Page 59 of Protecting Hailey

He plated the eggs. “I have to visit the police station this morning. One of the bouncers at the door last night sent me a picture of some guy looking to get into the club with a fake ticket. I want to run his picture against the mug shots on file. Just to ensure this guy is only a persistent fan and we have nothing more to worry about.”

As we sat down at the table, he grabbed my hand. “Hailey, I won’t be more than a couple of hours. Don’t leave the house or open the door to anyone until I get back.”

I nodded. “I won’t.” Taking a bite of my breakfast, I smiled. “I might use my pool today.”

Christian groaned. “You’re saying you’ll be here wearing only a bikini and possibly dripping wet?” he shook his head. “I’ll be home in less than two hours.”

I laughed out loud. I loved it when he told me how much he desired me. Whenever Trey wanted to have sex, it was all about him. It should have been a red flag, but I hadn’t seen it at the time.

After breakfast, I watched Christian dress. He was meticulous with the details. His closet was stacked with suits in various shades of gray and blue. They were kept inside dry cleaner bags and the shirt buttons were wrapped in tissue paper.

He had an organizer for his ties and a case for his watches. He picked a silver one and fastened it on his wrist. “Don’t you get tired of wearing suits every day?” I asked.

He shook his head. “It’s a uniform to me. Almost like armor. I put it on to let others know who I am and what I’m about. We send messages by the way we dress, walk, and talk. When I’m off duty, I don’t care about what others think, but when I’m at work, I want people to know that I mean business.”

I walked up to him, still wearing only my T-shirt, and helped him button his shirt. His chest rose on an intake of breath when my fingers lingered over his exposed tan skin.

“Hailey, you’re not making this easy.”

I smirked. “I wasn’t trying to.”

He groaned, but picked up a blue tie and wrapped it around his neck. The way his fingers moved through the fabric fascinated me more than it should have. Everything about this man seemed new and exciting.

When he finished, he leaned down and kissed me. Slowly at first, then I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his. He growled. “Keep that enthusiasm for when I get back.”

I smiled. “Hurry.”

“I will.” He kissed me one last time before heading out the front door.

***

For the next little while, I puttered around the house, sipping my coffee and watching the clouds move slowly along the sky. I hummed a new melody and scribbled it down on a pad of paper, but I didn’t pick up my guitar. Not yet. I wanted to enjoy the feeling of doing nothing for a little longer. Since moving to California, I haven’t stopped working. I wasn’t complaining. I loved writing and composing songs. Sure, performing them was stressful, but the joy of hearing one of my songs on the radio was worth it. It was a dream come true, and I was grateful for it.

I changed into my bikini, threw on a sun hat, and walked down the cobbled pathway to my pool. Pressing a button, I turned on the waterfall and listened to the water pouring into the pool as I closed my eyes and relaxed.

My little slice of heaven lasted for perhaps thirty minutes before my phone rang.

It was an unknown number. Normally, I ignored those, but today, I was in a good mood and didn’t mind the distraction. I would tell the person at the other end of the line that I didn’t need any duct cleaning services today, but thank you for calling.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Hailey?”

“Mom?”

“Yes, it’s me. Thank God you answered.”

“Where are you calling from?”

“Someone lent me their cell phone. My car broke down. Can you come pick me up, sweetie?”

“Yes, of course I can. Where are you?”

“I’ll ping you the address. I have no idea where this is exactly. I was following the GPS to a meeting when I drove through a construction site. I must have gotten a nail in my tire because a few minutes later, I was swerving off to the side.”

“Thank God, you’re ok. Do you need me to call a tow truck?”

“No. I’ve already taken care of that. I just want to get out of here. Can you come now?” Her voice cracked and my heart went out to her. She must feel scared and alone.

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