Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
When Hailey woke up the next morning, she was alone.
“I love you too.”
She distinctly remembered hearing Max say those words, but…too? He loved her… too ? That was typically a response when someone said they loved you first, so why would he say that?
“So weird. Clearly my mind’s playing tricks on me,” she mumbled as she climbed out of the bed. Padding back to her room, she picked out some clean clothes and went to take a shower. As she let the hot water wash over her, the events from yesterday played over and over in her mind—the fear, the relief, and how she was about to tell Max how she felt when they were interrupted.
“We’ve talked about me being pregnant and that means there’s a baby, but that rapid little heartbeat just made everything real. Like…really real, and I’m already in love with that tiny little strawberry. I know we said we could co-parent, but…I don’t want that. I don’t want to just co-parent with you, Max. I want…”
If the discharge nurse hadn’t come in, she was going to finish that statement with, “I want us to have a life together. I want all the things you’ve been telling me we can have. You’re everything to me, and I love you.”
Instead, they made small talk, ate enchiladas, watched a Hallmark movie, and went to bed. Even though she had the opportunity again when they were lying in his bed in the dark, she still didn’t tell him.
“I’m such a coward,” she said as she washed her hair.
Max deserved to know how she feels. After everything he’d been doing for her and all the times he opened himself up and told her how he felt, the right thing to do was be honest with him. How many times had he said he would marry her? How many times had he promised not to pressure her and he didn’t? How many times had he simply stepped up and been an awesome guy while she was a hot mess?
“Too many times to count on that one.”
She’d been a brat and completely unreasonable and mildly unhinged at times, and yet he still was right there for her. With every little thing he did and said, he proved that he wasn’t just there for the baby; he was there for her.
“Me,” she whispered. “He cares about me, and he won’t walk away. I know that now.”
And while it was great that she had the confidence to believe in herself and him, now she wanted to not just tell him, but show him.
But…how?
“Ooh…I know! I’ll call Sloane. She’ll help me figure it out.” Her sister led with her heart in everything she did. She wasn’t afraid to go after whatever she wanted, and Hailey always thought her sister was the bravest person she’d ever known. She had a zest for life and, even though some things she did seemed a bit over-the-top, people responded to it. So, whatever her sister suggested, Hailey was going to do it.
She just hoped it wasn’t something completely crazy.
Stepping out of the shower, Hailey quickly dried off, threw on her robe, and went downstairs to see if Max was anywhere in the house. It was after ten and he was usually in his office, so she hoped that was the case today.
Down in the kitchen, she grabbed a muffin and made herself some tea before texting him.
Hailey: Good morning! Are you up in the office?
Max: Good morning! And yes. I have a call with a client that I’m getting ready to hop on.
Max: How are you feeling?
Hailey: I’m good! Making some tea right now and having one of the muffins
Max: Be sure you’re drinking more water today! Fill up one of the sports bottles and keep it near you!
Max: Lol! I know I’m being bossy, but I just want to make sure you’re okay.
“Aww…” Smiling, she messaged him back.
Hailey: Not bossy, just incredibly caring. Thank you.
Then she sent a heart emoji.
Hailey: Will you be down for lunch?
Max: Definitely! Hoping to be done by 12:30
Hailey: Sounds good! I’ll see you then!
And then, she sent another heart emoji.
“Hopefully he’ll see them as a good sign.” Taking her tea and muffin over to the kitchen table, she sat down and tried to decide if she should call or text her sister. Sloane worked as a digital marketing manager at a large advertising firm. Some weeks her schedule had her traveling to different locations to create content, and others had her sitting at her desk and putting it all together. Right now, Hailey had no idea what her sister was working on or if she’d even be free to talk, but she was so eager to come up with a plan that she was willing to risk interrupting Sloane’s morning.
Hailey: Hey! Are you free to chat? I need your help with something.
Putting her phone down, she took a sip of her tea.
Sloane: Is everything okay?
Hailey: Are you busy? Lots to tell you!
She’d barely taken another sip of her tea when the phone rang. Smiling, she answered. “Hey! I hope this isn’t a bad time!”
“Not at all,” Sloane assured her. “I’ve been staring at this video I’m working on for over an hour and desperately need a break. You’re saving my sanity. So what’s up?”
For the next few minutes, she updated her sister on life in Sweetbriar Ridge and then about her trip to the ER.
“Oh my God! How scary! I can’t believe you didn’t call me! What the hell, Hales?”
“I could barely handle speaking to anyone, and by the time we got home, Jade, Ash, and Chloe were here making us dinner. I’m fine, the baby’s fine, and I just need to remember to drink more water and take my prenatal vitamins.”
“Well…as long as you’re both alright,” she murmured. “How was Max? Did he freak out?”
Just thinking about how amazing he was made her smile. “No. He didn’t freak out at all. He was…” She sighed. “He was my rock.”
Sloane’s response was to screech with joy.
“Um…”
“I knew it would finally happen! I knew you’d finally figure it out!”
“Yeah, um…what?”
“Ugh…why are you like this?” Sloane asked with a laugh. “Max was your rock. Those were your exact words. For the last like…forever, you were convinced that you’d never trust a man again, and you acted like you would never fall in love again. And now look at you!”
Frowning, Hailey popped a piece of muffin in her mouth because she was still confused.
“We all know Max is a nice guy, right?”
“I mean…I do. I’m not sure why you sound so confident about it.”
“Please, I met him at the wedding, and then when I came up there with Mom and Dad. I also spent time with the two of you again when you came down here to pack up your stuff. Hales, we all could see that he was a great guy. We just couldn’t figure out why you were fighting it.” She laughed giddily. “Mom and Dad are going to be so excited! Wait until…”
“Okay, okay, okay…can you just…you know… stop for a minute?” Hailey interrupted, but she was laughing a bit too. “I’ve always known Max was a great guy, I just didn’t fully believe that he was all-in with me. With me being pregnant, it made it hard to trust whether he was committing because he cared about me or if he was just in because of the baby. You can’t blame me for being wary.”
“I guess, but you guys already had this crazy attraction to each other. That’s obviously still a thing, right?”
She felt herself blush. “Big time.”
“Then I’m not really sure what took you so long.”
“I just…” She sighed again. “I had to figure it out for myself. I can’t help that I have issues and was afraid of making the same mistake again.”
“Max is nothing like that jackass you dated before. Everyone knew that.”
“I knew it too, and I probably would have accepted it sooner if Max and I had reconnected just because we wanted to. The pregnancy really messed with my confidence.”
“Alright. We’ve established that you’ve finally figured out how awesome Max is, so I’m guessing that also means you’ve figured out that you’re in love with him.”
Nodding, she said, “Bingo!”
“Yay! Have you told him? Are you going to get married? Did he immediately propose? This is so exciting! Did you say yes? Did he have a ring? Can you send me a picture? Will you…”
“Oh my God, Sloane!” she cried. “Can you maybe stop asking questions and let me try to answer at least one?”
“Sorry. Go ahead. But start with how he proposed!”
Hailey fought the urge to groan. “He hasn’t proposed. The last time he brought up us getting married, I kind of didn’t react…um…I was kind of bitchy,” she admitted. “He hasn’t brought up marriage since. He bought a house, we’re moving in together, and we sleep together, but I’ve kept him at a distance. Emotionally.”
“Yikes.”
“The last few days, I’ve been really thinking about my life and realized that the only reason I’m not deliriously happy is because I’m standing in my own way. And then when we were in the hospital yesterday and we heard the baby’s heartbeat…Max was holding my hand and…I don’t know…I just…I knew. I knew I was in love with him and wanted a life with him. Not as a roommate, not to just co-parent with, but a real life. A real marriage.”
She heard her sister sniffle before she replied, “Oh, Hales…that’s beautiful! So when are you going to tell him?”
“That’s where I need your help.”
“Wait…you don’t want me to tell him for you, do you? Because that would just be super awkward. I don’t mind coming to visit, but…”
“I don’t want you to tell him,” she said wearily. “I feel like I need to do something…I don’t know…grand! Something that isn’t just me sitting on the couch telling him how I feel.”
“Why not? Light a fire, turn on some soft music…” She paused. “Think about what you would like. If Max were to do it all over again without you thinking it was all about practicality, what kind of date would you have wanted?”
“Oh, um…I’m not sure. It feels a little weird to be planning where to have this kind of talk. I kind of wish it could have happened organically, but the discharge nurse interrupted me.”
“Bummer. Maybe go back up to Summit Ridge! Get a room for the night, have a romantic dinner…”
“Ooh…I didn’t even think of that! Go back to where we spent those first few days after I came to see him!”
“Or go back to the scene of the crime!” Sloane suggested with a snicker. “You know, the hotel you guys stayed at the weekend of Billie’s wedding! “
That wasn’t the worst idea, but it was just a basic chain hotel. There was nothing romantic about it.
“No, I think going back up to Summit Ridge is the right place. I’ll make dinner reservations and tell him how I feel.”
“Yes! Do you know what you’re going to say? Are you just going to blurt it out? Do you think once you tell him you love him, that he’ll propose?”
“I honestly have no idea. I guess it’s a possibility, but it would kind of steal my thunder, don’t you think?”
“Hmm…it could. But I don’t think you can be all like, ‘I love you, Max, but can you wait to propose until tomorrow?’ That would definitely sound weird.”
“It shouldn’t be this difficult. Maybe I’m just overthinking it? I mean…I could tell him when he comes downstairs for lunch! I don’t have to wait and make dinner and hotel reservations, right?”
“If you want to be boring, you don’t,” Sloane murmured. “This is a potentially life-changing declaration, Hales! One that is going to definitely lead to the two of you getting married! Why wouldn’t you make it a big deal?”
“Because I’m boring!” she shouted with a self-deprecating laugh. “You’re the brave and bold one! What would you do?”
“I would…” She paused and mumbled something, and then it sounded like there was someone else in the room with her.
“Sloane? Do you need to go?”
“Hang on a sec…” More muffled speaking. When she came back, she apologized. “Sorry. One of my clients isn’t happy with something I posted on social media for them, and I need to calm them down.”
“No worries, we’ll talk later or something.”
“I’m totally going to come up with a plan for you, so don’t make any reservations or anything until we talk.”
“Sloane, I really don’t want to wait…”
“Just…trust me! I’m really good at this sort of thing, so just hang tight and once I get things settled with my client, I’ll call you. Okay?”
“Okay. Thanks, Sloane. Love you!”
“Love you too!”
Putting her phone down, Hailey finished her breakfast and then wondered what to do with herself today. The doctor told her to rest, but she kind of felt a little guilty about it. Still, she knew she needed to and went upstairs and grabbed her tablet before coming back down and settling on the sofa. Reading was always a favorite way to pass her time, but she couldn’t focus because she was silently willing her sister to call back.
It wasn’t until she heard Max walk into the kitchen that she realized it had been almost two hours since she sat down to read.
Dammit, Sloane! Why haven’t you called back?
Standing, she stretched and walked into the kitchen. “Hey! How’d your call go?”
“Long and boring,” he said with a chuckle. “And unfortunately, I have to call them back in thirty minutes.”
“Is there some sort of problem?”
“They’re expanding and need a more advanced system in place. It will be the biggest job I’ve even taken on, and I want to make sure I can really handle it before I commit.” He was pulling cold cuts from the refrigerator. “But I wanted to come down and have lunch with you before I dove back in.”
“Aww…I’m glad you did.” They made sandwiches and Max asked how she was feeling and reminded her to keep drinking water and the importance of taking a few days to rest. He was being sweet but firm and it just made her fall in love a little more with him.
What am I waiting for? What’s wrong with just telling him how I feel?
The sound of her phone dinging with an incoming text brought her out of her reverie and she already knew it was going to be her sister, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear her advice after all.
Tell him! Tell him now!
The phone dinged several more times and she caught Max watching her curiously.
“Aren’t you going to see who that is?”
Sighing softly, she nodded and walked across the room to look at her phone.
Sloane: I’VE GOT IT!
Sloane: Follow these instructions EXACTLY and then tell me how amazing I am afterwards!
Hailey let out a shaky breath and glanced at Max before she scrolled down to see what her sister had come up with. A slow smile spread across her face as she read. When she was done, there was only one thing she could say.
Hailey: Holy crap, Sloane! It’s PERFECT!
For three days, work had been a beast. His father, Ronan, and Kevin kept bugging him about going and looking at the spot they were considering for the bar, but Max just couldn’t find the time. Every day when he could finally step away from his desk, all he wanted to do was spend time with Hailey and make sure she was doing okay. There had been no other issues, and she had set an appointment with the OB-GYN for the end of next week.
It was late Friday afternoon, and he was beyond ready for the weekend. Hailey said she had dinner under control for tonight, and he kind of felt bad about that. She was supposed to be resting and even though he knew cooking wasn’t strenuous—nor was she on bed rest—he just felt like he should be taking better care of her.
When he stepped into the house, he found Hailey standing in the kitchen with a small suitcase at her feet. His heart dropped. Was she leaving him?
“Hey,” he began slowly. “What’s going on?”
She was fully dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a deep red sweater, and boots. Her hair and makeup were done, and she looked ready to go out. “Your father is coming over to take care of the dogs tonight,” she told him. “And you and I are going up to Summit Ridge for the night.”
He knew his eyes went comically large. “We are? Shouldn’t you be…”
“I don’t need to rest, Max. I’m not fragile, and the baby and I are fine. But just to put your mind at ease, I already spoke to the nurse at the OB-GYN’s office and ran it by her.”
“And? What did she say?”
“You mean after she laughed?” she asked with amusement. “Um…she said to tell you to relax. I’m not made of glass and as long as I don’t try to climb a mountain or anything crazy like that, we’re totally fine to go away for the night.”
He couldn’t help being overly cautious. This was all new to him, and he didn’t want to do anything to hurt her or their baby. “Oh. Good. Okay.” Forcing himself to relax, he asked, “Do we have time for me to run upstairs and change? I think I’m dressed a little too casually for dinner. I won’t be long.”
“Our reservation is for seven o’clock, so you have a little bit of time to do what you need to.”
Walking over, he gave her a quick kiss. “Fifteen minutes!” And then he dashed up the stairs. It was kind of cool that she was initiating a date night for them. They were clearly over that awkward stage of their relationship, and even though they still weren’t where he wanted them to be, this sort of thing was a positive sign that they were moving in the right direction. So he quickly washed up and changed into something a little more business casual, and wondered if that suitcase she had was for both of them or just her.
“Hey, Hales?” he called out.
“Yeah?”
“Do I need to pack anything?”
“Already taken care of! Hope you don’t mind!”
He was grinning like a loon. She had cared enough to go through his things and pack for him. It was such a silly yet intimate thing and he’d never been so happy to have someone invade his privacy.
Glancing around, he made sure he had everything before heading back down the stairs. He was halfway out of the bedroom when he turned back and grabbed one last thing that he hoped Hailey didn’t find while rifling through his drawers.
In the distance, he heard the dogs barking and figured his father must have arrived. When he walked into the kitchen, the dogs were going wild, running and jumping on him.
“Hey, Max! How do I calm these guys down?” John asked with a laugh.
“Their schedule is on the refrigerator door. And if you want them to just sort of leave you alone, go over to the sliding glass doors and ask them if they want to go out. They love the yard.”
“Let’s go out!” he called out, making his way toward the doors, and both Max and Hailey laughed as the dogs chased after him.
“I hope they won’t be too much for him,” Hailey commented. “I just figured he’d be comfortable hanging out here tonight.”
“He’ll be fine. He’s been here enough that the dogs know him.”
“Whew! They have a lot of energy!” John said as he walked back into the room. “Now you two go and have fun tonight. I’ve got it all under control.”
“Thanks, John. There are a few things for you to choose from for dinner. I made a batch of chili and there’s cornbread to go with it. There’s also a small pan of lasagna that I took out of the freezer that Billie had made, if you’d prefer that. And if none of that appeals to you, we have everything you could want to make some great sandwiches.”
“Wow! You thought of everything! Thank you, Hailey,” he gushed. “Enjoy yourselves, and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Max picked up the suitcase and followed Hailey out to his car. She was smiling and looked positively radiant. He held the door for her while she got situated before putting the suitcase in the backseat and climbing in.
They talked about work on the drive and how he hoped to finally find the time to do the walk-through of the bar. “If nothing else, maybe we can swing by after your doctor’s appointment next week,” he said.
“I’d like that. Is it near the doctor’s office?”
That made him laugh. “Hales, everything is near everything in this town. The most you’d have to drive to get from Point A to Point B is like ten minutes. But…yeah, they’re only two blocks apart.”
“And you don’t think your brother is going to want to be there with you to do the walk-through?”
“Not at all. He’s not a visionary. He just wants the numbers. It’s scary how his brain works. Well…his and Billie’s.”
“They’re supposed to be home late Sunday night. I kind of hate that they won’t have the place to themselves. I’m sure after being away, they’d love to be alone.”
“They’ve been alone for over two weeks. Besides, it will only be another two weeks and we’ll be out of their way. It won’t be an issue. Trust me.”
She made a non-committal sound.
“So what brought this on tonight? You didn’t even mention us going away for the night.” Turning his head slightly, he smiled. “Not that I don’t love it. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
That made her grin. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who needs to be in control of everything and can’t handle when things are out of your control.”
“Well…not exactly. I guess I’m just not used to anyone surprising me like this.”
“I promise you’ll enjoy yourself. No rides this time, though. We’re just going to have a nice, relaxing dinner and spend the night in one of their gorgeous rooms. I love my cousin and I’m so thankful for her hospitality, but the rooms at Summit Ridge are just so damn luxurious!”
“We should try to go for that vibe in the new house with our bedroom. Maybe not as sterile as a hotel room, but really go heavy on the luxury vibe.”
Her smile grew. “You are full of surprises, Max.”
“Me? I’m not the one who planned a secret getaway for us!”
“Then I guess we’re both equally full of surprises. We’ve talked a lot about paint colors and furniture for the house, but I thought we were going to wait until we moved in to really finalize stuff.”
“And we will, but maybe we should walk around the hotel for some inspiration. That could be fun.”
“Absolutely!”
The rest of the drive went by quickly, and he saw her tapping out a text to someone, but didn’t ask who. When they pulled up to the front door, he figured Hailey had to be excited about the night because she practically sprinted from the car into the hotel. He handed the valet his keys, grabbed the suitcase, and found her at the front desk. He let her take the lead since she planned all of this. When she turned and waved their key card, she looked like a kid on Christmas morning. It seemed a little extreme for checking in to a hotel, but if it made her happy, he wasn’t going to complain.
In the elevator, he was surprised when she used the key card for the top floor. “You got us a suite?”
“I did,” she replied. “It wasn’t on purpose, but because this was all sort of short notice, it was either a suite or a first-floor room.” She wrinkled her nose. “With a parking lot view. That wasn’t going to work.”
Reaching for her hand, he gave it a quick squeeze. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where the room is.”
“I know it’s already too dark to appreciate the view, but I’ll bet when we get up tomorrow that it will be spectacular.”
They arrived on their floor, and Hailey led the way down the hall. Max wasn’t far behind, but he was enjoying watching the sway of her hips as she walked. It didn’t occur to him to ask if the nurse had told her if it was okay for them to have sex, but he really hoped she did.
She stopped at the end of the hall and waited for him before tapping the key card to their door. Opening it, she stepped inside and then let him walk in ahead of her. He moved past her into the room and froze.
Soft music was playing. There were fresh flower arrangements all over the room. The fireplace was already lit, and there was a tray with chocolate-covered strawberries on the table along with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket beside it.
“What in the world…”
Hailey came up beside him. “It’s actually sparkling grape juice.”
“This is just…wow! This all looks very romantic.”
“And it’s just the beginning,” she said, her voice sultry and sexy. “I’m going to freshen up and change into something a little dressier for dinner. I brought something for you too. I’ll hang it up outside the bathroom door if that’s okay.”
All he could do was nod because he was still so blown away by all of this.
He had no idea what she had packed for him, but he figured he should change while she was in the other room getting ready.
Twenty minutes later, Hailey opened the door and stepped back into the room, taking his breath away. Her blonde hair was done in long, loose waves, and her dress was sleeveless and ivory lace with a high neck, and it made her look both sexy and innocent all at the same time.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured as he walked closer. “Perfect.”
She blushed as she reached out and smoothed a hand over his tie. “You look very handsome. I love the way you look in a suit.”
Placing his hand over hers to keep it over his heart, he studied her face. “Thank you for doing all of this. I know it doesn’t sound very masculine to say I’m dazzled, but…I’m dazzled.”
That seemed to please her. “Good.” When she stepped away, she walked over to the tray of strawberries. “We have a little time before we need to be downstairs. How about we have a little pre-dinner drink?”
“Sounds good.” He poured them each a glass before sitting and holding his up. “To us,” he said. “And the amazing night ahead.”
Nodding, she tapped her glass to his. “To us.” They drank, they each had a strawberry, and when the alarm on Hailey’s phone rang out, she announced that it was time to head down to the restaurant.
It was as if everyone in the hotel knew who they were. Everyone smiled at them, and when they got to the restaurant, they were seated immediately at one of the best tables. The service was impeccable, and it felt like they were almost being treated like celebrities.
“I knew the service was great here, but tonight it’s like it’s kicked up a notch, don’t you think?”
“Um…I didn’t really notice,” she said vaguely before discussing what they were going to order.
The food was delicious, they danced, and talked and laughed, but when it was time for dessert, Hailey declined—which was completely unlike her. He was about to comment on it, but figured they still had more strawberries up in their room, so they could have them for dessert. Plus, maybe she was just full from dinner.
“Should we walk around a bit?” he asked after paying the check. “Or would you like to go back to the room?”
“The room,” she said softly. “Definitely the room. I just need to run to the ladies’ room first.”
“We’ll be upstairs in just a few minutes,” he reminded her, but she was already on her feet and making excuses that she really needed to use it now. It seemed a bit extreme, but he walked over to the entrance and waited for her there. She joined him five minutes later looking perfectly serene.
Do not ask how the bathroom was or anything related to what she did in there…
“Dinner was fantastic,” he said instead as they stepped onto the elevator.
“It really was. Everything we’ve ever eaten there has been amazing. If they were closer to town, I’d want to eat here at least once a week.”
“Same. Although, I think they’re worth the thirty-minute drive.” They rode up the rest of the way in companionable silence, and when they got to their floor, they strolled hand in hand to the room. This time, Max opened the door for them and followed her in. She walked over to the bed and then paused, looking at him expectantly.
“Are you…?”
But that’s when he noticed things looked a little different. There was a fresh bottle in the ice bucket, more strawberries, and then a small dessert tray with a variety of cakes and cookies.
“I…I don’t understand,” he began with a nervous laugh. “How did all of this get up here?”
“That’s what I was arranging after we were done eating. It was already planned, but I just needed to let them know to run everything up here,” she said before slowly sauntering over to him. When they were toe-to-toe, she took both his hands in hers.
It was obvious that she was nervous. She licked her lips and smiled up at him and he knew whatever she was about to say, she’d put a lot of thought into it.
“Maxwell Calloway, the weekend we met, I knew you were someone I wanted to know,” she said quietly. “I never expected the connection we instantly had, and I certainly never expected you to sweep me off my feet and give me the sexiest weekend of my life.”
He actually felt himself blush.
“The night we were in the emergency room, I had something I desperately wanted to say to you, but we got interrupted.”
He nodded.
“So if you’ll indulge me, I’d very much like to say it all over again.”
Another nod.
She took a steadying breath. “We’ve talked about me being pregnant and that means there’s a baby, but hearing that rapid little heartbeat just made everything real. Like…really real, and I’m already in love with that tiny little strawberry.” Pausing, she giggled. “It was one of the reasons I asked for strawberries tonight.” With another pause, she winked. “Anyway, I know we said we could live together and co-parent, but…I don’t want that. I don’t want to just co-parent with you, Max. I want us to have a life together. I want all the things you’ve been telling me we can have. You’re everything to me, and I love you.”
For a moment, he was certain he didn’t hear her right. It was almost like he could see her lips moving, but he wasn’t hearing her.
Then she said it again.
“I am so in love with you, Max.” Her big blue eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry that it took me so long and that I didn’t just trust you. I promise that I will make it up to you and…”
“Hailey,” he interrupted, his voice gruff and a little raw. “You don’t have to make anything up to me. I love you and hearing you say those words to me while you’re awake means everything to me.”
She bit her lip, looking seductive and sexy as hell. He was about to tell her that when she took a step back, picking her purse up from the bed.
“I wanted us to have a night away—to hit pause from reality like we’ve been known to do—because this place holds some special memories.”
“I agree.”
Then he watched as she slowly got down on her knees, looking like a damn fantasy, and…held up a ring.
What?!
“Max, I love you,” she said with a slight tremble in her voice. “Will you marry me?”
Slowly, he bent down and helped her to her feet. “Oh God, Hailey…I…no.”