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She brought out two glasses, handed one to me, and sat on the couch across from me. “I bet you’re wondering what’s going on.”
“Uh, yeah. You could say that.”
“Aiden is miserable.”
“You’ve noticed, too?”
She nodded. “It kills me to see how sad and broken my son has been over the past few years. He’s not himself. He hasn’t been himself in a long time. I selfishly figured that if you came back into his life, a bit of light might come back to him. So I placed him at the inn after I convinced him to come home for the holiday season. I wanted to get him around you to remind him how you both need one another. There’s no Tom without Jerry.”
“Laurie… he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“That’s not true. I know my son.” She placed her glass of wine on the table and reached across to touch my arm. “Aiden, he’s been numb. He’s so closed-off, but over the past few weeks, whenever I get a glimpse of you two together, he comes to life again. Sure, he might be angry, but that’s better than the numbness he’s been displaying for years. He’s feeling something again, and I know he hasn’t felt alive in a very long time. You light him up in a way he hasn’t been lit in a very long time. You two are meant to be together.”
“I think he hates me,” I confessed.
“There is no way my son hates you, Hailee Rose Jones. You’re his best friend.”
“I’m not. Too much time—”
Laurie took my free hand into hers and squeezed it. “You’re his best friend.”
Tears washed over my eyes as her words settled into my soul. “You think so? After all this time?”
“The love you two have for one another was made for an eternity. Now, I just need you to figure out how to get him to stop being so stupid so you two can reunite already.”
“Laurie…”
“I’m not telling you to fall in love with him, Hailee, but if there is ever a window of opportunity to be his best friend again, please take it. I feel his saddest parts would be healed if that happened.”
“I’ll try my best.” I pushed out a tight smile before I finished my white wine in one gulp. I stood and smoothed my hands over my outfit. Laurie smiled, knowing full well that my nerves were wreaking havoc on me. “Thank you for the wine, Laurie.”
“You know it was always you for him, right, Hailee? You were his leading lady.” She stood and pulled me into a tight embrace. She whispered against my ear, “It was always you.”
28
Aiden
I was officially losingmy mind.
The mental war taking place in my head had been nothing but exhausting after running into Hailee over the past few days. And now seeing her emotional and covered in mustard in my room?Fuck me sideways, and just let me love you, Hailee Jones. Except don’t. Don’t let me love you.
See what I mean? I was going insane. I felt like a tug-a-war was happening between my emotions, and I had no control over them. I hadn’t felt so much in such a long time.
A part of me wanted to be able to forget what went down between us, but it was still so fresh in my mind, even after all these years.
Nip it in a bud?Bite me, Hailee Jones.Honestly, I’d probably like that. I hated how great she looked. She was a more grown-up version of her always beautiful self. Her hair was done up in micro braids that fell below her waist, and her skin still glowed in the sun without a drop of makeup. She didn’t wear sweats like she did when we were kids. Nope. She went with the much more form-fitting dresses and tight jeans that made her ass that much more apparent. And even with the pathetic hate I had, my eyes still wandered. My dick still twitched. If only my dick could’ve gotten the memo that Hailee Jones was off-limits, then I’d be a happy camper.
Hailee had a newfound confidence, too, that was new to me. She was more than comfortable in her own skin, and that was such a turn-on to me. I wished it hadn’t been, but seeing her authentically happy in her body, in her life made me proud of her. Even if I hated her.
Hated her. I wondered if that hatred would be real one day. It didn’t seem likely. My stubborn heart still beat for her.
I tried my best to shake off my nerves when Mom texted to request I bring her some baked bread for dinner that evening. She sent me the address, and the moment I arrived, I stood in front of the storefront in a state of shock.
Hailee’s Bakery.
Because of course, my mother sent me to the Jones’s bakery for a few loaves of sourdough. Why was I starting to think Mom had her own motives for sending me out for bread? I walked inside to find Penny behind the counter, ringing up a customer’s order. She looked up at me when she finished, and the biggest smile fell against her lips.
A smile that was identical to her daughter’s.
