Always With You

by Layla Hagen

  “Especially when it comes to the person you’re supposed to be with.” Mom sighed. “You can’t let Hailey go, Reid. She’s the best thing that ever happened to you. And your children would look adorable.”

  I chuckled, but then shook my head.

  “It’s not just about me,” I said quietly, staring at the table. “It’s about her too. She just left me a voice message and that was that. Her boss was the one who told me she’d left.”

  “You know Hailey better than we do, Reid. But I can tell you one thing. That woman loves you.” Mom’s voice was soft, calming me.

  She was right. I did know Hailey. Thinking that no one would be around forever anyway was her defense mechanism. I’d told her I understood that. Then I went ahead and completely bailed when she needed me.

  Fuck, I’d done everything wrong. I was such an idiot.

  “What if she doesn’t want this anymore?” I asked.

  Mom gave me a determined look. “Would she still be coaching Bianca and us about what to tell reporters if she didn’t care?”

  “She did that?” I croaked out.

  “Yes. And I have to say, that girl knows her stuff. No one calls a second time.”

  “You didn’t even tell me that reporters bugged you.”

  All I had hoped was for my family to not get caught in a shitstorm, and I failed. And yet, because Hailey was with them every step of the way, they were treading these treacherous waters without drowning in them. She had coached them, even though I’d completely let her down.

  I focused on Bianca. “Have you been suspended again?”

  She tilted her head. “I got very close but didn’t. Guess who did get suspended, though? Felton! Ha. A teacher passed by us when he went on one of his gossip sessions.”

  “Jesus, I’m sorry, Bianca.”

  My sister shrugged. “You know who you can thank for me knowing how to shut everyone’s mouth? Hailey. So, let’s get to the important stuff. I have Hailey’s Houston address,” Bianca said.

  “How?” I asked suspiciously. “Hailey would have no reason to give it to you.”

  “The Connor girls.”

  “You’ve been in contact with them?”

  “Duh. We’ve been keeping an eye on you two, thinking you’d eventually... you know, come to your senses. But you’re not, so... clearly, it was time to take matters into our own hands. So, chop, chop. Let’s get this dinner over with quickly. Lots to do, lots to plan.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Reid

  I checked my phone for the fifth time, sitting in the restaurant in the building next to the address Bianca had given me. It was seven o’clock, yet still no sign of Hailey. Eventually, I broke down and texted Bianca.

  Reid: Are you sure the address is right?

  Bianca: OH MY GOD, yes. What kind of spy/plotter do you think I am? I get my facts right. She’s probably just working late.

  Probably. Certainly. But now that I was here, I just couldn’t wait to see her. Talk to her. Hold her.

  Finally, at eight o’clock, a car pulled in front of the building, and Hailey climbed out. It was as if I’d only taken half-breaths until now. I darted out of the restaurant, heading straight toward her. She searched for something in her bag, not seeing me until I was in front of the staircase. And then she startled, nearly stumbling backward.

  “Reid. What are you doing here?”

  “Came to see you, beautiful.”

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Four hours and twenty-three minutes. Not that I’m counting.”

  I thought I’d known just how much I’d missed her, but being this near to her.... Fuck. I’d never needed anyone more than I needed Hailey right now.

  “Can we talk?” I asked when she didn’t say anything.

  “Umm... you flew all the way here to talk to me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Talk.”

  “Can we go somewhere more private?”

  She fumbled with the keys in her hands, running a hand through her hair.

  “Fine, let’s go upstairs.”

  Fuck. She looked as if she’d rather do anything other than invite me into her apartment.

  It was on the second floor, sparsely furnished, lacking Hailey’s usual flair and joie de vivre.

  Turning to me, she folded her hands over her chest.

  “Reid?” she prompted. “You said you wanted to talk.”

  “I want to apologize, Hailey. For the way I reacted in the coffee shop, for the way I talked to you, for not replying to your voice message.... It wasn’t right.”

  Softness flashed in her eyes, but only for a few seconds.

  “Thanks for saying that. You could have just said that on the phone. You didn’t have to fly over here for that.”

  I walked closer to her, taking immense pleasure in the fact that she wasn’t backtracking. She inhaled sharply when I stopped right in front of her, looking at her lips.

  “That’s not the only thing I came to say. And the rest of it has to be said in person.”

  “And what is that?”

  “I love you, Hailey, and I miss you. Desperately.”

  She shook her head, blinking fast.

  “No, don’t say that. I know I handled things badly by just deciding on my own, and I’m really sorry for that. But you made me feel like what we had wasn’t worth fighting for.”

  Jesus, that was unacceptable. Fucking unacceptable. And I was going to fix it. All of it.

  “Hailey, listen to me. I was.... I don’t do well with surprises. You know I don’t. It’s no excuse, but it is true. I was only half-hearing what you were saying. In my mind, I was already imagining how things were going to play out, how this couldn’t possibly work.”

  “And instead of talking things out, you just decided it was easier to pull back in your shell?”

  “I’m here now,” I said weakly. She shook her head again, stepping around me.

  “How did you even know where I lived?”

  “Bianca.”

  Hailey frowned. “How did she know?”

  “Your sisters.”

  She gave me the very first smile for the day.

  “We’re being ambushed.” She dropped her head in her hands, laughing. I moved closer. It was all I could do not to hoist her up in my arms and kiss her.

  “What?”

  “Interfamily ambush. This is new. They’re taking this to the next level.”

  She looked up at me from between her fingers, and maybe she realized I was a fraction of a second away from claiming that kiss I so desperately needed, because her eyes widened.

  “Reid, I don’t know what to say,” she murmured.

  “You don’t have to say anything right now. Just know that I’m here to show you that we belong together. I’m not leaving until I win you back, pretty girl.”

  ***

  Hailey

  After Reid left, I was in a frenzy. Next morning, I woke up with the strangest feeling that I was still dreaming. It had been a good dream, though. Reid had starred in it. I blinked open an eye, and then the other. My heart was beating faster. Holy shit. It hadn’t been a dream. He’d been here. Here. For me. I was jittery all through my morning routine, barely paying attention to what I was doing. My mind was on Reid. What was he thinking? Where was he now?

  I didn’t have to wonder too long about that, because when I stepped through the doors of the nearest Starbucks, there he was. Looking as irresistible in his jeans and polo shirt as he’d looked yesterday in that suit.

  “Morning,” he greeted.

  “Fancy seeing you here. Coincidence?”

  I had a déjà vu of him showing up at that movie screening, when I asked him the same thing. His eyes sparkled. He remembered too.

  “Absolutely fucking not.”

  “Mmm... Bianca striking again?”

  “No, just my power of observation. It’s the only Starbucks in a five-block radius.”

  “I see.”

&
nbsp; “Would have ordered your usual too but didn’t want to risk it getting cold. Didn’t know exactly when you’d show up.”

  He was already holding a coffee cup but waited patiently while I ordered my treat.

  “We can sit right there.” He pointed to two comfy-looking armchairs by the window.

  “Hmm... I sense you have a master plan in the works.”

  The responding grin slayed me. “What can I say? You know me too well.”

  Once we were both sitting, he asked, “How is work?”

  “Boring. We don’t have many clients. We’re mainly trying to acquire some, but honestly, even for the clients we do have, the work just isn’t very riveting. I spoke to Cameron, and everything’s calming down considerably in LA.”

  One corner of his mouth twitched. I narrowed my eyes.

  “I’ve heard that Marion’s fashion show was unexpectedly canceled. Did you have something to do with that?”

  “Will saying yes earn me points?”

  She smiled. “Maybe.”

  “You’re being hard on me. But I deserve it. Yes, I did. And just to come clean, you’ll find out soon enough that Victor what’s-his-face no longer works for LA Lifestyle. Also had something to do with that.”

  “You didn’t.”

  He leaned in, straight into my personal space. “I told you I’ll protect you. That’s me keeping that promise. I love you, Hailey.”

  “Reid....”

  He looked at my lips, and just when I thought he would kiss me, he pulled back.

  “So—breakfast and dinner. They’re mine.”

  “What?”

  “I’m here to win you back. I need time to do that.”

  “Okay... I can probably do breakfast.”

  “And dinner,” he insisted.

  “I might have client meetings.”

  “You just said you don’t have too many. We’re doing dinners too,” he concluded.

  I didn’t know what to say, what to do. He’d hurt me, but didn’t everyone make mistakes? Especially when they were facing uncertainty? I’d been guilty of that myself. It was just... what if it happened again? I didn’t think I could get through it again. I decided to change the subject. To focus on him.

  “How are you even here? Who’s taking care of operations?”

  “My CFO is in charge of everything.”

  I jerked my head back. Reid laughed.

  “He had a similar reaction when I informed him of his new duties.”

  “For how long did you leave him in charge?”

  My real question was, for how long was he here?

  And by the way his gaze dropped to my mouth, he knew exactly what I was asking.

  He smiled at me wolfishly. “For as long as it takes.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Hailey

  Over the next few days, I slowly felt as if I was seeing life through a colorful lens, not just black and white.

  It might have to do with a certain stubborn hotel owner who popped up at Starbucks every morning. Guess who’d also kept his word and invited himself to my place for dinner every evening? The very same stubborn hotel owner.

  He wasn’t pressuring me in any way, but the simple fact that he was there was pressure enough. This fine Thursday morning, he decided to switch things up and showed up on my doorstep with Starbucks coffee, insisting he could make us breakfast.

  He looked absolutely delectable standing at the stove and cooking pancakes for us both. I took advantage of the fact that he was focusing on the pan to drink him in, inch by inch.

  “Hailey....”

  “What?” I asked a little too innocently. He’d caught me in the act.

  “You’re not allowed to look at me like that unless you want me to kiss you. And I won’t kiss you unless you tell me that you’re mine to kiss forever.”

  Oh, God. What was I supposed to say to that?

  I lowered my gaze to my hands, twiddling my thumbs. I wasn’t trying to be difficult or to punish him. I was just afraid to take the next step. But I also couldn’t resist my feelings for him forever.

  So, since I wasn’t allowed to drink him in, I decided to set the table. I was so aware that Reid was around, as if every cell craved his nearness. My entire body hummed. My heart was beating faster, telling me it was okay to want him, to need him. My mind still was on the fence.

  Sitting at the table, I watched him put two pancakes on each of our plates. I was just about to go to the kitchen to bring our coffee cups when my phone chimed with a text from Jace.

  “Holy shit,” I exclaimed.

  “What?”

  My hands were trembling slightly. “Val just went into labor. She’s not due for another two weeks.”

  My voice was shaking too.

  “Okay. We’ll get you to LA right away,” Reid said calmly.

  How had he known that this was exactly what I was thinking? Exactly what I wanted?

  “Yes.... I have to....” I came up blank. “My niece is on the way. I can’t think. At all.” I leaped to my feet, pacing the room. Reid was hot on my heels, then stepped in front of me.

  He gripped my shoulders, looking me straight in the eyes. “One: pack whatever you need for a few days. Two: email Cameron and Annalise to tell them you’re having a family emergency. I’ll take care of everything else.”

  My face split into a huge grin. My heart rate was out of control. And my fears just vanished into thin air, replaced by utmost clarity: I was not going to lose this beautiful, perfect man.

  “Yes, sir.”

  He moved around me to pinch my right ass cheek. “Off you go. Come on.”

  “Reid?”

  “Yes?”

  “You can kiss me now.”

  He mirrored my grin, right before he brought his mouth down on mine. Oh, heavens. This kiss. My entire body responded to it. My pulse was lightning quick. His fingers pressed on my arms, his hips against me as he moved me through the room and then pinned me against the wall, kissing down my neck. He stopped when he reached my shoulder. His hot breath against my bare skin was the sweetest torture.

  “Come on, pretty girl. Let’s stick to the plan. I’ll kiss you later all you want.”

  ***

  “Easy there, or you’ll drop your phone,” Reid said on a chuckle when the plane touched down at LAX. I’d spent the entire flight trying to connect to the internet, to no avail. Why did airlines brag about offering internet if it didn’t work?

  Now I was staring at the screen, willing it to connect to a service provider, holding my breath.

  When the first connecting line appeared, my screen lit up with a notification and a picture of Val and a tiny, tiny baby. Oh my God. How could she be so tiny?

  Jace: The newest member of the Connor clan. Both Carla and Val are healthy.

  “Congratulations. You’re an aunt again,” Reid whispered.

  “She’s adorable.” My voice was throaty. I was honestly not quite able to think clearly, and I was one hundred percent certain Reid knew this because he took my hand and didn’t let go.

  If it weren’t for him, I wasn’t sure I would have made it to the hospital in one piece.

  Jace and Will were in front of Val’s room when we arrived. Both in a frenzy, but that didn’t stop them from giving Reid murderous stares.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Jace demanded. Will stood next to him, quiet but sending off equally overprotective vibes.

  I narrowed my eyes. “Want to rein in those brotherly instincts until after I meet my niece?”

  “No, I don’t think I will,” Jace replied.

  “He was with me in Houston.”

  “I’m not following.”

  “That’s because it’s none of your business,” I said, very sweetly.

  Will winced. “Jace, she’s using her PR tone. I’d lay off it if I were you.”

  “Hailey, why don’t you go in to see Val, and I’ll talk to these two?” Reid said.

  I grinned. “I like you more b
y the minute.”

  Once inside, I took a look around the room. Brooke and Paige were fussing around Val and the baby. Lori was whispering with Carter in a corner.

  “Hi, everyone,” I said loudly.

  “You’re here,” Lori exclaimed.

  “Where is everyone else?” I asked her.

  “My dear husband took all the kids to get something to eat, along with Landon and Maddie. It was getting a bit crowded in here.”

  I caught Val’s eye in that exact moment. Oooh, I knew what that glance meant. My PR skills were needed.

  “Why don’t you all go eat something? I’ll keep Val company.”

  “Good idea,” Lori said. “Carter, come on. You need some caffeine. And food.”

  There was a general rumble of agreement, and everyone left. When Lori passed me, I whispered to her, “Save Reid.”

  It was a testament to the power of our sisterly communication that Lori didn’t even bat an eye or ask for further clarification. Then again, I suspected that Lori had been on a saving mission all day; to be precise, she’d been saving Carter from himself.

  I’d been here when Willow and then Evelyn were born. Landon and Graham, Lori’s husband had both been out of control, asking questions, making lists, hovering; you name it. What was it about becoming fathers that turned grown men into terrifying yet somehow adorable creatures?

  “Oh, thanks for getting everyone out,” Val said. “They were sweet, but a little overwhelming.”

  Val was lying on the hospital bed with little Carla on her chest, who appeared to be sleeping. Carla was adorable, but I couldn’t take my eyes off my sister. In the blue hospital gown, she looked tougher somehow. A thin sheen of sweat dotted her face and neck, and she had dark circles under her eyes. And yet, I’d never seen Val so happy.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked.

  “I am not sure how to describe it.”

  “Carla looks even tinier in person. How is that possible?”

  “I don’t know,” Val whispered. I’d never wanted to hug my sister more.

  “You think Carla’s too small for a Connor sandwich hug?” I was dying to touch the little nugget.