Perfect Love Story (Love 1)

When my eyes open the next day, I’m still wearing a smile. Getting up and heading out to make coffee, I stop when I see Crystal walking in. “Did you leave to go out for doughnuts or is this your walk of shame?” I ask her as I walk to the machine and start the coffee.

“I don’t want to discuss it,” she says as she plops down at the table and places her head on it. “I’m going to sleep till Monday.”

I take down two coffee cups, then fill them and carry them to the table. I sit with my feet up on the chair and tie my hair on the top of my head. “I kissed Jensen last night,” I tell her as I hide the smile with the coffee cup, but you can’t hide the emotions from my eyes. Crystal raises her head from the table.

“With tongue?” I nod my head like a badass. “HUSSY,” she yells, and she slaps the table. “And how was it?”

I try to think of how to describe how I felt when he kissed me, what I felt after, what it all meant, and the only thing that I could come up with was, “Perfect.” I say, smiling, “Absolutely perfect.”

“I thought he was going to knock the shit out of Alan and bowl with his head. Every single time.” She laughs as she takes a sip of coffee. “It was quite funny. Gabe and I had a side bet going.”

“You and Gabe have a lot going,” I counter and see her eyes get glossy. “I know you’re a big girl, but I just want you to be careful. I mean, he’s your boss.”

“Technically, his father is my boss, but it was a one-time thing,” she points out, but I glare at her. “Okay, fine, it was more than a one-time thing, but it’s done.” She puts her hands up. “No blood, no foul, or whatever the country folks say.”

“I think it’s no harm, no foul, country or not,” I say as I sit up. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.” I look at her.

“Hailey, it’s fine.” She looks down and then up. “I promise I’m okay.” She gets up, grabs her cup of coffee, and walks up the stairs. My phone starts ringing from somewhere in the house. I run to my room to where I think the ringing is coming from and then it stops.

“Fuck,” I say as I toss the covers up and down, looking under the pillow and finally finding it there. I see I have a missed call from an unknown caller. I’m about to put the phone down when I see I have an email alert from a J. Walker. I slide my finger across the M logo and open it up.

Hey, I guess I’m really out of the loop because I forgot to get your number, and I don’t even know if you check your emails on the weekend.

Here is my number.

I don’t bother reading the rest of it. Instead, I click the number and press call.

He answers on the first ring. “Hello.” The sound of his voice makes me smile, and the butterflies start in my stomach.

“Jensen,” I say, “it’s Hailey.”

He laughs. “Look outside,” he says as I walk to the back door and see him standing by the beach with Flounder next to him.

“I’ll be right out.” I look down at my charcoal sleep pants tight around the ankles with the string tied at the waist and a white t-shirt. I grab the long knit black sweater to wrap around me and slide into my Uggs. I walk down, putting my hand in front of my eyes to block the sun as Flounder comes to me and nudges my leg. I pet his head and look up and Jensen is there. “Morning.” I smile at him. He’s wearing his work gear. “Have you been out here long?”

“No.” He shrugs, looking down then up again. “Maybe an hour.”

I clap my hands together, laughing. “Why didn’t you come knock on my door?”

“I didn’t know if you were up or not,” he says as I step up to him. His hand goes to my face, and he takes my lips in a kiss that starts off soft but quickly heats up. His hands slide under the sweater to my waist, leaving me breathless as he kisses me gently. “I could get used to kissing you every morning.”

I smile as I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him closer. “I don’t think I would complain,” I say as he holds me.

“Are we still on for dinner?” he asks as I tilt my head back and smile.

“I really hope so,” I tell him as he kisses me again.

“Okay, good. Now I can go to work.” He smiles as he rubs my arms. “How about you come by at around five?”