“Listen, Carrie, I can’t. I have to go… really.”
“Here’s my number. Call me.” She takes my phone out of my hand and puts her number in. I take my phone back from her and literally want to spray it with Lysol.
“It was nice seeing you. P, let’s go… now.”
“Bye, Laney,” Parker says, winking his eye.
Laney and Carrie glare at each other and go their separate ways.
Parker and I head toward the door so I can make my escape.
CHAPTER 10
Hailey
IT’S AMAZING how much a smell or sound can bring back a memory. For me, the hurt never went away. I can lose a million pounds, have a million dollars, but the scars are there for life.
As I look ahead of me, I see Chase O’Brien standing there, staring at me. He looks confused, unsure; then he just walks away to the bar. I don’t have the nerve to approach him or say hi. I check in at the table. They give me a tag with my name on it. The people working the table are from the Home and School Association, so they wouldn’t have recognized me anyway. I don’t put the name tag on. Even after all this time, I still don’t want anyone to know who I am.
I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn around. It is Mrs. Ward, my senior year English teacher.
“Hailey, is that you?”
“Yes, you recognize me?” I ask, kind of surprised that she recognizes me after all this time.
“Of course I do. I’d never forget your face. Looks don’t always make a person. How are you?”
“I’m great, actually. I own a publishing company.”
“That is phenomenal. You always loved English class.”
“That was about the only class,” I joke.
“Are you married with any children yet?” she asks.
“No, just me. I’m just concentrating on my business right now.” Why does everyone ask that question? I’m gonna be twenty-eight. Why do I have to rush down the aisle? Have they seen what I have to choose from out in society?
Mr. Dalton walks up to us. He taught senior algebra. “Rich, do you remember Hailey McCormick? You taught her senior year,” she reminds him.
“Yes, yes. How are you, Hailey?”
He has no clue. I can tell by that surprised look on his face.
“I’m great,” I say, smiling. I’m used to the shock by now. The weight loss is quite noticeable.
“Mr. Dalton is my husband. We were married about five years ago. We fell in love, first with teaching, then with each other.”
“That is awesome.”
Mr. Dalton kisses her on the cheek and excuses himself.
I hope I can find my one true love someday. I look over from the corner of my eye and see Chase talking to Parker and two women. One looks like Carrie, but she looks really bad. As much as I hated her, I really hope that isn’t her. I notice Chase trying to get away from them. He walks away and heads for the door.
It is now or never. If I don’t talk to him, he will be gone forever. If I say hi, I may look like a fool. I need to think quickly.
“Mrs. Dalton, now,” I say, smiling. “Can you excuse me for a moment?”
“Sure, sweetie. I’m just going to converse over there.” She taps my arm.
I turn toward the exit. He is almost out the door.
“Chase!” I yell out. He turns back, looks around, and spots me. Then he whispers something to Parker and starts to walk toward me. I stand there speechless. I don’t know what to say next.
“Hi,” he says.
“Hi,” I reply.
“Were you at Shawnee’s Pub a few weeks back?”
Oh my God, he saw me. I’m mortified.
“Yes, I was.”
“I saw you there. I thought you looked familiar to me, but I was unsure. Obviously I know you—we went to school together.”
“Do you really know everyone you went to school with?” I ask then wait for his response.
CHAPTER 11
Chase
I HEAR SOMEONE calling my name. I turn to see who it is. I’m hoping it isn’t Carrie.
It is the mystery woman. She’s standing there looking sexy as hell. I tell P to wait for me in the car and walk toward her. I have to see her. As I get closer, I can feel the familiarity. She looks scared.
“Hi,” I say when I approach her.
“Hi,” she says back. I have to ask her if she was at Shawnee’s pub a few weeks back. It was her. She confirms it. I knew it when I saw her tonight. Plus, I’ve been thinking of her ever since that day I saw her in the bar.
“Obviously I know you,” I say. “I went to school with you.”
“Did you really know everyone you went to school with?” she asks.
“Of course.” I look deeper into her eyes. I know them. I remember looking into them. I remember the sadness. I remember the tears. I see the pain she endured. I know who my mystery woman is.
“Hailey?”
“Yes, Chase. It’s me.”
“How are you?” I don’t want to say anything about the weight loss. I’m sure she knows she lost weight.
“Great. How about yourself?”
“I’m good. Work a lot.” I’m not lying. That’s what I feel like I do all the time.
“Yeah, me, too. Well, it was great seeing you.”
She is trying to end our conversation and walk away. I can’t let her get away so easily this time. “Wait,” I call out to her. She turns and looks at me. “I’d like to hang out or something.” Oh God, that came out so wrong—like I’m twelve. “I mean maybe we can catch up.” Good comeback.
“That’s not a good idea.”
“Why not?” I ask. I’m not sure why she is backing away from me. She looks over at Carrie, who is standing off to the side, staring us down.
“I just can’t,” she says, looking away.
“Don’t pay her any mind.”
“I don’t want to get involved between you two, even though there’s nothing between us anyway.”
“Hailey… wait! You think I’m still with her?”
“Sure seems that way.”
“God no. I haven’t been with her for six years. I haven’t even spoken to her until tonight. She wanted to talk, and I blew her off and told her I had to go. I’m totally not interested in her, not at all.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Say you’ll go have a drink with me.”
“When?” she questions, skeptically.
“Right now. I’ll drop Parker off at my house to get his car. We can even take separate cars—just follow behind me.”
I am hoping she says yes. I want to catch up with her, but I don’t want to do it at the reunion because I need to get out of here and away from Carrie.
“I’m gonna pass. I’m sorry. Maybe another time.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I own McCormick Publishing. You can contact me there if you need to get in touch with me.”
“That’s it? Can I have your cell phone number?”
She hesitates. “I don’t know, Chase. I really don’t. I’m not sure why you want to talk to me or catch up with me. I’m just me. I never changed who I am. I’m still the same person I was ten years ago, just with a different body.”
“I know who you were then, and I want to know who you are now.”
“I’m sorry, Chase.”
“Me, too.” I turn to walk away then turn back to her. “You will be hearing from me.”
She doesn’t stop me, so I leave the building. When I get to the car, Parker is on his cell phone.
“What the hell took so long? I was falling asleep out here.”
“She turned me down.”
“Who?”
“Hailey.”
“Do I know who that is?”
“We went to school with her. She ended up being my mystery woman.”
“Wait, Hailey the Heifer?”
“Really, P, fucking really. You’re the reason she won’t give me the time of day.”