Sloane hadn’t lied to her about what he felt about her body. He couldn’t fake that. And damn it, she’d spent years learning to love herself for who she was and what she’d overcome. She’d be damned if she let herself tear all that away.
He’d left because of something within himself he hadn’t been able to run from, hadn’t been able to bury deep enough. She knew he’d kept secrets for far too long, had hidden who he was, but she’d thought they’d have longer to figure it all out.
This Jason had been the catalyst for Sloane cutting his ties. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but she’d figure it out…if she could.
From what she could tell, Sloane saw a man within himself that he thought wasn’t for her. He’d put her on a damn pedestal and thrown himself into the depths of hell.
She saw a man that was worthy. A man that had fought and come out ahead. He put everything he could into his life and who he was, even if he’d tried to keep his past firmly in the past. Yet the man didn’t believe in himself.
“You need to come inside,” Maya said from behind her. “It’s fucking cold out here, and watching him walk away isn’t going to help.”
Hailey turned on her heel and wrapped her arms around herself. “He left,” she breathed, her voice slightly cracking. “How could he just leave?”
Maya held her arms open, and Hailey moved toward the other woman but not close enough to take the hug.
“If you hug me right now, I’ll cry. Be the bitch I know you can be and get ragey with me.”
Maya grimaced and tugged on Hailey’s arm before dragging her into the shop. “I’ll be a bitch in a minute. Let me make sure you don’t have freaking frostbite or something.”
Callie had a mug in her hand and a frown on her face. “I made you hot cocoa, but it’s not as good as when you make it. And I can never get the chocolate shavings right.”
Hailey smiled despite herself and took the mug from Callie’s hands. “I’m sure it’s wonderful. Thank you, Callie.” She took a sip and let out a breath. “Sugary,” she mumbled. She twisted her mouth. “How many people saw him walk away from me?”
Austin pressed her shoulders and forced her to sit in the front chair. He crouched in front of her, his eyes full of knowing. “Not that many.” His voice was deep and reminded her of Sloane’s.
She would not cry.
Not now.
Maybe not ever.
If she cried, then she’d break; she’d show she’d given up. And she couldn’t do that. Not yet.
“Enough, though,” she whispered.
Autumn squeezed in between Austin and the front desk, her eyes wet. “No one’s really outside since it’s so cold, and no one in Taboo would have been able to see at that angle. So it was just us in the shop. The two clients were in their chairs so they couldn’t see either. They’re over at Taboo getting a much-needed food break.”
“It was just us, Hailey,” Callie said softly. “And we’re here for you.”
Hailey took a sip of the cocoa Callie must have made over at Taboo. Normally, Hailey didn’t allow those at Montgomery Ink to work behind the counter, but she didn’t have the energy to care about that right then.
“He’s an asshole, Hailey,” Maya said. “He’s an asshole for leaving like he did, but he’s our asshole. Just think about it, okay? He pushed you away for a reason.”
Hailey took another sip. “I know he left for a reason. I know he pushed me away for that same reason. He’s just kept that so close to the vest for all these years, it’s hard to break through it. I know I shouldn’t put him on the same timetable for revealing his secrets as I put myself, but when he does this? Maybe I should have pushed.”
Austin let out a breath then squeezed her knee. “Maybe you should have. Maybe we should have. Fuck. I’ve known Sloane for longer than you have, and I still don’t know about his past. I don’t know the reasons he sometimes takes a week or two off and needs to be alone. I tried to ask once, and he shut me down. I let him shut me down. Friends don’t do that shit. So you’re not alone in this, Hailey.”
But she felt alone. She couldn’t help it. He hadn’t pushed the others away as he had her. She loved him, and yet she hadn’t been enough to chase away the darkness. If that was even her job to begin with was another story altogether. In fact, she didn’t need to chase away all of it, but to function, she needed to know of it. That was the difference.
Resolved, she took a deep breath.
“I’m not going to let him go that easily,” she said simply. “I’m not that kind of person. Even if we weren’t dating, we’re friends. I…I can’t see him hurting and not want to do something.”
“We’re here if you need us,” Autumn said softly.
“And if you need us to hold him down for you, we can do that, too,” Maya added, bringing a smile to Hailey’s face.
“I might take you up on that.”
“Make sure you make him grovel, though,” Maya said with a sad smile. “I mean, after you talk and you’re on the right path, make him grovel. Because he hurt you. He might have done it for a reason, but you’re hurt and that’s not okay.”
Hailey pressed her lips together and nodded, tears once again threatening. “You can count on it,” she whispered.