Page 38 of I’d Be Honored

“And this was at her place?” Caitlin asked, processing. “Hayley never invites anyone to her place.”

Maddie thought about Caitlin’s words, a quiet thrill sparking in her chest at the possibility that she meant something to Hayley.

Oh, duh. Maddie was living with Gemma and Caitlin. Where else would they have gone? Her shoulders slumped.

Maddie exhaled, the weight of the morning settling back in. “You were right. Hayley made it clear that she plans on staying single—possibly forever. But something casual could be fun for a couple of months, right?”

“Casual?” Caitlin repeated. “Isn’t that why you broke up with Kim?”

Point taken.

“Ugh, I know, I know. But God, there’s just something so exhilarating about her,” Maddie exclaimed, snapping upright.

Caitlin reached out, her gentle hand on Maddie’s shoulder, grounding her. “Just make sure you stay true to yourself, Mads. You deserve to get what you actually want.”

FOUR EMPTY DAYS PASSED WITH NO word from Hayley. Aside from a brief one-sided attempt from Maddie three days ago, the silence had been absolute. It was taking an immense amount of effort not to reach out every time Maddie thought about that night, but Hayley had been painstakingly clear about what she was willing to offer. Still, Maddie found herself holding her breath every time Caitlin’s front door swung open, then sighing dejectedly at the sound of sneakers on the hardwood instead of stilettos.

By day five, Maddie was vibrating with restless energy. A morning run, a surprise deep clean of her hosts’ kitchen, and two loads of laundry hadn’t been enough to settle her. By early evening, she had run out of things to do indoors.

Maddie dug through her closet for a specific outfit—a monochromatic two-piece athletic set. The tan biker shorts and matching sports bra were a few shades darker than her skin. She paired the look with white New Balance sneakers and a Yankees baseball hat, which made her feel less like an outsider on the streets of New York.

The sun was on its descent, starting to dip behind the skyscrapers and cast long shadows across the city. It was still nearly eighty degrees, but a slight breeze cut through the NYC heat, making it more bearable than it had been during her last adventure.

As she wandered down the sidewalk, Maddie immediately found herself gravitating toward the East River. The last time she’d crossed over into Brooklyn, the sight of the Manhattan skyline across the water had left her breathless, unable to feel anything except a deep sense of calm.

I could use a healthy dose of calm, she thought.

Plus, the spot was miles away from Hayley’s apartment in the West Village, far enough to prevent Maddie from showing up on her doorstep on a manic whim.

It wasn’t until she was sitting on that bench in Brooklyn Bridge Park, staring out over the water, that Maddie realized her mistake.

Hayley wouldn’t be home right now. She’d been working long hours lately, taking advantage of the unprecedented interest that her new Brooklyn condos had sparked. At least according to Gemma.

Brooklyn. The building was less than a five-minute walk from where she now sat.

Don’t do it, Maddie.

She focused her attention back on the water and the city’s reflection, trying uselessly to force a calm over her mind. Determined to show some restraint, Maddie kept herself rooted to the wooden slats. Her right foot began to tap frantically against the ground, slowly picking up speed until the entire bench began to shake.

Within a minute, Maddie was on her feet and moving toward the Maddox building before her brain could even register the betrayal of her body.

She strode into the lobby boldly, channeling the confidence of one of Hayley’s high-end clients. She stepped into the elevator and picked a floor number at random—the top. There was no harm in seeing what all the fuss was about, was there?

When she reached the fourth floor, the silver doors parted. There was still a handful of people milling about, but it was clear to Maddie that the open house was winding to a close. She walked straight into the penthouse, the most coveted apartment in a building full of coveted apartments.

“Wow,” she breathed.

It was incredible. Ten-foot-high ceilings made the space feel boundless, as if you were perched atop a cloud rather than a mass of steel and concrete. An elegantly carved archway framed the hallway, lending an old-money ambiance to a new-money building.

If Maddie were ever to consider trading Los Angeles for Brooklyn, it would only be for a place like this.

She paused in the open kitchen, gazing out at the picturesque view of the Brooklyn Bridge, the East River, and the Manhattan skyline—all framed in this one surreal window. The sky was a brilliant, clear blue, and the late-afternoon sun cast a bright, metallic glare off the water. Maddie allowed herself to daydream about waking up to that vista every morning.

The sharp click of heels against the hardwood floor behind her snapped Maddie from her reverie.

“Sorry, I—” Maddie’s voice died in her throat as she turned.

Hayley stood less than a yard away, just close enough that Maddie could have reached out and brushed her fingertips along the front of her vest. Her suit was so dark that it may have looked black from a distance, but up close Maddie could see the subtle hues of individual royal-blue threads.