A Guide to Being Just Friends(24)

Hailey lifted her basket out of his cart. She looked down at the items in it. “I derailed your shopping, didn’t I?”

She had. But he wasn’t sorry. “It’s okay. I have most of what I needed.” Several things he didn’t. “Do you want me to bring up the cross-promo idea with Tara tomorrow?”

He saw, in the way her jaw set and her eyes darted back and forth, that she was about to refuse. She had a healthy amount of pride. He could absolutely respect that but wondered why. What made her need to prove herself on her own? To not ask much of another person who could clearly help her? “As a thank-you for teaching me to make marinara next week.”

Her smile was reason enough. She had a great smile. It was interesting, this being friends thing. He liked talking to her, being with her, but he didn’t have to be “on.” Didn’t have to make small talk or say he liked things he didn’t. All this time, he’d thought he needed a girlfriend, but what he really needed was a girl friend. The best of both worlds.





10


“What’s the weirdest article you’ve ever written?” Hailey was enjoying the ride to the beach far more than she’d expected. Like her, Fiona, who’d offered to drive, liked chatting about everything and nothing.

Fiona’s lips twisted in a thoughtful pout. “Oh, I wrote one that matched your toenail polish with your favorite sex position.”

Hailey nearly spit out the sip of water she’d just taken. “That’s not a real thing.” What did teal blue say? “Abstinence by necessity?” She wiggled her toes in her flip-flops.

“Of course not. That’s why I love it. In a world full of bad news and sadness, I can’t even tell you how much joy I get from writing these kinds of things.”

The ocean came into view and Hailey’s breath caught in her lungs. It was gorgeous. Just this wide expanse of blue that settled something inside of her.

“It’s so important to do what you love,” Hailey murmured.

“Try telling that to any of the guys I’ve dated, my parents, or even some of my colleagues.”

She turned to look at Fiona’s profile. Even from the side, she was lovely, with a delicate jawbone and perfect lips. She could easily be a model for one of the magazines she wrote for, but she was so down-to-earth, Hailey felt perfectly at ease. At one point, she’d felt that way in her food services truck at whatever set she happened to be on. She knew people were just people and she’d chatted with the stars as she would have anyone else.

Until Dorian. He’d explained to her the necessity of not interrupting their day, their thoughts or musings. Who even said that kind of thing? But in truth, it was one of the many things he’d said that poked holes in her self-confidence.

He’d deflated it one prickly, under-his-breath comment at a time. He’d told her that a movie star, a famous actor or actress, didn’t want to get chummy with the person who knew what they really liked to eat when the cameras weren’t rolling.

Of course, maybe the truth was he’d been getting a little too friendly with many of those women he didn’t want her chatting with. The sad part was, she hadn’t been overly surprised when she found out he was cheating. Instead, she’d been disappointed with herself for not realizing sooner.

“They aren’t supportive?” Her own parents hadn’t exactly thrown a party when she said she was opening a salad shop. They’d wished her luck, though, and said they’d pop in. Eventually.

“They’re not not supportive. It’s like when people are dating and everyone says, ‘When are you getting married?’”

Hailey smiled. Boy had Dorian not liked that question. “Or people who are married getting asked when they’re having kids.”

Fiona slapped the steering wheel. “Yes! If a couple has one baby, when’s the next one coming. That’s how it is. They can’t believe I’m enjoying exactly this place in my life. People assume I’m just working my way up to hard-hitting journalism, maybe a piece in Time magazine. But this is what I wanted. To be honest, if I could write full-time for an entertainment outlet, I would.”

“I love that. We need that in the world. You’re absolutely right, and when did it stop being okay to chase what you really want instead of what everyone thinks you should?”

Fiona tapped the signal and took the exit labeled Harlow Beach. Like most people, Hailey hadn’t really explored too far in her own state. She should take a road trip. That would be fun. Maybe after I get some more revenue.

“I think when social media exploded and the world decided they could share or weigh in on everyone’s decisions.”

Lush palm trees dotted the stretch of road, the ocean in the background. Now that they were off the highway, she could see the actual beach. People sunbathed and sat, played in the water. Today was fun already. She needed this. She’d hold on to the light feeling for the next several weeks as things hopefully got busier at the shop.

“I try to avoid social media. I need to get more active for the shop but on a personal level, I’ve always tried to avoid it.” Dating an actor and social media was a very bad mix.

“It’s probably healthier. I’m on it way too much. Have you googled Wes yet?”

Hailey shook her head even though Fiona was looking out the window. “No. I don’t want to blemish an otherwise beautiful friendship.”