SWNOVELS Finding Hayes: Chapter 33
King
How’s the head, Hayes? I can’t believe you refused to stay with us while you recover. Your sister is worried about you. Have you always been such a stubborn ass?
River
Is that a trick question? The dude is the most stubborn guy I know. This is no surprise.
Nash
I’ve been by his house a few times, and he’s brooding. He literally didn’t say more than two words when I was there.
Romeo
I think Savvy’s made him soft. He can’t handle her being gone.
I can’t handle her being gone? This is not about her being gone. I’m fine with her being there with her father. This is different. She asked for time. Tell me any situation where someone asking for time ended well.
King
A medium rare steak that you would like to be well done. A bomb that you can’t dismantle. When you’re taking a shit, and you need to relax. When you’re in a hot bath that you don’t want to end. When a woman is on the brink of an orgasm and just needs a little more… time.
Nash
Wow. You just pulled those out of your ass?
King
He asked the question. Time is not a bad thing. How about you stop pouting and just let her take a beat. Her dad is sick. It’s a lot.
Fuck off, dicksnout. I know her dad is sick. I’ve offered to go there, and I check on him daily. Those examples are not someone’s wife asking for time away from her husband. The writing is on the wall. This has nothing to do with her dad.
Romeo
You sure about that?
Yeah. She talks to me about her dad all the time. Something changed. Hell, maybe she just got some “time” away from me and realized this marriage was a sham.
King
That doesn’t sound like Savvy.
River
Agreed. This may have started as a sham, but it sure as fuck didn’t end that way. I think you’re overthinking this. I’m guessing she’s just stressed about her dad. And she’s selling the farmhouse, or at least she thinks she is. And she’s starting a new business. That’s a lot all at once.
Romeo
Maybe you should tell her you aren’t selling the farmhouse. That could cheer her up. Demi is sending her pictures of baby Hayes every day, and she said they’re helping her get through the day.
Well, she’s more responsive to Demi than she is to me. I barely get more than a few words response by text. She hasn’t FaceTimed me in almost a week. Since the day she asked for space.
King
Well, your face was covered in soot. It freaked me out, too. You looked like one of those creepy Halloween masks, with the guy who has no face.
River
He had a little soot on his face, you drama queen. <crown emoji>
King
We can agree to disagree. Maybe take a shower and send her a selfie so she remembers how good-looking her husband is.
Nash
Is it possible that you give the worst advice on the planet, King? This has nothing to do with his face.
River
Agreed. I find Hayes to be very good-looking.
Nash
Same.
Romeo
I named my kid after the dude, so obviously, I agree.
King
Well, since we’re sharing. I tasted Demi’s breast milk yesterday. It’s not for me.
What the actual fuck are you talking about?
King
I went to see the baby. You know, the cuter, nicer Hayes. LOL. Anyway, she has breast milk in the refrigerator, and Romeo told me he tried it, so I wanted to see if I liked it.
River
Of course, you did.
Romeo
I was laughing my ass off because he got all quiet after. Like he’d seen Demi’s boobs.
King
I had to process the fact that I drank the milk that came from her teat.
Nash
You are one crazy fucker.
River
Let’s bring it back to Hayes. What can we do for you, brother?
You could not bring it back to Hayes. That would make me happy.
Romeo
Not possible. If you’re in a bad place, we’re all in a bad place.
King
Agreed. I don’t thrive when one of us is off. It kills my mood.
<middle finger emoji>
River
Listen. Swallow your pride and call her. Don’t do a chickenshit text. Pick up the goddamn phone and call your wife.
Romeo
I agree with River on this one.
King
You want me to call her and feel her out for you?
No. I want you to not get involved. Can you do that for me?
Nash
What are you going to do?
I’m respecting her wishes and giving her time.
River
I don’t think that’s a good idea.
Romeo
I agree. Time is never anyone’s friend.
King
Don’t make me give you more examples of how time can be a good thing.
I’m setting my phone down. Taking the dog out for a hike. I’m fine.
I got Roddy ready for a hike and managed to check my phone eight hundred fucking times while I was gone, hoping she’d call and tell me what the fuck was up. I was like a lame teenage girl with a crush.
Pathetic.
A weak pussy.
Savannah had me spun around the axle, and I didn’t know what to do with it.
After I got home, I drank a big glass of water and dropped to sit at the table. Sabrina had called to tell me we’d received two offers on this house, which had shocked me. It had only been listed for a few days, but she’d shown it multiple times. She said that she’d emailed the offers to me.
My eyes widened as I took in the first one, which was a full-price offer. The second offer was a few thousand dollars under asking, but they’d made a cash offer.
I replied and asked her to check and make sure the first offer was someone who’d been prequalified, and she said they had.
I wanted to run it by Savannah, but she didn’t even know I’d listed the house at this point.
While she wanted time, I was making plans.
Plans for our future.
Plans I intended to keep.