“No. But you do need to meet Nick’s friend because he asked us to come to Finnegan’s with him. He works with Nick and is friends with the head chef. He jokingly asked Nick if he knew any women as pretty as me. Nick immediately thought of you.” Piper leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
His came around her automatically. Like a needle into a groove, they fit. That’s all Hailey had wanted back in the days when she’d thought there was someone for her, out there in the universe. It wasn’t that she didn’t think that anymore. She just didn’t need it the way she was once so sure she did. The world didn’t stop spinning when she split with Dorian. She got up every day, survived until she could live. Before Dorian, she’d been equally sure every guy was the one. It took her time—and none of Piper’s analysis— to realize the loneliness of her childhood made her a needier adult than she wanted to be.
Now, she was happy. Really happy. Just because Wes switched plans on what she considered their night didn’t mean there was a scratch on her own record.
Finnegan’s was a new restaurant that had a waiting list as long as Hailey’s torso. It was supposed to be incredible, the new “it” place outside of L.A.
“Did you tell him it would be a date?” She grabbed the green food coloring.
“No. But I did tell him you were great and would love the restaurant. There’s no pressure. If you and Seth hit it off, great. If not, no big deal.” Nick’s version sounded better.
Hailey arched her brows. “I can get my own dates, you know.”
“I do. I also know you and your cousin, who I love dearly, are absolute sweethearts most of the time but have tempers I’d rather not toy with. I like my balls where they are.”
As Piper and Hailey laughed, Jason pulled on his dad’s wrist. “Where did you put your balls, dad?”
The adults laughed but Jason looked expectantly at his father. “Right where I left them, buddy.”
The girls joined them and they spread out around the island countertop, each of them sharing the colored icings, passing the sprinkles and other toppings. Alyssa seemed to have forgotten she didn’t want to participate.
“I’m making my gingerbread BTS members,” she said.
“Ambitious,” Hailey commented.
“Can I come work at your salad shop?” Cassie asked Hailey.
Hailey grinned. “I’d love that but I already have two employees. But, you guys could come down next Sunday and make your own salads.”
The kids looked at their mom. “Can we?”
Piper shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
“You could leave the kids with me so you two could get some shopping done,” Hailey said, licking icing off her finger.
Nick and Piper exchanged a glance, then both looked at Hailey like she’d offered them her first child.
“What?”
“Are you serious?” Nick asked.
Hailey smiled. “Yes.” She drew the word out, wondering if there was something she didn’t know.
“Baby, when was the last time we did anything together, just the two of us, outside this house?”
Piper sighed. Deeply. Like her body sagged with the effort of trying to remember. “Well, we’re going to go to Finnegan’s.”
“Are you serious?” Hailey looked back and forth between them. “Why don’t you hire a babysitter?”
“We have and we do but not so we can go out. With Nick’s schedule, me finishing up my master’s, the kids in activities, it just hasn’t worked out.”
She made a split-second decision. “Next Sunday, I’ll come here. You two can go out for a few hours.”
The kids cheered. Piper looked like she might cry.
Nick shook his head, patted her on the shoulder. “God bless us everyone.”
Hailey laughed. “You guys are a nutty family.”
“You’re our family, too,” Alyssa pointed out.
She wasn’t wrong.
* * *
By the time Wes picked her up for shopping the next afternoon, she’d mostly worked through the weird jealousy—if that was even the right word—she’d felt about Ana.
“What did you do last night?” Wes asked as they walked into the mall. “I texted you when I got home.”
Yup. She’d ignored it. Her maturity—telling herself she’d overreacted—hadn’t kicked in until after coffee this morning.
“I went to my cousin’s. We decorated cookies, hung out. They have an artificial tree so they set it up, took out all the ornaments so they could decorate today.”
“That sounds nice. You’re not missing out on that, are you?”
“No. That’s a family thing. Will you put up a tree?”
He stopped, looked at her, a serious expression on his face. “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it. Will you?”
“It’s Christmas. Of course.”
He smiled. “I don’t know why I asked. Why don’t I just help you with your tree? Then I can keep my place clean. Do you get a real one or fake?”
“Real.”
“I’m allergic,” he said, wincing.
She laughed. “Fake it is. Where’s your list?”
His smile made her feel like they were back on easy footing. Even though she wanted to ask about his date, she didn’t want to change the tone.
Wes pulled his phone from his back pocket. “Right here. I need to get something for Ari, my mom, Grace, and Everly.” He put his phone away, looked at her. “And you. But not while you’re here.”
Her stomach plummeted. She couldn’t shop in his price bracket. “We don’t have to exchange gifts.”
Plus, what if by Christmas, he was with Ana? She didn’t seem like the type of woman who wanted her boyfriend buying his female friend a gift.
“What will you put under your tree?” He tugged a lock of her hair gently, smiling at her with an affection that put her both at ease and on edge.
“Presents for Piper’s family.”
“We can do a limit if that’s what you’re worried about. It can be free. We can make our own.”
She narrowed her gaze at him, then started walking. “Unless you want a meal for Christmas, I don’t know about that. But I like the price cap thing.”
They agreed on an amount, making her feel better. She loved giving gifts. Apparently, Wes did, too. He held up two Kate Spade bags, one in pink, one canary yellow.
“Should I get Ari both of these?” He didn’t even look at the price.
“Does she love bold colors?” Hailey picked up a soft blue shoulder bag.
“Absolutely. The bolder the better. She’s … vibrant. Like our mother.”
“Your voice changes when you talk about them. It gets softer, more affectionate. Why don’t you invite them for the holidays?”
“Can I take those to the cash register for you, sir?” An attendant appeared at Wes’s side.
He passed the purses. “Yes, thank you.”
The woman looked at Hailey. “Excellent choices, ma’am.”
Wes smiled at Hailey when the woman walked away. “Do you want one?”
Her eyes widened. “What? No.”
“Wow.” He leaned in, his breath tickling her skin. “You really don’t like Kate Spade.”
She poked him in the arm. “Shh. I do so but I don’t want you to buy me a purse.”
He nodded, still smiling. “Noted. No purses.”
Not what she meant but good enough.
Hailey did her best to swallow down the question that kept trying to pop out of her mouth. As she looked at gorgeous trinkets without seeing them, she finally asked, “How was last night?”
He picked up a blue wallet, similar to the color of the purse she’d put down. “It was fine. What I thought it would be. I met clients, made small talk. I did get a chance to talk to someone who’s worked with my father recently. That was an interesting conversation.”
Hailey swallowed around the thickness in her throat. He didn’t sound overly enamored. It’s none of your business. But it is. You’d ask if it were Fiona. Friends ask questions. Friends are all about the details. “Will you go out with her again?”
Wes was staring at her, that little V forming between his brows. “No. Not like I think you mean. Do you not like Ana?”
Hailey put her hand on her chest, like she could push back the guilt. “Me? Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” Way to sound chill.
Wes’s brows arched. “I’m not sure.”
Hailey tried to laugh it off as they walked to the register. “Ana is great. You guys look fantastic together.”
He gave her another strange look. “Just what I’m looking for in a partner, someone who looks good at my side.” His tone was dry but he was still looking at her like he didn’t understand something.
Join the club. I don’t understand me right now either. “Speaking of dates,” she said too loudly. “I have one Friday night.” Why? Why did you say that?
His gaze darted past her head, his jaw giving a subtle twitch. “That’s great,” Wes said. For one millisecond, she thought maybe he was questioning their status as well but then he looked at her and smiled. His real smile.
There you go. He’s happy for you. Because friendship is all there is between you two. Which was perfect because it was all she wanted.
“Thanks. We’re going to Finnegan’s.”
“I’ve heard great things. Who is he?”