Chapter 23 Hailey
HAILEY
Hailey looked around the table at the A-frame that night, unable to believe that she was sharing Christmas dinner with Ransom, Travis, Mae, Willow, Jensen, and little Henry.
Everyone was smiling, Elvis Presley was singing “Here Comes Santa Claus” on the radio, and the food smelled incredible.
But she was too overcome with emotion to eat, so she pushed the food around her plate and soaked in the warmth and happiness of the family table.
It was clear that the kids were very excited to have so much extra attention. They were laughing and using such excellent table manners. It hit her suddenly that they had spent most of their lives with just their mom, and now just their dad, so family gatherings were probably a pretty big deal.
If she and Willow and Jensen were around a lot more, it was going to be a nice change for them.
“Are you okay, Hailey?” Mae asked suddenly. She was proudly wearing the Jessica Sugar Bomb belt, which she hadn’t taken off since she’d unwrapped the present from Hailey under the tree this morning.
“Oh yes,” Hailey said, smiling down at the little girl beside her. “I’m more than fine.”
“She’s in love,” Travis said wisely.
Mae giggled and then Willow joined her.
Hailey was definitely in love, and everyone around the table knew it, but she felt her cheeks heat anyway.
When she glanced up at Ransom, he was looking pretty pleased with himself.
“You’re in love too, Dad,” Travis pointed out.
“I sure am,” Ransom said, his cheeky expression broadening into a smile that filled Hailey with warmth.
After supper, they all washed up together and the kids got out a new board game to play while Ransom and Hailey gave the kitchen a last polish.
“You two should head out soon,” Jensen pointed out, joining them by the stove with Willow by his side and Henry on her hip, his little head resting in the crook of her neck. “I know you have a special delivery to make.”
“Thank you so much for staying with the kids,” Ransom said to Jensen and his sister. “And just for being here today. We appreciate it so much.”
“This was an incredible day,” Jensen said gruffly. “And you’re an incredible friend, Ransom.”
“So are you, man,” Ransom said, pulling his best friend in for a hug.
Hailey could see the slight tension in Ransom’s jaw only because she knew him so well. And his actions meant all the more because she knew they weren’t easy for him.
“It’s so great to see you here,” Willow murmured to Hailey as they hugged. “I hope you two will make it official soon.”
“You and Jensen too,” Hailey whispered back.
“Ransom would die,” Willow replied.
“I think you might be surprised at how much he can handle,” Hailey told her. “Besides, he loves you, and anyone can see how happy you are.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Ransom asked teasingly.
“I was wondering what everyone’s plans are for New Year’s,” Hailey said quickly.
The other three glanced at each other.
“What?” she asked.
“Want to go to a wedding?” Ransom asked her.
“Whose wedding?” she asked suspiciously.
“Captain Anderson from the center,” Ransom told her, his eyes twinkling. “He’s been talking about it for months. It’ll be loads of fun.”
“In that case, yes, please,” Hailey said. “I love weddings.”
They said goodbye to Willow and Jensen, leaving them to play board games and card games until bedtime.
“Do we have to go to bed at the usual time?” Mae asked.
“Of course,” Ransom told her. “But you’ll be glad to have lots of energy tomorrow. The dogs all want to go out and play in the snow.”
“Me too,” Travis crowed.
“Good night, kids,” Hailey told them. “I’m going to head home after we run our errand.”
Mae hugged her tight.
“Will you come over tomorrow?” the little girl asked.
“We’ll see,” Hailey told her, not exactly wanting to invite herself back, but knowing all she wanted was to spend every minute with Ransom and the kids.
“If you’re in love, you should get married,” Travis advised his father before giving Hailey his own hug. “Then we don’t have to keep saying goodbye and hello all the time.”
“That would be convenient,” Ransom agreed, nodding as Hailey tried not to smile.
“Can you read me a story before you go?” Mae asked suddenly.
“Of course,” Ransom told her with a smile.
“I’ll come too,” Travis said, grabbing Mae’s hand and scampering up the stairs with her.
Ransom headed up them, but he appeared at the balcony again a moment later.
“The kids want you to read their bedtime story,” he said, rolling his eyes in mock indignation. “Apparently, I can’t compete with a professional actress who does all the voices.”
She had read to the kids a few times, and she loved the chance to be silly with them as much as they did, probably more.
“Oh, I’d be glad to,” Hailey said, rushing up the steps to join them.
Travis had a copy of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh in his lap, and Mae was perched on the bed beside him, looking very excited for their silly story.
Hailey came and sat between them, loving the way they leaned against her, peering at the illustrations and snuggling at the same time.
Is this what my life would have been like?
But it did no good to worry about a past you couldn’t change, like Ransom had spent so many years doing.
And it made no sense to focus too intently on a future that was out of your hands, like she had been guilty of doing herself.
As it turned out, the present moment was awfully good, so Hailey lost herself happily in it.
Half an hour later, she was in the passenger seat as Ransom pulled his truck into the driveway for Cassidy Farm.
“I missed this place when I was away,” Hailey said, gazing out the window at the tourist farm where she had come to pick apples and buy Christmas trees with her parents when she was a kid.
The farm looked like a vision of Christmas from a children’s book now. Every building was strung with Christmas lights. And when Ransom drove them back past all the tourist stuff to the family houses beyond, she could see the hill of Christmas trees growing, snow frosting their branches.
She glanced at Shadow in the back seat. The clever dog was also looking out the window, her tongue out as she panted with excitement, like she knew exactly where she was headed and why.
Ransom parked by the big Victorian.
Hailey moved to get out.
“Wait,” Ransom said.
She thought maybe he wanted her to wait so that he could open her door for her. He had always been such a gentleman.
But he made no move to get out.
“You said you missed this place while you were away,” he said after a moment.
“Of course I missed it,” she said. “There’s no place like Trinity Falls.”
“What if you start to feel the same way about New York?” he asked. “What if you want to act again? If your agent calls with a life-changing role, I don’t want you to feel stuck here with us.”
Hailey sighed, realizing she needed to share a little more than she had wanted to.
“I don’t like to talk about this,” she said softly, her eyes fixed on her hands. “But I think you need some more background on why I stopped acting.”
“Okay,” he said.
“First of all, the scene in the city isn’t really my kind of thing,” she said carefully. “You know I’m not a party girl.”
“You’d rather curl up with a book,” Ransom said fondly.
“Exactly,” she told him. “And I thought I got lucky landing a show so quickly when my roommates were always out networking.”
“Okay,” Ransom said. “But that’s necessary, right?”
“Networking seemed to mean going out to parties,” Hailey said. “And sometimes spending time with men they thought could give them their big break.”
“Oh,” Ransom said, suddenly seeming to understand.
“I wouldn’t have made it long in the city if I hadn’t landed the part on Ridley Hospital,” she said. “I got it through an open audition, no networking involved. And I felt really, really lucky. I quietly showed up and worked and saved my money for a long time.”
“You did a great job on the show,” Ransom told her.
“Everyone said Van Hogarth really liked me at my audition,” she said. “And I figured he liked my work. He would chat with me sometimes during breaks. He was very kind, very complimentary.”
Ransom nodded, but there was a wary look in his eyes, like he knew what was coming next.
“One night he kept me late after shooting,” Hailey said. “And he told me I was too pretty to play the best friend forever, and that I should be Dr. Silverman’s love interest. I thought it was odd.”
“Why shouldn’t you be Dr. Silverman’s love interest?” Ransom asked. “They all but promised it with some of the scenes you guys had.”
“I thought it was odd that he said I was too pretty to play the best friend,” she said.
“A director who wants to expand your character’s storyline isn’t just looking for someone pretty.
Not to generalize, but almost every actress is pretty.
They’re looking for someone compelling and interesting, someone who can keep the viewer watching through the commercial breaks. ”
“Okay,” Ransom said. “That makes sense.”
“And then he asked me out for a drink,” she said, feeling her cheeks heat with shame.
“Did he mean…?” Ransom clearly didn’t want to finish the thought out loud.
“I really hoped not,” she replied. “And when I said no, he said maybe another time so politely. And I thought that would be the end of it. But…. well, it wasn’t.
And the third time he asked and I said no, he basically told me I wouldn’t be getting my romance plot line.
It was a real blow, but I never expected him to kill off my character. ”
“Hailey, that’s terrible,” Ransom said, sounding furious. “Is that common?”
“I hope not,” she said, shrugging. “But it made me realize something. I don’t want to rely on someone else to notice me and decide to promote me or get rid of me.
I want to do what I’m passionate about and have some control over how to do it.
I’m so lucky that I could start my own business.
Now I’m the one who gets to decide when to ease off a little and when to aim for the stars. ”
“So if your agent called you with a big break…?” Ransom offered.
“Don’t you see, Ransom?” she said, shaking her head. “This is my big break.”
She turned to him and he searched her eyes for a moment.
“That’s great, Hailey,” he said, his serious expression suddenly softening. “I’m so happy for you. And for me and the kids too.”
“Me too,” she told him, meaning it.
Shadow whined in the back seat, like she was eager to get to the party, and Hailey laughed.
“Hang on,” Ransom said.
This time, he got out and came to open her door, offering her his hand so that he could help her down.
She smiled, feeling like a princess.
Next he got Shadow out, and the three of them headed down the path past the house to the old barn, which was lit up from within. Happy voices and music floated from the barn doors.
“Are you sure she can handle this?” Hailey asked, glancing down at the dog.
But she looked very excited to attend a barn party, and she was behaving beautifully on her lead.
“I think she was born for this,” Ransom said proudly.
They slipped in the door and one of the Cassidy boys nodded to Ransom and gave Hailey a little wave.
“Watch this,” Ransom said to Hailey, then turned to the crowd. “Ho, ho, ho.”
Hailey watched as the whole crowd parted to make way for Ransom to walk Shadow into the thick of the party.
“Today I’m Santa’s helper,” Ransom boomed. “And I’m looking for Amelia Green.”
Hailey had to smile as she watched Ransom walk the beautiful dog up to a little girl who gazed at Shadow with an awed expression before turning to the woman beside her, who nodded.
“Ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness,” the little girl, who had to be Amelia, cried before embracing the dog, who all but embraced her back.
This was the child who had seizures, who Shadow was going to help. Hailey had tears in her eyes as she watched Ransom say a few words to the family before heading back her way.
“She’s so happy,” he said, grabbing Hailey’s hand and looking incredibly happy himself.
“They both look so happy,” Hailey said, indicating the dog, whose tail was swishing as she snuggled up to her new best friend. “You’re an excellent matchmaker.”
“Maybe with dogs,” he said, frowning. “But I almost lost the love of my life.”
“I think it was all meant to be,” Hailey told him. “If we hadn’t broken up you wouldn’t have Travis and Mae.”
“True,” he said, nodding.
“Besides,” she told him. “We were just kids back then. I only wish you hadn’t dumped me right before prom.”
“Can I make it up to you now?” Ransom asked. “May I have this dance?”
Natalie Cassidy was playing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” on her acoustic guitar and her stepson, Wyatt, was singing along while Wyatt’s sister and their dad cheered for them.
“Yes,” she told Ransom. “I’d like that.”
The next thing she knew, he was holding her close and they were swaying to the lovely music.
Something about being in the warmth of the barn, surrounded by friends, with music playing on a cold, snowy evening felt magical.
“Is this even real?” she murmured out loud without meaning to.
“If it’s a dream, I don’t want to wake up,” Ransom said, his voice deep with emotion.
She lifted her eyes to his and was blown away at his expression. He looked at her like she was his everything, like he couldn’t believe his eyes.
And as the music soared and he spun her around the wood plank floor, she was sure that she knew just how he felt.