Page 90 of When the Stars Rise
“You look good. The outfit’s perfect,” I assure her. “We should go. They’re waiting for us in the lobby.”
Hayley nods and forces a smile. I hook my arm around her neck and usher her to the elevator before she has a chance to cut bait and run. I know this is stressful for her—the last time she saw Shiloh was a disaster—so I want to do everything in my power to make it easier for her.
“I’m so disappointed Zane didn’t come,” Hayley says when we step into the elevator.
“Yeah. Same.” I was looking forward to spending time with my brother, but I guess I’ll have to go home to do it. “But I get it. Wilderness camp is his thing.”
Zane isn’t a big fan of crowds or crazy fans. He’s a lot like my dad. He prefers wide open spaces, horses over people, and being surrounded by nature.
I glance at Hayley. She’s taking deep breaths through her nose, no doubt trying to ward off an anxiety attack. “Everything is going to be okay,” I assure her.
She nods but doesn’t look convinced.
When the elevator doors open, Hayley squares her shoulders like she’s going into battle, so I pull her back against my chest and give her a little shoulder massage, trying to loosen her up.
Tense doesn’t even begin to describe the set of her jaw or the rigidity of her spine. “Just relax. You’ve got this.”
“I know.” She nods, trying to reassure herself. “I’m okay. I’m just… you know…” She smooths a shaky hand over her hair and clears her throat. “I’m a little bit nervous.”
“I know. But I’ll be right beside you.”
We don’t have time to discuss it further because my dad and Shiloh are right there, and if it’s any consolation, Shiloh looks just as nervous as Hayley. Shiloh swallows hard when she sees us and plasters on a bright smile that looks as fake as Hayley’s.
Looking at Shiloh, it’s no surprise that we never guessed she was Hales’ birth mom. They look nothing alike. Shiloh’s skin is olive, her hair is almost black, and her eyes are gray—zero resemblance.
But I hope they can get their shit together. I want Hayley to feel comfortable with my family again.
Family is everything, and they’re a big part of my life. They’re Hayley’s family too and I hope she can see how much they love her and care about her. I think she really needs family in her life.
I don’t want her to miss another family Christmas. I want us allto be together, and that includes Hayley.
“It’s so good to see you, Hayley,” Shiloh says, taking Hayley’s hands in hers and giving them a little squeeze.
“Yeah.” Hayley clears her throat, her eyes lowering to the ground. “You too. It’s good to see you.” Her eyes dart to the front door like she’s looking for an escape route, so I jump right in with our plans for the day to alleviate some of the tension.
“I thought the four of us could go to lunch.” I clap my hands like a coach psyching up the team. “There’s a place with a roof garden, and the views are supposed to be—”
“Nope,” my dad says before I can finish. He widens his stance and crosses his arms over his chest. “You and me are going shopping.”
What the fuck?
“Shopping,” I repeat, staring at him like he suddenly grew three heads. “Youhateshopping.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes it’s a necessary evil. I need to buy some new boots.”
His old boots look just fine. My dad is the kind of guy who will wear boots until they get holes in the soles before he replaces them. His T-shirt and faded Levis are probably twenty years old. He doesn’t give a shit about fashion or image.
“New boots, huh?”
“Figured you and me could spend a little time together. Just the two of us,” he adds.
I give him a wary look. “Did Mom put you up to this?”
My dad scoffs. “Since when do I take orders from your mom? Or anyone else?” I fight hard not to roll my eyes. “We can grab some lunch along the way.”
“How far are we going for these boots?”
“Stop being a pain in the ass. Let’s go.” He claps his hand on my shoulder and steers me toward the door.
