Page 25

“So,” Hayden said while they were eating breakfast at the table, her eyes moving from the view of the ocean to Tracy.

“So…” Tracy’s lips slid into an easy smile.

“I had a really great time last night.” Hayden couldn’t decide whether this conversation was silly or not, but she didn’t care. After the misunderstanding they nearly had last night, she wanted to let her feelings be known.

“As did I.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Hayden said with a hint of a smile. “And while we’re sharing, I just wanted to say that…” She sat back in her chair, not even sure of what she was trying to say. “I would never do what you thought I might have done.” Her words lingered in the air, and she wondered if they made any sense.

Tracy shook her head. “That was entirely my fault. I jumped to conclusions, and I’d like to apologize. I shouldn’t have made any assumptions. We’re okay,” Tracy said, reaching for her hand across the table, gently swiping her thumb along the back of it.

“Yeah?”

Tracy nodded. “And while we’re sharing…” She gave Hayden a half-smile, using her own words. “I’d hate for last night to have been a one-time thing.”

“It won’t be.”

Tracy felt her smile grow. “I know this is all new for you, and maybe you want to keep your options open…”

“I don’t,” Hayden said matter-of-factly.

Tracy inhaled a shaky breath. “Well, then I was wondering if you’d consider dating, you know, officially.”

“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?” Hayden asked, an amused look on her face.

Tracy smiled to herself. “I can’t believe I’m so nervous asking you, but yes.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. Tracy got up to answer it, and Hayden could hear Lara’s voice drifting towards her.

“Hayden,” Lara said, stopping short when she entered the living area. “Oh.” She glanced between the two of them, a smile forming. “This makes me happy.” She exhaled. “And that’s why I need to apologize. To both of you. I got so caught up. I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t have done any of that.”

Hayden nodded, and Tracy agreed. “Hayden explained,” Tracy said. “About Kerri.”

“Yeah,” Lara said. “And she’d kill me if she knew about all this drama I created. She just wrote a screenplay. I’m the one who made a mess of things.”

“Well,” Tracy said with a sigh. “I could have just said yes.”

Hayden frowned. “Let’s just move on.”

“So, I know that Tracy’s out,” Lara said, her eyes moving between them. “But I never got an official no from you, Hayden. Do you want this movie? Because I’m pretty sure that your stock has risen enough in the last few weeks, plus you seem to be getting good at surfing, so that’s not even an issue, or at least it won’t be in a few more weeks.”

Hayden blew out a breath. “I don’t know. I mean, I haven’t even started filming the show yet.”

“We can work on that. It’ll be months before everything is ready to go with the movie, if the studio is still interested. It could actually work out really well.”

“You should go for it,” Tracy said, completely surprising Hayden.

“Look, I didn’t come here for an answer,” Lara said. “I just wanted to apologize, in person.”

“Do you think I could get there?” Hayden asked Tracy. “With the surfing.”

Tracy nodded. “Without a doubt. You’ve already made so much progress.”

Hayden looked from Tracy to Lara. “Yes.”

“Yeah?” Lara asked, disbelief in her voice.

“Yes.” Hayden couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Yes, to both of you,” she said, her eyes locked on Tracy now.

Tracy held her gaze, and Hayden forgot Lara was even there, she was so lost in Tracy’s eyes, in the idea of this being her new reality.

In the idea of Tracy being her girlfriend.