Chapter 6
Hailey
I refused to glance around the room. I haven’t kept in contact with more than half of these people and didn’t expect to change my mind.
But that wasn’t the only reason I had for sitting stock-still.
I didn’t want to see Zayne. There’s no way Rose wouldn’t have invited my ex-best friend to the wedding.
After all, they were close as well, maybe even closer than Rose and I.
Just not as close as Zayne and I had been all those years ago.
The slow wedding march sounded, and I tuned everything out from that moment on.
Before I knew it, the vows were spoken, and everyone had congregated further away from the archway.
I heaved a sigh of relief, determined to say my well wishes and head back to New Orleans.
I was so close to leaving without having any drama follow me home.
“Hailey?” A deep, southern drawl caused my heart to speed quickly.
I separated myself from the confrontation for many years, knowing that if Zayne and I spoke, I would be weak.
I hated that feeling more than anything in the world.
If I were being transparent to myself, I would admit that I’d always had a soft spot for Zayne.
I never realized until prom night just how much of a soft spot he held.
But if I were to admit it out loud, I would be weak once again.
He would take me for a fool, and I couldn’t stand it if he looked at me with pity in his eyes.
I had to leave this place for good and never return. It’s the only way out of this mess.
“I have nothin’ to say to you,” I commented, grabbed my purse, and then shimmied out of the chair.
Before I could head toward Rose and Will to say my goodbyes, a hand grasped my elbow slightly, causing me to glare at the perpetrator. It was possibly the worst move, yet a move that I couldn’t or maybe wouldn’t want to undo.
“And just what do you think you’re doin’?” I seethed angrily, trying to hide behind the turbulent mass of feelings that arose.
A simple touch from his roughened hands caused my skin to tingle with awareness.
I was held captive, drowning in the depths of his blue eyes.
Zayne had changed from the skinny nerd to the muscled man who happened to spend most of his time in the sun, considering the tanned skin tone.
He looked sexy as hell, which made me hope he’d hug me for old time’s sake, but yet, toss me on my ass so that I could lick my wounds.
His tongue snaked out and licked the pink skin of his lips before saying, “We have unfinished business. I want to settle the score, here and now. And if you don’t agree or reciprocate, then you can tuck tail and run back to New Orleans.”
His hand never moved from its spot as I contemplated my next move.
I was terrified of my feelings, yet shouldn’t I hear what Zayne had to say?
I knew why I ran away all those years ago.
I felt the same way as Zayne did. I didn’t know it then and never knew how to voice those feelings.
It was a weakness - another crappy weakness of mine.
If I revealed my true feelings, he would possibly laugh in my face and tell me to grow up.
His feelings probably changed the longer we were apart.
Even still, I never moved and waited for him to continue the conversation.
Zayne seemed to acknowledge the look in my eyes as a signal to continue the conversation, “I’ve tried.
Oh, how I’ve tried to talk to ya. Ya never gave me the damn time of day.
So here I’m just barin’ my soul to ya. My feelin’s ain’t never changed, Hailey.
I waited and waited for ya to return so that I could explain that I meant everything in that letter.
I love ya, Hailey. Always have and always will.
I don’t know what happened on prom night, and I don’t much care.
I care about the here and now. So please, don’t push me away. Not again.”
Zayne bowed his head while rubbing his finger in the crook of my elbow.
I could see his vulnerability by revealing the things he mentioned in his letter.
Yet, after all these years, he still felt the same way.
Zayne loved me even when I was horrible to him, refusing to speak to him and running away.
The ice around my heart cracked from his confession.
Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, and I knew that this was a moment of weakness - a moment that I was more than willing to allow Zayne to witness.
Sometimes it’s crazy how feelings can swap from cold to hot with a passing of a moment.
Here I was, experiencing a swapping of feelings, and I didn’t regret it.
“I’m sorry,” I said, observing Zayne’s pursed lips, “Could ya please forgive me for all of the awful things I’ve done?”
His eyes opened as wide as they seemed to go, and his jaw fell open. It was as if he was shocked to hear me apologize. Just as quickly as his features showed his surprise, he recovered.
“Anything,” Zayne rushed to say.
Before he said another word, I added, “I think I’ve always known how I felt for ya. But unfortunately, my weakness was you. It scared me, and I fled instead of ownin’ up to my feelin’s.”
Zayne cupped his palm on the side of my cheek and stroked his thumb slowly against my jaw. My chest seemed to overinflate with air as I felt the fullness of his love, I knew I had to admit how I truly felt.
“The heart wants what the heart wants, and I have to say that mine has always wanted you. I love ya; Zayne, and I think I always have,” I revealed. The weight of this secret had finally lifted from my shoulders.
Zayne stepped closer, wrapped his arms around my body, and tilted my face to his. “I love you too, Hailey.” He merged his soft lips with mine as we sealed our love with our first kiss.
…to be continued.