Page 113 of Hate To Love You

Of course, after they all left, my mom made me tell her everything anyway, which I did because I can’t keep anything from her. She held me while I cried some more and wished more than anything that this wasn’t my reality right now.

Thanksgiving dinner was exactly what I expected. It was just my mom and I with a turkey, some stuffing, and mashed potatoes. It was nice, and it gave my mom and I some time to catch up. My father actually called to wish us a happy Thanksgiving, but I refused to talk to him. I know I’m being immature, but I can’t bring myself to even think about him let alone talk to him.

The December air is cold as I walk across the street from the parking lot to The Baked Bean, our local coffee shop which also happens to be a full bakery as well. Mom wanted me to pick up an apple pie because she’s been craving one and she guilted me into getting it, saying she couldn’t drive in the snow.

There really isn’t that much snow on the ground right now, but I didn’t mind going because I was beginning to go stir crazy sitting in my childhood home with my mother.

The man behind the counter greets me with a smile when I walk up to the counter. He looks familiar but I can’t place where I know him from.

“Gwen? Wow, it’s been a long time. How have you been?” the guy asks. I won’t lie, he is really attractive. He has blonde shaggy hair and blue eyes mixed with a perfectly chiseled jaw covered in a thin layer of stubble. He’s wearing a long sleeve shirt, his muscles visible under the thick material. The apron he’s wearing sports The Baked Bean’s logo in the middle.

When I look back at his eyes, it clicks. “Oh my god, Hayden? Holy shit, hi!” I grin as he comes around the counter, picking me up and twirling me around. I can’t help the giggle that comes out of me as he sets me back down.

“Guinevere Sharpe, the one and only. How’s that fancy college treatin’ ya?” Hayden asks, and I roll my eyes. He attended Weston U, so he was at a ‘fancy’ college too.

“It’s okay. How’s your asshole of a brother?” I ask, not really caring how he is. Hayden Sawyer is the older brother of one Dawson Sawyer, the ex that broke up with me over text and never spoke to me again.

Hayden and I always got along. He’s only a year older than Dawson, and he was always around when we were kids.

Growing up, I always had a crush on Hayden. It’s funny. I was attracted to Hayden way before I was attracted to Dawson. I think Hayden knew I liked him, but he also knew his brother had feelings for me, so he never said anything.

Or maybe he just thought I was some stupid little girl. Who knows. It was so long ago now that everything has begun to blur.

I do remember one night when I was fifteen and Hayden was sixteen.

We’d been fishing all day with Dawson in the little pond behind their house. Dawson went inside to change because Hayden had pushed him into the water. We all laughed about it, and Dawson was a good sport about it. He never really had a bad temper.

Hayden and I continued to fish as the sun set and it became darker outside. I’d casted my line toward the pond, but it wasn’t going as far as I wanted, and I was growing frustrated. Hayden came up behind me, putting his arms around me and his hands on top of mine as he helped me cast the line again. This time it landed where I wanted, and a few seconds later, I was reeling in a small fish.

I squealed with excitement, jumping up and down as Hayden unhooked the fish for me to see. The grin on his face made my stomach flutter. He tossed the fish back into the pond, wiping his hands on his thighs before turning back to look at me.

When his eyes met mine, they seemed to darken as the grin on his face fell. His eyes darted down to my lips and back up to my eyes quickly. I wanted him to kiss me so badly. I was praying that he’d just grab my face and kiss me so hard I’d forget my own name. He took a step closer to me, and my legs almost gave out.

“Hayden,” I said softly as he closed the distance between us. My heart pounded and my mind raced.

“Shhh. I just want to try something,” he practically whispered as if he was talking to himself.

Before I could ask what he wanted to try, he grabbed my face and leaned in slowly, his soft lips touching mine and setting my nerve endings on fire.

When he pulled away, I pouted, afraid he was already regretting it. But his hands remained on either side of my face. His eyes searched mine before he spoke.

“Wow,” he said in disbelief. “You’re really good at that.”

I grinned. “Thanks.”

“Was that your first kiss?” he asked. I could feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment as I nodded.

“Yes,” I told him. He shakes his head slightly.

“Mine too.”

What? There’s no way this was Hayden Sawyer’s first kiss. He was handsome, and sweet, and girls must’ve been throwing themselves at him constantly. He wouldn’t waste his first kiss on a girl like me.

“Seriously?” I asked. He nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Why would you want your first kiss to be with me?” I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer or not. He chuckled, tucking a piece of my brown hair behind my ear as he looked me in my eyes.

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