Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jason
Impeccable timing, I think when the waitress walks up right at the moment I ask Hailey to marry me.
Before Hailey can even answer, the waitress gasps, her hand covering her mouth.
“Oh my god! Congratulations, you two!” She taps me on the shoulder.
“Usually guys wait until dessert. Or let us know they’re planning to propose.
You must be impatient! I’ll be sure to let the kitchen know so they can send out a special dessert!
” She turns to leave, then stops. “Oh, sorry, I just wanted to see how your drinks are doing. Oh! I’ll bring champagne! And your food will be out soon.”
I give the waitress a smile of thanks, but my attention is still focused on Hailey. What the waitress seems to have missed is that Hailey hasn’t said yes. Well, that and the fact that this isn’t actually a romantic proposal. It’s a practical one.
Though if she wanted more than just practical …
After the waitress leaves, I keep my voice as low as possible while still being loud enough for Hailey to hear me. “Look, I know this probably sounds like a crazy solution.”
She scoffs. “Uh, ya think?”
Pressing my lips together, I nod. “But it’s the easiest and cleanest. If it’ll make you more comfortable, we can have a prenup.
And when you’re established wherever and however you end up and can afford your own place and car and health insurance, we can get a quick divorce.
” I know I need to say that, even though the words taste like ash.
I plow forward, finishing up the little speech I planned out ahead of time.
“No harm, no foul. In the meantime, you’ll have access to everything you need to get the life you want. ”
She blinks at me, though this time it’s more owlish and less the shocked blinking as she vainly tried to process my proposal from a minute ago. I guess in that regard, maybe the waitress did us a favor because I was sure she was just going to reject my solution out of hand.
“How … I mean, what …?” Shaking her head, she pulls her hand out of mine and rubs the spot between her eyebrows. “You want to get married.”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean, exactly?”
“We go to the courthouse, do whatever paperwork, have a quick ceremony with the judge, and then we’re married. It’s just for practical purposes.”
“So I can get insurance.”
I smile and nod. “Exactly. Plus, it’ll be easy to get you on my credit card account that way too.”
“Oh, Jason,” she says, and I shake my head, cutting off her protest before she can voice it.
“Just think about it, okay? I know it’s a lot, and it feels out of nowhere. But you have to admit it solves a lot of problems.”
She presses her lips together, and I can’t tell if it’s supposed to be a smile or what, but at least it’s not an outright refusal.
“I want you to be happy,” I add, even though I was planning on letting the subject drop.
For now. “I promised your brother I’d look out for you.
I’m just trying to do that. And it’s obvious to me that no one else has.
You should’ve gotten help from multiple sources, but since it’s all up to me, this is the best I have to offer.
” A thought strikes me, and I hold up a hand.
“And it’s just on paper, right? Like, yeah, you’ll live with me and have access to my stuff.
But that’s it. You’ll have your own bedroom.
I can even get you an apartment somewhere else if you insist. I’m not trying to be creepy or anything. ”
Her head tilts to the side, and she narrows her eyes at me the way she kept doing the other night. That’s when I realize that she hasn’t looked at me like that at all today. Until now. She was starting to be comfortable with me, and I … well, I seem to have ruined that.
What other options do I have, though? I mean, I guess I could just send her money, but what are the odds she would take it? Or tell me if she needs more? And I don’t have any idea how to go about setting up an insurance plan for someone else …
This way, I’ll know she has what she needs. Plus, she can get away from this place, the grind she has to do to survive here, all the memories she can’t escape … Maybe Hunter’s ghost won’t haunt her so fiercely in Seattle.
“So … you’re proposing this as a business agreement, essentially?”
“Exactly,” I say on a relieved breath.
Once again the waitress interrupts us, bringing our food.
“Everyone in the kitchen is so excited for you two,” she says quietly.
“Do you both like chocolate? Because we have a flourless chocolate torte with a raspberry sauce that is to die for. I was planning on bringing that out for you, along with the champagne, when you’re done with dinner.
” She beams at both of us. “Oh, I just love engagements. It’s so exciting.
” To Hailey, she says, “Can I see the ring?”
Hailey flushes, and I step in. “We’re going to pick out a ring together,” I tell her smoothly. “Hailey’s a violinist, so I wanted to be sure to get something that won’t interfere with her ability to play.”
The waitress clasps her hands over her chest. “Oh, aren’t you so thoughtful.” Then to Hailey, in a whispered aside, “He’s a keeper.”
Hailey, still flushed, forces a smile. “He sure is.” She watches the waitress walk away, waiting until she’s well out of earshot before saying to me, “Can I …” Clearing her throat, she shakes her head then picks up her fork and pokes at her chicken. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course. Take as much time as you need.”
She gives me another of those closed-lip smiles.
“Thank you.” Then she meets my eyes, her face sincere.
“Seriously, Jason. Even if …” She waves a hand, dismissing the possibility of her rejection of my proposal.
“Well, just, regardless. I really appreciate all you’ve done for me this week.
You’ve made what would’ve been a world-ending catastrophe something survivable.
And no matter what else may or may not happen, I really, really appreciate it. ”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say something dismissive like, “Of course,” or “No problem,” or “Don’t worry about it.” But it’s clear from her delivery that Hailey doesn’t want her feelings about this brushed aside. “You’re welcome. I’m happy to help. I hope you realize that.”
This time her smile, though still small, seems more genuine. “Yeah, just … thank you.” Her voice catches, and she blinks rapidly like she’s about to cry.
“I really enjoyed listening to you play today,” I tell her, wanting to change the subject.
She asked for time to think. Pressing the issue isn’t respecting that request, even though I’d really like to have an answer tonight.
I can give her time, though. Plus, if she’s on the verge of tears, that won’t make for an enjoyable dinner for her.
We can talk about something else for a little while.
Taking a bite of her chicken, she smiles at me, chewing and swallowing before she answers. “Oh, yeah? Thank you. Was there anything in particular you really liked?”
Shrugging, I cut a bite off my steak. “All of it, really. But the part where the little kids came up and started dancing was probably the cutest. Watching you interact with them, bending closer and encouraging them to get into it, took it up several levels. I bet those kids’ll be talking about that for days. ”
She’s full-on grinning now, and I love seeing her this happy.
“It’s fun when things like that happen. That’s one of the things that I like about busking.
Sometimes you get jerks who complain that you’re just begging, but mostly it’s people who enjoy the music.
You’re right, though, that the kids make it the most fun.
” She shrugs, philosophically, chewing another bite, her gaze going a little abstract.
“It’s also fun to mix it up, play different styles.
It’s taken me a little while to get over the ingrained snobbery that often comes along with music school.
Even before that, really. I had a teacher in high school who’d scoff at anything popular that featured a violin. ”
“Uhh … what? Why?”
She leans closer. “In the art music world, popular equals bad.”
I can’t help laughing. “That’s ridiculous.”
Shrugging, she grins too. “I know. But that’s genuinely the attitude.
People like it when I play things they recognize, though.
I make more money doing that. Movie themes are also fun, but I wasn’t feeling that vibe today.
Sometimes I’ll go by the lake and play things from Pirates of The Caribbean.
Sea shanties too. People have fun with those. ”
“That sounds great. You could definitely do that in Seattle. Or well, the greater Puget Sound area. There’s a lot of maritime stuff over there. It’d be a hit.”
Her smile dims a little, and I cringe. “Shit. Sorry. I’m not trying to be pushy. I just was thinking …”
“No, it’s fine.” She waves away my apology. “I appreciate that you’re actually thinking about how I’d be able to fit in there.”
She stabs a piece of broccoli with her fork and holds it up, seeming to consider it before putting it in her mouth.
“I used to fantasize about leaving. About going somewhere else. But I haven’t really tried very hard.
I went to Appleton. I live in Madison. I’ve taken auditions around the Midwest—Chicagoland, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Paul, plus a few other places a little farther afield.
But I’ve never really seriously tried to go somewhere totally different.
” She squints, eats the broccoli, and looks down at her plate, pushing things around as she chews.
“I’m not even sure what it’s like to live somewhere else.
I’ve barely even traveled. My parents …”
I grunt. “Yeah. It can be a big change. When I first went to Ontario at seventeen, it was a big change. It was hard, at first. I didn’t know anyone, and I was staying with strangers.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, shit. I didn’t even think about that. I guess I figured they just put you guys in dorms or something.”
Shaking my head, I cut my steak into bite-sized pieces as I talk. “Nope. I lived with a host family. They were nice enough, but it wasn’t the same as living at home with my parents.”
It’s her turn to grunt, and I’m guessing she wouldn’t have minded living with someone other than her parents.
Especially if they were nice and paid attention to her.
“I know it’s not the same, but I stayed with one of my friends for a while in high school.
Not officially, of course. But I spent the night at her house more than at home.
” She wrinkles her nose. “Her parents got a little tired of me being there all the time, though. So that didn’t last as long as I would’ve liked. ”
“I’m sorry, Hailey,” I say quietly. “That sucks.”
Shaking her head, she takes a sip of her water. “Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault or your problem.” She holds my gaze. “You’re not responsible for me, Jason. I’m an adult.”
I narrow my eyes at her, repeating that sentiment.
It’s going to be like that, is it? “I know you’re an adult, Hailey.
And I’m not trying to parent you. But most twenty-five-year-olds—at least the ones I know—can ask their parents for help if they’re struggling to make rent and then their car dies. ”
“I can ask my parents for help, too,” she mutters, and I raise an eyebrow.
“Uh-huh. Sure. It definitely seems like that’s something you want to do. And how much help do you think they’ll be willing to give you?”
Resting her chin on her hand, she stares off into the distance and sucks in a deep breath. “I mean, I think they’d probably help some.” She spears me with another look. “I could go live at home again.”
“Could you?”
She nods.
“Will you?”
And that’s when I know I’ve got her.