Chapter 25
Hayden
Honestly, I couldn’t have named the slow Christmas song filling the diner.
I was far too busy being lost in Diego’s strong arms as we moved slowly around the dance floor.
His hands were on my waist, mine around his neck, and my face was buried in his chest, inhaling that rich cologne and masculinity that always clung to him.
It was easy to tell that this moment would become a core memory for us, our first Christmas together, and one that I would never forget.
The music wrapped around us like a warm blanket, creating a private world where only Diego and I existed.
I felt his heart beating against mine, steady and sure, as we swayed together.
Around us, other couples danced. Lucas and Beau, Colt and Eli, and even Dolly was dancing with old Mr. Edwards.
But they all seemed to fade into a Christmas-colored blur as my entire being was focused on Diego.
“You happy, Freckles?” he murmured into my hair, his breath warm against my scalp.
I nodded against his chest, not trusting my voice. The truth was, I couldn’t remember ever feeling this content, this secure. The strong cocktail Dolly had mixed me was spreading warmth through my veins, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Diego’s body pressed against mine.
“I’m really glad you decided to stay,” he continued, his hands tightening slightly on my waist. “I know it’s a big decision.”
I pulled back just enough to look up at him, taking in those dark eyes that always seemed to see straight through me. “Best decision I ever made,” I said, surprising myself with how much I meant it.
His smile could have lit up the whole town. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I reached up to touch his face, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw, feeling the slight scratch of his beard. “I never expected to find... this. You. Any of it.”
Diego caught my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm that sent shivers down my spine. “Me neither. I was just passing through, you know? Like always.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.”
The song changed to something more upbeat, but neither of us altered our slow rhythm.
I caught Dolly watching us from the sidelines now, her eyes suspiciously shiny as she tried to shake off Mr. Edwards.
When she noticed me looking, she gave a little wave and a knowing smile that made me wonder if she’d planned this all along.
“Your aunt’s watching us,” Diego whispered, clearly having noticed too.
“She’s probably plotting our wedding already,” I joked, though the word sent an unexpected flutter through my chest.
Diego chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and into mine. “Wouldn’t put it past her. She’s a crafty one.”
“She is,” I agreed, remembering how she’d engineered our Christmas tree adventure. “But I’m kind of grateful for her meddling.”
“Me too, Freckles. Me too.”
We danced through another song, and another, lost in each other until a ding at the door caught my attention. I turned my head just in time to see a tall figure stomping snow from his boots, his face partially obscured by a scarf.
When he unwound it, I felt every muscle in my body freeze.
Tommy.
My ex stood in the doorway, scanning the room with those cold blue eyes I’d once found so captivating. When they landed on me, I felt my heart stop. The warmth that had been filling me moments before turned to ice in my veins.
“Hayden?” Diego’s voice sounded far away, though he was still holding me. “What’s wrong?”
I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. It was like all the progress I’d made these past weeks had evaporated in an instant.
Tommy spotted me then, his face lighting up with that practiced smile that used to make my knees weak but now just made my stomach turn. He started making his way through the crowd toward us.
“Hayden,” Diego repeated, turning to follow my gaze. “Who is that?”
“Tommy,” I managed, the name barely audible. “My ex.”
Diego’s body went rigid against mine, his arms tightening protectively around my waist. “What the hell is he doin’ here?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered, panic rising in my throat. “I didn’t tell him where I was.”
Dolly appeared at our side, her face clouded with concern. “Sugar, is that who I think it is?”
I nodded, unable to tear my eyes away as Tommy approached, weaving through the dancers with that confident stride I used to admire.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Dolly muttered. “Want me to throw him out?”
Before I could answer, Tommy reached us, his expensive cologne cutting through the homey scents of the diner. He looked exactly as I remembered… the perfectly styled hair, designer clothes, and that movie-star smile that never quite reached his eyes.
“Hayden,” he said, his voice carrying that hint of condescension that I’d somehow never noticed when we were together. “I finally found you.”
“Tommy,” I replied, hating how small my voice sounded. “What are you doing here?”
His eyes flicked to Diego, whose arm was still firmly around my waist, then back to me. “I came to bring you home, of course. The holidays are no time to be sulking in some... backwater town.” He gestured vaguely at our surroundings, as if the diner and everyone in it were beneath his notice.
I felt Diego tense beside me, but he remained silent, letting me handle it. I was grateful for that, for his solid presence that reminded me I wasn’t alone anymore.
“I’m where I want to be,” I said, finding my voice at last. “And I’m not sulking.”
Tommy’s smile faltered slightly. “Come on, baby. You’ve made your point. I know I messed up, but it’s Christmas. Time for forgiveness, right?” He reached for my hand, but I stepped back, pressing closer to Diego.
“You didn’t mess up, Tommy. You cheated on me. Repeatedly. Then you kicked me out of our apartment.”
“I was confused,” he said, with that practiced sincerity he used in his auditions. “Ryan meant nothing to me. It was just a way to get another job, that’s all. You know how Hollywood is.”
“Right,” I grumbled. I knew it was all bullshit. “How the hell did you find me anyway? I blocked you for a reason.”
“I called your mom,” he nodded as if it were nothing, as if it weren’t a massive betrayal on my mother’s part.
I’d have a talk with her the first chance I got.
Although, judging by Dolly’s expression, I might have to wait in line.
“She told me you were staying with family. But she was so excited to hear the good news that she gave me the address.”
“Good news?” I scoffed. “What good news?”
“I got you into the movie,” he said, shrugging it off in a way that wouldn’t make others suspicious.
But I knew what that line meant with him.
It meant a debt that he’d call in when he needed it most. “The shoot starts right after New Year’s on location in New Zealand.
I showed the director your photo, and he said he wanted you and nobody else. ”
My blood ran cold at Tommy’s words. New Zealand. A movie role. The very thing I would have killed for just a few months ago now felt like a threat.
“I’m not interested,” I said, straightening my spine and finding strength in Diego’s steady presence behind me.
Tommy’s smile faltered, genuine confusion crossing his face. “What do you mean, not interested? This is what you’ve been working for. What we’ve been working for.”
“No, it’s what you’ve been working for,” I corrected him. “Using me as a prop for your career. I’m done with that.”
Diego’s hand pressed supportively against my lower back, a silent reminder that I wasn’t facing this alone. I could feel the tension radiating from him, barely contained.
Tommy’s gaze flicked between us, his expression darkening as understanding dawned. “Oh, I see. So, you’re slumming it with the local help.” He looked Diego up and down with undisguised disdain. “Really, Hayden? A cowboy? You couldn’t have found someone who… smells better?”
I felt Diego tense beside me, but before he could respond, I stepped forward.
“That cowboy has shown me more respect in a few weeks than you did in three years,” I said, my voice steady despite the anger bubbling inside me. “And I’m way happier here than I ever was with you.”
Tommy’s perfect veneer cracked slightly, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t be ridiculous. You belong in California, with me. This little... vacation has obviously clouded your judgment.” He paused. “But I’m willing to forgive you for cheating on me. Even if it was with… the help.”
“My judgment has never been clearer,” I shot back. I was vaguely aware that the music had stopped, that people around us were watching the drama unfold. But I didn’t care. “I’m staying in Sagebrush. With Diego.”
“For what?” Tommy scoffed, gesturing around the diner. “To serve coffee and pie for the rest of your life? To waste your potential on some dirt farmer who’ll probably leave you the moment something younger and prettier catches his eye?”
I felt Diego shift behind me, and this time I reached back, squeezing his hand to keep him from lunging at Tommy. As satisfying as it might be to watch, I needed to handle this myself.
“At least I won’t be wasting it on someone who sees me as nothing but a stepping stone,” I replied coldly. “And unlike you, Diego actually loves me.”
Tommy’s face contorted with anger. “Love? Please. What could he possibly offer you that I can’t? I’m giving you a career, a future!”
“No, you’re offering me a gilded cage by your side,” I said simply. “And I don’t want anything to do with you anymore, Tommy. It’s over. We’re over. For good.”
Tommy stared at me for a long moment, disbelief written across his face. Then his eyes shifted upward, and a slow, cruel smile spread across his lips.
“Well, isn’t this cozy,” he drawled. “The two of us under the mistletoe at Christmas.”
Then, without a second to react, Tommy’s hands were on my jaw, his lips forcefully pressed to mine as he took a kiss from me in front of the entire diner.