Page 5 of Where You Belong

Chapter Two

Haelynn

“All right, Huxie, you have fun with Gram, and I’ll see you when I get off work.”

He drops his toy truck on the floor from where he’s standing in the middle of my mom’s double-wide trailer and runs toward me, his arms flying around my waist, squeezing me in a hug.

This week has been big for the two of us.

“I love you, sweetie,” I whisper, crouching down to wrap my arms around his small body. His dark hair and chocolate eyes reach into my chest and squeeze my heart.

Everything I do in life is for this boy, and I’d walk away from my marriage countless times if it meant keeping him safe.

“I love you too.” His words are muffled from his small cheek pressed against the side of my arm.

He pulls back, lands a kiss against my cheek, and flashes me a huge grin before darting off to the living room.

The sound of my mom’s heavy cough echoes down the hall. She strolls toward me, hair disheveled on one side and a large cup of coffee in her hand, evident she rolled out of bed not long ago.

“Quit worrying about the boy. He’s with me, so he’ll be fine. I did a decent enough job of raisin’ you, didn’t I? Now get outta here. Let me spend time with my grandson.”

I exhale a chuckle and nod in agreement.

“I should be here just after four. I googled the address, and it’s not too far from here.”

“Of course it’s not far. This is Arbor Creek. What did you expect? Now, go!”

I peer over at Huxton, but he’s too busy lining up his toy cars to pay me any mind, so I sneak out the door, leaving them be.

Madelyn texted me last night to run through everything I’d need to know before my first day. We had talked off and on over the weekend. I couldn’t believe how quickly we clicked.

The opportunity to work with her has come at the perfect time. I need a job as desperately as she desires an assistant. We covered more about what the position entailed. I’ll be taking over scheduling appointments and running her social media, helping keep things running smoothly so she could focus her time and attention on all things photography.

She gushed over an idea she saw scrolling on TikTok and asked me if I’d help her with it. She didn’t give me many details, just told me to bring some fall-inspired clothes and leave the rest up to her.

Although I have no idea what I am getting myself into, I know this is her baby, and she won’t steer me wrong.

The GPS signals for me to turn right onto Fallon Street. A strip of businesses lines the main street leading into the small two-block downtown area. I spot Memories and Moments on the end and pull into the small parking area on the side street, leaving the space open in the front for customers passing by.

Iron lanterns hang against the dark brick building, giving off a cozy rustic vibe. The doorbell dings when I pull the door open, and the scent of coconut swirls through the air. The studio is open in the front, with a large desk in the center of the room separating the waiting area from the rest of the space.

There are candles lit along the counter, and soft music plays overhead. Something about the energy of the studio fits, and I feel right at home.

Madelyn peeks her head out of a doorway near the far back, her larger-than-life smile spreads across her face.

“Haelynn,” she sings. “Oh my gosh, you’re here!” She waves frantically, dashing toward me. “I’m so excited. Are you excited? I hope you are!”

Any hesitation or worry I may have been holding on to is gone when I see how happy she is. Her smile and personality are infectious.

“Very! It was hard to leave Huxton this morning, but we need this. I need this!” I press my palm to my chest, emphasizing how much I mean it.

She bounces on her feet, clapping her hands. Her eyes look from mine down to the bag in my hand.

“Oh good, you brought everything with you.” She smiles, motioning for me to follow her.

There’s a bed pushed against the wall, and a backdrop directly across from it with a wicker folding screen toward the back, likely where her clients go for wardrobe changes.

“Corbin should be here any minute. You’ll love him. This will turn out perfect,” she gushes.

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