Page 77 of Half Baked

“You what!”

“What night was thefirstnight?”

I smile at their interjections and continue. “When I woke up, I didn’t thinkI could get used to this. Instead, what I thought wasI’m already used to this.”

“I love it. You two are amazing at both supporting and challenging one another. It’s not just one or the other,” Stevie says with a squeeze of my hand.

“And we’re here to support you too,” Ivy adds. “I understand the feeling—thinking your store, your passion, is being taken from you.”

Ivy does understand, uniquely so after someone tried to destroy her business back in the fall. “Any advice?” I look up at her, tears welling in my eyes.

“Do what you do best, make a plan. And let us help you any way we can.”

Across the room, the stack of bills on the end table glares at me like a warning light in the fog. It feels like the walls are closing in. I don’t have a plan, not really. Before the show swooped in, I had been dragging myself along until the construction company would eventually decide to stop being patient with my tiny payments.

“What if you took Hayden up on one of his offers?”

My attention swivels to Wren. “I can’t accept a handout,” I tell her. “I know it’s coming from a good place, but I just can’t. Especially if I’mwithhim. It will become this thing wedged between us.”

“Taking a handout is different than accepting help,” Ivy points out. “It’s okay to need help.”

The idea of asking for help would have sent me into a spiral before. But I have been saying yes. I have been letting people, mainly Hayden, in on the hard moments. And the thing is, it hasn’t felt like a shortcut. It hasn’t felt weak.

It’s been just the opposite, I’ve been energized. I’ve been enjoying myself, doing this with him. But having him stand beside me on camera and accepting a nonrefundable mixer are both rather small compared to what I would be accepting if I allowed him to wipe away my renovation debts.

My phone chimes on the coffee table, and Stevie raises an eyebrow as the name flashes across the screen. “It’s like he knew you were talking about him.”

“What’s it say?”

She picks up my phone and does a quick scan of the text message. “He says he hopes you’re having a good girls’ night and promises he won’t force Tripp to crash this one with him.”

“I knew trivia night wasn’t a coincidence,” I mutter, a small smile catching the corner of my lips.

“And then it says, butbaby, the air sea team got a call. He’s heading out now, but he promises this isn’t a bad one.”

“Why didn’t he lead with that?” I jolt up and reach for my phone as another text comes in. “I’ll let you know as soon as I’m back in,” I read aloud.

“It’s sunny out, and the surf report is saying swells are pretty normal today,” Ivy assures me, reading from her own phone.

“I think getting used to this is going to be the hardest part.” I pull the pillow tight against me once again.

“You don’t have to get used to it today.” They slide closer to me, my safety net of a different kind. And they stay with me, talking about Stevie considering taking on weddings at her floral shop, Wren starting a new project at the inn she manages, and Ivy’s upcoming book release party.

All the while, my heart beats with anticipation, my hand clings to the phone with my knuckles white. It seems silly to worry about letting him help me in times like this. The only thing worth worrying about is if he comes home safe.

I think about Hayden flashing me that smile and telling me he’s always ready. It’s the Coast Guard’s motto, but it goes beyond that. He’s always been ready to be there for me. And I want to be ready too.

I check my phone again, still nothing. But I already knew that. I haven’t let go of it for even a second. “How long should this be taking?” I wonder aloud.

“I think that depends on the situation.” Wren reaches over and squeezes my free hand.

“You don’t have to wait all night with me, you can go when you need.”

“Nope, we’re here until that phone goes off.” Stevie shakes her head.

A knock sounds at the door, causing all our heads to pivot in unison. I jump up and race to answer it, the sound of three other sets of footsteps echoing behind me. Why would someone come to my door before I hear from Hayden? That always means something bad in the movies.

My heart threatens to pound right through my chest as I reach the door and throw it open. Standing with the fading sunlight outlining him, a tall, tanned man with lazily brushed back hair and eyes the color of the sea smiles down at me likeI’mthe sight to behold.

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