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?”