Page 29 of Best I Never Had

“I honestly cannot have another bite but you’re making it so hard to say no,” I say with a deep breath.

He pulls out the seat in front of me as he makes himself comfortable and places two forks between us. He picks one up and pierces the lemon tart, then takes a bite before I realize that he’s staying to keep me company.

“You don’t have to get back there?” I ask, gesturing toward the kitchen.

He shakes his head. “The lunch rush is dying down a bit, so I have a minute.”

So we sit, enjoying each other’s company while falling into a rhythm of comfortable silence and my occasional hum of satisfaction over my new favorite dessert. I giggle as I shoo his fork away from the crumbly crust, and he subtly nudges the plate a little closer to me before placing his fork down on the tabletop.

Hayden watches me squeeze the fork through my lips. I make sure I get every last smear of custard while fully aware of Hayden’s narrowing gaze.

“What?” I ask through a half-full mouth. I laugh, suddenly shy that I’ve become the center of attention in the small bubble that wrapped around us.

“Nothing,” he answers, shaking his head. My teeth clamp down on my lower lip, the muscles around my chin tightening as I suppress a smile.And Hayden does the same, one corner of his mouth lifting as the same dimple I’ve memorized presses into his cheek. His eyes flit to my mouth before trailing back to my eyes, and I feel my lips tense, then relax as a weird flutter spreads across my chest. A darkness casts over his eyes as his pupils fill the shades of jade and whiskey. We silently establish this staring contest, both refusing to break away as the iron grip I have on my fork slackens. It suddenly slips from my fingers, landing on the plate with a clatter. Whatever trance crackled between us breaks, pulling us both back down to our cushioned seats and to reality.

A sudden flush crawls up my chest and to my neck. I can feel the heat travel to my ears, and I nervously bring my hand to cover my flustered state, brushing over the side of my neck and hovering over my left ear.

Why do I suddenly feel like I’m sitting on a stage under a bright spotlight, beaming with pressure and heat? Like I’m the center of attention and being noticed for the first time.

I look at Hayden again, smiling shyly. And he does the same, huffing a short laugh before coughing into his fist.

“Uh, so, you doing anything fun this weekend?” Hayden asks, his voice sounding uncertain with his gaze settled on the fork haphazardly teetering off the plate between us.

“Oh. I, um…I’m going apple picking with Carmen and David on Sunday.” I tell my plans rather glumly, and Hayden catches on quickly.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I used to go apple picking with Matteo—my ex—every year, our way of celebrating fall and whatnot,” I explain. “We always went with Carmen and David, and it’s become sort of a tradition.”

“Oh,” he says as if finally realizing why I sound so defeated about my plans.

“Yeah,” I answer. “Anyway, this is the first time I’m going without Matteo, and I’m a little worried I’ll feel like the third wheel.”

“You can’t bail?” he asks, his fingertips running over the white tablecloth.

“No,” I say softly. “Carmen’s been so excited about going. I don’t have the heart to tell her no.” We sit in a short silence, the clinks of metal utensils to ceramic plates filtering around us.

“I’ll go with you.”

“What?” I ask, slightly confused.

“I’ll go with you,” he repeats.

“Apple picking?”

He nods.

I shake my head. “No, Hayden. You don’t need to do that.”

“I want to.” His serious eyes, ones that don’t carry a hint of hesitation, look at me as if silently telling me it’s okay that I accept his offer. His brows rise and lips curve into a sincere smile. “I’m off on Sunday, and it sounds kinda fun.”

“Are you sure?” I ask rather timidly. I mull over Hayden’s offer, thinking howgoodit would feel to accept it. A sudden reassuring calm takes over me, knowing I could enjoy a day with my sister while breaking this vicious cycle of heartbreak and tears. All because I would have Hayden by my side to loosen the tightness in my chest that I’ve become all too familiar with.

“Yes,” he answers assuredly. “If you want me to be there, I’ll be there.”

I still hesitate, even with his unwavering confidence that doesn’t show a speck of doubt. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he parrots.

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