Every Night (Brush of Love 1)

“They don’t talk to you at all?” I asked.

“Nope. No calls on my birthday, no calls on the holidays. Anna still sees them regularly for family dinners, but I’m never mentioned or talked about. It makes her angry, and rightfully so. I tried reaching out for years, but when my calls when unreturned, I simply stopped.”

“I’m so sorry, Hailey.”

“Don’t be. I admire the fact that you keep at least some connection with your parents. I left Phoenix to get away from all that, and sometimes I wonder if I should’ve tried harder,” she said.

“That wasn’t on your plate to try and do. They’re the ones who cut you off. Why should you be the one to fix it?”

“Welcome to my parent’s mindset,” she said, grinning. “I’ve always been a big believer in positive interactions and their ability to change people. I’ve always wanted to believe that positivity could always win in the end. I sometimes wonder if I’d stayed and tried some more positive interaction with them, tried to incorporate them into my art, if they would’ve eventually come around,” she said.

“I don’t really know about that. If they’re as stubborn and as set in their ways as my parents are, I’m not sure any type of interaction would’ve helped. Positive interaction is a good thing if someone wants to receive it, but just like with the outreach work I do into the homeless community, I have rules and stipulations, and it’s their choice to abide by it. I’m showing them positive actions, but they can still be thrown back at me,” I said.

“I guess you’re right.”

I valued her opinion and wanted to hear more. In the weeks we had been together, this was the most she’d ever opened up to me. I’d finally won over her trust, and I wanted her to keep talking. I wanted to keep holding her hand in this desolate truck underneath the San Diego stars and keep listening to her beautiful voice as she opened up her own personal truths to me.

“Is it weird that I want to call my parents now after seeing you with yours?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, seeing you with them at dinner. They weren’t kind or accepting of much, but you still sat down with them. You still tried to stomach it to do something they would’ve wanted you to do. Every person wants to bring home someone they love to their parents, and you offered them that opportunity despite how you knew they would react to me. It makes me want to reach out more to my own instead of simply accepting how easily I gave up on them.”

“You didn’t give up on your parents, Hailey,” I said. “You did the best you could. There isn’t much you can do with people who won’t see you, talk to you, or call you.”

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“I don’t know. I guess I always feel like I could’ve done more,” she said.

“I know the feeling.”

I squeezed her hand, and she finally panned her gaze toward me. I lifted my hand to her cheek, rolling my thumb over her skin as I studied her eyes. I’d never seen Hailey this defeated before, and I kicked myself for putting her in a situation that reminded her of her parents. I should’ve thought through how this evening would affect her, and I couldn’t help thinking I somehow could’ve prevented this night from going so wrong.

But the moment she turned her lips into my hand to kiss my palm, I felt a wave of relief cascade over my body.

“Come on up. Let’s see if we can salvage this evening with some wine,” she said.

I followed her up to her apartment and walked in behind her as she opened the door. I breathed in the familiar smell of paints and drying canvases while I shut the door behind me. Hailey’s wrap was tossed onto the couch as her hips sashayed into the kitchen, and for a second, I allowed my eyes to linger upon her body and the way her broad shoulders fell into a voluptuous chest I wanted to bury my face in. The way her waist dipped in before it flared out into a luscious pair of hips. The way her thighs held up her small frame while her shoulders rolled back in confidence.

This was her domain, and I could see the energy refilling her tired body while she poured both of us a glass of wine.

“Courtesy of my sister buying way too much while she was her,” Hailey said.

“I’ll make sure to thank her for the parting gift,” I said, grinning.

She walked back over with my glass of wine and our fingers brushed as she handed me the glass. I felt my entire body ignite with electricity at the touch of her fingers, and it took all the energy I had to not throw her down on the couch. We sipped our wine while we stood by the door, looking out into her darkened apartment as the alcohol slowly coursed through my veins.

She was the one who eventually broke the silence between us.

“Can I admit something to you if you promise not to get all weird?” she asked.

“All weird, huh? You can tell me anything, Hailey. Absolutely anything.”

“You make me a better person.”

“No, I don’t. Your light that shines on my life makes me a better man,” I said.

“Doesn’t mean you don’t do the same for me. It’s been a very long time since I’ve been this inspired with my art. Your support and your love, it’s ignited something in me that’s laid dormant for a really long time.”