Page 57 of Everything In Between
“Thank you. I really appreciate you fielding him right now.”
“You needed a little break. I’m guessing things with Hayes are going well.”
“He’s been great. It’s weird, but in some ways, it’s like he’s known me all his life. He’s so in tune to everything about me.”
Bethany’s expression morphs into something soft and hopeful. “I love that for you, Jersey. You really deserve a relationship like that. You deserve a chance to let go and have fun.”
Out of all the people in my life, Bethany is the only one who knows the level of struggle I dealt with in my last relationship. She had been on the receiving end of one too many tearful phone calls. I was forever grateful for her friendship during that time, even if there was nothing she could do but listen and be there for me when it felt like I had no one else.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “Being here with him feels like a dream I’m going to wake up from at any moment.”
“I think Hayes is exactly the kind of man you’ve been needing,” Bethany muses. “Let him be your escape from the craziness of your world.”
“I know. He already has become that, I’m afraid.” I give her a wary glance. “It almost feels too good to be true.”
Bethany shakes her head. “You deserve to have somewhere safe to land. And to be honest, I think Hayes is the best guy forthe job. Just live a little. At the very least, you’ll get good press for it and some incredible orgasms.”
I bite my lip, hoping Bethany doesn’t notice the way my cheeks heat up. But it’s no use.
“Oh my god.” She gasps. “Okay, I’m gonna need you to tell me everything.”
TWENTY
hayes
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
“You wantme to sit onthat”—Jersey points at the sled—“and let you catapult us down the hill?”
I laugh. “Yes, exactly that. It will be fun, I promise.”
The world around us goes silent as she mulls it over before glancing at me with a hesitant nod. “Okay, just don’t let me die.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I say, feeling victorious as I lean over to kiss her cheek.
After getting in the workout this morning and running through a few hours of tape, I was in desperate need of stress relief. Given that Jersey is a Southern Cali girl, and doesn’t get to enjoy snow, I thought it would be fun to go sledding.
I didn’t expect her to be absolutely petrified.
She’s been a good sport. Eagerly bundling herself up in an extra winter coat, hat, and gloves my sister left here, she was enthusiastic about the whole thing.
Until I situated us right at the top of the hill and told her to get onto the sled.
“Okay, hold on tight.”
“Hayes, I don’t know about this.” Jersey’s voice is a little shaky as she grips the handles of the sled for dear life.
I laugh into the side of her neck and wrap my arms around her middle. She’s practically shivering in my arms as she stares down the big hill on the back of my property. I have her pressed up against me, my arms banded against her belly and her back tucked comfortably against my chest. It’s cozy, for sure, and I’m thinking that sledding with her is going to become one of my favorite winter activities.
It’s hard for me to imagine growing up and never having gone sledding before—but I’m happy to be her first.
“Here we go!” I shout and push us off the hill.
The sled crunches against the snow as we inch forward. It’s only two heartbeats before we’re plummeting down the hill at increasing speed. Jersey holds on tightly to my legs, her arms wrapping around my thighs. I band my arms tighter around her and draw her closer to me so she feels secure as I toss my head back and laugh right alongside her scream.
This is the ideal sledding hill. There are minimal trees I have to watch out for, so we can slide down the slope without worry. By the time we make it to the bottom, Jersey pushes herself away from me and stands up before bending over and bracing her hands on her knees. Her shoulders are shaking, and I eye her with a hint of worry, but then she looks up at me, cheeks flushed and eyes glittering.
“Let’s do it again.”
