Page 95 of I’d Be Honored

Pausing on a page about halfway through the book, Hayley stared down at a glossy picture of a little girl with bright blonde hair and even brighter blue eyes, balanced precariously on a bicycle with training wheels. She felt a familiar warmth bloom in her chest.

For years, her walls had been so high that she hadn’t allowed herself to imagine ever having children. That life had felt like a distant fantasy that could only ever belong to someone else. But as she lifted her gaze from little Maddie’s beaming, joyful smile to the woman now sitting beside her, something shifted.

Hayley reached out, gently weaving her fingers through Maddie’s as a quiet, astonishing truth settled in—she wanted so much more than just a shared future with Maddie, she wanted to build a family.

When the night finally wound down, Hayley pulled Maddie’s parents into a tight, genuine embrace. She promised that she and Maddie would fly back to visit often, and emphasized that their own door in New York would always be wide open for them.

Once they got back to Caitlin and Gemma’s house, she and Maddie made their way to the guest bedroom. Their friends had been more than willing to let them stay there while Maddie’s house had been packed up.

Before they had even changed into their pajamas for the night, Hayley wrapped her arms around Maddie’s waist and drew her close. “Do you think we should have kids?”

Maddie’s eyes widened in surprise. “You are truly a wonder, Hayley Maddox.” She started to laugh.

Hayley gently kissed Maddie’s lips, smiling. “I’d never even thought about it before, but seeing those pictures of you as a kid made me really want a mini Maddie.”

Maddie’s face beamed, her hands curling around Hayley’s neck. “Well, I want a feisty little Hayley. Can you imagine—she’ll be checking the market from the day she can read. Or he. Oh God, you as a boy? Watch out, world.”

They both fell backward onto the bed in laughter, their future feeling limitless.

In the quiet darkness of a reality that Hayley was still half-convinced was a dream, she made love to Maddie. There was no rush, no need for control, and no reason to ever stop. Hayley simply took her time, peeling away each layer of fabric between herself and the woman she would spend the rest of her life with, then worshiped her.

Maddie eased back against the mattress, and instead of climbing on top of her, Hayley guided her onto her side and settled into place behind her. She curled an arm around Maddie’s waist and pulled until her back was flush against Hayley’s chest.

She slowly trailed her fingers down Maddie’s torso until they were settled between her legs. Hayley was uncharacteristically gentle, rubbing soft circles over Maddie’s clit and teasing her entrance, while her other hand soothingly stroked Maddie’s hair.

Maddie turned her head to kiss Hayley, then smiled coyly. “This is nice, but please don’t ever stop being you.”

Hayley grinned and slid deep inside her.

Maddie gasped, throwing an arm over her head to dig her nails into Hayley’s hair.

Hayley had intended to hold Maddie close that night, tenderly, to reinforce to her that she would never hurt her again. But when a low moan slipped from Maddie’s lips, Hayley understood that her girlfriend wasn’t interested in a delicate touch.

Hayley bit down on Maddie’s collarbone, sucking hard, as her fingers moved faster, curling inside her. Within minutes, Maddie shattered against her, unraveling completely in Hayley’s embrace.

WHEN MADDIE’S FIRST WINTER ON THE East Coast arrived, Hayley went out and bought her a heavy jacket, gloves, and scarf, insisting that they keep up with the morning walks they had recently turned into a routine.

Hayley’s alarm was no longer set for four a.m. While she still made sure her suits were steamed and ready each night, her early hours looked entirely different now. She slept in, holding her girlfriend close until six-thirty before finally slipping out of bed. She would brew a fresh pot of coffee, then take a cup straight to Maddie’s bedside before waking her with a soft kiss. Then they would go for a brisk stroll together, returning home just in time for Hayley to whip up breakfast before she would begrudgingly leave for work.

Stepping back from being the first person in the office each day was a welcome change for her. For the first time ever, Hayley saw her life as more than her career, and she found herself itching to get home to Maddie any time she sat down at her desk. She still managed to run the number-one-selling brokerage in the city—excellence was simply what she did best—but she had finally found a healthy balance, even embracing the quiet of working from home on some days.

——

On Thanksgiving Day, surrounded by loved ones at the Quinn-Stone household, Hayley felt a new warmth swell in her chest. Her dad was there, along with his girlfriend Alice and her children. Jonathan had come, too. Gemma’s parents had driven up from Pennsylvania, and even Maddie’s family had flown out from LA. The house was full and vibrant—alive.

It was the first time Hayley’s family had truly celebrated a holiday since her mother’s passing. For years, those days had been quiet and muted, just the three of them ordering take-out and losing themselves in whatever was on TV. They’d rarely speak of her mom, each of them keeping her memory safely tucked away, afraid that sharing it might reopen wounds rather than bring comfort.

But discovering the letters had changed everything for Hayley. Now she found peace in keeping her mother’s spirit alive by weaving stories into her daily conversations with Maddie.

Sunday dinners with her dad and brother had returned, transforming into evenings where they finally shared precious memories they’d once avoided, honoring the woman who had bound them all together. After a few weeks alone, just the three of them, they had begun inviting guests. Alice and her children joined, Maddie was by her side, and Jonathan had a revolving door of women each week. They let the tradition grow into something new.

In moments like this—seated around the crowded table for the holiday, surrounded by loved ones—the missing presence of her mom still washed over her unexpectedly. Yet beneath the grief, a quiet certainty now anchored Hayley. Reflected in the light that shone from Maddie’s eyes, Hayley had begun to believe that her mom had never really left at all.

It was entirely her mother’s doing, after all, all of this. She had given Hayley the courage to get Maddie back. Otherwise, Hayley would not be sitting there that day or any day with the smile that now resided permanently on her face.

Her mom wasn’t gone. She was her North Star, always guiding her, watching over her, and reminding her of what truly mattered.

——