Page 27 of Hailey Goes to College

“Nervous?” Ryan asks.

I bite my lip. “Yeah, a little. I just want them to like me.”

He reaches over and pats my knee. “I’m sure they will, Hailey. You’re perfect and they only care about my happiness so when they see how happy I am, they’ll love you.”

His words put a smile on my face and my nerves start to dissipate. It only takes a few more minutes to arrive, and it’s even more picturesque than I imagined. The house is a charming, whitewashed farmhouse surrounded by fields and pastures. Horses graze peacefully in the distance, and the whole scene is like something out of a postcard.

Before Ryan has the engine turned off his parents come out to greet us, their smiles warm and welcoming. His mother, a petite woman with kind eyes, wrapped in a light blue, knitted shaw gives me a hug.

“You must be Hailey. We’ve heard so much about you. I’m Eloise,” she says, her voice filled with genuine warmth.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” I reply, feeling immediately at ease getting a good feeling about her.

Ryan’s father, a tall man with a friendly demeanor, shakes my hand. “Welcome to our home, Hailey. I’m Ryan Senior, We’re glad to have you here. I might have to put you to work while you’re here, though.”

I look at Ryan wide-eyed but then the three of them all start laughing and I realize he’s joking.

“Thank you for having me,” I say.

“Come on inside,” Ryan’s mother says, leading the way into the farmhouse. “Let’s get you settled.”

We follow her into the house, and it’s just as adorable inside as the outside. It’s got a rustic charm but with modern amenities and the smell of freshly baked cookies fills the air, and the warmth from the fireplace in the center of the room creates a comfortable atmosphere.

We make our way further into the house, Eliose leading Ryan and me down the hall. We stop at a large wooden door and she slowly opens it revealing a charming guest room with a view of the rolling fields outside. “This will be your room, Hailey. I hope you find it comfortable.”

“It’s perfect, thank you,” I say, stepping into the room. Ryan follows in with my bag and places it on the edge of the bed.

“Mom, you could have just let her stay in my room,” he playfully says.

“Ryan Dean don’t start with me,” she replies in a mock stern voice.

“I’m just teasing Mom,” he tells her as he goes to stand next to her and throws his arm around her shoulders, giving her a quick squeeze. Eloise looks at him and gives him a bright smile. I love watching their interaction. It’s so warm and genuine and it makes me feel a tinge of regret that I didn’t go home for Thanksgiving. I make a mental note to FaceTime my parents later.

Eloise’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. “Why don’t you get settled in? We’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.” She gives me a smile before breezing out of the room, leaving me to settle in.

I take a few minutes to unpack my things, hang up a few sweaters so they won’t be wrinkled, and freshen up. When I’m done, Ryan appears in the doorway.

“Ready for the grand tour?” he asks, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

“Absolutely,” I say, eager to see more of his world.

Ryan takes my hand and leads me through the house, pointing out family photos and sharing where things are in the house. He makes sure to point out the kitchen and the bathroom off the family room. We eventually reach his bedroom, and he opens the door with a shy smile.

“This is where I grew up,” he says, stepping aside to let me in.

When I step inside the room, it smells exactly like Ryan, clean soap and sandalwood. The room is decorated simply but filled with his personality. Posters of bands and sports teams adorn the walls, and a well-worn desk sits in the corner, covered in notebooks and papers. A few tall, gold trophies sit in one corner propped up against a wall.

“What are those for?” I ask pointing to the trophies.

“Mathematics mostly but there’s a few in there for little league and soccer,” he says.

“Well…” I say, looking around. “The room feels very… you.”

Ryan laughs, pulling me into a hug. “I’m glad you think so. I spent a lot of time in here dreaming about the future. It’s nice to finally share it with someone special.”

“Do you mean to tell me the gorgeous and charismatic Ryan Fontane has never had a girl over before?” I ask him in somewhat of a shock.

“Nope. Not unless you count my cousins and family coming over for birthday parties. And I don’t because we don’t have that kind of relationship,” he laughs out.

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