Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Two weeks later, Max had insisted on coming down to Florida with Hailey to help her move.
Now they were standing in the middle of her townhome, and she had to keep herself from reminding him she didn’t really need the help. Not that she didn’t appreciate it, but her place was small, and she wasn’t going to bring most of it with her. All the furniture had been hand-me-downs, so she was planning to pass it on to someone who needed it. She was going to do the same with most of her kitchen items. She had given in and agreed to move in with Max—not as a wife or even a girlfriend right now—but as a roommate.
Which was probably the dumbest decision of her life.
They hadn’t made love or even kissed since their time at Summit Ridge, and she chalked it up to Max getting her out of his system. But then his words from the morning her parents left kept playing in her mind.
“I believe there’s more to us than just a pregnancy. I think there’s so much more to our story than this. If you’ll give us a chance, I promise you won’t regret it.”
So, which was it? If he truly believed there was more to them, why was he okay with them just being roommates? Why wasn’t he trying to convince her they could be more? Why wasn’t he even trying to touch her or get her into bed?
Which she seriously wished he would because…yeah…she was apparently reaching the horny part of pregnancy.
Or maybe just being around Max makes me that way…
Because that was definitely a thing.
Right now, he was out picking up moving boxes for her and she was supposed to be organizing things and posting what she was selling and getting rid of online.
Supposed to.
All she’d accomplished was looking around and feeling overwhelmed.
“So, a typical day for me,” she mumbled. And that was what finally made her stand up and start working. Walking around, she took pictures, posted them on the local buy, swap, and trade site before moving on to the pantry to start throwing things away.
“Hey!” Max called out a bit later. “I hope I got enough boxes. I suppose I can go back for more, but I wasn’t really sure what we were taking and what you were getting rid of.”
Walking over to him, she nodded. “I’m not either,” she said with a small laugh. “Hopefully, once we get started, we’ll figure it out.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He grinned. “Oh, and I picked up some lunch for us. The Mediterranean place next to the UPS store smelled so good that I couldn’t resist. I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, they have the best food! Good choice!”
For the next few hours, they ate, talked, and packed. It was all pretty mundane, but that time helped Max learn even more about her—like how she loved the color pink, favored anything with a little bling, and that she had a weird obsession with an adorable pop culture pug.
“Oh, if I could get a puppy right now,” she explained when he asked about it, “it would definitely be a pug. Look at that squishy little face! How cute is that?”
The look on his face told her he didn’t find it that cute.
By ten o’clock, they were both beat. They had packed up most of her linens, all her personal décor, and the bulk of her clothes. On top of that, they’d cleaned out her pantry, sold all the pots and pans, her sofa, and bedroom set. They were all going to get picked up over the next two days, so they could still function. Overall, it was a productive day.
“Ugh, I am going to take a shower,” Hailey announced. “I’m all sweaty and I feel icky. Help yourself to anything you need, and I’ll be out in a bit.” The hot water felt amazing and she stayed in longer than was necessary, but she took the time to consider what was going to happen once it was time for bed.
There was only one.
Maybe tonight he’ll want to touch me again…
She was feeling a little seductive and made sure she shaved everything that needed to be shaved, and moisturized pretty much every inch of her body. Feeling sexy, she stepped out of the bathroom and…
“Ah, good. You’re done,” Max said distractedly. “I desperately need one too.” Then he stepped around her and went into the bathroom.
Dejected, Hailey quickly changed into a pair of pajamas and climbed into bed with her tablet. Maybe reading a good book would help her forget how undesirable she obviously was. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Max’s suitcase and wondered if he needed anything out of it. She didn’t see him take anything in there with him, so what was he planning on doing?
Just keep reading…
Just keep reading…
It was a great mantra, even though she could picture him naked in the shower and wished she could just walk in and see if she could help him with anything.
Bad Hailey! Read your book!
“Sorry,” he said quietly a few minutes later, standing in the doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist, and looking slightly uncomfortable. “I grabbed my toiletry case and nothing else. I’ll just be a minute.”
But as he walked across the room to get his things, Hailey put her tablet down and watched him. Hell, she was practically entranced by him.
And maybe drooling a little.
Life’s too short, she reminded herself. It was possible that Max was respecting her wishes and not pressuring her or begging or whatever. But the truth was, there was no way Hailey could lie to herself—or Max—any longer.
“Max?”
“Hmm?”
Now she had kicked off the sheet and was crawling across the mattress toward him. “You remember how we hit pause on life when we were up at Summit Ridge?”
He nodded.
“Do you think that maybe we can hit pause again for one more night?”
His response was to swoop in, band his arm around her waist, and tumble them both down onto the bed. “Sweetheart, I was hoping you’d ask.”
The towel disappeared as he ruthlessly kissed her. Hailey was frantic with need for him, touching him everywhere she could reach just because she missed the feel of him, and she was making up for lost time.
Max rolled over so Hailey was on top, and she took advantage of that position to whip her pajama top up and over her head, tossing it to the floor. His hands immediately covered her breasts, and she nearly climaxed from the sensation. Panting his name, she moved against him, desperately trying to ease the ache that had been building for weeks.
“You are so damn beautiful, Hailey,” he gruffly whispered as his hands continued to tease and torment her. “These curves make me crazy. I’ve missed touching you.”
Her head fell back. “I’ve missed having you touch me. Don’t stop…please, Max…don’t stop.”
He tugged her back down and kissed her again, rolling them over once again until she was pinned beneath him. She gasped when he tore his lips from hers. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask why he stopped, but the heated look on his face fascinated her and kept her silent.
“Tell me you want me,” he demanded lowly.
She didn’t even hesitate. “I want you, Max. So much.”
Then he was nuzzling her neck. “You have me, Hailey. Always.”
He had her in a frenzy in a matter of seconds. She arched beneath him, eager for everything he had to offer.
And he didn’t disappoint.
Lunch with her family was the next day.
Zero stars. Would not recommend.
It was pretty much exactly what Hailey had expected, and yet she was coming to learn that her parents were determined to relentlessly remind her of what they thought she should be doing.
“Oh, Max! Patrick mentioned you were looking at some amazing houses!”
“Max, I’ve got a team ready to come with me to Sweetbriar Ridge so we can make your pub a reality!”
“Hailey, isn’t it wonderful how Max is working so hard to secure a future for the baby?”
“You’re a good man, Max Calloway. A fine man! I don’t know what my daughter is waiting for!”
And her personal favorite comment of the day:
“You pick the date, Max, and I’ll make sure Hailey is right there at the church with you!”
By the time Hailey announced that they had to go because they had more packing to do, her parents practically begged to come with them to help.
“No!” she blurted out as she grabbed her purse. “I mean…it’s unnecessary. There’s not a lot of room to move around because of all the boxes. We’ve got a system, so…”
“We’re just trying to be helpful, sweetheart,” her mother said with a sad smile. And just when Hailey thought they were going to hug, Bridget turned and hugged Max instead. “Don’t work too hard, Max.” Cupping his cheek, she added, “Remember to take some time to relax.”
Her father repeated the sentiment before he turned to face her. “You found a good one here, Hales. Make sure you don’t wait too long, huh? Some other woman might swoop in and appreciate how exceptional Max is.”
Groaning, she shook her head. “Dad…”
“What? I’m just saying, you can’t expect a guy like this to wait around forever. What are you waiting for?”
Max must have read the frustration on her face because he finally stepped in. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said to no one in particular. “Hailey and I are just fine. I get that you both worry, but…we’re good, okay? I promise.”
When they finally got back in the car, she wanted to scream.
“You okay?”
“No,” she mumbled. “The high-pressure sales pitch the two of them are using just pisses me off. Like they don’t trust me to know what’s best for myself. It’s a little insulting.”
He didn’t say anything.
“It’s like they like you more than they like me.”
“Come on. You know that’s not true,” he countered and then paused. “Although…it’s starting to feel like overkill.”
“Exactly! You and I are figuring things out in our own time. Why can’t they just respect that?”
“I don’t know, but…would it help if I talked to them?”
She glared at him. “You talking to them is what started all of this.” She said it lightly, but it still stung just thinking about it. Right now, she was frustrated and annoyed and tense.
And luckily Max didn’t try to tell her she was wrong.
Which was why when they got back to her apartment, she shut the door, bit her lip, and blurted out, “Can we please hit pause again?” That was clearly becoming their code phrase for sex. Max was all for it, but she kind of hated how she wasn’t comfortable enough to just say that she wanted to be with him and wanted them to make love.
Clearly, they were physically compatible, and every day they were learning more about each other, but she knew when they got settled back in Sweetbriar Ridge, they were going to have to address this. They couldn’t keep hitting pause indefinitely. Eventually, she was going to have to deal with the here and now, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
On Sunday, all the furniture and large items that she was getting rid of were picked up. There were still too many boxes to fit in her car, so they decided to rent a small moving truck with a hitch for her car to get everything she was keeping back with them. With the townhouse empty, they decided to stay at a hotel instead of with her parents for their last night in Florida.
But the best part of the day?
She never got to ask him to press pause because he surprised her by joining her in the shower that night. It was exciting getting dirty and clean all at the same time, and she could tell he felt the same way. Being with him was becoming addictive, and if it were up to her, this was how they’d end every day.
Someday…
The entire Donovan family was waiting in the parking lot by the rental truck the next morning, and as soon as Hailey saw them, she burst into tears. It took an hour for them all to say goodbye, and as annoyed as she was with them, she knew she was going to miss them like crazy. She’d never lived more than thirty minutes away from her parents or siblings, so this was going to be a huge adjustment for all of them.
When she thought she had hugged everyone and was ready to climb into the truck, her mother ran over and hugged her tighter than she ever had before.
“Just be happy, Hailey,” she whispered fiercely. “No matter what you decide, we love you.”
And that had her crying all over again.
Max walked over and put his arm around her and carefully guided her up into the truck as everyone wished them luck and made all kinds of promises to come and visit soon.
By the time they finally drove away, she was second-guessing everything. Was this move the right thing to do? Should she have asked Max to move here instead? Was moving in with him back in Sweetbriar Ridge the best decision? Should she find her own apartment? Would it be wrong to ask him to marry her?
Ugh…I’m a freaking mess…
It was a fourteen-hour drive that they were going to split up into two days, and, if anything, being stuck in the confined space was a great way for them to talk things out with no interruptions.
Only…she didn’t even know where to begin.
It wasn’t until they hit I-95 that he asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“About what?”
“How you’re feeling?” he prompted. “It’s one thing to think about moving; it’s another to do it on short notice.”
Just thinking about it had tears stinging her eyes, and she couldn’t seem to make herself talk.
“Let’s face it, the last few weeks have been more than a little crazy. Between finding out you’re pregnant, coming to see me, us spending three days up at Summit Ridge, dealing with your family, us looking for a house, having to quit your job, flying down here and packing up the apartment…”
“I don’t need a recap, Max!” she said with exasperation. “I’ve been living it!”
“I’m aware because I’ve been there for a lot of it too. These last few days were kind of chaotic and I’m just concerned about how you’re handling it, that’s all. Your family is very different from the Donovans that I’ve met. I mean…they’re great, but…they’re a lot.”
That made her sigh. “Not really. You just came into the family under happy circumstances, with Marcus and Billie getting married. Plus, you grew up knowing them.”
“I guess that’s true. I mean, they gave Marcus a hard time when he came back into Billie’s life, but they got over it.”
“And my family is going to get over this too. They just had to pitch their fits.” Another sigh. “I know they love me, and they mean well, but we all have to be dramatic first.”
“All? As in you too?”
Turning her head, she grinned. “Definitely. You’re going to have your hands full sometimes.”
“Want to know a secret?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I’m no day at the beach sometimes either. Isn’t this going to be fun?”
After a fit of total laughter, Hailey felt like some of the tension had been broken.
And prayed it would last.
“Hey, guys. We need to talk.”
Hailey and Max were having breakfast in Marcus and Billie’s kitchen Friday morning and looked up to find their hosts looking rather somber.
They’d been back in Sweetbriar Ridge for a week and things had been strained.
Like seriously strained.
Max asked her to move up into his apartment, but she felt weird about it because the space was far too small. He’d been working long hours on some projects—mostly late into the night—and she’d been spending her days looking for a job and getting nowhere. They were both stressed, and she’d been staying in Billie’s guest room, and it was as if their sexy time in Florida—and at the hotel in Savannah, Georgia where they stayed for a night—never happened.
She had started withdrawing from him the moment they pulled into Billie’s driveway. They’d been living in a bit of a fantasy world where they let themselves believe they could keep hitting pause to keep reality at bay. Now reality was back and couldn’t be ignored anymore. She had really packed up her life and moved, and now they had to figure out what came next. If he kept allowing himself to get wrapped up in Hailey and all her sexy ways, he was going to lose his heart for good.
And…what’s wrong with that?
If an amazing sex life was all it took to guarantee love and a happy marriage, he’d be ecstatic. Hell, if he could just get her to let down her guard and relax around him all the time, he knew she’d see how much she meant to him.
Unfortunately, that hadn’t happened yet.
“Um…guys?” Marcus prompted, startling him out of his reverie.
“What’s up? Is everything okay? You’re looking kind of serious.”
“We’re going to Paris for a few weeks,” Billie blurted out. “We’re leaving tomorrow. The two of you need some privacy and you’re not going to get it if we’re here hovering.”
“Bill, this is your house,” Max reminded her. “Why should you be the one to leave?”
“Because it’s not only about the two of you. This is something Marcus and I have talked about doing, and this just seemed like the perfect excuse to make it happen. Like an early babymoon.”
“Billie, no,” Hailey said, shaking her head. “Now I feel terrible! I’m ruining everyone’s lives! I…I…I’m so sorry! You’re newlyweds and I’m intruding by staying so long!”
“You’re not ruining anyone’s lives, Hales,” her cousin gently said. “Sometimes things happen in life that seem like a bad thing, but ultimately turn into something great. I think that’s what’s happening with you guys right now. I’m sure things seem insurmountable, but it’s going to get better. You just need fewer people around you watching.”
“I know I’d feel better,” Max said under his breath.
“We’re a lot,” Billie said to him with amusement. “And sometimes we don’t realize that all our advice and hovering really isn’t helping and you need to work things out for yourselves. So starting tomorrow, this house is yours.”
“For a few weeks,” Marcus added for emphasis.
“Take that time to live under the same roof and figure out what your lives are going to look like moving forward.” Pausing, she studied Hailey for a moment. “I know the job search isn’t going so well, but we can always use help at Books & Beans if you’re looking for something temporary. It’s a great way to meet people and get the word out about what you’re looking for.”
“Sadly, what I’m looking for doesn’t exist here,” she said miserably. “I took it for granted that there would be a yoga studio nearby or gym or a spa.”
“I know what you mean,” Marcus said, sounding sympathetic. “Moving from a major city to a small town comes with a certain amount of culture shock. Sometimes you have to create the things you want.”
“Yeah, well…I can’t create a studio. I’m unemployed. There’s no way I can open my own business. The closest gym is forty-five minutes away. I know that’s not terrible, but I was looking to only spend half that time commuting. Plus, they were only offering part-time hours.”
She watched as Billie and Marcus exchanged looks before her cousin said, “It’s all going to work out. For now, we could really use the help at the coffee shop, and I know you had talked to Patrick about some houses, but maybe reach out again and see if anything else has come on the market.”
“Again, no rush,” Marcus added.
“You have a lot on your plates, and we’re just going to step out of your way so you can figure some of it out privately.”
They talked about their plans for Paris after that until Billie had to leave to run some errands and Marcus had a business call. When it was just the two of them again, she seemed hesitant to look at him. “So, um…maybe checking in with Patrick isn’t the worst idea. There were a few houses we wanted to set up tours with, right?”
Max was about to readily agree, but she looked miserable and sounded the same.
Leaning back in his chair, he sighed. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Her eyes went wide. “What? What do you mean?”
To his credit, Max laughed softly as he shook his head. “Um, Hales, we’ve been talking about this for weeks and I thought you’d be a little more excited about the whole thing. I’m sure you’ve got to be tired of not having your own space.”
“I am,” she agreed with a small but forced smile. “I guess now that it’s all happening, I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed. Again. The job thing is weighing heavily on me because I need one. I’m going to need insurance and to have money put aside for when I’m on maternity leave and…”
He let out such a long, loud breath that she stopped speaking.
“Hailey, I honestly think you and I need to have an actual conversation about life. I can’t do anything about the job situation, but believe me, I wish I could. However…” Pausing, he mentally crossed his fingers and hoped he wasn’t about to undo all the progress they’d been making. “If you need health insurance, we can get married, and I will add you to my policy. We’ve already talked about how you don’t have to worry about anything once you go on maternity leave. I’m more than okay with supporting you and…”
“But it’s not fair, Max! We should be…”
“You know what’s not fair?” he snapped. “That you had to give up the life you had in Florida! How you had to come here and live with a man you barely know, while having to stand up to your family! How a private situation between the two of us has become the subject of the Donovan gossip line! You gave up your job and your home to completely start over!”
“Okay, but…”
“And you know what I’ve had to do? Nothing! I have literally had to do nothing! I was already going to buy a house because living in Marcus’s attic isn’t my goal in life! I didn’t have to give up my job! My family is basically just two other people—which reminds me, I haven’t even told my father about any of this, but he’s going to thrilled. You keep saying how you’re ruining everything or messing everything up, but you know what the truth is? I’m the one that ruined everything, Hailey! Me! I pursued you that weekend! I seduced you and invited you to my hotel room! I’m the reason you’re pregnant!”
“Oh, please! It takes two to get pregnant! And as for you seducing me? I think we can be honest and say it was an equal seduction. We were both flirting, we were both dropping some serious hints about where we wanted the weekend to go, and we did exactly what we both wanted to do!”
Growling with frustration, he kicked the chair out from under him as he got to his feet. “Why are you like this? Why are you taking all the blame and all the responsibility? If you’re saying that it takes two and we seduced each other, then why do you think everything is your fault? Instead of constantly apologizing to me and to everyone else, why aren’t you mad at me for contributing to the mess?”
Sighing, she looked over at him. “Do you want me to be mad at you?”
“Please don’t answer my question with a question,” he said wearily. “I’m just trying to understand you. You know how I said you had to come here and live with a stranger? Well, I’m going to be living with one too! Being sexually compatible isn’t going to be enough for us to make it. If we’re going to survive this pregnancy, then we’re going to have to stop hitting pause on reality, and you’re going to have to stop taking the blame for everything.”
“You didn’t seem to mind me hitting pause on reality when we were dealing with the move,” she mumbled.
“I didn’t,” he agreed. “But I also didn’t need an excuse to make love with you! I slept with you because I wanted to, not because I was trying to forget anything else.”
Her expression turned cool and he had a feeling he may have gone too far.
Slowly, Hailey got to her feet and began cleaning up their breakfast dishes. “I won’t be making that mistake again, believe me.”
“Can you just…” He let out a long breath. “You also didn’t seem to mind hitting pause and sleeping with me when there wasn’t anyone around to know about it!” he reminded her. “It was fine at Summit Ridge because no one even knew we were there! And I think the only reason you were okay with it when we were in Florida was because we stayed by ourselves. But as soon as we got back here, you’ve been treating me like a stranger!”
“Sorry, still here,” Marcus muttered as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. “And going back to my office.”
Waiting until they heard Marcus shut his office door, she turned to look at Max again. “Because things are real now,” she began with a sigh. “Like…they’ve been real all along, but this is like…really real.” Laughing softly, she shook her head. “Can I say real a few more times?”
And for some reason, that seemed to work on defusing the situation. “I get what you’re saying, but we’re going to have to settle into some sort of life here. We have to set some boundaries and expectations because I never know what to expect with you and it’s not fair.”
She gasped softly. “You don’t know…?”
“Is today the day you’re going to seek me out, or are we going to be polite strangers, or new friends hanging out and commiserating about our job situations? I want us to be partners, Hailey. I don’t care that we’re doing things out of order. I want us to start building something here that’s going to last.”
Then he practically held his breath while he waited for her response. In most situations, he was a patient guy, but this was all too big—too important—for him to keep being cautious.
This time when she looked at him, she looked…sad. “I think…we both deserve a love match,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. “Our lives are complicated enough without trying to force feelings that wouldn’t have been there if it weren’t for this pregnancy.”
He didn’t respond.
“So for now, I think you should pick out a house that you like and…consider me a roommate. Maybe after the baby is here and maybe a year old, I’ll be able to find a place nearby—like a little apartment or something so we can co-parent while resuming the lives we had before…this.”
Still no response.
“Please don’t think I’m being ungrateful,” she rambled on. “Because believe me, I am incredibly thankful for everything you’ve done for me and for wanting to sacrifice so much of your life for me and the baby. You’re an amazing man and I’m glad you’re the one I’m going through all of this with.”
And still nothing.
“Max? Say something. Please.”
Standing, he finished clearing away their breakfast dishes, not looking at her. “I guess I should thank you for being so brutally honest with me. I thought we weren’t looking at this as a temporary thing or being so utterly…forced.”
“You have to admit…”
“Now that I know how you feel, it makes things easier for me. Clearer.” Now he faced her. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll move into the house while my brother and Billie are gone, but I’ll sleep in one of the other guest rooms. I’ll treat the apartment as my office.”
His tone was cool and slightly detached and it felt almost like an out-of-body experience. He felt numb.
“I’ll work on finding a house,” he went on, “but I might occasionally ask for your input. Not that I’m pressuring you in any way, but just because I always enjoy getting other people’s opinions. I hope that’s okay.”
“Max…”
“Now if you’ll excuse me, it looks like I have some calls to make. I’ll see you at dinner.”
He walked out of the kitchen and told himself that maybe this was for the best.
He just wished it didn’t feel so awful.