“I love you Hailey and I want you to wear this as a reminder of me and my promise to you. I’ll always be here for you. I’ll always protect you.”
I turned in Mason’s arms, “How did I ever get so lucky to have you in my life?”
He smiled and I turned into a puddle at his feet. “I’m the lucky one, Boo.”
I kissed his lips. Mason picked me up and set me on the dresser. We sat like this holding each other for a while. Both lost in our own thoughts.
I sigh loudly and Jaylinn coughs. I look over to make sure she’s okay and she smiles.
“You aren’t over him, Hails. Not by a long shot.” Jaylinn states.
She’s so right but I would never admit it, not now when everyone thinks that I have. “It doesn’t matter Jay.”
“Yup. Whatever you say.” Jaylinn pops the p.
She doesn’t believe me but she doesn’t say anything else about it.
“How are things with you and Cooper? You two talked yet?”
Jaylinn studies me for a few long moments. “Kind of.” She reaches forward and turns the radio down. “I’m not ready to talk in detail about what happened and he can’t forget what happened to me back in school. Nothing actually happened but he can’t seem to get over it regardless.” Jaylinn looks over at me. There is sadness in her eyes and I want badly to ask her what happened but I don’t dare push. This is the most she has ever said to me about her and Cooper. “I love him, Hailey. I love him so much and it scares that shit out of me.”
“I can see that, Jay. Just hang in there; he’ll open his eyes sooner or later.”
“Let’ hope its sooner.” Jaylinn leaves it at that as she reaches forward and turns the radio back up.
An hour later and she is fast asleep, she must have woken up at four this morning to get to me so early, so it’s no doubt she’s tired. It’s fine though, I don’t need her knowing looks, not while I’m trying to steel myself for a visit with the Cahills.
I’m sitting in the Cahill’s kitchen, talking to Elle and filling her in on everything that I’ve been up to since moving. We all pick up like I never left. No one treats me differently, no sadness in anyone’s eyes, no awkward situations. Being in the Cahills’ house is so peaceful, relaxing, familiar, calming and homely. Home, my heart aches. I miss being here. I miss being picked on by Jackson and I miss our girls’ nights. I missed Ryder crawling for the first time; I missed his first tooth, his first word. That little boy means so much to me. I miss my best friend, our late night calls, our bitching about the boys when they piss us off, I miss that I can’t just get up and go and visit her when I want. Hell I even miss walking in on MacKenzie and Hunter having sex. I secretly think Hunter misses it too. I giggle to myself.
“I missed that sound.” Mason walks in, tussles my ponytail and goes to stand next to his mom.
My world freezes and my stomach clenches. I bite my bottom lip and drink Mason in. When I meet his eyes, his devilish smile appears; the smile that I dream about nightly. My heart skips a beat at the smoldering look he is giving me. My mouth goes dry. I thought I would be spending the night running from him but all I want to do is run to him.
“Happy Birthday, Mason.” I say sweetly.
Elle smiles and rests her head on her son’s shoulder. Alex comes charging in sans diaper and runs right to Mason. “Whoa little man, where’s your diaper?” Mason asks him.
“Alex!” Chloe yells. She comes marching into the kitchen with Alex’s diaper in her hand. “That boy is exhausting.”
Elle reaches down and picks Alex up. “Stop giving Mommy a hard time, you.” She kisses him on the nose and passes him back to Chloe. I follow Chloe out of the kitchen, needing to put a little distance between myself and Mason.
MacKenzie is sitting on Hunter’s lap in the living room and his hand is resting on her belly and they are whispering to each other. I clear my throat and Hunter quickly removes his hand. Jackson, Cooper and Jaylinn walk in and spread out in the living room. There is a football game playing in the background but no one is really paying attention to it.
MacKenzie’s dad, Andrew, walks in and smiles when he notices me standing off to the side. He comes over, “Hey Sweetie.” Then he places a kiss on the top of my head.
“Hey Dad.” Andrew has been more of a Dad to me than my own and I couldn’t be more jealous of the Cahill kids. I’m so thankful he’s in my life. He’s treated me like I was one of his own kids for years. Any time I need help with my car, he is the one I call. When Matt, my prom date, came to MacKenzie’s for pictures he laid the rules down for the night. Andrew helped me with my college application too.
Ryder crawls around the living room as Mason walks in, takes a seat on the floor and leans up against the wall. Ryder makes his way over to him and pinches his cheeks, causing Mason to laugh. He is such a good uncle.
MacKenzie stands up, as does Hunter. Hunter wraps his arms around his wife, kisses her head and smiles lovingly at her.
MacKenzie looks around the room at all of us, smiling. “Well, now that all of my family is here.” MacKenzie looks over at me and smiles. “Hunter and I have an announcement. We’re expecting another McCormick this winter.”
I knew it!
Everyone congratulates the pair. The girls all surround MacKenzie in excitement. I take a step towards MacKenzie and hug my best friend. “You got what you wished for, huh?”
MacKenzie wipes away a tear and smiles brightly at me. “I did.”
I raise my eyebrows in surprise, “How far along are you now?”
MacKenzie looks over at Hunter. “Twelve weeks.”
I hug MacKenzie tightly again, “I’m so happy for you Kenzie.”
Hunter comes over and wraps his arms around MacKenzie and me. “What are you two yapping about over here?”
MacKenzie slaps him in his stomach, he acts like it hurt him but it didn’t. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” She answers back.
“So I’m assuming you’ll be taking Kenzie over the bike again before her stomach gets too big?” I ask while trying to keep a straight face.
MacKenzie blushes and looks around to see if anyone has heard and Hunter cringes. “You know what?” Hunter asks.
“What’s that, playboy?” I say.
“I don’t think I miss you anymore.”
MacKenzie and I start laughing. “You know you miss the hell out of me and want me to move in with you.”