Hayden
Sylvia had tried dragging me out of the bed earlier this morning to do yoga with her in the garden, but with Ivy at her dad’s for the weekend, I’d taken advantage of the rare quiet time to sink deeper into my pity party. I stayed in bed until after ten, burrowed deep into my pillows with the blankets pulled up over my head.
The only reason I’d dragged my mopey ass out and into the shower was because my stomach started to protest it’s lack of food, and I’d been too depressed all week to go grocery shopping, so there wasn’t a damn thing to eat in the house.
I’d put no effort into my appearance whatsoever, yanking on a pair of ratty yoga pants and a loose tee with an unidentifiable stain on the shoulder that I only wore while I was cleaning the house or gardening. I didn’t bother brushing my hair before throwing it up in a sloppy knot on the top of my head.
I drove to Muffin Top on autopilot, desperate for coffee and something sweet and full of calories.
When I got to the shop and saw who all was there, I nearly turned and bailed, but the smells of sugar and coffee kept me from running like a coward.
Dani was behind the counter, chatting with Tempie, Rory, and Nona, who were standing across from her. All four of them turned to me when the bell over the door rang, and the instant they spotted me, the conversation stopped. Their mouths fell open, and their eyes went wide.
“My God,” Rory stage whispered. “It’s worse than I thought.”
I ignored that and kept heading for the counter. “Hey guys. How are you?”
“Apparently, better than you, doll,” Nona replied, her features awash with concern as she looked me over. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, totally,” I lied. Looking to Dani, I asked, “Can I get a white mocha with extra whipped cream? And add caramel drizzle on top. I’ll also have a bear claw, a piece of coffee cake, and two bags of donut holes. If they’re fresh.”
Tempie moved closer to me, placing her hand on my arms. “Honey, what are you doing?”
I looked to my friend, my expression as blank as my voice as I replied, “What’s it look like? I’m eating my feelings.”
“No.” She shook her head. “You’re eating diabetes. This isn’t healthy, babe. How about we all sit down and you talk to us instead of eating and drinking your way to a massive coronary?”
“Fine,” I relented on a pitiful sigh, letting her take me by the shoulders and lead me toward a table. “But I still want that coffee.”
“Of course.”
“And the donut holes.”
“Why don’t we see how the chat goes?”
She guided me into one of the chairs, then she, Nona, and Rory took the other seats, all of them watching me closely, like they were afraid I was going to fall apart at any moment. They weren’t wrong.
“So, how are you really doing?” Rory asked, a weak smile on her face.
I waved my hands up and down. “How’s it look like I’m doing? I’m a freaking disaster. Even Alex looked at me with pity when he picked Ivy up yesterday. And Sylvia’s forced me to work in the back of the shop all week because she said I’d scare off the customers.”
Nona bobbed her head from side to side, her lips stretched into a grimace. “Well, you do kind of have this Bride of Frankenstein meets Carrie after the pig’s blood vibe going right now.”
Dani placed a coffee in front of me before pulling up an empty chair. I picked it up and slugged some back. There was no caramel, but it was still damn good, so I let it slide.
“What’s the point of basic hygiene when you’ve got no man to smell good for?” I lamented.
“Oh, wow. Okay.” Tempie twisted in her seat to face me full on. “I didn’t realize we’d fallen this far down the rabbit hole already. We should have intervened sooner.”
“There’s nothing any of you could have done.” I sighed forlornly and chugged more coffee. “Micah and I are done. That’s all there is to it.”
“But”—Dani’s expression turned quizzical—“he said he was just giving you some space. That you guys were on a break.”
I snorted loudly. “Who are we, Ross and Rachel? This isn’t an episode of Friends. A break means break up.”
“Uh, honey, I don’t think he sees it that way,” Nona said gently.
I didn’t want it to, but at that comment, hope took root and sprouted in my chest. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, yesterday he paid up on this crazy bet he made with Trick and Hayes forever ago.”
My back went straight and my belly began doing somersaults. “What?”
“Yeah,” Tempie added, explaining further since she didn’t know I was aware of the bet already. “They bet him that one day a woman would come into his life who would make him start thinking about marriage and kids and that sort of thing. He was so sure that day would never come, he said he’d split his paycheck between them if it happened. And, well . . . yesterday, he split his paycheck between them.”
“Wait, so . . .” I couldn’t bring myself to say the words, afraid that putting them out into the universe would jinx something.
Dani went there instead, smiling bigger than I’d ever seen her smile before. “So . . . I think it’s safe to say the man loves you and is all in. Maybe you should rethink this break or breakup or whatever it is?”
I shot out of my seat so fast the chair screeched across the floor. “I have to go.”
“What about the donut holes?” Rory called after me, humor coating her words.
I threw my hand up and waved. “No time! I’ll come back for them tomorrow!” Then I ran out of the coffee shop to my car, desperate to get to Micah.
The tires let out a little squeal as I slammed on my brakes and threw my car into park. I tried to calm myself as I shoved the door open and climbed out, breathing deep and taking my time as I walked across my yard to his.
I wasn’t even sure he was home, but I had to try.
I inhaled slowly, counting to three before letting it out and lifting my hand to knock on his front door.
I waited, anxious and nervous, as I heard the sound of the lock sliding. The door opened and Micah stood before me in nothing but a pair of light gray sweats that hung deliciously off his tapered hips.
“Hayden?” His voice pulled me from my perusal of his sinful chest and abs. “Is everything okay?”
“No, actually,” I answered, my chest heaving. “It’s not.”
His brows arched down in worry as he stepped to the side. “Do you want to come in?”
Instead of answering his question, I asked one of my own. “Did you pay that bet to Trick and Hayes because I knew about it, or because you really lost?”
“How’d you hear—” He shook his head, already realizing the answer to that before he even finished the sentence. “Never mind. Small town.”
“Just answer the question. Did you really lose or did you pay them for my benefit?”
He studied me for a beat before nodding. “I lost, Red. And I’ve never been so glad to lose a bet in my fuckin’ life.”