Page 94 of I’d Be Honored

Hayley let out a long, breathless sob, completely unraveling under her touch.

Maddie slowly slid out of her, and Hayley shuddered as a soft, broken sigh escaped. Maddie collapsed fully against her chest.

Hayley held Maddie tighter than she ever had before, and Maddie buried her face into the curve of Hayley’s neck, inhaling a musky scent more intoxicating than any perfume. They stayed there all night, tangled together in the dim light, two souls laid bare to each other.

For the first time in Maddie’s life, the quiet that settled over the room no longer felt empty. It felt full—full of Hayley, full of possibility, full of everything she had ever dared to dream.

TWENTY-SEVEN

EACH DAY WITH MADDIE OUTSHONE HEAVEN. Life began to feel like a miracle to Hayley, filled with bright, blinding joy. The knot that had lain heavy in her chest for months unraveled to make space for it all. She still had trouble believing it at times.

She had managed to reclaim the woman she had fallen so fiercely in love with, and Maddie was now, in every sense, hers. Hayley had never in her life experienced happiness that felt so permanent.

After three blissful days spent keeping Maddie close—and all to herself—Hayley suggested they go on a long-overdue date. She chose Musso and Frank’s, a Hollywood favorite that also happened to be Maddie’s favorite.

With their shoulders touching in the red, half-moon leather booth, Hayley began softly, “I reached out to a friend of mine, a realtor in LA, to help me start looking for a place out here.”

Maddie wore a tight, pinched expression.

“Or not,” Hayley rushed, backtracking. “We could do long-distance for a while, see how it goes. No pressure. I don’t want you to feel like I showed up to your front door with a U-Haul,” Hayley blurted, laughing awkwardly.

Note to self—cancel the U-Haul truck.

There was a moment of silence before Maddie’s bright laugh cut through Hayley’s spiral. “Seriously? You think that I would want to do long-distance?”

Hayley frowned. “What’s wrong, then?”

“I’ve been thinking, and well, LA hasn’t really felt the same for me since Caitlin left. I’ve also never lived anywhere else but here. Both of our best friends are in New York, and I thought, if they can fly back and forth for work, then I don’t see why I couldn’t do the same.”

Hayley cautiously scanned her face. “Maddie, what are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying… that you were a very convincing tour guide,” Maddie finished with a wink. She slid her hand into Hayley’s, intertwining their fingers. “And I would love to see more of New York—maybe even the entire East Coast—with you.”

Hayley leaned in and kissed her, tears welling behind her eyes.

——

By the end of the following week, Maddie’s house had been put up for sale. Hayley stayed by her side throughout the entire process, ensuring that every step went as smoothly as possible. Leaving LA was already going to be hard enough for Maddie. Hayley told herself she was sticking close to make sure that Maddie got every dollar the modern charm of her California home deserved. The truth was a lot simpler—she just couldn’t stand to be apart, even for a moment.

Once the house had gone into escrow, they had a moving team load up Maddie’s belongings and begin the long cross-country drive to New York.

On their final night in LA, Hayley found herself getting ready to share a home-cooked meal with Maddie’s parents.

Obsessed with making the perfect first impression, Hayley spent the entire day buzzing with nervous energy. She had already spilled coffee all over herself that morning, and as dinner drew closer, she changed her outfit at least four times.

She began to pace the length of the room with growing panic until Maddie gently grabbed her by the forearms to still her.

“I love you, Hayley,” Maddie whispered, locking eyes with her. “And that means my parents will love you just as much.” She gave her a reassuring kiss before stepping back.

Hayley took a deep breath, wiped her clammy hands down her slacks, and headed out the door.

The night admittedly started a little rocky. Hayley had never so much as batted an eye when dealing with even the most wealthy and powerful clients, yet sitting across from the people that had raised her girlfriend—the word still felt foreign on her tongue—left Hayley’s hands trembling and her heart racing.

Within thirty seconds of meeting them, Hayley kicked herself for not asking Maddie if she had told them about her, specifically the part when she had broken their daughter’s heart a few weeks ago. But then Maddie laced her fingers through Hayley’s under the table, and her worry eased.

She eventually settled into the comfort of the evening, actually beginning to enjoy the questions from Maddie’s parents about her family and the brokerage. Her previous anxiety completely melted away as laughter filled the dining room, mingling with the steady clink of wine glasses.

After the plates were cleared, Maddie’s mom brought out a stack of heavy, worn photo albums. She dropped them onto the table, flipping through faded snapshots of Maddie as a chubby-cheeked baby all the way through her middle school years.