It was weird. I hadn't blinked when dealing with that complicated lighting at the amusement park, but now? I felt like I was drowning."Don't trust me?" Hayden asked."It's not that, I just..." My eyes drifted over him—his shirt was covered in grime, and the cuffs of his pants were soaked through.Seeing him like that made guilt twist in my chest."I can handle it. Now hurry up," he said, reaching out to pat my head. "Be good."A shiver ran down my spine.Just recently, Wayne had done the same thing, but this was... different. Hayden's touch was warm, sweet, almost like something I'd been craving without realizing it.I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was there—this strange mix of comfort and longing that made me feel like I was on the edge of something new.His gaze was so soft, I had to look away. I practically sprinted out to get the supplies he needed. When I got back, he was already mopping up the water in the hallway.The floor inside, which had been flooded just a
My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn't move.Hayden stayed put too, his eyes locked on mine.We were staring straight into each other's eyes, totally frozen.Neither of us budged—no stepping closer, no pulling away.It was like I could feel our hearts racing together...Until some old lady's voice outside shattered the moment: "That new tenant's boyfriend sure knows how to clean. Look at that staircase!"Reality crashed down on me. I shoved Hayden away and bolted for the living room.But once I got there, I just stood around, totally clueless about what to do next. My mind was a total mess.Hayden followed me, breaking the silence with a casual, "Is this your parents' old place?"I paused, confused about how he knew that, until I noticed him standing by the wall where all our family photos were hung."You still look a lot like you did as a kid," he said, almost like he was stating the obvious.The wall was covered with my childhood awards and family portraits. In one
"Got any wet wipes?" Hayden asked. "Or another towel? I need to clean up."He was clutching my towel, but it was pretty obvious he wasn't about to use it on his dirty clothes."I've got some face towels," I offered, digging out a couple. "You can wet them and use them the same way."He hesitated, staring at the face towels like they were alien tech or something.I couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously? You've never seen these before?""Yeah, first time," he admitted, which somehow made him even more likable.It kinda made sense, though. He hadn't been in a relationship and didn't have any women in his life. And honestly, face towels were a pretty recent trend anyway."They're disposable face towels, mostly for women," I explained, wetting one and handing it to him.Hayden nodded, finally getting it, and started wiping the dirt off his clothes. As he did, I noticed a smudge on his shoulder, so I grabbed another towel and reached out to clean it off.The second I touched him, he t
Some people were truly shameless—like, they just couldn't help themselves.As Tanya marched toward me, that thought flashed through my mind.Anyone with a shred of decency would avoid the ex of the person they cheated with. But nope, not Tanya. In today's world, people like her just didn't care.It was like she needed to show off, to prove how much better she thought she was."Keira, what a surprise! Here for dinner too?" Tanya chirped, but her eyes were locked onto Hayden.Honestly, ever since she strutted over, she hadn't stopped staring at him.I didn't need to go into detail about how hot Hayden was. Let's just say he was the kind of guy who would turn heads wherever he went, even earlier today when the old ladies in my neighborhood were practically drooling over him."Yeah, I am. What, you think I'm just here for a tour?" I shot back, my tone dripping with sarcasm.It wasn't that I was being petty—I just couldn't stand the sight of her. She was the type who played innocent
I should've known better than to look—it just messed with my head.Right when I was about to turn away, Jace glanced back, locking eyes with me through the floor-to-ceiling window. His brows were furrowed.I quickly shifted my gaze to Hayden, who'd just handed my phone back after finishing our order. I glanced down at the dishes he picked.To my surprise, they were all my favorite foods.But how could Hayden know what I liked? We didn't know each other that well. Maybe we just had similar tastes?I looked up, ready to ask, but stopped myself. Asking too many questions would make it obvious I cared, and I didn't want to give Hayden that idea.Instead, I casually asked, "Want to drink something?""I don't drink," he declined. "And I've got stuff to do this afternoon."Oh, right. He still had to check out apartments.I figured that's why he wasn't drinking and said, "No worries. I'll come with you this afternoon, so no one's gonna rip you off.""There's no need. I've already..."
If I could've disappeared on the spot, I would've done it in a heartbeat.But I couldn't.And I knew that the longer I dodged this, the more Hayden would overthink it.He was the type who never held back—always said whatever popped into his head, no matter how bold or out-of-line it was. He didn't treat me like an outsider, that was for sure.With that in mind, I forced myself to look up casually. "Really? Words alone don't prove anything.""Mm," Hayden hummed, taking a sip of water. "I can--"The second he started, alarms went off in my head. "Hayden, shut up."I surrendered."I was going to say, if you need proof, I can go to the hospital," Hayden finished.Even though it sounded innocent, it still felt loaded with all sorts of hidden meanings.Why would I need him to prove anything? I wasn't his girlfriend."Save that proof for your future wife," I shot back, standing up abruptly and heading to the restroom.Just as I rounded the corner, a hand grabbed my arm, and the fa
Yeah, Jace was definitely jealous just now.What a jerk. On one hand, he was fooling around with Tanya, and on the other, he wouldn't let go of me. He seriously thought he could have it all.I stayed in the restroom for a few minutes, trying to pull myself together, but when I finally stepped out, I overheard Tanya's voice.She sounded pitiful, almost like she was about to cry. "Jace, you still love Keira, don't you?""She's my fiancée," Jace replied, just confirming what I already suspected—he still had feelings for me."But she's already broken up with you," Tanya's voice was soft.I had to hand it to her—she really knew how to play the helpless card in front of a guy. Even her voice was perfectly tuned to get sympathy."That's just something she said out of anger. I didn't agree to the breakup. Besides, she can't live without me. She's just mad right now; once she cools down, she'll come back," Jace's words caught me off guard.So, he thought the breakup was just me throwing
I spent the whole evening at this little dive bar, from three in the afternoon until nine, just sipping away. I didn't go overboard, but I drank for hours, enough to feel that numb buzz where everything else faded away.The bar's owner, Mr. Seth, knew me well enough by now. I didn't have to worry about getting too wasted, even if I was on my own."When are you heading out? Is someone picking you up?" Mr. Seth asked. I never knew his first name—everyone just called him Mr. Seth.He looked like he was in his fifties. If my dad were still around, he'd probably be about the same age."I guess I should get going," I said, though honestly, the last thing I wanted was to leave.But I had work tomorrow. I needed to get home and at least pretend to sleep. Tonight's drinking was my way of saying a final goodbye to whatever I had left for Jace.I tried to steady myself as I stood up, but Mr. Seth stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "I'm not letting you leave like this. I'll have someo