Page 33 of Make Me Whole
Chapter Seventeen
BRADLEY
I lifted myhand, but instead of knocking, I took a second to study the man sitting behind the desk. My dad looked even more worn and tired than he had when I'd last seen him a couple of days ago.
The lines on his face seemed to have deepened, his features covered in a veil of worry. I found myself wishing we'd both been more open with each other. That the mere thought of walking into his office and asking him what was on his mind didn't feel as awkward as it did.
My hand was still suspended in the air, so I let it down and gently rapped my knuckles against the open door. Dad looked up from the papers he was perusing and when he noticed me, his mouth stretched into a smile.
"You're back a lot later than expected." I lowered myself onto the opposite wingback and balanced my ankle on top of my knee.
That worried look flashed in my dad's eyes again. "My trip took a bit longer than anticipated."
"Everything all right, Dad?"
A chill ran down my spine at how fast the emotion drained from his face. "Yeah. It's nothing I can't handle."
Something was definitely off, but I knew better than to push. "If you say so…" I proceeded to fill him in on everything ranch-related he missed while he'd been away on his trip.
"Mavis tells me Hailey is adjusting well."
The smile that tugged on my lips couldn't be helped. "Yeah, she's certainly come a long way in the two weeks she's been here." Just thinking about the first time she'd attempted to muck the stalls had my grin stretching wider.
"Oh dear." My dad leaned forward and perched his folded arms on the surface of his desk. "I know that look."
Why the hell is everyone pointing out the supposed look on my damn face?"What look?" I made no effort to hide my annoyance.
Across from me, my dad pinned me with a stare making me feel as if I was back in school again. "She's a pretty girl. You can't sit there and tell me you haven't noticed that yet." He laced his fingers together, the look in his eye softening. "I'm thinking about asking her to stay on permanently. You've said it yourself; she's taken to the ranch quite spectacularly."
The mere thought of Hailey staying on indefinitely had my heart bouncing around wildly. "I'll never tell you how to live your life, son," my dad said. "Just be careful, okay? Not only is she an employee, but she's Mavis' family too."
He had a valid point, but somewhere in the back of my mind I knew whatever feelings I was developing for her was different from anything I'd experienced before. I also knew the more time I spent with her, the deeper I got sucked into everything Hailey.
I pushed to my feet. "It's good to have you back, Dad." After tapping his desk twice, I headed for the kitchen. As I reached the entryway, the sound of Hailey's laughter stopped me short. A fluttering deep inside my veins that I still didn't quite understand sprang to life. Deciding to stay out of view for a little while longer, I propped my shoulder against the wall and simply listened to the happy chattering filtering out of the kitchen.
They were talking about something Mavis and Hailey's mom had done when they were younger. Every time a little giggle would leave her lips, the sound of it would roll over my skin and embed itself in my bones.
Out of nowhere, a thought as sudden as it was unsettling hit me straight in the chest. I wanted to be the one to make her laugh like that. To be the reason her eyes lit up with unmasked happiness.
Scrubbing a palm along the back of my neck, I decided I was done analyzing these feelings and thoughts.
To hell with the consequences, it was time to act.
