The gifts have been progressing each week. Every single day I would find either more bouquets of roses, cards with meaningful yet mysterious poems, boxes of chocolate, or expensive jewelry. Trust me, I was flattered over these things but it was too much. Whoever this "Secret Admirer" person is, I actually want them to stop. I've been focusing on who would give these gifts to me more than work and it really was killing my time.
I kind of have a feeling who this person is but I'm still unsure.
Just earlier today, Ron had visited unexpectedly. He had a bouquet of white roses in his hand with another Hallmark card. Inside the card contained nothing but sweet words but nothing poetic or romantic unlike the previous cards I have received.
Then there was Eric, who took me out for lunch weeks before and currently I am spending more time with him than usual. He had been giving me gifts in secret as well, and in person also. The man is sweet, but I had no interest in him at all. Sooner or later I would have to tell him to keep our relationship strictly business and business only. The gifts were sweet but I've had enough of them.
As much as I want to deny the other person I think who sent these gifts, the thought couldn't be blocked, and I found myself idling in the café. It was midsummer, and the weather outside was in the 90's. The café I usually went to was empty, and I was the only one sitting quietly in one of the booths, sipping on my iced lemonade (since hot chocolate wouldn't really work out right now), and thinking hard about a certain someone I didn't want to think about. No matter how much I tried to remove him from my mind, he was always back like a boomerang and I honestly just want to sleep. But if I sleep, he'll be in my dreams, and it doesn't help anymore when I'm awake.
That man, Haley Brougham, is on my mind 24/7.
I heaved a heavy sigh as I drank more of my lemonade, clipping my hair in to a messy bun. It was a Saturday, which meant a hearty day off with no work. I needed a break from everything, and I was currently getting it. But I knew this "break from everything" was going to end as soon as a midnight black coffee bike pulled up near the café. The man with the black leather jacket sat up from the bike, his dark jeans perfectly tailored to his legs sagging slightly on his waist, and black Chuck Taylor's adding on to the even more badass look. Once he removed the grey helmet, I shrugged in my seat with a blush as his blue eyes caught me staring at him.
The small bell to the café dinged and a gust of warm humid air hit me before the door shut slowly. The barista in the counter smiled seductively, fluttering her fake eyelashes as Haley approached the counter. He smirked and placed an order quickly, not giving the woman a second glance as he suddenly slid in the seat across from me.
I blushed hard.
"Well, fancy meeting you here." he spoke softly, shrugging off his jacket and placing it beside him.
I held my gaze on his neck, where I could see his obvious Adam's apple outlined. I avoided eye contact and tried to avoid his hard muscles protruding from his white t-shirt too.
I'm lying, I snuck a glance at it but you can't blame me. Who would avoid those damn sexy muscles?
"Mr. Brougham, your order." the female barista, let's call her Whori, informed with a hint of obvious seduction.
Haley took his drink and smiled, "Thank you."
Whori smiled flirtatiously and slid a small paper towards Haley, "You're order's check sir." she winked and I scoffed when I saw her phone number scribbled on it.
"Okay, you can leave now, Whori." I piped in, suddenly feeling annoyed at this blonde.
"Excuse me? My name's Heather no--"
"And you're irrelevant." I interrupted her, causing her to gasp.
From my peripheral vision, I could see Haley smiling in amusement, his eyes twinkling as he kept his gaze on me.
"Rude much?" she crossed her arms over her chest, making her breasts enlarge, which made me want to puke.
God, how desperate was she to grab his attention?
I smiled sarcastically, "Only to people who deserve it." I retort, averting my attention to my lemonade.
The blonde huffed loudly, "Call me." she said to Haley before glaring at me one last time.
I motioned her to scurry off with my hand as I silently sipped my lemonade. Her heels clicked loudly as she retreated back to the counter. Once the annoying sound of her heels were out of ear shot, I peeked up at Haley to see him staring at me with the same amused smile on his face.
"What?" I asked in hostility as I adjusted my glasses on my nose.
He chuckled softly, the sound making shivers run down my spine, "What was that?"
I puffed one cheek, "Saving you from wasting money on whores."
Haley's smile just broadened, "Or you were jealous."
This got me alarmed.
"W-What?" I stuttered, feeling a hard blush encase my already red cheeks as Haley's smile turned in to a cocky smirk.
"You sounded jealous a while back while she was talking to me." he nudged his head towards the female barista who was on the phone, "Something wrong with other women talking to me? I mean, why would you care anyways."
"There's nothing wrong. I just think that you're wasting your time on one night stands with women like her who put on loads of makeup just to look pretty." I ranted, resting my back on my booth seat.
Haley's smirk slowly turned into a meaningful smile and I raised a brow, "What?" I asked, grabbing my lemonade and sipping on it.
He shook his head, "You still care about me don't you?"
The question caught me off guard and I nearly choked on my drink, "Um..." I trailed off and averted my gaze on the wooden table, avoiding eye contact with him since he would know the answer to his question.
Then suddenly he stood up, grabbing his jacket. He went over to my side and sat beside me, his cologne invading my sense of smell.
Goddamn this man smells good.
"How much are you going to live in denial?" he asked out of the blue.
Hostility surged in to me and I snapped my head towards him in neck breaking speed, "I'm not in denial."
"Yes you are." he replied with a sigh, "You know, a wise person once said that conformity begins the moment you ignore how you feel for acceptance."
I pursed my lips together and looked elsewhere, staying silent since I had nothing to retort or say.
Haley leaned towards me, his fingers brushing against mine and sending electric currents on my arm, "Accept me Alana. Accept my apology. Accept your feelings."
"I can't." I whispered.
Yes you can.
"Why?" he asked.
I took my hand away from Haley's fingers but he simply grabbed my hand and pulled it towards his lips. They softly made contact with each of my knuckles before he pulled away, his hand still together with mine.
"Come on." he stood up and pulled me up from the booth.
"Wait, where are you taking me?" I asked as he pulled me out of the café.
Haley dug in to one of the black leather bags connected to the rear sides of the bike. He quickly took out a black helmet and tossed it to me. I successfully caught the heavy thing and huffed as he sat on his bike, pointing behind him.
"Sit." he said in a muffled voice as he placed his helmet on him.
I cautiously eyed the bike, "Um, no." I said with sass as I placed the helmet between my arm.
Haley groaned and reached out, his arm hooking around my slender hip, "Come here you bratty girl." he mumbled, pulling me beside him.
He took the helmet from my arm and placed it on my head, tying the little straps underneath my chin to secure it in place. When he was done, he eyed me from head to toe, his eyes twinkling in wonder before slapping the visor down.
"Now sit."
I obliged since I obviously had no choice to. Once I got comfortable, Haley reached behind me and suddenly grabbed my wrists. He then forced my arms to go around his waist, making me blush furiously.
"What are you doing?" I asked, eyeing the people who were sneaking glances at us. This is so embarrassing.
"What does it look like? I need you to hold on to me so that you don't fall off the bike." he replied sternly, patting my arms before reaching out to grip his handlebars.
"I'm scared." I said quietly.
Haley looked over his shoulder at me, his body turned slightly as one of his hands rested on his thigh, "Alana don't be scared. You know, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. The trust part comes later."
My brows perked up, "Wow, really? A Man of Steel quote?" I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Ridiculous."
"It's true, I'll be your one and only Superman," he mumbled with amusement in his blue eyes, "And you'll be my one and only Lois Lane."
I blushed profusely. Ok that made my heart skip a bunch of beats.
Before I could open my mouth and think of some snarky remark, Haley revved up the engine and the bike roared to life. I held on his waist tightly as the bike vibrated violently, my bones shaking at how much power this simple bike had. I didn't realize I had scooted closer to Haley to the point my chest and stomach were securely planted on his back. I could feel his chuckle emanate through his back as I subconsciously laid the side of my head in his broad back.
In no time, we were on the streets, zooming past cars and people. I was stuck in bliss as the wind slapped against my bare arms, making the summer heat feel like a cool September. I closed my eyes and snuggled up with Haley, feeling all my stress and worries disappear in to thin air. Once I opened my eyes, the large buildings and crowded city of San Francisco disappeared and now we were in the freeway, passing by different cities and sceneries. Slowly, buildings turned in to small vintage houses, and the vintage houses slowly turned in to sand and to an endless body of water where the bright orange Sun was slowly descending.
Haley slowed down to an all too familiar beach house. I stared at the calming waves lapping over the sand and crabs, wanting to just let myself free in the water. I wanted to close my eyes and lay my body gently on the salty blue water, letting the calming waves pull me elsewhere in to an unknown and beautiful realm, where all my child fantasies exist, and where I had no worries in the world to care about. Where there was no upcoming premonitions, stress, or anything to distract me.
As Haley parked the bike near the beach house entrance, I unfastened my helmet and pulled it off. I took a deep breath and let out a silent sigh. Haley hopped off and assisted me in getting off this beast before entwining his fingers with mine perfectly. He placed our helmets on the sand beside his bike before leading me up the white wooden steps of the beach house, shortly after delving in to the familiar interior. I inhaled the musky stale scent of old blue wall paint, my eyes taking in the same kitchen and living room.
"Why are we here?" I asked curiously as he pulled me up the set of familiar stairs.
Haley pulled me closer to him, "For answers."
I couldn't find the words to reply to that.
He lead me in to his old bedroom, where it was still the same. Nothing had changed since the day I walked out on him. Haley sat me on the edge of his soft bed before he stood in front of me stiffly, his broad shoulders tensed, and his posture straighter than a pole.
"What do you want to know?" he asked in a quiet voice. I barely even heard him.
I shrugged my shoulders and looked around the room. What did I want to know?
"Everything."
Haley nodded and turned around, digging in to one of the boxes near his old work desk. After a few minutes, he took out a bunch of books and sat beside me, our arms rubbing together as he opened one of the books. There were numerous pictures on each page with baby pictures and such. I recognized Haley and Athos but couldn't tell them apart since they looked identical as babies.
"I'm the one on the right if you're wondering." he said with a smile then continued on flipping the pages until he stopped at a page with a man holding a baby.
He was tall and fairly built, wearing a black Raiders football jersey. His dark hair was gelled and slicked back in a nice manner. His jaw was well shaven and structured nicely, much like Haley. The man's grey eyes were full and lively as he smiled brightly at the camera with the small toddler in his hands, which had the same smile and almost the same colored eyes except a little more bluer.
"This is my real father, Deon Michel." he pointed at the handsome man. "So originally I was Haley Michel but he passed away and my mother got remarried with... You know."
I nodded and quietly stared at the picture, feeling a pang of guilt at the mention of his father passing away.
"My father was a great man. We weren't rich or anything back then."
"Then why was everyone calling you the rich boy back in highschool?" I asked curiously as Haley shrugged.
"My mother was seeing Gavin Brougham during my senior year in highschool. Everyone thought that Gavin was my official father. He's the one that paid the coach not Deon." Haley let out an angry buff before continuing, "My father and mother were fighting a lot, so she of course went to her rich boyfriend instead of my father. He was suffering from his heart disease and we didn't have enough money for him to get cured at that time." he continued, flipping through the next page.
"He got me in to football, Gavin just motivated me. Father was in to sports so we would always go to football games when we had the chance to. Football wasn't really my thing but I wanted my father to be happy. He loved me and Athos as if we were the world to him. He was a great role-model... Well at least better than my mother." Haley's fingers tightened around the book as his eyes darkened in to a smokey color.
"Gavin had all the money, mansions, cars, and nice jewelry. I knew she never loved my father. Maybe she had at some point but obviously those feelings were lost. All she wanted was money. She never loved any of her children. Athos and I were always with our father everyday while she was with Gavin doing god knows what."
"My father was a great man. It was... It was a tragedy when the heart disease took him." he shook his head and flipped to another page with a picture of Haley as a 1st grader with a football uniform on, "He went to every game I played and was proud of me when I got in to our highschool team."
"Just when it was almost graduation..." Haley's jaw clenched, "He passed away a week before."
"Oh my god..." I gasped out, "I'm so sorry..." I found myself wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him in me in a comforting hug.
"What was the point of going to the graduation anymore? My mother wouldn't go since she was off at some grand escapade with Gavin." Haley sighed, "There was a lot of shit that happened in highschool... I didn't mean to make you feel like I lead you on with that one kiss. I know what you're thinking..." he pulled away and cupped my face with both of his hands.
I couldn't help but stare into his deep blues that encased me in serenity. They looked deep in to my soul, revealing all my hidden secrets and thoughts. Haley knew everything about me. He stripped away all my fears and desires. Even though I had built a new wall over a year, Haley didn't climb it, but merely smashed through it easily. He went past my defenses easily and made me vulnerable inside and out.
"Alana," the way he said my name was like hearing an angel speak, "Ever since that day I first met you, all I've wanted to do was kiss you, hug you, make you smile, and see what kind of person you were behind that protective shell you placed around you. I wanted to see the real you and I have but you're still holding yourself back."
I gulped, "Haley, how am I supposed to let myself go when... when my heart is still broken?"
"I'll patch it back up for you. I'd scale the Pyrenees Mountain for you. I'd rodeo for you. Alana, I would do anything to make you forgive me and love me again. It's inexpressible how much you mean to me." the begging, the endless torment, the suffering, it was all too much at this point.
"I don't know." I pulled his hands from my face and stood up from the bed, my feet leading me towards the exit but Haley took my wrist and halted me from escaping.
He spun me around until I was face-to-face with him, "Don't walk out on me again." he spoke quietly.
I heaved out a heavy sigh, shaking my head. Deep down I knew that walking out on him again would crush his world. He never moved on and it broke my heart that I made him in to this weak, vulnerable, and sad man. He deserved better...
"I won't rush you but all I ask for is forgiveness." he kissed the tip of my nose with his soft lips before pulling away, "That's all I ask for and we'll see how things go."
I start to twiddle my thumbs together, knowing that no matter how much I fight the winning urge to forgive him, I'd lose anyways. What's the point of not forgiving him? It's been a year and a year is enough for me to think about what had came to be. He was being honest and himself. My heart yearned for Haley and his did for me. But I didn't want things to go too fast. I know, it sounds like I'm getting ahead of myself but no matter how much I try to deny it...
I loved him and I still do.
With a soft smile, I took a step closer to Haley and kissed his chiseled jaw before leaning beside his ear and whispering, "I forgive you."
A/N*
Heyyy lovelies! Alana finally forgave Haley awwww. What a cute chapter~
Comment/Vote blah do your thing. I wanna know what my readers thoughts are :)
And it would appreciate it if you read my other story "Billionaire Problems" that my best friend and I are currently working on together <3 Will be posting more chapters soon since TFM is almost coming to an end ;(
Thank you as always to the people supporting me :) I love yall byeeeeeee~