-Hailey-
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I stared at the floorboards, tracing the grooves with my fingers. The tears had stopped, but the ache in my chest was worse than any gunshot wound.
Abby sat next to me on the floor with her hand resting on my knee. She hadn’t said much, just listened as I spilled everything. The fight, the ‘I love you, the way Logan looked at me before he left.
“He’s an idiot,” Abby said finally. “A self–loathing, emotionally constipated idiot.”
I let out a shaky laugh, swiping at my eyes with the back of my hand. “Yeah. Well. He’s *my* idiot.”
“Was,” Abby corrected gently. “And you deserve better.”
“I don’t want better,” I whispered, my throat tight. “I want him. He’s the only place I ever felt safe, Abs…. Even if he doesn’t believe it.”
Abby sighed, pulling me into another hug. “I know, Hails. I know
Mom appeared in the doorway a little while later, carrying three mugs of tea. She set one on the floor in front of me. “Drink,” she said softly. “It’ll help.”
I picked up the mug, wrapping my hands around it to feel the warmth. Mom sat on the edge of the bed, searching my face. “He’s gone?” she asked.
I nodded, staring into the tea. “Yeah.”
She reached down, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. “Then let him go.”
I looked up at her, a fresh ache rolling through me. “It’s not that simple.”
She smiled, but it was sad. “I know, honey. It never is.”
The day dragged on. Abby stayed with me, filling the silence with tales of her hospital drama, and stories from the years I’d missed.
She was trying to distract me, and I appreciated it, but my mind kept drifting back to Logan. To the sound of his bike peeling out of the driveway. To the way he’d looked at me.
Like I was everything and nothing all at once.
By evening, I was restless. I couldn’t sit in this room anymore.
“Let’s go out,” I said abruptly, standing up.
Abby raised an eyebrow. “Out where?”
“I don’t know. Anywhere. Harry’s.”
She hesitated, studying me. “Hailey, I don’t think—”
“Please,” I said, heading for the shower. “I just… I need to not think about him for a few hours.”
She sighed, following me to the doorway of the bathroom. “Alright. But if Tyler shows up, I’m throwing hands.”
I snorted, turning the water on. “Deal.”
1/4
0.50 Fri, Jan 2
Chapter 64
The tavern was crowded when we walked in. Abby led the way to the bar, flagging down Shawn.
“Two shots of tequila and two beers, please,” she said, sliding onto a stool.
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65 voucher
Shawn nodded, his eyes flicking to me. “Hey, Hailey. Nice to see you back in town. I hardly recognized you last night… You doin‘ okay?”
I forced a smile. “Yeah. Just… rough day.”
He nodded, setting the drinks in front of us. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Abby raised an eyebrow, shooting me a look as we headed for a booth in the back corner. “Shawn’s got a thing for you.”
I rolled my eyes. “He was just being nice.”
“Sure,” Abby said, smirking, “Real nice. He asked about you a lot after you left, you know.”
We sank into the booth, and I took a long drink of my beer. The music was loud, the chatter of the crowd blending into a steady hum.
It was almost enough to drown out the thoughts in my head.
Almost.
I was halfway through my second beer when I saw him. Tyler was weaving through the crowd. His eyes locked on me as he approached our booth.
“Hailey,” he slurred, leaning against the edge of the table. “You look… wow. Where’s your bodyguard tonight?”
Abby and I exchanged a look. “Not in the mood, Tyler.”
He leaned closer. His breath reeked of cheap beer. His hand landed on mine, fingers curling around my wrist. “Come on, Hailey. You don’t need that guy. You need someone… stable. Someone like me. We’d be good together.”
The touch was enough to give me flashbacks to Matt. I yanked my hand back, my stomach twisting. “Back off, Tyler.”
He laughed, leaning in even closer until his face was inches from mine. “You’re still playing hard to get, huh? I like that.”
“Enough, Tyler,” Abby cut in. “Get out of here or I’ll call the cops
But it was too late. The anger surged before I could stop it. My fist clenched, and I swung without thinking, aiming for his stupid grin. My arm screamed in protest as my knuckles connected with his jaw.
Pain shot down my arm, white hot and blinding. I winced, clutching my shoulder as Tyler stumbled back clutching his face. “What the hell, Hailey!”
“Oops,” I muttered, gritting my teeth and shaking out my hand. Guess I’m not as healed as I thought.”
Abby burst out laughing, clutching her sides. “Holy shit, Hails! That was amazing!”
Tyler glared at us, rubbing his jaw. “You’re a crazy bitch, you know that?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard,” I shot back. “Tell your friends.”
My shoulder was throbbing, and I was already regretting the punch. But damn, it felt good to hit something.
Tyler muttered something under his breath and stumbled off into the crowd. I sank back into the booth, groaning softly. “That was stupid.”
18.56 Fri, Jan 2
Chapter 64
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“Stupidly awesome,” Abby said, still grinning. But her eyes softened as she noticed me clutching my shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just gonna regret that in the morning”
Shawn appeared a few seconds later, his brow furrowed with concern. “Hey, is everything okay over here? I saw Tyler
“I’m fine,” I said quickly.
He hesitated, clearly not convinced.
“Can you grab her some ice for her shoulder please, Shawn?” Abby chimed in, smiling sweetly.
“Yeah, absolutely.”
I nodded, too tired to argue. “Thanks.”
He returned a few minutes later with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel. “Here. Keep it on for a bit. And if you need anything else, let me know.”
“Appreciate it,” I said, pressing the ice to my shoulder. The cold helped numb the pain. The physical kind, anyway.
Abby and I chatted for a while longer, but eventually, she glanced at her watch and sighed. “I have an early shift tomorrow. You ready to head out?”
“No,” I said, forcing another smile. “I think I’m gonna hang out here for a bit. You go ahead, though. I’ll find a way home.”
She studied me. “Alright. Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“I will,” I promised, though I had no intention of bothering her.
After Abby left, I sat in the booth for a while, nursing my beer and trying to ignore the dull ache in my shoulder heart.
and my
The tavern started to thin out as the night wore on, and eventually I found myself at the bar, perched on a stool in front of Shawn, who was polishing glasses.
“How’s the shoulder?” he asked. His voice was gentle.
“Sore,” I admitted with a weak laugh. “But I’ll live.”
He chuckled softly, setting down the glass he was cleaning. “How’d you injure it? Before the Tyler thing, I mean.”
“Would you believe me if I told you I was shot by a cop?”
Shawn’s hands stopped mid–wipe on the glass he was cleaning. “You’re serious?”
I nodded, swirling the last bit of beer in my glass. “Dead serious.
He set the glass down and leaned on the bar, his dark eyes studying me with a mix of curiosity and concern. “You’ve been through hell, haven’t you, Conway?”
I shrugged, wincing as the movement tugged at my shoulder. “Yeah, kinda. But that’s a story for another time.”
He poured me another beer, sliding it across the bar without asking. “You got guts, Hailey. Most people wouldn’t still be standing after all that.”
I took a sip. “I don’t feel like I have guts. I feel like I’m just… surviving.”
Shawn smiled softly. “Surviving takes guts. Trust me.”
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18:56 Fri, Jan 2 D
Chapter 64
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50 vouchers.
We fell into an easy rhythm after that. He kept pouring me drinks, and I kept talking about Riverstone, about Logan, about the ache in my chest that wouldn’t go away,
The more I talked, the more the weight seemed to lift, just a little
Shawn listened without judgment, nodding along, asking questions when I paused. He told me about his own life too – how he’d ended up back in our hometown, bartending. How he’d been through his own share of heartbreak.
By the time the last patrons stumbled out the door and Shawn flipped the neon signs off, it felt like I knew him better than I ever did when we were kids.
“You’re a good listener,” I said, leaning on the bar.
He laughed, wiping down the counter. “Part of the job description. That, and knowing when to cut someone off.”
1 grinned, holding up my empty glass. “Guess I’m lucky you didn’t cut me off.”
He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Nah, you looked like you needed it. And… I like talking to you.”
His words caught me off guard, and I felt a flash of warmth in my chest. “Yeah, me too.”
Shawn locked up the bar, and we stepped out into the cold. The streetlights cast a soft glow over the quiet town, and maybe it was just the alcohol, but it felt peaceful.
“You need a ride home?” he asked, pulling his keys out of his pocket.
I glanced down the quiet street, the cold air biting at my skin. “I don’t really want to go home yet,” I admitted, wrapping my arms around myself. “It’s so peaceful out here. I might just wander around for a bit.”
Shawn laughed, shaking his head. “It’s freezing, Hailey. I can’t let you do that.” He hesitated for a second, then shrugged. “You wanna come hang out at my place? It’s warm. I got coffee. Or more beer, if that’s your thing.”
I stared at my shoes. My thoughts were sluggish. But the idea of going back to that empty bedroom where every corner reminded me of Logan, made me sick.
“Yeah,” I said finally. “That’d be nice.”
AD
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
