Page 55 of The Expiration Date

Haley’s shoulders are at ease and she peruses my face, really looking at me for me and not just what I look like on the outside. She is looking into my soul. “Oh you’re good, Aidan Stone.”

“You’re better, Haley Swann.” I kiss her forehead and her hands grab my neck a little tighter, welcoming the gesture. I lower my head to meet her eyes and say in the most serious tone I can possibly muster up, “And I want to make something abundantly clear: there is no if with us, Hales. I’m not going anywhere.”

She finally relaxes and nestles her head on my shoulder. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I am safe. I feel like I am at home. Haley is quickly becoming my home.

30

“Have a safe trip back, Mom.” I close the trunk of the taxi after placing my mom’s suitcase in it.

“Thanks, Haley girl, you too.” My mom encases me in a hug and squeezes me extra tight. I know that she is going to miss me beyond words, because I miss her in equal measure. “When are you both heading back to L.A.?”

“Tomorrow. I actually have to go back inside and finish packing. Dan told us that we can stay an extra night so we don’t have to head back to the city right away.”

“That’s sweet of Dan. Plus, it will be nice for you both to get the privacy you need. This weekend was very eventful and it will be nice to decompress before heading back to reality.”

My stomach drops like it used to when I was a kid on winter break, dreading that my vacation was about to end and I had to go back to school where my only saving grace was Anna and my English class. That inevitable fear of reality is not something I want to face just yet. It’s like Sunday evening and I am ten years old again, wishing tomorrow was Saturday.

The taxi driver looks back at us, clearly getting impatient.

“Well, Mom, you better be on your way. I don’t know where Aidan is. I know he wanted to say goodbye to you.”

“Oh he found me earlier and already said his goodbyes. He had to go run some errands.” My mom’s eyebrows raise like she is up to no good.

“Okay,” I say skeptically. “Mom, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you know something that I don’t. I am very aware of that look because I inherited the same one.”

“No such thing.”

I know she is lying but I don’t want to push further. I just laugh and open the back door to the cab.

When I shut the door, my mom rolls down her window. “You know, I was scared that the fire inside you got completely extinguished after Robert. But now I see that Aidan isn’t going to let it extinguish and more importantly, you aren’t going to let it extinguish. You are stronger than you think you are, my sweet girl. I have this instinct that you are going to break free and your work is going to be seen and made into a movie or show or something. The world deserves to see your greatness.” My mom gives me one more hug through the small window and a kiss on both cheeks. One from me and one from your father, she started saying after Dad died. “I’m going to miss you, Haley girl. But something tells me that you are going to be well taken care of. Your mother can breathe now. Take care of him, too. I can tell he’s one of the good ones.”

My heart skips a beat. That was a glowing review from LeAnn Swann. She doesn’t just give out “one of the good ones” willy-nilly. She never said that with Robert. Come to think of it, neither of my parents did. I give her a wave. “I love you, Mom. You take care, too. And remember if you ever need me to come out, I will.”

“I love you too, my amazing daughter. I promise I will visit you out in L.A. more this year. Talk to you soon?”

“Text me when you land. Bye, Mom.”

The worst thing about travel is packing, especially packing to return back home. I groan when I see the messy state of my open suitcase. Aidan’s suitcase is already packed, zipped and ready to go. That’s another thing about Aidan: he is extremely neat and organized, which honestly always made my job easier. He loves schedules as much as I do. He loves a clean trailer and home as much as I do. Instead of tackling my suitcase, I plop onto the bed and close my eyes. My body fully relaxes for the first time since we drove onto this property. The only thing I can hear are the waves and seagulls outside.

Even though I am in a complete state of relaxation, my stomach aches. I haven’t eaten since brunch this morning. I think it’s also aching because of Aidan’s absence. I wasn’t aware of how much I yearn for him when he isn’t near me. Maybe that is the hunger talking. Where did he go? Maybe he just abandoned me and his suitcase and left for the city. Maybe he realized how boring I really am and he needs someone who gives him a life of adventure. Someone who belongs on his arm on that red carpet. Someone who no one would question. I wince at the thought and sit up, rub my face and open my eyes.

It is then that I see it. A note taped to the vanity mirror on the dresser across from the bed. I slowly get up and walk over to the mirror. It is addressed to me. I carefully pull the note off and open it:

Hales, I think it’s time for us to relax and have a real date night. Meet me on the beach at 7:30.

Take a nap and change into something comfy. See you then, beautiful. –A

I smile and hold the note to my chest like it is my most treasured possession. I yawn, also realizing we really didn’t get a whole lot of sleep last night. I pack really fast, leaving an outfit for later to change into after I nap. I set an alarm on my phone so I won’t miss my first real date with Aidan. I definitely wouldn’t miss that for the world.

The cool ocean breeze makes my hair flop about, probably making me look like fricken Bellatrix Lestrange. Sexy, Haley. Aidan won’t know what hit him. I decided to wear some linen shorts, a white tank top and a cardigan. I have to take off my flip-flops once I reach the sand, since they keep getting stuck. I wrap the cardigan around my torso, looking left and right as I walk, trying to find Aidan. I walk a little further left, head around a large rock, and there he is. Standing with his hands in his pockets next to a blanket that has a bottle of wine in an ice bucket, two wine glasses, two pizza boxes and a laptop.

I make my way toward him with an astonished smile spread across my face. When I finally get within a foot of Aidan, I say, “What is all this?” I gesture to the set up. Glancing at the open laptop, I see that You’ve Got Mail is at the ready.

“You’ve Got Mail?”

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