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I chuckled. “What about now?”
“My family’s the kind of people who will support you ‘slong as you’re doing what makes you happy. At first they were worried that I was losing part of myself.”
My heart clenched at that. “Were they right?”
“Maybe... Maybe I was just losing the stupid part that kept me away from you.”
I grinned. “Hayes Madigan, you do have a way with words.”
“Even without a college degree?”
I laughed at that.
But then we quieted, and Hayes’s voice almost sounded nervous. “Did you mean it when you said you’d stay in town? I could do long distance if you wanted.”
“Yeah,” I said, nearly whispering. “I did mean it. I just need to tell Edna tomorrow morning. She’s going to be thrilled.”
“If you’re sure that’s what you want,” Hayes said. He sounded doubtful, and that worried me.
“I always wanted to stay in Cottonwood Falls. And if this doesn’t work out between us, there will be more jobs in more cities. But there’s only one Hayes Madigan. The world couldn’t handle two.”
He chuckled at that with me. “So... I was thinking.”
“Oh boy,” I teased. “Even without a college degree?”
“Oh shush.” He laughed. “I was thinking this Wednesday... maybe we could invite your parents to my place?”
I sat up again, my heart beating its nervous drum. “You mean it?”
“Yeah. I need to start winning them over, like we said. Why not start now? Or Wednesday, I guess, since that’s when y’all usually hang out.”
I smiled. “I love you.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“It’s a yes.”
“Great. And I love you too.”
We said our goodnights and got off the phone. Setting it on my nightstand, I lay in bed thinking life couldn’t get any better. I was going to stay in Cottonwood Falls with all my friends and family. Hayes was loving me exactly the way I’d always dreamed. And I’d get to keep working with the boss and clients I loved. I couldn’t wait to tell Edna tomorrow morning.
48
HAYES
It was still morning time when Della called me the next day. I smiled because she’d been on my mind since I woke up. Being on her mind too felt so damn good.
“Hey, beautiful,” I answered, holding my phone to my ear as I filled out a purchase order for new parts while Chopper slept in his doggy bed in the corner of my office.
“Hayes.” She sniffed, and my heart instantly plummeted.
I got up, shutting the door to my office. “What’s going on?”
“I talked to Edna this morning and...” Her voice cracked, and I heard her sniff again. “And she already offered my job to someone else. They accepted, and she said she doesn’t feel right going back on her offer.”
My heart, which had dropped to the floor, now had boot prints all over it. “You’re kidding me. You’ve worked for her for twenty years.”
“Eighteen,” Della corrected with a cracking voice. “But I understand where she’s coming from. She’s a woman of her word. And she offered me several chances to stay. I just didn’t take her up on it soon enough.” She took in a shaky breath that made me want to wrap my arms around her.