Page 10 of Love, A Curvy Girl's Guide

"Oh, shut up," Haley grumbled, busying herself with the next batch of prescriptions.

"I'm just saying," Verity continued, undeterred. "Not every day a guy like that walks up to the counter. You might want to grab onto that before someone else does."

Haley's hands stilled, Ian's smile flashing in her mind. She shook her head, pushing the thought away. "It's not that simple, Verity. We have... history."

"History, schmistory." Verity waved her hand dismissively. "All I know is, if a guy looked at me the way he looks at you, I wouldn't be standing here debating it."

Haley sighed, her resolve wavering. Maybe Verity was right. Perhaps she was being too cautious. But the memory of past hurt lingered, a warning she couldn't ignore.

"Let's just get back to work," Haley said finally, forcing her focus back to the task at hand. But even as she immersed herself in prescriptions and paperwork, a part of her mind drifted back to Ian's smile, his protective stance, and the warmth in his eyes.

And try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. It had started back incollege when she’d wanted to save him from the embarrassment of failing chemistry. That kiss had lived rent-free in her mind for years. Try as she might, Haley couldn’t shake the memory. Only Ian had never brought it up after that night. Sometimes, Haley wondered if she’d dreamt the whole thing.

The sun had dipped lowon the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink as Haley pulled into her driveway. Her shoulders sagged with the weight of the day, a dull headache throbbing behind her eyes. As she cut the engine, movement caught her attention. In his mother's yard next door stood Ian, toolbox in hand.

Their eyes met, and Haley's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected to see him again so soon, especially not after the charged encounter at the pharmacy. For a moment, they both froze, surprise etched on their faces.

Haley's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. "You can do this," she muttered, willing her heart to slow its frantic beating. She took a deep breath and opened the car door.

Ian was already making his way over, his easy smile firmly in place. "Hey there, neighbor," he called out, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. "Fancy seeing you here."

Haley stepped out of the car, smoothing down her wrinkled scrubs. "It's my house, Ian," she replied dryly, fighting the urge to smile back. "Where else would I be?"

He chuckled, leaning against her car with casual grace. "Fair point. How was your day? Any more troublemakers I need to chase off?"

The memory of their earlier encounter flashed through Haley's mind, bringing a confusing mix of irritation and warmth. "Ian, I had things perfectly under control. Every woman doesn’t need a big, strong man to save the day, " she said, her tone sharper than she'd intended.

Ian's grin widened, seemingly unfazed by her prickliness. "Ouch. Well, I like that you at least called me big and strong. Tough day, huh?"

Haley sighed, her resolve softening slightly. "You could say that," she admitted, running a hand through her hair. "Nothing I can't handle, though."

"Never doubted it for a second," Ian replied, gently. He studied her face for a moment, and Haley fought the urge to look away from the intensity in his gaze. "You know, you've always been the toughest person I know, Hales."

The use of her old nickname sent a jolt through her. Ian had never called her that before. Haley's mind raced, torn between the desire to maintain her guard and the longing to lean into the comfort Ian seemed to offer. "Yeah, well," she mumbled, fumbling for her house keys, "someone's got to be."

Ian's expression shifted, a hint of concern replacing his teasing smile. "Hey," he said softly, "I know how stressful life can be. Seriously, I know I can be an ass. But I truly don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Is everything okay? Anything bothering you?"

Haley's heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by his genuine concern. She opened her mouth to brush it off but found herself hesitating. "I..." she started, then sighed. "Work's been overwhelming lately. The pharmacy's understaffed, and I'm pulling extra shifts. It's just... a lot. And you know, with Dad’s cancer back, money is tight, and things are just… a lot."

She bit her lip, annoyed at herself for revealing even that much. Ian nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. "That soundsrough," he said quietly. "Your old man is a good guy. He’s tough like you. I was sorry to hear the cancer came back. You know, if you ever need to talk..."

"Thanks." Haley cut him off quickly, looking away. "I appreciate it. But I've got it under control."

Ian held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "I believe you," he said, his tone sincere. "Just know I'm here if you need anything, okay?"

Haley nodded, not trusting herself to speak. The silence stretched between them for a moment before Ian cleared his throat.

"Hey, I was thinking," he said, his voice casual but with an undercurrent of nervousness Haley had rarely heard from him. “Maybe you could use a break—maybe dinner sometime? Nothing serious, just… neighbors helping each other de-stress.”

Haley looked up, surprised by his tone. There was something different about how he asked—less teasing, more genuine. She opened her mouth to refuse out of habit, but the words wouldn't come. Maybe she did need a break. Perhaps she was tired of fighting her feelings all the time.

“Dinner?” she repeated as if testing the idea. She hesitated for a beat before offering a tentative smile. “Are you cooking? Because as much as I love a Johnson family meal, I don’t want to show up unannounced at your mama’s house expecting to be fed.”

Ian laughed, shaking his head. “Nothing like that. I want to take you somewhere nice. No brothers will be invited. Otherwise, I’d likely never get a word in.”

Haley’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “You aren’t wrong there. I suppose… as long as you promise it won’t turn into some heroic rescue mission, then maybe.”

Ian’s face lit up, and he looked almost boyish for a moment. “I promise,” he said, his eyes locking on hers. “No heroics. Just dinner.”

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