AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you sure you don't want any wine?” I asked her, laughing about the story she’d just told me about her and Anna’s thirdroommate in college. Apparently, she’d once brought home two guys and not realized it until all three of them ran into each other sober the next day.
“Yes,” Haley said. “Thank you, though. I’m sure it’s wonderful.”
“It ought to be.” I laughed. “This wine is six hundred dollars a bottle.”
“What?” Haley asked, gasping and covering her mouth as a little of her water spilled out.
“God, that reminds me of some of the shit that Henry and Kevin and I did when we were twenty-somethings,” I said, choosing to ignore her surprise. “Has Anna ever told you how her father Henry got his limp?” I noticed she was staring at my glass of wine like it was going to bite her.
“No,” Haley said, taking it from me into her hand and turning it around to look at it. “I didn’t notice he had a limp.”
“Oh yeah,” I said, taking it back and pouring myself another glass. “He got that when the snow was unfathomably high one year and we all decided to get drunk and jump off the highest balcony at what is now known as Brother Bear’s. Henry went first.”
Haley laughed. “That does sound like a Henry move to be honest. He could be the poster child of, ‘What happens when party boys get old and have kids that their friends decide to sleep with.”
I couldn’t help but let out a self-indulgent laugh. She had him pegged.
“That’s Henry, all right,” I said. “He was always the one who pulled the most and had the least interest in anyone besides the woman who would be his wife. Meanwhile, four-eyes Kevin and stick-thin James longed for the people who couldn’t see us past that swoopy hair and perfect smile.”
“Stick-thin James?” Haley asked, laughing a little.
“Yep,” I said, nodding and reflecting on my former self. I thought I was doomed to be the epitome of snappable for the rest of my life until I started training to go to the Olympics. I filled out nicely then and married the girl who liked me before the fame and money.”
Haley went quiet, and I realized we had never directly talked about Jane.
“I’m sorry, Haley,” I said. “I—”
“Why?” she asked. “For talking about someone you love? Never apologize for that, James. I just don’t always know how to support you when you or the kids bring her up.”
I could feel my lip tremble as I attempted to not burst into tears at her kindness. If I’d had a ring on me now…
“Thanks,” I said instead. “That means a lot that you would listen. For me, I just want to share memories. For the kids too, probably.”
Haley nodded and put her hand on top of mine. “Are you ready to head out?”
I nodded and hailed the waiter for our check.
The whole way back to the resort, I couldn’t stop thinking about her effortless heart. She was the kind of person who could and would see the good in everyone, and that couldn’t have been clearer than when she met me.
Honestly, she should have told me to fuck off and find someone else, but she didn’t. And her willingness to give a grumpy, damaged man a second chance at a first impression had now changed both our lives.
When we entered the penthouse, the energy had shifted in the nicest of ways. The space felt like ours instead of mine. Shared instead of separate.
Haley went straight for the master bedroom and began to strip out of her cocktail dress in what I could only assume was in favor of comfier clothes.
Whatever I’d once felt about Haley in formalwear had faded to give way to how I felt about her in no makeup and sweats. Preferably my sweats if I had my way.
I followed behind her, undoing my cuffs and loosening my tie, admiring this marvel of a woman as I did.
“God, I’m stuffed,” she said. “I love Italian, but it does not love me. Maybe I should sleep in my own room tonight.” She made a noise with her mouth that indicated she was referring to gas and I laughed.
“Well, if you do, I’ll be right alongside you. I’m lactose intolerant and choose not to heed it.”
Haley’s eyes grew wide. “You can just ignore it?”
“No,” I said with a grin. “No, you can’t. I pay for it every minute of my life.”
Haley burst into laughter and I smiled as I saw her grab my sweatshirt and carry it with her to the bathroom. “I’m gonna grab a quick shower. Okay?”
