Once Hayley had finished baking countless cakes, cupcakes, decorated and delivered said desserts, her feet were aching and her back felt like a baby elephant had learned to walk on it. "How do you do this everyday?" she asked Cami who grinned.
"It's not that bad. Besides, I get to take home leftovers," Cami replied, picking up a box of cupcakes. "I'm having a party tonight. Want to come? I think Jack would enjoy it if you showed."
Hayley's eyes flicked to the man who was sweeping the floor of the lobby while Jane Anne locked up for the night. "Maybe another time. I'm really tired," Hayley told her, faking a yawn. Exhaustion ate away at her energy levels but she had just enough to pick up the phone and order a pizza for two that she could share with Elijah.
"Are you sure? It would be great if you could show. I hate to show up stag and have some creepy guy hitting on me all night," Cami argued. She gave Hayley a long look, her eyes wide with feigned worry.
"Come on now, Cam, I'm not all bad," Oliver said, coming over and wrapping an arm around the other blonde's shoulders.
"See what I have to put up with," Cami cried, shrugging Oliver off.
Oliver let out a laugh. "Man, I think you just like to play hard to get."
"Cut it out, Ollie," Jack called. He set the broom aside and came to join them.
Cami cheered up and smiled at Jackson. "So, Jack, you don't have anything to do tonight, do you?" she asked innocently.
"Nope. Not that I know of," Jack told her with a smile.
"Great. Then you can come to my party. And all you have to do is convince Hayley that whatever she had planned for tonight will be nothing short of boring compared to one of my parties." Cami clapped her hands together and looked from Jackson to Hayley.
"Ummm..." Jackson's smile froze on his face as he looked to Hayley who was eyeing her shoes. "So, Hayley, you want to go to Cami's party, as friends, no pressure."
"Not at all," Oliver added in a mocking tone which got him an elbow to the ribs from Cami. "Ouch!"
"I..." Hayley began when the door chimed. Turning around, Hayley noticed that Jane Anne had reopened the door to let someone in. "Oh," she uttered when Elijah entered with Hope on his hip.
"Who is that and where can I get one?" Cami breathed with a laugh.
"He's not that hot," Oliver grumbled under his breath just as Elijah began to walk over to them.
"Hayley," Elijah greeted Hayley, offering her Hope who was already reaching for her mother.
"Elijah, hey, I thought Davina..." Hayley trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"Ms. Claire had a date. With my brother, Kol, as it happened and I came to speak with you. You weren't at home but I ran into my brother on his way to pick up his date," Elijah explained.
"Oh, God. I really need to start asking Davina if she has plans before tossing my baby at her," Hayley sighed, bouncing Hope.
"You have a baby?" Oliver's eyebrows rose. "Gals like you should come with warning labels."
"Excuse me?" Elijah's eyebrows narrowed and his lips pursed. "I'm Elijah Mikaelson, we haven't had the pleasure," he extended his hand with a smile that made Hayley nervous because she had a feeling Elijah did not mean this greeting to be friendly.
"Oliver Kenner," Oliver replied, cluelessly, taking Elijah's hand.
Elijah's smile tightened and so did his grip on Oliver's hand. "I would suggest, Mr. Kenner, that you apologize to Hayley, or this will be one of the least pleasant meetings of your entire existence."
"Shit," Oliver groaned while Elijah's grip continued to tighten and the shorter man sunk to his knees.
"Elijah!" Hayley cried.
"Get off of him!" Jackson yelled, reaching for Elijah who grabbed him by the throat, without looking and causing Jack to gasp for breath.
"Elijah, stop it! I work here," Hayley protested.
"Hey, I'm going to call the police," Jane Anne called, placing her hands on her hips.
"Please do. Send them my regards," Elijah retorted with a smile that made Hayley's stomach sink. Who in the hell was he, really? All this time she had been thinking he was the good guy. Maybe she was wrong. "I will not ask again. Apologize."
"Yes. Okay. I'm sorry, Hayley," Oliver cried out.
That was all it took for Elijah to let go of Oliver's hand and to drop Jack. Adjusting his tie, he looked around him at the employees of the catering company. "Shall we leave?" Elijah asked Hayley who bit her lower lip.
"I think I can find my own way home. Thanks," Hayley snapped after a long pause. Shouldering her way past Elijah, she walked out of the store and all the way home. Ordinarily, she would have tried to avoid walking the streets of New Orleans with her little girl, at night, but she didn't feel like she had a choice.
When Hayley arrived home she called Jackson. He didn't pick up and the call went to voicemail. "Hey, this is Jackson. Leave a message and I'll get back to you when I'm not delivering gluten."
"Hey, Jack. I wanted to call and say how sorry I am about what happened at work. I don't know what got into Elijah. I've never seen him act that way... Well, I've never seen him act that way with anyone who didn't deserve to get their ass kicked. I just... I wanted to say I'm sorry. You were just trying to defend your brother and we all know Oliver can't help being an ass. So... I hope that you're okay. And that Ollie's okay. I guess I'll see you on Monday. Bye."
Hanging up her phone, Hayley ran a weary hand through her hair before looking at Hope who had gone to sleep on the couch. Hayley scooped her daughter up and carried her over to her bedroom. Hope rolled onto her side while Hayley covered her up. "I love you, baby girl," she whispered, kissing her daughter's cheek. Closing the door behind her, she walked back into the living room and flipped on the TV. It had been a long day. She would have a million and one things to do to satisfy Caroline's requirements for the perfect wedding and reception.
"What did I get myself into?" Hayley asked herself, staring at the ceiling.
When Hayley heard a light knock on the door, she worried that it was Elijah but when she peered through the peep hole, she found it was Cami. "Hey, I thought you were hosting a party?"
"Yeah. That was the plan. But after what happened with Mr. Tall, Dark and of the Bad-Boy Status, I thought you might need for the party to come to you," Cami held up a bottle of bourbon and the box of cupcakes.
"Thank you. I do need to relax," Hayley said. She moved aside for Cami to come inside and they plopped down on her couch.
"Nice place," Cami said, inspecting the cracks in the walls.
"Not so much," Hayley replied with a chuckle while Cami filled a paper cup with bourbon.
"You could come move in with me but my place is pretty small." Cami looked thoughtful. "Maybe my uncle, Kieren, could help you find something better. This is not the kind of place you want to raise a kid in."
"Tell me about it," Hayley replied, curling her legs underneath her and taking a sip of her drink. "So what does your uncle do that he could help me? Sell foreclosed houses?" she was half-joking, half-not due to everyone having an angle in a city like New Orleans.
"He's a priest," Cami told her.
Hayley let out a laugh and then stopped when she realized that Cami was serious. "Oh, my God," she exclaimed.
"Exactly." Cami shook her head before reaching for a cupcake.
The two women continued to talk for the next hour until Cami could barely stand up and had to lay down. "Don't puke on the rug. It has sentimental value," Hayley warned her new friend.
"Gotcha," Cami nodded and then proceeded to pass out.
When there was another knock on the door, Hayley swayed over to it, not bothering to check on who her new caller was. She figured it was probably Davina, coming to check up on Hope, Josh, to do the same, or Jack to reply to her phone call, although he didn't have her address.
"Hayley," Elijah greeted her, his hands on either side of the doorframe, his face coming close enough to hers for her to smell the liquor on his breath. It looked like she wasn't the only one partying tonight. "Hayley, I need to apologize for my behavior," he began when she held up a hand.
"Don't apologize. Just don't come near me or my child again. Are we clear?" Hayley snapped, moving to close the door when Elijah placed his hand on it, pushing it back.
Glaring up at Elijah, Hayley moved closer to him. "Do I have to call the cops?" she threatened, baring her teeth.
"No. That will not be necessary." Elijah stood up a little straighter, but did not move away from her. Instead he stood, staring down at her, making her nervous.
"Fine. So you're going?" Hayley waited for his answer, folding her arms across her chest.
"Yes," Elijah said, nodding. He turned and walked away.
Shaking her head, Hayley closed the door and leaned against it. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of the one million reasons that she should not be attracted to this man. Reason number one being his behavior at her place of work. Reason number two because he was her daughter's uncle. Reason number three... Screw reason number three.
Turning around, Hayley opened the door, with the intention of running down the hall after Elijah when she came face-to-face with him. "Oh!" she cried when he grabbed her, pressing his lips to hers. "Mmm," she moaned as he slid his hands down her body, lifting her off the floor.
"I'm sorry," Elijah whispered when he pulled back to catch his breath.
"I know," Hayley nodded. "Bedroom," she ordered him. He closed the door, flipping the lock, caught sight of Cami, and looked at Hayley with a confused expression. "I'll explain later. Bedroom," Hayley said and he did not have to be told twice.
As soon as the door was closed, Elijah walked over to the bed, laying Hayley down on her back and she smiled while yanking his shirt out from his pants. Seeing him always so put together just made her want to muss him up. He kissed a trail along her collarbone, making her bite her lip. Reaching for his belt buckle, she felt like crying because she needed this. She needed comfort and to not think.
"Hayley!" Cami called from the living room and Hayley wanted to kill her.
"Yeah!" Hayley called while Elijah ran his hands through her hair, kissing her earlobe.
"Do you mind if I get a glass of water?" Cami called.
"No. Knock yourself out," Hayley shouted to her guest. Turning to Elijah, she shook her head before pulling his face back so she could enjoy the way he was looking at her while she rolled him over and straddled him.
"Hayley, where do you keep the glasses?" Cami called and Hayley knew she would kill her friend. Couldn't a woman have sex in her own home without being interrupted?
"Maybe you should help her. I'm not going anywhere," Elijah told her and Hayley gritted her teeth.
"Hayley!" Cami called again, and Hayley's head dropped to Elijah's chest. She could feel his suppressed laughter, causing his chest to vibrate.
"Shit," Hayley moaned. Getting to her feet, she forced herself to leave her bedroom to find Cami with her head under the facet, licking the water. "Nice. Can I take a pic and put it on my Instagram account?"
"Sure," Cami said, giggling as she moved back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Mommy?" Hope cried, her door opening. She stood in the doorway to her bedroom, looking from her mother to Cami and rubbing her eyelids. "Who are you?" she asked Cami curiously.
"This my friend from work, baby," Hayley told Hope. She walked over and picked the child up.
"Hi, there, sweetie. I came over to hang with your mommy after we had some excitement at work," Cami explained.
"Okay," Hope said with a yawn. "Why are you all wet?"
"I couldn't find a glass," Cami replied, glancing at her wet t-shirt.
"They're over there," Hope pointed to the cabinet, where they kept their glasses.
Cami nodded. "I will keep that in mind for next time I come to visit."
"Okay. I'm going to go back to sleep now. Good night, Cami," Hope waved before placing her head on Hayley's shoulder and going to sleep.
"She is so cute. She makes me want to have a billion babies," Cami whispered, watching Hope sleep.
"Yeah. She's pretty cool," Hayley agreed with a proud smile. "You want to lie back down? I don't think you're going to get home tonight."
"Thanks. You're the best," Cami replied, sitting back down on the couch.
"I'm going to get this one back to her bed and then I'll get you an extra blanket and pillow." Hayley's words were lost on Cami who had slumped over and gone back to sleep. Smirking, Hayley took her baby back to her bed. Gathering a blanket from the closet and a pillow, she covered Cami up and then slid a pillow under her head. Yawning, she headed back to her bedroom where Elijah was waiting for her. "Hey," she greeted him, climbing back on top of him.
"You look rather exhausted," Elijah pointed out, cupping her face and examining her.
"I'm not that exhausted," Hayley protested as Elijah placed her on her side and wrapped his arm around her. "I'm ready for all kinds of fun," she tried while he moved her hair out of her face. "Really! All systems are go. We can do this. We should do this. Right now!"
"Hayley, I think we should wait until neither of us is drunk or too tired. Don't you agree?" Elijah asked.
Hayley turned her head to look Elijah in the eye and conceded. "Yeah. But you're not getting out of this so easily, Elijah Mikaelson, you owe me mind-blowing, non-drunk, wide-awake sex. Got it, mister?" she watched his eyes light up before he kissed her. If only she had the energy to argue with him, but he was right; she was too tired.
At some point in the morning, Hayley wondered why she was wearing her PJs because she did not remember putting them on. Elijah was not going to tell her since he was in the process of lacing his shoes while Hope told him about her new favorite TV show. "And the rabbit says 'What's up, doc?'" Hope said excitedly.
"Want breakfast, baby?" Hayley asked her child who started to bounce up and down.
"Rabbit shaped pancakes," Hope cried, climbing on the bed and dancing around her uncle until he grabbed her and started to tickle her.
"Rabbit shaped pancakes it is," Elijah said, carrying a giggling Hope over his shoulder.
"Uh. My head," Cami moaned from the couch.
"You'll live," Hayley told her, coming to stand over the blonde with a smile.
Cami peered up at her through her hands with a grimace. "Do you have any coffee?" she pleaded in a quiet tone.
"One coffee. Coming right up," Elijah called, whistling as he moved around Hayley's kitchen like he lived there, keeping one eye on Hope who sat on top of the counter.
"Okay. Am I imagining the devastatingly hot guy in your kitchen making me coffee?" Cami asked Hayley, cocking her head to the side.
"Nope," Hayley said, sitting down on the arm of the couch with a wide grin.
Cami looked up at her wide eyes. "Oh, my God. Did you get a booty call while I was passed out? Isn't that the guy who tried to break Oliver's hand? And I need details!"
"What's a booty call?" Hope asked, pulling her sippy cup from her mouth and looking at her uncle.
"You'll find out when you're older. Or better yet, never," Hayley said, giving her friend a look of disapproval.
"I can help with the pancake making," Cami volunteered. "I'm sure Hayley is tired from all of that exercise she was doing last night."
"Mommy doesn't exercise at night," Hope told Cami.
Three adults started to laugh while the little girl looked at them like they were crazy. "I'm going to watch the bunny," she told them.
Elijah helped Hope down from the counter and Hayley pulled her into her lap. She turned on the TV so that Hope could watch Bugs Bunny. Watching Elijah and Cami conversed in the kitchen while making pancakes while Hayley wondered why everyday couldn't be like this with her little girl, her... whatever Elijah was to her and a good friend? If it was, she thought she could fall in love with her life.
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