Sassy Blonde - Stacey Kennedy Page 0,61

gave me the heads-up.”

In case Hayes needed more emotional support was what she left out. “No need for a heads-up. Everything’s fine.”

“Is it? Truly?”

“Yes.” He ran a hand through his hair, wishing he’d have left earlier to head home for a shower before going to see Maisie tonight. He felt like crawling out of his skin, and even then, he might not even feel clean. “I’m taking this one step at time. First step is finding out who stole Maisie’s trailer.”

“It’s just terrible,” his mother said. “That poor woman. She’s so sweet and kind, doesn’t need this kind of stress.”

“You’re right, she doesn’t.”

Mom paused again. This time, her voice lifted slightly. “Your father may have mentioned he thought something was going on between you and Maisie.”

Hayes rubbed at his sore neck muscles, wishing now his parents didn’t share so much about his life. “Did he?”

“Mm-hmm,” Mom said. And waited.

Hayes blew out a breath, shaking his head. “We’re…she’s….”

The silence on the end of the phone was deafening before Mom burst out laughing. “Hayes Taylor, I really hope you are clearer with Maisie than that.”

Tension tightened his chest until breathing became difficult. “This is all new. We’re taking it slow.” A bullshit answer.

Mom hesitated a little longer, as if she read right through him. “Well, whatever is going on, I think it’s really great, regardless if there are some…kinks to be worked out. Maisie’s such a darling. You two have been through a lot together. It’s about time you both had some happiness in your lives.”

It should be that simple. But life wasn’t fucking simple.

The room began swallowing him up, the walls closing in tighter and tighter. And yet, the unknown left him feeling like he was drowning with no way to get in air. He wanted to offer Maisie everything. All the things she deserved, and even more than that. But he couldn’t fathom seeing pain in her eyes—pain he caused. And yet, and yet, there was no way forward without admitting how he failed to protect Laurel. That he was the very reason she was dead. That his kindness to a criminal had gotten her best friend killed. He’d done that. Just him. “Listen, Mom, I’ve got to run,” he said, shutting his eyes to keep the room from spinning.

Mom’s voice softened. “Okay. I miss you and love you, and hope you come out to see me soon.”

“You know I will. Love you too.” He hung up the phone as fast as he could, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He breathed deep. Once. Twice. Again. And again. In through his nose, out his mouth. Until the panic gripping him eased, and he focused on his surroundings. On the voices around him. The electronic doors opening and closing. The sirens sounding from outside.

When he felt cemented back in his body, he reopened his eyes and reminded himself of his plan. First, catch the bastard. Then, deal with the rest.

He clicked the video again and began watching cars pulling into the parking lot and leaving. He didn’t pay any attention to the families coming and going, but focused on the singles. He took another sip of his cold coffee when he caught a tall, lanky man exiting a black car, the same man he’d seen steal Maisie’s trailer and the other cars too.

First, Hayes noticed the car was a Toyota Prius. Then he zoomed in on the man, who didn’t move toward the park’s entrance but studied the cars around him. More importantly, this man had a slight limp.

Better yet, Hayes had a license plate number.

The phone was in his hand in an instant. When Neil answered, Hayes said, “I’ve got a suspect.”

That high Hayes felt when he’d said those four words lasted for the next hour until Hayes arrived at the brewery and that high plummeted.

Not at the apparent success that Maisie’s homegrown beer festival had become, but at her on the dance floor, her hands in the air, a beaming smile on her face. That gorgeous smile wasn’t aimed at Hayes. It was aimed at her ex-boyfriend, Seth, the prick that Hayes had sworn he’d make pay for bailing on Maisie like he did.

Only now, Hayes couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

“Better that you see it now than later.”

At Clara’s sharp voice, he glanced next to him, finding the eldest Carter sister, staring out at Maisie.

She finally looked Hayes’s way and gave a knowing look. “She’s given you two years. You’ve got her heart, whether you want to admit that or