it to Cherish?” Jackson challenged him.
“That she needed to get out of her own head and listen to her heart.”
“Fine.” Jackson pointed to Stuart with his thumb. “Do that, but also, you’re an idiot.”
“Hey now!” Haylee glared and crossed her arms. “I think I like him better.” She winked at Stuart. “I probably am an idiot, but can we start at the beginning?”
“What beginning?” Stuart asked.
“I think she means what we’re doing here, how we ended up here, and why we know each other,” Jackson supplied.
“Yes. Start there!” Haylee pointed at Jackson. “You, shut up. He’s giving more answers than you are right now.” She focused on Stuart. “How do you two know each other?”
“I’ll give you one guess.”
“Febe.” Haylee sighed. Then she rubbed her hands over her face. “What did she tell you two?”
“Febe set up a video call with the three of us to sort out some of the issues you and Cherish were having. And through that call, we decided that the two of us better come out here and set you two straight,” Stuart offered.
“Set us straight,” Haylee repeated. She was pretty sure that was the last thing they needed, but she’d let it slide because she wasn’t talking only to Jackson. “What’s the issue exactly? Because Cherish and I aren’t in a relationship.”
“You are,” Jackson answered for her. “And you can’t deny it. Look, I know it’s not easy and that this is something you’ve always struggled with.”
“What do you think I’ve always struggled with?” Haylee glared again. This was an ambush, that was for sure. “Did Febe tell you I was going to pick you up?”
“Yes,” Jackson answered. “But not until the planes landed.”
“Pinged as soon as I turned my phone back on.” Stuart agreed.
“The original plan was a little different, but this works well enough.” Jackson smiled. “Maybe even a bit better.”
“Hey, great for you.” Haylee muttered. Still trying to understand exactly what was happening. “So she planned this whole thing?”
Haylee moved her finger between the two men.
“Yes, now stop avoiding.” Jackson gave her a sharp look. “You’ve always avoided deeper, meaningful relationships.”
“I have not!” Haylee sounded indignant but inside she nodded along, despite herself.
Jackson rolled his eyes. Haylee shifted a glance to Stuart, and he seemed in agreement. But he didn’t know her, so how was that even possible?
“I think you’re both wasting your time.”
“We’re not,” Stuart stepped in. “Have you talked to her lately?”
“No.” A pit settled in Haylee’s stomach.
“Cherish and I grew up in small-town America, where it wasn’t easy to be queer. I still live there, but Febe escaped, and when she started to set up her business, she asked Cherish to join her. I pushed Cherish to go, because I knew she’d have more acceptance here than back home.”
“Is that why she hasn’t visited?”
Stuart sighed heavily. “Yes.”
“But she’s in love with Febe,” Haylee mumbled. “She always has been.”
“She’s been in love with the idea of Febe,” Stuart corrected. “Nothing will ever happen between them. Febe isn’t attracted to Cherish like that. When Febe and Bernie got married, it was the first time that Cherish really started to look for love. But when Bernie died…”
“She gave up on it,” Haylee finished for him.
Stuart pinched his face. “I don’t think gave up is the right word. Cherish still believes in love, Haylee. She’s a hopeless romantic at heart.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“She is!” Stuart laughed lightly. “I think you need to get to know her better.”
“She doesn’t want to get to know me.” Haylee leaned back in her chair, shuffling her foot under the table. She didn’t know what to do or say right now. She was bombarded with the two of them.
“She wants to believe in love so much, but she’s scared of what love might mean.”
“Really hot sex?” Haylee bit her tongue.
“No. That she might get hurt. She’s already been on the outs with our entire town since she and Febe left. There’s some wild rumors running around that the two of them are in a relationship together, and every time she goes back, those rumors flare up. Which is why she stopped coming home. Cherish isn’t someone who likes to be in the limelight.”
That much Haylee could at least agree with. “So she’s scared of love?”
“No. She’s scared of losing it,” Stuart corrected.
“And so are you,” Jackson butted in.
“I don’t need comments from the peanut gallery, thank you very much.” Haylee pointed at him sharply, narrowing her eyes.
“Yes, you do!” Jackson kicked her lightly under the table. “Because you’re also scared of love. Ever since Tyler died, I’ve watched you shut down. It’s like you were scared to open your heart up to someone.”
“Nothing ever lasts.”
“Sure it does!” Jackson kicked her again. “I still love you. I’m pretty sure Tyler still loves you in whatever afterlife he’s in.”
“Two people scared to let love in.” Stuart snorted. “Febe wasn’t lying when she said you were tough nuggets to crack.”
“She what?” Haylee’s face pinched. “When did you talk to her about all this? When did you two make the plans to come out here?”
“Just after you got your new job,” Jackson answered. “I guess Cherish had some freak-out in Febe’s office that prompted the video call.”
“Jesus,” Haylee muttered. “Wait. What freak-out?”
Jackson sent Stuart a look, like the two of them were debating how much to tell her. Haylee’s frustration rose. She just wanted answers already. She wanted to know what the hell was going on and get it all out in the open. She was tired of living day to day and not knowing what each moment held.
“You need to talk to Cherish.” Jackson stepped in. “And I mean actually talk to her. We’re here to support both of you through it, for the next three days. Febe, too.”
“This was all Febe’s idea.” Which explained exactly why Febe needed her schedule cleared. Damn it all to hell. Febe was a conniving thing, wasn’t she?
“We came up with it together,” Stuart added. “Cherish is my baby sister, and Febe is one of my best friends. I’m tired of watching both of them hurt over this.”
“Over what?” Haylee frowned, her chest tightening even more.
“Over miscommunication, not talking to each other, and being so damn afraid to take a risk on love.” Stuart nodded at Haylee. “Seems you fall right into that category with them.”
Haylee wanted to mumble obscenities at them, prove the point that they were wrong, but she couldn’t. Because they weren’t wrong. “So, what do I do?”
“First, you stop lying to yourself and admit that you’re in love.” Jackson eyed her suspiciously.
“I’m not…” Haylee stopped. Was she in love with Cherish? She’d definitely say she was in like. The sex was hands-down amazing and hot. She’d been stuck on Cherish for a while now, unable to think about a potential relationship with anyone else. She hadn’t even tried, honestly, which probably should have been her first sign that there was more between them than simply kissing and fucking.
Stuart opened his mouth, but Jackson shook his head. “Give her a minute. She’s processing.”
Her worry over the new job hadn’t even been about the fact that it was a new job or that she was going to have another one on her very long record, or the fact that she hadn’t made it a year at Wellbeing Works, which had been her original goal. Her worry had been for Cherish. How she would react. What she would think. And she’d been right, it hadn’t gone well. Haylee had closed herself off after that. She hadn’t even told Cherish why she was leaving.
And why was that?
Because she was scared that Cherish would be happy for her. Because she was scared that a new job meant they could actually be together.
“Fuck,” Haylee mumbled.
“There we are!” Jackson clapped her on the shoulder. “So now that you’re in love—”
“I hate you,” Haylee shot back.
“Love you too.” He laughed loudly. “We need to get a plan under way for you and Cherish to actually sit down and have a conversation—outside of work.”
“Let me guess. Febe fed you both a line of ideas.”
Jackson’s grin and Stuart’s sheepish expression confirmed it.
“All right, since you two seem to have this all planned out. What am I doing tonight, boys?”
“First, we need to call in some backup.”
Haylee’s skin tingled, but she had no idea if it was from fear or excitement. Either way, tonight would change things. She just hoped it would be for the better.