Page 6 of Hearts Like Hers

“Yep?” Her blond hair bounced as she turnedback expectantly.

“I don’t really have the words. Just…thanks.”

Hadley winked. “Hey. I’ve got you. You knowthat. And you don’t need that stupid gym.”

“Well, I’m not so sure.”

“I am,” Hadley said firmly. “I forbid you togo, to that one or any other. You’re perfect, you hear me?”

Autumn smiled. “I do.”

They decided not to stay overnight asoriginally planned. Instead, they hit the highway bound for LA, leaving thewedding and all its tailored perfection in Hadley’s rearview mirror. For thefirst few hours of the trip, Hadley sang to the radio and Autumn let her mindwander, combing the expanse of her life thus far. Olivia had been her onlyrelationship in the span of ten years. That accounted for a lot of alone time.Given, she’d devoted a good portion of her twenties to learning the coffeegame. She’d put her heart and soul into the delivery business she’d startedwith two friends back when they were twenty-two and ready to take on the world.They’d roast coffee in a warehouse twenty-four hours before delivering itstraight to their customers’ doors in reusable wine bottles. It had been anexciting time in her life, in which she’d learned the ins and outs of coffeeprofiles and truly perfected her roasting technique. She’d killed herself,roasting, hustling, and delivering at all hours. Her friends eventually lost interestand moved on to nine-to-fives. She didn’t blame them. That kind of grind, nopun intended, hadn’t been easy. But Autumn had pressed on, working day andnight to stash away the cash to open her own shop one day, building her name,her brand, until the time came to take the next big step.

“I’ve never really allowed myself the spaceto actually live,” she said, breaking the silence in the car. Hadley turned theradio down and glanced over at her.

“What do you mean, actually live?”

“I’ve been so focused on my job, making myway, getting the storefront I’d always dreamed of. But even then, I didn’tstop. Do you know how many hours I pull each week?”

Hadley cringed. “It’s crazy. We’ve all talkedabout it.”

“Exactly. It’s over the top, because that’show important Pajamas is to me. It’s everything I’ve worked for.” She shook herhead as reality rained down. “But somewhere along the way, I cared so muchabout the business that I stopped caring about myself. My life. I haven’tlived, Had. I haven’t carved out my little section of the world, and maybeinstead of standing behind the counter and watching other people fall in loveand take vacations and go on long walks, maybe I should leap over the counterand join in.”

“I like this new philosophy,” Hadley said, witha smile. “You deserve a chance to doyoufor a while. So you need a plan. What now? What’s the first step?” It was likea lightbulb went off over that pretty blond head. “Ohh, we could look at datingsites! Or maybe join a wine club. They have fun events on the weekends withlive music. I’m always so jealous of people who know about wine. That could beus.”

Autumn smiled at her. “I want to have ababy.”

* * *

“Wait. When exactly did you come to thismonumental conclusion?” Isabel asked over breakfast the next morning. The lookon her face was dialed to shock, but that was to be expected. They’d gatheredaround their usual table across from the counter for their own brand ofBreakfast Club, which had slowly emerged as a morning tradition, offering themthe chance to check in on each other before heading off into the world fortheir various jobs. Autumn found Breakfast Club entirely helpful tokick-starting her day and looked forward to that time with her friends. AtHadley’s prompting, Autumn had shared her news with the group that morning.

Isabel grappled. “I’m just trying to gain athreshold for this whole thing.”

“No, I get it,” Autumn said, and sipped from herPajamas mug.

In addition to her friends’ regular coffeeorders, all of which she had meticulously memorized as she did with all hercustomers, Autumn had put out some croissants and warm banana bread for them tosnack on as they chatted.

“You have to admit, it’s surprising. At leastfor us,” Gia said, from her traditional spot at the table next to Isabel.

“I get that, but know it’s something I’vebeen thinking about for years now,” Autumn told her, hoping to make themunderstand. “I’ve always wanted kids, I just imagined I’d have them with thelove of my life. The picket fence. All of it. But you know what? There is nolove of my life lingering on the horizon, and let’s be honest, the clock isn’teasing up.”

“The clock’s a bitch,” Isabel said, and tooka bite of banana bread. “So screw the fence.”

Autumn nodded. “Sing it, sister. Not that youhave to worry about that, Miss Deliriously in Love. In fact, you probablyshouldn’t even be a part of this discussion. You’re one of them, the blissfullypaired-up.”

“I can’t help it if my drop-dead-gorgeousboss, who I happen to adore and lust after, wants to have sex with me all thetime. It’s my lot in life.” Three pairs of eyes shot daggers her way. Isabellifted her arm in front of her face to block the death stares. “But it’s only amatter of time before you each find your own versions of Taylor.”

“Nice save,” Hadley said, relaxing back intoa smile. “You brought it right back around again with the glimpse of my futurehappiness.”

Isabel raised her coffee cup in cheers.

Hadley stared dreamily into the distance. “Asfar as relationship goals go, yours is at the top of my list, Iz.”

Autumn smiled just thinking about Taylor andIsabel and how well they complemented each other. They’d met when Isabel hadbeen hired as a staff writer on a hit TV show Taylor executive produced. Sincethen, they’d moved onto a kick-ass new show about an ex-spy now living insuburbia that had everyone talking. Their love story was nothing short ofamazing.

“Ditto,” Autumn said. “And since my ownTaylor is taking her sweet time showing her face, I can do this whole babything on my own. Lots of single moms out there, and they do just fine.”

“You’ll be a great mother,” Hadley said,lifting her shoulders in excitement. “That’s not even a question.”

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