Chapter 38
CHAPTER 38
HAYES
I parked my car outside of Dixie’s building and climbed out. It wouldn’t be easy convincing Dixie to come out when she would rather drown in her own guilt. But if anyone deserved a break from the storm in her head, it was her.
She had texted me earlier and told me she talked to Frankie and managed to make things a lot worse. She didn’t get into specifics, but just by her text, I could tell she was in a bad way. I hated the idea of her sitting and stewing over a problem that wasn’t really hers.
It was going to be next to impossible to convince her that her sister had the problem and she was dumping it in Dixie’s lap. It wasn’t fair in my opinion, but I didn’t have sisters. I didn’t know what the dynamic was like. If one of my brothers pulled that shit, we’d tell each other to fuck off and go on about our day. There might be some punches thrown, but none of us would ever really get that territorial over a woman we went out with a few times.
I supposed that was the difference between guys and girls.
I knocked on the door, shoving my hands in my pockets while I waited. I could hear faint footsteps on the other side before the door cracked open, revealing Dixie in an oversized sweatshirt and leggings, her hair piled into a messy bun. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and the sight of her looking so small and defeated tugged hard at something in my chest.
“Hey,” I said softly.
“Hey,” she replied, barely meeting my gaze. “What are you doing here?”
“I was hoping you’d let me take you out tonight,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. “I thought we could use a redo on that date I promised you.”
She let out a sigh. “I don’t know, Hayes. I’m not really in the mood. Today’s been rough.”
“I know,” I said, stepping closer. “That’s why I’m here. You’ve had a bad day, and you need to get out of your head for a while.”
“I feel awful,” she admitted, her voice cracking. “I hurt Frankie, and she blocked me on everything. I deserve to feel bad about it. I don’t think I can just ignore that. I just want to sit and wallow. Can I postpone? I don’t want to ruin your night but trust me when I tell you I’m really bad company tonight.”
I reached out, cupping her cheek gently. “Dixie, beating yourself up isn’t going to change what happened. You’ll fix things with Frankie when the time is right, but tonight, I want to take care of you. Please. Let me do that. Let me take you out of here. Show you a good time. I feel bad I’m the reason you feel bad. This is my way of making us both feel better.”
She hesitated, her eyes searching mine. “I don’t know. I’m a mess, Hayes. I’ll ruin the night.”
“You won’t,” I promised. “This is going to be private and low key. Just you and me. No drama, no pressure. What do you say?”
She exhaled slowly, her shoulders sagging. “Fine. But if I cry in the middle of whatever you’ve got planned, that’s on you.”
“I can handle it,” I said with a small smile, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “Go get dressed. Something comfortable. You won’t need heels this time.”
She looked at me. “Casual?”
“Yes. No pressure. You don’t need to do all the hair and makeup stuff.”
She smiled. “I should probably at least brush my hair.”
“Up to you. I kind of like this sexy, messy thing.”
She rolled her eyes and pushed me away. “Give me five minutes.”
“Take your time. Where we’re going, there are no reservations.”
I hated seeing her like this—too wrapped up in guilt and worry to even think straight. She was the kind of person who carried the weight of everyone else’s feelings on her shoulders. It wasn’t right. Tonight, I was determined to lighten that load, even if it was just for a few hours.
When she emerged, her hair was brushed, and she’d swapped the sweatshirt for a soft, off-the-shoulder sweater that made her look effortlessly beautiful. She’d even put on a little mascara, though her eyes still held the faint traces of tears. She gave me a small, hesitant smile.
“Ready?” I asked, extending my hand.
She took it, her fingers cold against mine. “As I’ll ever be.”
We headed out to my car, and I opened the door for her.
“So, where are we going?” she asked as I pulled away.
“It’s a surprise.”
She smiled and leaned back in the seat. “Alright. I trust you.”
When we pulled up to the private dock, Dixie’s jaw dropped. She turned to me, her eyes wide with disbelief.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“Having a low-key dinner.”
“This is your idea of low key?” she asked, gesturing to the sleek yacht bobbing gently in the water.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s private, isn’t it? No one but us and the crew.”
She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You’re impossible.”
“And yet, here you are,” I teased.
We got out of the car and walked toward the yacht, the dock creaking softly beneath our feet. Dixie hesitated for a moment, glancing at me as if asking for reassurance. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“It’s just dinner,” I said. “And maybe a little time on the water. No expectations, no drama. Just us.”
She nodded, her smile growing a bit more genuine. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
We stepped aboard, and the crew greeted us with quiet professionalism, leading us to a cozy seating area on the deck. The table was set with soft candlelight, a bottle of wine already uncorked, and a spread of appetizers that looked almost too good to eat. Dixie let out a small laugh as she took it all in.
“This is… Wow. I didn’t expect this.”
“Good,” I said, pulling out her chair.
“Hayes,” she breathed, her voice filled with awe. “This is incredible.”
“I owed you a fancy date,” I reminded her. “Dinner and a Broadway show was the original plan, but I thought this might be better.”
She settled into her seat, her gaze flitting over the table and the view beyond it. The way she smiled at me as I took my seat made me feel like I’d just won the lottery.
For a while, we ate in comfortable silence, the gentle rocking of the yacht and the soft clink of silverware against plates creating a soothing rhythm. Dixie’s eyes kept drifting to the view. She seemed lighter already, the tension in her shoulders easing with each passing minute.
We were slowly moving away from shore and out to the open water.
“So, how are you feeling?”
She smiled softly. “Better. This is nice. Really nice. Thank you.”
“Good,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “That’s the goal.”
“You didn’t have to do all this, you know. I’d have been fine with pizza and a movie.”
“I know,” I said with a shrug. “But you deserved more than that.”
I kept the conversation light, steering clear of anything that might drag her back into the heaviness of her fight with Frankie. Instead, we laughed about silly memories and talked about my dad’s upcoming wedding.
As the yacht glided further out to sea, the city lights became a distant shimmer on the horizon. With the light pollution fading, the stars appeared above us. Dixie leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on the sky. I caught the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.
“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars.”
“I figured you’d like it,” I said. “Sometimes you just need to get away from everything, you know? Just you, the stars, and the water.”
“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”
“I tried,” I admitted with a shrug. “Oh, Diana might reach out to you soon. She wants to take you dress shopping for the wedding.”
Dixie nearly choked on her water. “What?”
“For the wedding,” I said. “I’m guessing you’ll need a dress. I want you to feel comfortable.”
“Hayes, I can’t let her do that. It’s too much.”
“It’s not up for debate,” I said firmly. “The dress and shoes are my gift to you. All you have to do is show up and let Diana do her thing. She’ll help you find a dress that will make you feel like a million bucks.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “You’re relentless, you know that?”
“I’ve been told,” I said with a grin.
After dinner, I led her to the back of the yacht, where a surprise awaited her.
“Are you serious?” Dixie asked, eyeing the steaming water. “You have a hot tub. On a boat.”
“A yacht,” I corrected with a smirk, handing her a fluffy towel. “And yes, I do. Thought it might help you relax a bit more.”
She shook her head in disbelief, but there was a spark of excitement in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. “You’re insane, Hayes. Completely insane.”
“And yet, you’re still here,” I said, stepping closer. “So, what do you say? Hot tub under the stars? Or are you going to make me enjoy it all by myself?”
“Are you serious?” she asked again.
“Very,” I said, holding up a small bag. “I even brought you a bathing suit.”
She arched a brow. “You planned this?”
“Guilty as charged.”
She took the bag from me, her expression softening. “You’re really pulling out all the stops tonight, huh?”
“I told you, tonight’s about you. I want you relaxed. You deserve it.”
She disappeared into the small changing room. I went into the one beside hers and quickly stripped and pulled on my swim trunks. When she emerged in the bathing suit I’d picked, I had to fight to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. She looked stunning, her skin glowing under the soft lights on the deck.
But something in her expression stopped me from ogling too long. She seemed hesitant, unsure, and I wondered if I’d pushed too hard.
“The water’s not too hot,” I assured her. “Just enough to relax.”
She nodded, sitting on the edge of the tub and dipping her toes in. “You’re right. It’s not too bad.”
“See? Trust me,” I said, stepping into the water.
She watched me for a moment before finally sliding in, letting out a soft sigh as the warmth enveloped her. When she looked up at me and smiled, it was like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders, even if only for a little while.
Success.
We sat there together, the water lapping gently around us as the yacht cruised through the harbor. I couldn’t stop looking at her. She truly was the most beautiful woman in the world. And she was here with me. I wanted her with me forever. I didn’t know how that worked out, but it was this feeling inside I couldn’t quite explain.
“You’re staring,” she said, her lips curving into a smirk.
“Can you blame me?” I asked, leaning closer.
She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed. I knew I’d managed to chase away some of the darkness lingering in her mind.
I would do whatever it took to keep her smiling like that.