“Wait, I thought you and Wes were doing great. You’re so good together.” Tara leaned forward, covered Hailey’s hand.
Her words felt like a sucker punch. They were good together. Tara was in his circle, not hers. Asking a business-related question was one thing—that took enough nerve on its own. She was not falling apart in front of Tara. “We broke up. Which is fine but, as I’m sure you can guess, makes things more awkward. I’m just looking at other opportunities.”
Tara squeezed her hand. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know him as well as Chris but he’s a good man and I haven’t ever seen him smile the way he does with you.”
Hailey tried to swallow repeatedly like she would on an airplane. “We want different things.” She was so proud that her voice didn’t crack. “He’s a wonderful man. I hope he finds what he’s looking for.” There. Take that back to Wes. She was cool, calm, and collected.
Compassion shone in Tara’s gaze, making the lump in Hailey’s throat grow.
“Sometimes people have what they didn’t realize they wanted right in front of them. They just need help opening their eyes.”
Hailey pasted on a smile. “I doubt he sees it that way.” Or that he ever would. He was too convinced love wasn’t for him.
Tara leaned in again. “Sweetie, I was talking about you.”
“What?” Her voice cracked, she covered it with a cough.
“You came here so full of dreams about your shop being successful. You started from scratch, you’re doing fantastic. Why would you walk away from that? You need to focus on what you can control, Hailey.” Ha. Wes would like that advice. Why can’t you control this ache?
“I don’t want to be indebted to anyone.” She didn’t ever want to feel like she owed anyone anything or that she hadn’t earned what she’d gained. She’d basically been on her own since her early teens, learning not to rely even on the people closest because they didn’t have the time or inclination. It made her strong. Strong enough to face this. But are you facing it if you run?
“What makes you indebted? You haven’t even met Wes’s mom. Am I indebted to her as well? Is she doing us a favor?” Tara pointed to the roof. “At the moment, that favor is giving me a headache.”
Hailey tried to think of how to explain herself. “Of course you don’t owe her. Wes didn’t feel compelled to make sure your rent wasn’t an issue.”
Tara shook her head, clearly not understanding. “Listen, if he wanted to, I’d be fine with that. But that’s me. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do this on your own. You are. But it’s human nature to want to help the people you care about. Those Jansen boys walked away from the power money brings to show that they understood their ability to make a difference. To do things, be part of things they care about. Things that matter. I’m guessing that Wes wouldn’t put his mother in a situation that didn’t benefit her.”
“Well, no.” He might not love Hailey but she was sure he loved his mother.
“They’re estranged from their father. I’m guessing the compassionate, amazing pieces of their personality are in some way directly connected to their mom or just their close relationship with each other.”
Hailey realized she’d probably get to meet the woman, but not how she’d hoped.
“I’m sure she’s lovely.”
Tara nodded. “And smart.”
“Of course.”
“Smart enough not to do something just because one of her sons likes you.”
Something painful stabbed Hailey’s chest. She nodded. “Liked. Not loved.”
Tara made a nurturing sound that must have been the secret code to all of Hailey’s emotions because they unraveled in an instant. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to contain it, to stop it, but the sob escaped.
“Oh, sweetie.” Tara hurried around the table, wrapping her arms around Hailey, murmuring softly, encouraging her to cry if she needed, that everything would be okay.
But she was wrong. Nothing would be okay. She’d lost more than a lover, a confidant, a boyfriend. She’d lost her friend. The person who made her laugh, who teased her about forgetting to set alarms and didn’t mind being teased about the overabundance of the ones he had set. A person who in so little time had come to know her well enough to complete her sentences, see the best in her, and make her believe anything was possible. Just not love.