Page 36 of Love Like This

“Well, think about it. It’s more than an idea or figment ofsomeone’s imagination,” Hadley said. “It’s who we are as humans.”

“Not most of us,” Spencer said. “Have you seen the recent divorcerate?”

Hadley’s gaze fell in dejection to the ground and Spencer hatedthat she’d caused such a look.

She took a breath and attempted to regroup, softening. “Hey, waita sec.” She placed her hand gently under Hadley’s chin and raised her face soshe could see her eyes. “I think the world of you, Hadley. Please believe that.This doesn’t have to change anything between us.”

“Doesn’t it?” Hadley asked, sadly. “I feel like it changeseverything. We’re looking for different things, so what’s the point?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This is only a second date.”

“Up until this moment, it was an outstanding one. And if we go ona third, or a fourth? Then what?” Hadley dropped her hand from the railing.“What you may not know about me, Spencer, is that while I may be outgoing andconfident on the outside, I have a tender heart and a lot of feelings.”

Spencer nodded, already understanding the truth of that statement.She was seeing so firsthand. “I wouldn’t ever want to hurt you, Hadley, and I’ma big believer in meaningful relationships. Don’t mistake me. Marriage and allof that? Might not be for me. But that doesn’t mean I sleep around and itdoesn’t mean I don’t feel things just as deeply as the next person.”

Hadley seemed confused. “But if you don’t believe in thepossibility of forever, then what would we be working toward? Fun for a littlewhile?” She sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was grappling.“It sounds like a whole lot of heartbreak waiting to happen. At least for me.At the end of the day, I’m looking for theone,not a good time. I don’t think I’m made that way.”

“I would never think of you as a good time.”

“I appreciate that, because there’s a lot more to me than thephysical.”

Regret twisted in Spencer’s stomach, uncomfortable and sharp. Shewanted badly to just enjoy their time together, complications be damned. Sheliked Hadley. What was so wrong with focusing on only that for now and seeingwhere it led? “Hey,” she said, moving to Hadley. “Let’s not get hung up on thisone detail.” But it was clear from the desolate look on Hadley’s face that themood had been shattered irreparably. There was nothing Spencer could do.

“I think we need to take a step back from this part of us.”

It was like a punch in the stomach. Spencer closed her eyes andtook a moment. “Okay.” She understood where Hadley was coming from, but shedidn’t have to like it. “So, what now?”

“We take those designs of yours and get them on the retail map,and that starts with Silhouette.” Hadley attempted a smile, but Spencer didn’tbuy it. Her eyes didn’t shine, and when Hadley smiled genuinely, her eyes shonebrighter than any she’d ever seen. She hated that something she’d said hadinspired the change in that beautiful smile.

“Fair enough.”

They stared at each other. They were on new, uncomfortable groundnow.

“I love what you’ve done in the new sketches.” Hadley reached intoher bag, pulled out the pad, and returned it to Spencer. “My notes are in thefront, but honestly, I’m not sure I contributed anything to this round.Consider me your cheerleader.”

“What you said before, your suggestions, inspired all of it. Youset me in a new direction.”

“Oh,” Hadley said. “I’m happy to hear I helped. What’s next tomake it all happen?”

“We go to manufacturing and wait. I was also hoping you’d take alook at some ideas I have coming up for the summer. It’s still early and thedesigns are rudimentary, but there’s enough there for you to get an idea ofwhere I’m heading.”

“I’d love to,” Hadley said. Something in the water caught her eyeand she turned. Her whole face lit up and she laughed, melodious and free. “Ithink the duck and that fish are having a fight over what looks to be a pieceof bread.” Spencer followed Hadley’s gaze to the water, but her eyes moved backto Hadley almost immediately. Much more to watch there. The sparkle was back,brought on by something so common as some splashing in the water. “Oh, and onefor the duck,” Hadley said, shaking her head. Hadley took enjoyment in thelittle things life had to offer. If they all took a page from her book, theworld would be a much happier place.

They made the loop around the canal and finished their walk mostlyin silence. The sounds of nature took over, edging to the forefront. Therustling of palm trees, the quiet ribbits of the frogs, and the easy lapping ofthe water. All would have been like music to her ears any other evening.Tonight, they couldn’t pull her from the melancholy that had settled like aheavy drape over everything.

“Listen, I don’t want you to have the wrong impression of me,”Spencer said finally, once they approached the sidewalk in front of SevenShores. They stood outside the complex between two streetlights, whereSpencer’s car was parked along the curb. “I’m not some callous, unfeelingperson who discards one woman for another like tissue. I’m capable ofmaintaining and valuing a meaningful relationship.”

“For the foreseeable future,” Hadley stated delicately.

“Or longer. It depends on the woman, on the relationship.” Shewasn’t making herself as clear as she could. “I am just very much aware of thefact that life is about chapters, and sometimes a chapter ends and that’s okay.There are more to come.”

Hadley smiled. “Are you offering me a chapter, Spencer?”

“It could be areallygreatchapter. Life changing. We don’t know. Are you willing to walkaway from that possibility? Tell me goodbye forever and miss out on what couldbe?” She held her arms wide open.

Hadley sighed, as uncertainty crisscrossed her features. “Why didyou have to use a book analogy? I love books.”

“I know.” Spencer took Hadley’s hand and gently pulled her in.“Neither of us knows where this might lead. Fair?”

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