Page 42 of Make Me Whole
Chapter Twenty-One
BRADLEY
As desperately asI wanted to learn all of Hailey's secrets, I didn't want to do it at her expense. She'd already given me a piece of her and, for now, it was enough. That was why I purposefully spent the rest of our lunch talking about mundane things that held no emotional weight.
I was beyond relieved when most of the hurt had disappeared from her eyes by the time we exited the restaurant. "I can't believe you actually ate that entire thing." She looked me up and down and then shook her head in disbelief. "There had to be like eight eggs in the omelette alone, not to mention all the meat in the filling. Where do you even put all that food?"
Patting my stomach, I grinned at her. "I'm a big boy. It takes a lot to satisfy me."
There was a flicker of something in those green depths, but she looked away too fast for me to decipher it. I did catch her mumble, "I bet you are."
With a quick flick of my wrist, I noted it was almost time to meet up with Jeremy at my truck. Disappointment immediately rushed through my veins. I would have loved to spend the rest of the day going from stall to stall with Hailey.
"So, all of this—" with her index finger in the air, she motioned to the stalls surrounding us "—only happens once a month?"
"No. The market is here every Saturday.Weonly come once a month because Mavis would have a fit if she had to spend every Friday making tons of jam."
That laugh that rolled over my skin so easily was back. "No, she wouldn't." Hailey shoulder-bumped me. "You know just as well as I do her heart is in that kitchen."
She wasn't wrong. Whether it was for us or the guests on the ranch, Mavis was at her happiest when she was creating something delicious. I gave her a long sideways glance before asking, "I'm curious. You've known Mavis for a long time, right?"
"Pretty much my entire life."
"How come you're only coming to visit her now?"
Hailey pushed her hair behind her ear and perused the candle-stall we were walking past. "Her and my mom were very close, so I didn't really know,knowher." Her eyes found mine again. "We only became closer after my parents died. It's silly, but in a way, she's helping me keep their memory alive."
"It's not silly." My gaze roamed over her face; searching for any signs of discomfort. When I found none, I braved another question. "Do you mind me asking how they died?"
Her thick, black lashes fanned her cheeks as she turned her attention to the concrete floor beneath our feet. She was quiet for so long; I was sure she wasn't going to answer me. And then just as I was about to tell her she didn't have to, her voice sounded.
"It was a car accident. They were on their way to work." Her focus returned to me. "They had two cars, but still insisted on driving together every day." She smiled, and it was wistful rather than sad. "Anyway, somehow Dad had lost control of the car and they ended up in the wrong lane. Right in the path of an oncoming semi."
I tried to put myself in her shoes, to understand the pain of losing both parents in one go. It might've happened years ago, but my mother's abandonment had hurt like hell. I'd never admit it out loud to anyone, but it still did.
The last thing I wanted to do was to tell her I was sorry for her loss, even though I really was. Instead, I wrapped my fingers around hers and squeezed. A small, silent offer of comfort. Her voice was soft when she spoke again. "As horrible as it was to lose both of them on the same day, I knew it was supposed to happen like that. They would've never survived without each other."
The fact that she'd found a bright side—if you could call it that—to such a dark moment, simply made me respect her even more. There was no doubt in my mind that Hailey was a little bit bruised and broken—just like me—but she wasn't wallowing in it. She was facing the world as best she could. And, damn it, if that didn't make her one hell of a woman.
Her fingers flexed, and I realized her hand was still encased in mine. As much as I didn't want to, I knew not letting go would be weird. With reluctance, I snatched my hand back and shoved it into my pocket to keep myself from reaching for her again.
As we walked in silence, I had this overwhelming need to open up to her. To show her a part of me that I kept hidden from the world. The part that was afraid to put my heart on the line because I knew it wouldn't be able to survive rejection.
This feeling was so new and so unexpected, I had no clue how to deal with it. Lucky for me, I didn't have to figure it out right then. Brett's stall came into view and an idea struck.
A gentle touch to her shoulder gained her attention. "Hey, do you mind waiting here a second? There's something I want to do really quick."
Her brows dipped; a deep frown marring her forehead. "Uh…okay."
"Thanks." Before she could say anything else, I pivoted and opted to take the long way around in case she tried to see where I was going. Once I rounded the corner on which the stall was located, I peeked over my shoulder to ensure Hailey wasn't watching me.
When I spotted her; eyes shut, and a candle pressed to her nose, I turned my attention to the people in front of me. The image I was met with, managed to steal the words from my mouth.
Brett had his arm around his wife's shoulder while his hand rested atop her rounded belly. That strange fluttering in my chest was back. Gnawing at me. I brought my hand up and pressed my palm against the spot; willing it to go away.
Just then Brett's wife looked up. When she noticed me, she elbowed Brett in the side. "I'm sorry. We didn't see you there."
"No worries."
