Page 22 of Hello Trouble

HAYES

I was on top of the fucking world for all of two seconds until I realized I had no idea how to go on a date.

The outing had to be special—especially with someone like Della. But how?

I thought maybe I could learn something online—that’s how I learned a lot about my motorcycle. But that was not helpful. There were a million different pieces of advice, and I wasn’t sure who to believe. None of the people writing those articles knew Della.

But I knew someone who did.

So I got on my motorcycle and drove out of town to the white farmhouse where my brother was living in marital bliss with Della’s best friend.

I left my motorcycle in the driveway, propped on its kickstand, and walked toward the front door, knocking a few times.

Graham, Maya’s dog they found on the side of the road several years back, let out a few warning barks. Then a baby started wailing.

I cringed.

A few moments later, Fletcher came to the door holding Mira in his arms. Her hair was all mussed, and her cheeks were red. But she twisted and reached for me.

I took her in my arms, saying, “Sorry for waking you up, sweet girl. I didn’t know this was naptime.”

Fletcher said, “She’s been fighting them lately.” Then he stepped back to let me in. “What brings you by? Because we’ll definitely take some babysitting.”

I chuckled, bouncing Mira in my arms. “You know I’ll babysit anytime.” Graham sniffed my leg, then looked up at me like he was greeting an old friend. I bent a little to scratch his ears and then stood back up. Once the attention was gone, he scuttled down the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

“Tuesday?” Fletch asked, plopping onto the couch in his living room. The other girls must have been in their rooms or something because no one else was around.

“Sure.” Then I said, “I need some advice. Is your wife available?”

“Ha ha, where’s the injury?” Fletcher started looking me over, ready for a cut or scrape he’d have to stitch together like he’d done dozens of times before. But I shook my head.

“I’m serious.”

Understanding dawned in his eyes. And then he chuckled. “You’ve really got it bad.”

“Shut up,” I muttered.

“Uh huh,” he said. “This way.”

I followed behind him, Mira beginning to doze in my arms, feeling like he was taking me into the lion’s den instead of his en suite bathroom. The whole place reeked of hairspray. Liv, Maya, and Leah were all in there doing hair and makeup.

They all looked at me in the mirror, in various states of preparation. Maya had a curling iron twisted around a strand of hair. Liv had one set of lashes coated in mascara, the other eye bare. And Leah was painting sparkling lipstick on her lips.

Fletcher said, “You’ve been summoned, Liv.”

She gave me a knowing look that had me feeling way too exposed.

Keeping my voice low, I asked, “Can you help me or not?”

“Of course I can.” She continued applying her mascara. “She’s my best friend.”

I shifted to my other foot, bouncing Mira softly in my arms. “ Will you?”

Maya smirked at me then whispered, “You forgot to say please.”

I gritted my teeth together, knowing Liv was just stubborn enough to make me do it. Probably on my knees and in a tutu if I didn’t play my cards right. “Will you please help me, Liv?”

“Of course! Why didn’t you ask?” she whispered brightly. She finished applying her mascara and said to Fletcher, “Can you supervise?”

“Sure thing,” he replied and patted my back on the way out.

Looking down and noticing Mira was now fast asleep, I whispered, “Should I lay her in her bed?”

Liv shook her head. “You’re stuck like this for the next two hours.” Walking ahead of me into the hallway, she curled her finger over her shoulder. “Step into my office.”

I rolled my eyes when she actually stepped into their home office. At least I knew Della was worth all the theatrics.

Liv sat in the high-backed leather chair behind the desk and gestured that I should sit across from her. I gave her a look before sitting down, careful not to wake Mira.

“So,” she said, pulling out a yellow legal pad and pen. “What brings you in today?” But she cracked up, giggling on the last couple whispered words. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” she said with humor in her eyes.

“You’ve sure made it painful to come and ask for help,” I said wryly.

She chuckled. “You’re cutting it a little close, don’t you think?”

“I thought I could do it...” My knee bounced with my nerves. “But the closer I get to picking her up the more I realize that I have no fucking clue how to act tonight.”

Liv smiled sadly, a worried tinge to her eyes. “As Della’s best friend and someone who knows you pretty well... I gotta ask. Is this real? I don’t want to be part of some ploy for you to get her in bed and then leave her.”

The reminder of my past stung. I couldn’t blame Liv one bit for feeling that way about me and trying to protect her friend. “I wouldn’t be coming to you if it was just to sleep with your friend. I’m better than that.”

She reached across the desk, patting my hand. “Hayes, you’re the best uncle to my girls. You always make them feel special just as they are. Fletcher has told me how many times you gave him great advice on getting Maya through her rough patch. We love you for you.”

I swallowed down the lump in my throat, feeling oddly touched at her words. “So why does it feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming?” I only half joked. My muscles felt tense, like they knew I should brace myself.

Liv frowned. “I believe in trusting people when they show you who they are. And you’ve shown me that when it comes to women... you’re around for a good time. Not for a long time.”

The words sounded so... gross. But she was right. “I’ve never been interested in something different until now.”

Liv nodded slowly, taking it in. I couldn’t tell if she believed me or not, so I pressed ahead, asking, “So what do I do?”

She flattened her hands on the desk and looked at them for a moment.

“Here’s the deal.” She looked up at me, leveling her gaze.

“You’re going to have to put in some work of your own for me to believe your intentions are pure.

If I gave you advice and Della got hurt somehow, I couldn’t forgive myself. ”

My stomach churned at her doubt. Suddenly, I didn’t just want to please Della. I wanted to show Liv that I could be a better man.