“Oh no,” he says out loud.
“What?”
“Let's go inside,” he says, ushering me through the door.
“You know her?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Great, after you.”
CHAPTER 23
Parker
AS I EXIT THE ELEVATOR, I see Megan through the double doors going off on the receptionist. She really has serious issues. Hailey has no idea at this point who she is. I enter the office first, but Megan heads straight for Hailey, who is behind me.
“You,” she says, pointing in Hailey’s direction. “You home-wrecker. You tried stealing my man. You better keep your grimy little hands to yourself,” she yells at the top of her lungs. She can be heard throughout the office, causing people to come out to see what is going on.
“Who the hell are you?” Hailey snaps back.
“I’m Chase’s fiancée, Megan, and I know all about you.”
“There’s nothing to know.”
“That’s what you think. I saw your car at his house, and I had someone run your license plate and got all of your info,” Megan confirmed, acting like a crazy-ass stalker. “I was debating about coming up here, but then I saw P getting out of his car before he disappeared. So! What is it? Are you fucking both of them?”
Hailey has a perplexed look on her face. I’m also confused, because I lied to Megan about Hailey. Why would she all of a sudden think Hailey wanted Chase? God only knows, but I have to intervene because this could get ugly.
“Meg, you have this all wrong… completely,” I say, trying to calm her.
“How am I wrong? I know what I see.”
“Hailey isn’t with me or Chase. We went to school with her. She’s just a friend. We met back up with her at the reunion.”
I don’t dare say that Chase thought he had found his mystery woman. She would flip the fuck out right here. I look at Hailey, trying to catch her eye, but she won’t look at me. I know she probably thinks I’m involved in this somehow. I really like her and have nothing to do with Megan’s craziness.
“Parker, just get out of here and take your trash with you,” Hailey says with an even tone.
“Hailey, you have it all wrong,” I plead.
Megan is about to go off because Hailey called her trash, and I need Hailey to know how wrong she is.
CHAPTER 24
Hailey
THIS GIRL NEEDS to go somewhere. I don’t know who she thinks she is, coming into my place of business and acting like an animal. I’m sure Parker and Chase set this whole thing up. I plan to call Chase and tell him off, too. He and Megan can live happily ever after for all I care. I’m so angry.
“Why don’t you leave and take your trash with you,” I say to Parker as he stands there with a blank expression on his face.
Before I know it, Parker’s hands are on my face, and he kisses me. Shocked, I kiss him back. The feel of his lips to mine does something to me, but at the moment, I’m not really sure what it is. It is definitely different than when Chase and I kissed at his house. I am conflicted. Reality sets in, and I push him away. He stands there, staring at me for a brief second.
“Parker, get out.”
“Hailey, you can't deny it,” he whispers.
“Get over yourself,” I snap. He is right I can’t deny that the kiss was great, but I'll never admit that.
Megan interrupts, “It's all so touching. Really it is, but I know the truth. You can't fool me. I'll have my eyes on you, hoe.”
“What did you just call me?” I take two steps forward.
“You heard me,” she says, not stepping down.
Parker gets between us. “We're leaving. Come on, Megan… now! Hailey, I'll call you,” he yells, dragging Megan out the door.
“Don't bother,” I shout back. I am fuming. Why do I always get put in unfortunate situations?
I walk into my office and slam the door. I am in kill mode—not literally, but I'm close. I dial Chase’s number. There's no answer. I dial three times. I don't even care. I'm sure he's nearby, laughing with the others. It wouldn't be the first time I've been laughed at. Finally he picks up the phone.
“Hailey, is that you?”
“Yes, you have some nerve, sending your girlfriend and your so-called best friend to my place of business to make an ass out of me. One wants to call me home-wrecker... the nerve. She's the cheating bitch,” I yell into the phone. “Then the other one, he has the balls to kiss me in front of everyone. What does he think, he's gonna get me in bed?”
“He kissed you?” Chase asks.
“Yes! Don't act like you're not involved in this. I'm the laughing stock.”
“Hailey, you're wrong. I'm in California on the road. I don't know anything about what happened.” He sounds upset and concerned, but I could give two shits right now.
“Well, I am livid right now.”
“I'll call you back when I get to my hotel room. I'm going to get to the bottom of what's going on.”
“I don't care, actually. I just want you all out of my life,” I snap into the phone.
“Hailey, it will be okay. I'm going to figure it out,” Chase promises before hanging up.
“I gotta go, Chase. Stay away from me,” I warn, but he has already disconnected the call.
CHAPTER 25
Parker
I DRAG MEGAN out of the office by her arm.
“What is your problem?” she asks, prying herself out of my grip.
“Are you trying to ruin this for me?”
“I wanted to confront the bitch.”
“There's nothing to confront. I told you about her for your own sanity. You're acting like a crazy lunatic. Now Chase is going to be pissed, because Hailey is probably going to call him. Why would you show up here like this?” I ask, continuing to give her hell.
“I want Chase back, and I don't want anyone else standing in my way.”
“Well, the way you’re acting, he's not going to take you back. Remember, you cheated on him. Now I'm going to have to explain all this shit to him.
“Can you tell him I'm sorry? He won't answer my calls.”
Like I really want to do anything for her right now. She may have ruined all chances I have with Hailey.
“Just go home. I'm going to talk to him. I'll catch you later.”
We take the elevator down in silence. I need to get away from her and go my separate way to my car. I have nothing further to say to her. This whole situation just pushed Hailey back to Chase…
***
It was May 2005, and I’d climbed the ladder to get a pair of the new Nike Air Maxes that we’d just gotten in stock. As I fumbled through the boxes, I noticed someone standing at the bottom of the ladder. I’d always gotten freaked out when I was all the way up high and someone was right below me. I grabbed the box I’d been looking for and made my way down.
“Hi, Parker.”
“Hi, Mr. McCormick. Can I help you with something?”
Mr. McCormick was Hailey's dad. He was a regular at the sporting goods store since he coached several different sporting teams. He also used to be assistant coach for the boys’ lacrosse team at my school.
“I want to talk to you about the other day, when I was in the store.”
“Did someone not help you? I can let my manager know.” He looked upset. I knew he was going to bring up Hailey.