Page 82 of The Art Of Starting Over

“You didn’t fail.”

Crow looked at Devorah. “I most certainly did. I may have been here, but I wasn’t present in your life. There are things I could’ve done differently. I see that now.”

Devorah reached for his hand and held it. “I love you, Dad.”

Crow sniffled. “I love you too, Devorah.”

They sat there, watching Hayden and the kids play. The game had turned into a wrestling match, with Hayden getting pinned repeatedly. At one point, he looked at Devorah and smiled. Her heart skipped a beat and her body warmed.

She liked him. More than she would admit aloud, especially to him. It was as if hearing those words would change things between them.

Maybe it would.

Maybe it would be for the better.

Twenty-Two

Hayden

A shift had happened between Hayden and Devorah, and it all started with when he’d walked her to work and taken a chance by kissing her. He wanted to call Chad and thank him as well for being such an epic douche that Hayden had had to rescue Devy from the bar. And despite her having a hangover at the baseball game, the next day turned out to be one of the best days he’d had in a long time.

Their impromptu picnic dinner with both families had opened his eyes to what his future could be. He wanted Devy and Maren in his and Conor’s lives. Hayden saw them as a family. The four of them living their best lives in Oyster Bay, surrounded by family and friends. If Devorah gave living here some time, she would thrive. The way she was meant to.

He could see everything clearly and decided it was now or never when it came to letting Devorah Crowley know exactly how he felt.

After working on his house with Link and the crew all day, he went into the Lazy Lamb and found his favorite bartender chatting with Laila. When he sat down, the two giggled like schoolgirls when Laila motioned toward him. He tipped his hat at her and Devorah and smiled when she came over to him.

“What can I get ya?” she asked as she placed a coaster in front of him.

“Three things,” he said. “First, I’d like an ice water and a pint of Colt’s newest brew. Second, what time do you get off? Third, will you go out with me tonight?”

Devy’s expression never changed until the third question.

She took a deep, steady breath.

“That’s four things, Mr. McKenna, and Colt’s newest is a DIPA. Are you driving home?”

He shook his head. “Walked here.”

“That’s good, and I’m off in an hour.”

“Good, I’ll wait.”

Devy took another breath. She was gorgeous, with her long, dark hair. Her body curved in ways Hayden could only imagine. And her eyes—always expressive—left him wanting to know what she was thinking at any time. Something had definitely shifted between them, and he would no longer sit back and wait to see where things would go.

“Yes,” she finally said. Hayden thought about asking what the “yes” was for, but he knew and didn’t want to embarrass her.

“I’ll take that beer now.”

He never took his eyes off Devorah as she poured his beer.

She set it in front of him. “Do you want to run a tab?”

Hayden shook his head. “Nah, not if you’re off in an hour.”

“And then what?”

“And then we go on our date.”

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