Gradually, as they worked together in chemistry class, Hailey told him about her dad and how he expected her to major in science and become a great researcher like himself. She told him how her mom was scared of her dad and his violent temper. Patrick wanted nothing more than to protect and shelter Hailey for the rest of her life. But first, he had to go to college on the baseball scholarship, and that was where he’d made the biggest mistake of his life—a mistake he wouldn’t repeat. Patrick lightly trailed his hand along the back of Hailey’s shoulders. He felt them stiffen, and then relax slightly as he gently applied pressure in a soft massage. Whatever Hailey’s life had become, she carried a lot of stress in her shoulders, and that was one thing he wanted to take away for her.
***
Hailey closed her eyes. She melted into Patrick’s firm hands as he massaged her shoulders. It’d been so long since she’d felt the touch of a man. So long since she’d let herself relax. A small moan threatened to escape Hailey’s lips.
Suddenly, the sound of a crash caused Hailey to open her eyes and jerk away from Patrick. A teenage boy, wearing a large green parka, stood in the kitchen door leading to the backyard porch. A blast of cold air and snow spiraled into the room from the open door. A small white cord dangled down the front of the boy’s jacket. He moved along in a rhythmic dance to the music which pumped into his ears from the earplugs. It was turned up so loud, Hailey could hear the beat. A woman wearing a deep maroon, wool coat, and a colorful scarf tied around her long dark hair, stepped up behind Devon. She firmly shut the door. In her arms, she carried a large basket.
“Devon!” Patrick said. “Cassie!”
Cassie set the basket on the island countertop. “Sorry, we’re a little late. The lake roads haven’t been plowed. If it gets too much worse, we’ll have to walk home!”
“Hailey!” Cassie quickly crossed the black and white kitchen tile floor. She embraced Hailey in a warm hug. “It’s so good to see you again!”
“You too!” Hailey met Cassie while working on a high school senior project. Cassie was a couple years older than Hailey and attending the local community college. She taught after-school art classes to the elementary school kids. Hailey’s project was to create an art and science fair with the elementary school kids. She wanted to show how the two could blend together. They spent many hours working together and it was good to see her again.
“What’s in the basket?” Kaitlin asked as she bounced over to the counter.
“Who is this?” Cassie asked as she unwrapped her scarf.
“This is my daughter,” Hailey said slowly. “Kaitlin, this is Cassie.” Hailey crossed her fingers behind her back. She hoped Cassie would not see the connection between Patrick and Kaitlin.
“Very nice to meet you,” Cassie said. “Devon is my husband’s nephew. He lives with us.” She stepped over to Devon who leaned against the kitchen wall. Cassie yanked the earplugs out of Devon’s ears.
“Sorry.” Devon mumbled. He unzipped his jacket and stuck his earphones inside the coat pocket.
Hailey smiled. The kitchen bubbled with life. It was what she remembered about The Elmheart Hotel. There were always neighbors stopping by, friends and family playing games, and long evenings talking and reading by the fireplace. It was good to be back.
A silver, candy heart form stuck out of the basket. “Where did you get this?” Hailey exclaimed. She scooped the heart out of the basket and turned it over in her hands.
“I found it at an estate sale a couple years ago,” Cassie said. “There are a couple more in the basket. I haven’t had a chance to use them yet. But I thought they’d be great for making party favors.” Cassie reached into a red and white, hand-woven bag she carried over her left shoulder. She pulled out a stack of small, red fabric bags. Each bag was decorated individually with swirling hearts.
Kaitlin scooted closer to Cassie, and pressed against her side. “Those are really great! Did you make them?”
“Yes,” Cassie handed a bag to Kaitlin. “The Matthews have donated quite a bit of time and money over the years to the Teen Art Center. I wanted to contribute to their party.”
A lump formed in Hailey’s throat. She had lived with her aunt for the last ten years. They lived in a suburb of Kansas City. There was no past or shared history with her family. Her aunt always said she liked it that way. She said it was too claustrophobic to live in the small town where she’d grown up and everyone knew her life story. Hailey believed living in a town where she had no history was ideal for having a baby she didn’t want anyone to know about. But, now, Hailey bit her lower lip. Had she been mistaken?
“Mom?” Kaitlin touched Hailey’s arm.
Hailey looked up, but she didn’t look at Kaitlin. Instead, she stared across Kaitlin’s head and into Patrick’s warm, blue eyes.
Hailey shifted her attention to her daughter. She cleared her throat. “Yes?”
“Do you think Cassie could help with the Valentines? She’s an artist!”
“I’d love to help with the decorations!” Cassie squeezed Kaitlin’s shoulder. “Show me what to do!”
“Devon,” Patrick said smoothly, “can you start a fire in the living room? A fire should have been started hours ago.”
“Sure thing, boss.” Devon ambled toward the door. He paused and held it open as Cassie and Kaitlin scrambled through, both talking quickly about colors, textures, and all the ideas they had for decorating.
“Well.” Hailey turned back to the basket. She pulled out two more heart candy molds and a bag of chocolate. “I guess we better get to work.” Suddenly, the silence in the kitchen was deafening.
“I’m pretty sure we have better chocolate in the pantry than what’s in those bags. I’ll just store that chocolate for another occasion.” In two long strides, Patrick stepped up beside Hailey. His musky aftershave smelled like a deep forest as his side touched hers. He leaned over, but instead of picking up the chocolate bags, his fingers gently caressed hers. “I missed you, Hailey,” Patrick said softly.
Hailey’s insides shivered. She shyly gazed up at him. She missed him too. She’d wished for him so often when Kaitlin hit her first milestones: the first time she learned to talk, the first time she learned to walk, and her first day of school. But, Hailey never could have told Patrick about Kaitlin. He had a full scholarship. A baseball career was waiting for him. He would have given up everything for her and Kaitlin and she didn’t want him to do that. He would have ended up working in his father’s bar and never fulfilling any of his dreams.
“How is baseball?” Hailey asked brightly. “I don’t really keep up with too many sports.”
A dark shadow crossed Patrick’s face. He removed his hand from Hailey’s and looked at the ground. When he lifted his head, his eyes were veiled in a dark coldness that made her suck in her breath.
“I don’t play baseball,” Patrick said. “I blew out my knee during freshman practice. I lost my scholarship. I never played a game.”
“Oh, Patrick.” Hailey immediately stepped forward. She placed her hand on Patrick’s arm. Her heart ached for him and she wanted desperately to comfort him and take away all the pain. His dream. His wonderful baseball dream had never materialized.
“I had some rough years,” Patrick said. His voice was flat. “I worked at my dad’s bar for awhile. I was pretty depressed and started drinking a lot. One night, Frank Sullivan came in. He always liked my high school games. He heard what happened and took me under his wing as a line cook in his restaurant. A couple years later, I went back to school and got my degree in culinary arts. It’s worked out. I like cooking.”
Hailey’s emotions crashed inside her. Life could be so cruel, sometimes. Patrick lost his scholarship. He never went to college to become a ball player. Hailey wanted to sit down on the floor and sob. All the years she believed he was happily working away at his dre
am. And even worse, she’d prided herself on never asking about Patrick. She thought it was best not to know anything. But she was wrong. She should have asked her grandparents about him. They would have told her what happened. She should have told Patrick about Kaitlin years ago. He’d missed ten years of Kaitlin’s life because of her. Suddenly, the world felt like it was closing in on her. Her legs wobbled underneath her.
Patrick stepped forward and pulled her into his arms before she hit the floor. She melted against his hard, solid chest. His arms wrapped around her and she gazed up at him.
“Patrick,” she said.
“Shhh…” he lowered his lips to hers. Softly at first, he pressed his warm lips against hers. She wanted to turn away; stop him from kissing her. She wanted to stop herself from falling over the edge and in love with him again, but she couldn’t. She parted her lips and opened to him. Moaning softly, she surrendered to the kiss. She shifted and moved so she could wrap her arms around Patrick. Her fingers brushed past Kaitlin’s hot chocolate mug on the counter behind them.
Suddenly, Hailey broke away from Patrick. She could not fall in love with Patrick; not without telling him about Kaitlin. But, now was not the right time. There was too much going on. After the party tonight, she’d tell him. She would take him aside and tell him everything. Hailey licked her lips and smoothed her hands over her sweater. She turned away from Patrick
***
Patrick stared at Hailey’s back. He clenched his jaw. He’d been a fool to kiss her. He felt an irresistible pull to Hailey. He was swept away in the moment—just like the night of their senior graduation party. That night, they snuck away to a small boathouse at the back of a classmate’s large lakeside home. Patrick planned to do nothing but talk and kiss. Hailey wasn’t the type of girl to lose her virginity in a boathouse at a senior graduation party. But, maybe it was because everything was changing. Maybe it was the feeling of being invincible as graduating seniors. Whatever it was, they both allowed the moment to overtake them.
When he dropped Hailey off at her house, she kissed him softly and he promised to see her after he got back from summer ball camp at the college. But by the time he got back in August, Hailey was gone. He heard she went to live with an aunt, somewhere in the Midwest. He tried to call but her cell phone was discontinued. He tried to find her parents, but they had moved overseas. He didn’t want to bother her grandparents with what everyone kept telling him was only a high school fling. In September, he headed off to college and tried to put thoughts of Hailey behind him. But he couldn’t. He spent the entire first semester thinking about her, dreaming about her, and not wanting to date anyone else. That spring, he hoped to escape back into baseball. But, he blew out his knee and all interest in Hailey, or anything else, left him. In one moment, Patrick became a failure. He had nothing to offer anyone.
Now, ten-years later, he did have something to offer. But, again she was pulling away. Patrick steeled himself. He needed to get away from the kitchen. He needed to get his emotions under control. Patrick strode to the swinging kitchen door and pushed it open. He gave the door a harder push than necessary, and the door slammed against the wall. In the living room, a warm fire crackled in the fireplace. Devon was nowhere to be seen, but Kaitlin and Cassie sat on folding chairs at a cardboard table. A pile of cut-out red hearts and a box of what looked like old- fashioned valentine cards lay in front of them.
“Look what Grandma found!” Kaitlin popped up from her chair. She ran over to Patrick and waved a small pink and red valentine card. Patrick smiled down at the young girl. He wished Hailey shared more of her daughter’s enthusiasm about him.
“Take my seat,” Cassie said as she stood. She stretched her arms to the ceiling and did a quick side bend. “I’ll go check on Eric and Devon in the ballroom. Surely, the tables and chairs must be set up.” Cassie swirled around in the direction of the ballroom.
Patrick gingerly sat down at the table with Kaitlin. “I don’t know if I can help you too much,” he said. “I’m afraid all my creative talents lie in the kitchen.” Hesitantly, he picked up one of the valentines. The edges were faded yellow. A plump, round boy handed a valentine to a young girl who wore a blue gingham dress and stood bashfully by his side. “Be Mine.” the card read. Patrick sighed. If only it could be that easy.
“Did you and my mom have a fight?” Kaitlin asked.
Patrick smiled and shook his head. “Not really.”
“We fight sometimes.” Carefully, Kaitlin ran a stick of glue over the backside of a valentine. “It doesn’t last for very long.”
“That’s good to know.” Patrick fiddled with a stack of construction paper red hearts. A valentine was pasted on each one. A single piece of red string looped through a small hole punched at the top of the heart. “You’re pretty good with these decorations.”
“Last year for my birthday,” Kaitlin said, “I made all the decorations!” She glued the valentine to a large red, heart.
“That’s great!” Patrick eyed Kaitlin. “How old are you? Eight?”
“Ten!” Kaitlin said proudly.
“Ten.” Patrick dropped the valentine. He looked hard at Kaitlin. Kaitlin was ten. Ten years ago, he spent the night with Hailey in the boathouse. Patrick swallowed. It wasn’t a coincidence that Kaitlin looked like his sister. Patrick didn’t know whether to cry, or get up and shout from the top of the hotel’s balcony that he had a daughter. He had a daughter!
Suddenly, his insides deflated. But, why had Hailey kept it from him all these years? Why hadn’t she told him?
****
Hailey dipped a soup ladle into the thick, melted chocolate. Carefully, she poured the chocolate into a silver heart-shaped form. Her mouth watered as she ran her finger alongside the ladle.
“What is that delicious smell?” Ellen Matthews pushed open the kitchen door and stepped inside. Short grey hair framed her heart-shaped face and her brown eyes danced. Ellen wore a simple black skirt with a red top. A pink and red scarf draped around her neck and heart-shaped gold earrings dangled from her ears.
“What is that delicious smell?” Ellen Matthews pushed open the kitchen door and stepped inside. Short grey hair framed her heart-shaped face and her brown eyes danced. Ellen wore a simple black skirt with a red top. A pink and red scarf draped around her neck and heart-shaped gold earrings dangled from her ears. “Chocolate hearts, Grandma” Hailey said. “The molds aren’t quite ready yet, but you could help me lick the pan.” Hailey lifted the heavy saucepan from the stovetop.
“I’ll just wait until tonight,” Ellen said. “Thank you, dear. Everyone is doing such a wonderful job helping out with this party.”
Hailey set the pan in the sink and ran the water. When the pan filled, she turned the water off, and reached around to untie her apron. Hanging the apron back on a small hook by the door, Hailey looked up at her grandma. Her blue eyes looked more tired than Hailey remembered.
“Is everything okay?” Hailey asked. “Grandpa? He’s….”
“He’s fine, dear.” Ellen waved her hand airily. “I sent him upstairs to take a quick nap before the guests arrive.”
Ellen pulled out a wood chair tucked underneath a small, round table in a corner of the kitchen. The table was covered by a sunflower tablecloth and matching cushions were tied to the chair. “But, I do want to talk to you about something.”
Hailey quickly sat down. Her heart raced. Was something the matter with Grandma?
“I’ve always loved this spot,” Ellen said. She stared wistfully toward the door leading outside. “I love watching the birds at the feeder. In the Spring, you can see the crocuses and it’s the perfect view for summer fireworks.”
“The Elmheart is a very special place,” Hailey said. “I have always loved it.” She leaned over and softly squeezed Grandma’s hand.
“We’ve decided to put the hotel up for sale,” Ellen
said. Her voice cracked and her face etched with sorrow.
“For sale!” Hailey’s heart dove into her slippers.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but we aren’t getting any younger, and guests just don’t fill the hotel the way they used to.”
“But what about the special events?” Hailey’s voice arched an octave.
“Those help,” Ellen said, “but people aren’t staying here anymore. It used to be we threw a party and the hotel would book months in advance. But now, everyone just wants the hotels with pools and free internet.”
“Free internet is easy to solve,” Hailey said. “All you need is…”
“Ah, dear,” Ellen said. “Grandfather and I don’t want to turn this hotel into a chain hotel with free internet, pools and spas. When we bought the hotel, we envisioned it as a timeless, classic place. It’s a place where people can leave their worries of the real world behind. It’s a place where we don’t need a computer in every room. It’s a place where people connect with each other.”
“Specials!” Hailey leaned forward in her chair. She tapped the tabletop with her fingers. “Have you run a special lately? Two nights for the price of one?”
Ellen shook her head. Her heart earrings bobbed. “Sometimes, you just have to know when to let go. I think this might be one of those cases. It just might be time to let go of the hotel.”
Hailey felt tears bubbling in her throat. Her grandparents had always owned the Elmheart Hotel. If they sold it, someone would probably tear it down and build condos on the waterfront. Someone who didn’t understand the history. Someone who didn’t understand the long-standing traditions of the hotel.
“Your grandfather and I want our engagement party to be the last event we host; a final way to say good-bye.” Ellen squeezed Hailey’s hand. “We’re so glad you and Kaitlin could come.”
Valentines Say I Love You Page 5