Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Hadley
Holly and I say goodbye to the men and head to the bookstore.
She’s easy to be around, and I’m comfortable with her. I just wish I weren’t lying to her.
We decide to walk since it’s a nice day out, and she said she loves coming to Chicago because it’s so different from Lake Starlight.
“Don’t get me wrong. I love our small town, but I didn’t grow up there.” We stop at a light. “Are you from Chicago originally?”
“I am. The bookstore was my grandma’s. She died recently and left it to me.”
For obvious reasons, she doesn’t need to know the stipulations of the will.
Holly touches my upper arm as we walk across the street. “I’m sorry. How are you doing now?”
Honestly, I haven’t really had the time to think about it.
She’s the first person to ask me, probably because my life has taken a turn I didn’t see coming.
I’m a wife now, and although I’m supposed to just be the nanny for my husband’s son, I feel like more to Tanner.
At least he feels like more to me than just some kid I’m looking after.
“I’m okay. It’s nice to be in her space. Makes me feel close to her.”
She squeezes my arm. “Austin’s Grandma Dori was a big part of our lives. When she passed, it was hard on everyone in the family. If you ever need to talk, I mean, I’m sure you have friends and your own family, but I’m here.”
I nod. “Thank you.” And I mean it.
She’s going to make a great mother-in-law one day to whoever Easton settles down with after me. I only hope that if the day comes when I want to marry for real that I get lucky enough to have in-laws as nice and supportive as her and Austin.
We continue walking, and she points out some stores she says she might drag Austin into at some point.
Holly smiles when the bookstore comes into view. “Oh, this is adorable. Just how East described it.” I open the door, and she walks in, her hands covering her mouth when she sees the tree-reading area. “I could see this in Lake Starlight.”
I’m happy to see Felix opened today. He’s good for distraction and will keep Holly busy.
He watches Holly’s reaction from behind the counter and turns to me, mouthing, “Investor?”
I shake my head and mouth, “No!” But his assumption means he thinks one day he’ll show up to find a for sale sign in the window.
“Felix, this is Easton’s mom, Holly Bailey.”
Felix squeals and rounds the counter. “The mother-in-law.” He opens his arms, and Holly opens hers. I guess this is how it goes when two people are huggers. They like to feel the connection. “Can I just say I love your grandson?”
Holly’s cheeks pinken as she smiles wide. “I’m biased, but he’s great, right?”
Felix raises his hand. “I’m the Tanner whisperer.”
“He really is great with him,” I say, leaning on the checkout counter. “I’d be lost without him to help with Tanner when I’m at the store.”
Felix smiles at me. I hope he knows how much I appreciate him.
“Where’s Vera?” I ask since she usually opens. Felix is a late riser and prefers the later morning or early afternoon shifts.
He cringes. “Pete.”
“Kidneys?”
Holly’s head whips between us. “Her husband? Is he ill?”
“It’s her cat. He’s twenty-one and hasn’t been doing well.”
Felix shakes his head. “It will be a sad day for all.”
Holly nods as if she understands. “It’s hard losing a pet.” She looks at me. “When Myles passed, Easton cried for two weeks. We said we weren’t going to replace him, but we were at the shelter within a month.”
She looks at me as if I should know who Myles is. I gather he was a cat or a dog or some kind of family pet, but she thinks I know this. Because when you marry someone, you know things about their life, their past. The pets they lost. And I have no idea who Myles is.
I paste on a kind smile to play it off.
“Anyway.” She waves. “Give me the tour.”
Felix rises on his toes and claps his hands. “I’d love to.”
Holly laughs. I think she meant me, but I’m happy to have Felix do it. Just one less conversation when I have to lie to her.
“I’ll be in my office.” I walk down the hall.
Felix claps his hands again. “Let’s start at the front window. I worked my magic with the display this month.”
Holly is in good hands with Felix, so I go to the office to get the few orders I need to put in. My phone dings in my pocket and I pull it out, sitting down at the desk.
Honor: Hello? I thought we were best friends.
I laugh and lean back in the chair.
Sorry, it’s been crazy.
I see that. The pics with the grandparents were adorable.
I know we’ve been on a lot of blogs and things, but it’s not as though I’m on the five o’clock news. Or am I really just not realizing how much of my life is being exposed?
Probably looking horrible.
You guys look happy.
I appreciate her kind words, but I really want to know how things are going on her end.
Hey, how is your grandma?
The three dots appear and disappear, then a text pops up.
Same.
She’s had a rough one, and maybe she doesn’t like to dwell on it, I don’t know. She’s the only one who knows about my situationship with Easton all these years and now the truth of our marriage, except for Whit.
When can you do coffee again?
I’ll come to you.
She probably needs the break. I can’t help but feel like a really shitty friend for not making sure to see her more since I’ve been back in town. It’s hard with Easton’s travel schedule and Tanner’s day-to-day schedule to fit in much else other than the bookstore.
Perfect. I’ll text you after his parents leave, and we’ll figure it out.
After all these years, it looks like Easton Bailey finally got his head on straight.
I’m unsure how to react to what she’s saying. Are the pictures as transparent as I feel lately? That we might both be catching feelings?
Can’t wait for coffee.
Dodging the truth is my only option right now.
Holly walks into the office. “This place is magical, Hadley. I see why it means so much to you. Oh, look at all these postcards.” She crosses the room to get a closer look.
I put the phone down and join her.
“Are these all the places your grandma visited?”
“Actually, it’s all the places I have. I’d send her a postcard from every place I went.”
She glances at me and back at the wall. “This is what you meant the other day about commitment not being something you were big on?”
“Yeah. Up until now, Chicago was just a revolving pit stop. After college, I didn’t want to use my degree and decided to travel instead.”
She turns away from the postcards and sits in the chair I usually sit in when Whit sits at the desk. “And now? With Easton and Tanner?”
“I’m not sure. Everything has changed so fast, I don’t think I’ve thought it all through yet.”
I have no idea why I’m being so truthful with her right now.
“You know, I moved to Lake Starlight with one purpose—to get to know my dad. I took a temporary principal job and thought I’d be there three months max, but guess what?”
I don’t interrupt and allow her to finish.
“I met Austin, and I never left.” Her shoulders lift.
“Sometimes you don’t have to have it all figured out right away.
” She glances at the wall and back at me.
“You’ve done a great job of living the life you wanted up until now.
Just continue doing what you want, and your heart will guide you in the right direction. ”
She leans back and crosses her legs, taking The Secret Garden off the shelf.
“You and Easton are so similar.” She stares at the book cover.
“Since Kenzie, I think he’s been running just like you.
Neither of you wanting to stay still for a minute in fear of what you might discover.
Now he has Tanner, and you have this bookstore.
” She doesn’t mention our marriage at all.
“I wonder if you both needed to stay somewhere long enough to see what blooms.” She raises the book, smiling.
My first thought is who is Kenzie, and what was she to Easton?
Holly says it as though I should know. Just another thing a real wife would know about her husband.
Holly slides the book back on the bookcase.
“I’m just a little sentimental. I’ve never seen Easton this happy with someone before.
And I hope you both…” She shakes her head.
“Austin would tell me to be quiet and just let it be.” She stands.
“You finish up what you need to, and I’ll go spend some time with my grandson’s honorary uncle. ”
She laughs. I still haven’t had the nerve to say anything.
“Little does he know how much competition he has up in Lake Starlight.” She winks and squeezes my shoulder before she walks out of the office. “Felix, load me up with good books for my grandchildren.”
I smile and walk over, picking up The Secret Garden.
Am I just running from my own life? But the thought of staying… is terrifying.