Pitifully Ugly

Chapter 13

Fireworks in February.

The following evening, Fuzzy was perched in front of a new

TV and John Travolta was singing about summer lovin’. I think

she winked at me as Hailey closed the door behind us.

Hailey asked me to pick the restaurant, and I decided on

a quiet Italian place a few blocks from our building. I sipped

cabernet, thinking it was a blessing that Fuzzy couldn’t actually

talk, but she’d get more chicken from me anyway.

“What would you suggest?” Hailey asked as she perused the

menu. “I’m not really in the mood for any seafood.”

“Then I’d suggest the lasagna or the spaghetti with meatballs.

Steer clear of the Italian sausage unless your stomach is made of

cast iron.”

Hailey nodded. “Thank you for the warning.”

She decided on the lasagna, and I the spaghetti and meatballs.

We split the portions so we could have both. “So how’d the work

thing go last night?” I asked and wanted to add, and why did you

attend with your ex-husband?

Hailey peered over her wineglass at me. “It was a company

banquet. That’s why Mark was in town. We work for the same

company.”

I raised a brow at the revelation.

Hailey met my gaze head-on. “That’s why I asked for the

transfer. We worked too closely together.”

I was privately pleased with that particular revelation.

Pitifully Ugly

“Did you have a good time?”

Hailey took a sip of her wine and shook her head. “I never

enjoy those things. I see everyone at work enough, and I’m not

fond of the forced socialization. We get a carefully worded memo

every year that basically says be there or else.”

“I’m so thankful that I don’t have to work in a corporation. I

think I’d feel just like you do.”

“How did your date go on Friday?” Hailey asked reluctantly.

“She’s a veterinarian. She specializes in cats, or I’d give you

her number for Fuzzy.”

Hailey pursed her lips. “I have a vet that I’m happy with, but

thanks.” I watched as she twirled pasta onto her fork, then laid it

down. “Did you find the spark you were looking for?” she asked

after taking a healthy swallow of her wine.

“I found a spark.” It wasn’t with Marci, though, but I didn’t

tell her that. Guilt washed over me as she coughed into her napkin

and didn’t meet my gaze.

“Marvin told me you found him,” I said, changing the subject.

Her discomfort was too difficult to watch, and I wasn’t sure how

I was going to go about easing it. “Your hair looks great, by the

way.”“Thank you,” she said with a weak smile. “He took a couple

of inches off and shaped it a bit. I didn’t realize that you were his

boss, though.”

“My sister, Kalen, is more of his boss. She runs the

businesses.”

“Yes, four of them that you own together.” Hailey wiped her

mouth and set her napkin on the table. “You said you were an

accountant.”

I saw where this was going and how easy it was to omit

information that you weren’t ready to share. “I do all the accounting

for our salons, and yes, I’m also a business owner. I didn’t tell you

that upfront because I didn’t want to sound like I was boasting.

It’s pretentious, and I hate it when people do that.”

Hailey nodded. “You’re right, it would’ve sounded boastful,

and I understand why you didn’t tell me. So…when are you going

to see Marci again?”

Robin Alexander

I sighed, weary of playing games. “I’m not. We don’t have

any plans to date.”

Hailey’s brows knitted together. “I thought you said there was

a spark.”

“Not with Marci.” I pushed my plate away and stared at the

wine in my glass. “Mark seems like a really sweet guy.”

Hailey shook her head at the change of topic. “He is. I hope he

meets someone that will cherish him. Mark deserves to be with

someone that will make him happy.”

“So do you,” I said, glancing away. There was warmth in

her voice when she spoke of him that disconcerted me. “Are you

certain that you’re gay?”

Hailey looked taken aback by the question and a tad peeved.

“Positively. You’re not the only one that can appreciate the

warmth and softness of a woman’s skin or the sweetness of her

lips.” She blinked for a moment, we both did, then the look of

annoyance returned to her face. “Are you ready to go? I’m feeling

a bit tired.”

I nearly had to run after her as we left the restaurant. “Did I

piss you off with that question?” I asked after we’d walked two

blocks in silence.

“Yes, you did, Shannon.”

“Why?”

She stalked on without answering.

I caught her by the arm as she unlocked the gate. “Tell me,”

I pleaded.

“I’ve had to answer that question for family and Mark so

many times that I’m so…damn weary.” Her eyes began to water.

“I would’ve never cheated if I’d been straight.” Hailey threw her

arms up, pulling away. “Inside I knew who…what I was, but it

wasn’t until I was married to Mark for a few years that I accepted

it. I thought…” Hailey took a shuddering breath. “If I could just

be with a woman, I could get it out of my system and go on being

what everyone else expected of me. But I was wrong. That first

encounter left me with a hunger that I couldn’t deny no matter

how hard I tried.”

Hailey turned on one heel as a sob escaped her, and she

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headed for the door. This time, I couldn’t let her just walk away. I

grabbed her by the arm and spun her around to face me. Cupping

her face in my hands, I stared long into her eyes before my lips

met hers. I felt a tingle to my toes and almost dizzy when her

body pressed into mine. I pulled away to catch my breath and

rested my forehead against hers. “Just this once, could you try to

do something that makes you happy?”

One hand was pushing me away, and the other clutched my

jacket and pulled me close. “You are the greatest temptation I’ve

ever known in my life,” she whispered. “I’m terrified to let you

in.” “Let’s go upstairs and just talk. I won’t try to kiss you again,

but please, Hailey, talk this out with me.” She let me take her by

the hand and lead her to the elevator. I didn’t let her go as we rode

to the second floor. I was following her into her apartment when

my cell phone rang.

Seeing Kalen’s name on the ID worried me when I realized

how late it was. “Hey, what’s up?” I said as Hailey turned to look

at me.

“Mom just called. Dad is having chest pains, and they’re

going by ambulance to the hospital. I’ve booked us on the first

flight out, but that’s not until five. Can you pick me up at two

thirty?”

After Kalen assured me that she would call the minute she

heard anything, I closed my phone and sank down on Hailey’s

sofa. She sat next to me and draped an arm around my shoulders.

“What’s wrong?”

“My dad is on the way to the hospital with chest pains. I have

to catch a flight first thing in the morning,” I said in a daze.

Hailey put a finger under my chin and turned me to look

at her. “I promise that we’ll talk, but right now, you have more

important things on your mind.”

I nodded, feeling numb.

“Stay with me tonight. I promise I won’t let you oversleep.”

Hailey pulled me into her arms and pressed my head onto her

shoulder. It felt so good, so comforting.

“I have to pack.”

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Robin Alexander

Hailey stood and pulled me to my feet. “If you’d rather sleep

in your own bed, I’ll understand.”

“I don’t care where I sleep, not that I will, but I’d like you to

be close.”

She smiled and gave me a hug. “Let’s go get your things.”

I was thankful that I had Hailey to help me or I would’ve

made the trip without a change of underwear. I dressed for bed at

her place, and she pulled me into bed with her. Cocooned in her

arms, sleep came to me, though I doubted it would.

“Wake up, Shannon.”

Someone rubbed circles into my back, and someone licked

me in the face. I jerked back from the tongue that took a swipe up

my nose and nearly head-butted Hailey.

“Fuzzy, knock it off.” Hailey switched on a light on her side

of the bed.

It’d been years since I’d had to get up at such an early hour. I

lay there and tried to force my eyes open. Fuzzy got me again on

the side of the cheek. “Fuzzy, please,” I said with a groan.

Hailey ushered the little licker out of the bedroom and came

to sit on the bed beside me. “Look on the bright side,” she said

with a smile. “Your face has already been washed.”

“Is that your secret to looking so young?”

“No, I use face wash.” Hailey gave me a soft nudge. “You

have to get up now, but while you’re in the shower, I’ll fix you

breakfast and make coffee.”

I let her take me by the hand and lead me into the bathroom.

As I brushed my teeth, Hailey brought in the clothes that I’d set

out, then closed the door behind her.

After my shower, I was fully awake, and tension began to pull

at my stomach. Kalen had not called during the night, so I took

that as a positive sign and assumed that Dad had been admitted.

I felt sorry for my mom being there all alone and probably being

eaten up with worry. She was the strongest woman I’ve ever

known aside from Kalen, but I knew having us there with her

would ease her anxiety.

“I made something light because I figured you’d probably be

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too nervous to eat,” Hailey said as I walked into the kitchen. She’d

toasted and buttered an English muffin and peeled a banana.

“Would you prefer milk or juice?” she asked as she pulled out

my chair.

“Milk would be great, and thank you for taking care of me.”

Hailey set the milk next to my plate and kneaded my shoulders.

“I’m really sorry about your dad. If you get a chance, please text

me and let me know how things are going.”

I managed to choke down half of the muffin and the entire

banana before Hailey pressed a to-go cup of coffee in my hand.

She looked so cute with puffy eyes and sleep-tousled hair. I

wanted to kiss her again. Instead I hugged her tight and whispered

my thanks before heading out the door. She stood in the doorway

watching me as I waited for the elevator.

“I’ll miss you,” Hailey called out softly, then closed the door

before I could respond.

“Where were you last night?” Kalen asked after we’d taken

off. “I called your house a half-dozen times before I tried your

cell.”In lieu of everything going on with Dad, I didn’t want to

argue about the events of the previous evening. “I stepped out to

get something to eat.”

“Alone?”

My right leg started bouncing, which was a classic indicator

that I was being intentionally misleading. My brain started

screaming out in warning. Don’t bounce, she’ll be on to us in a

heartbeat. I crossed my feet at the ankles to still it. “Don’t you

think it’s odd that mom hasn’t called us?”

Kalen shook her head. “She knew we were gonna catch the

first flight. She probably didn’t want to wake us up.”

“How come Toad didn’t come with us?”

“I told Todd,” Kalen glared at me, “to wait and see what we

found out.” She adjusted her neck pillow. “He’s been overloaded

since we came back from vacation. I didn’t want to make it any

more difficult on him.”

It only took a few minutes before Kalen was nestled against

Robin Alexander

my shoulder fast asleep. I figured that she’d been unable to sleep

at all the night before. I stared out the window into the darkness

and said a prayer for Dad, then my thoughts went to Hailey.

The women in past relationships grew on me over time, but

I’d never met a woman who made me want her like Hailey did. I

thought back to my brainstorming session with Fuzzy in the park.

Was it that I thought I could never have her and therein was the

charm? I began to tick off in my mind what I found so alluring

about her.

She was physically attractive, for sure. I enjoyed the way our

bodies fit together as she snuggled against me the previous night

and that morning when I hugged her. Her sense of humor was

another factor. But aside from all that, I think the thing that struck

me the most was the way I felt when we were together. Like she

was the missing part that I’d been searching for.

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