Page 30 of Hello Trouble

DELLA

The conversation with Hayes was so enchanting, so fun , that I hardly noticed when Bennett walked past us, refusing to look in our direction.

But soon enough, the food on our plates was gone, and the milkshakes we ordered after, to extend our time together, were melting.

Agatha came by our table, picking up our straw wrappers. “Sorry, dolls, it’s closing time. Want me to put these shakes in to-go cups for you?”

Surprised, I looked down at my watch. It was nearly nine o’clock. We’d been here talking for over two hours. “No, I don’t need mine.” I started scooting out of the booth to get up.

“Sorry, Ag, we’ll square up and go,” Hayes said, standing too.

She smiled at him. “Thanks, hon. See you another day.”

He nodded kindly at her, and we walked to the front counter. Walking behind him, I was fascinated by the movement of his muscles under his T-shirt, the way ink trailed from under the collar and then disappeared again behind shaggy, dark blond hair.

When Agatha came to the register to check us out, I offered, “I’ll pay for my half.”

Hayes gave me an incredulous look. “Fuck no.”

Agatha said, “Language. There are ladies present.”

“Heck no,” he clarified and then pulled out a credit card. And that was that.

A warm feeling spread in my chest. Hayes might not be the most polished man, but he took care of me like it was the most natural thing for him to do.

And the fact that he wasn’t polished made it even better.

Like he was unwilling to or incapable of putting on a front. What you saw was what you got with him.

We walked out of the diner, and he said, “Care for a walk?”

I raised my eyebrows. He didn’t look like the type of guy to go for a romantic, moonlit stroll.

But he said, “I know you know how to walk.”

I laughed. “Sure, that sounds nice.” The weather was mild, and there weren’t too many bugs out since we weren’t in the heat of summer. By the time we made it to the end of the block, I felt perfectly warm. Especially with his hand curled around mine.

This moment was simply perfect, but in the back of my mind, I had to wonder... why? Why me? Why now?

And since we were both too old to play games, since I was supposed to move in less than two months, I spoke up. “Hayes, I have a question, and I know it might sound strange, but I need to know.”

He glanced over at me, casually sauntering beside me. “Shoot.”

I chewed nervously on my lip, and he stilled, reaching up to tug it from between my teeth.

“It drives me crazy when you do that.” His thumb was still on my mouth, sending a shiver down my spine.

“What’s your question?” he asked, trailing his thumb across my lip and then along my jaw. At the tip of my chin, it fell away.

A swoop of disappointment went through me as I mourned his touch. My heart struggled to find its normal pace again. “My question...”

He nodded.

“Right...” I glanced toward the sidewalk because it felt too vulnerable to look at him while asking. “Why date me? I mean, really date me?”

Now his touch was back, a bent finger lifting my chin so I had to look at him. “Are you asking me why I’d want to go out with you?”

My cheeks heated under the intensity of his stare. “That, and... you’ve never been the kind to date before.”

A conflicted look crossed his face that made my heart clench. I tried reminding myself that it was better to know the truth than live in ignorant bliss. Especially when I had life-altering decisions to make.

“It’s simple,” he said.

That was the last thing I’d expected to hear. “It is?”

He nodded, reaching up to sweep a curl behind my ear. Then he palmed my cheek—I was beginning to love his touch. He gave his caresses so generously. “My time with you is better than my time without you. So here we are.”

His words, spoken so plainly, warmed my heart. “My time’s better with you too,” I admitted. “But what happens when I annoy you?”

With a grin, he retorted, “Who says you don’t already?”

I gave him a light shove, laughing. “Seriously, though. Are you just here for the honeymoon period and then you’re done when things get hard?

” That sinking feeling returned as Liv’s warning echoed through my mind.

Maybe she was right. I was too old and respected myself too much to just be someone’s good time.

A frown made a line form between his eyebrows, and he stepped closer. “My family annoys me, and I’m not getting rid of them... yet.”

I laughed a bit. “I know it’s too early to promise anything.”

Hayes gave a quick shake of his head. “Everyone likes to put a timeline on things, but that’s not me. If you’re wanting to know where I’m coming from now, I respect that.”

And just like that, he’d unwoven years of learned relationship “rules” that I tried to live by. Don’t be too clingy. Don’t be too loud. Don’t come on too strong. He was letting me be me in a way I’d never been able to exist in a relationship before.

The thought had me all choked up, so I had to swallow down the lump in my throat before saying, “That means a lot.” I took a breath and then pressed on my next question. “Why date now?”

He smiled gently and drew me under his arm, kissing my temple. “Because when it comes to you... I want to be the exception, not the rule.”

My mind raced back to that night in his house, at the conversation we had. And my heart beat a little faster, because Hayes knew I didn’t want regular. I wanted extraordinary... and he wanted to give it to me.

When he let go of me, we kept on walking the streets of Cottonwood Falls, everything looking a little brighter while walking next to him.

It was late when he brought me home, and we shared another kiss on the front porch. As he walked away, I hoped next time he would come inside.