Halftime

chapter 35

It was Thanksgiving today and even though the Thanksgiving holidays had already started, I was still at the law firm finishing up some work. Lawyers, or at least the busy ones which were most, didn't count holidays as breaks. The whole building had been functioning as it usually did. And since I didn't have Uni for a week, Rebecca had asked me to come in for a few extra days this week. I accepted.

I didn't mind. I didn't really see the point in Thanksgiving being Australian and all. I was surprised when Hayden had invited me to a Thanksgiving dinner, him being from the UK but he also celebrated the fourth of July and Thanksgiving wasn't that much more of a stretch.

I was more surprised however when he invited me to dinner at his mum's house with him, Cami, Amanda and Dave. When I'd asked he'd just shrugged and said it was because Cami used to force him to spend Thanksgiving with her, and now it was tradition. He also said Dave was usually pleasant on Thanksgivings, since the whole gist of it is to be thankful. Somehow, I knew that Hayden actually meant he and Dave ignored each other during the whole dinner.

I agreed anyway, not having anything to do since both Ophelia and Harley went home for the Thanksgiving holidays. Usually I spent Thanksgiving with Jess but I hadn't spoken to her in months. And according to Ophelia who shared a class with her, she'd moved on pretty fast.

Regardless, Hayden was supposed to be picking me up from my apartment at five thirty so that we'd arrive at his mum's house by six. He'd told me the dinners were usually casual, which meant I at least didn't need to dress up.

He had offered to pick me up from the firm but since I didn't have any spare clothes I'd told him to just get me from my apartment. That, however, meant that I'd need to be back at my apartment in at least five fifteen. And it was already five fifteen and I was running around, rushing to finish the work Rebecca had set me before shoving all my things into a bag and running to the train.

One might say it was a habit of mine to be late to things.

I at least made it on and I'd nearly debated taking my heels off to run faster. But I'd decided not to since it was fucking freezing outside and also the streets of New York were anything but clean. By the time I'd sprinted from the train station to my apartment, it was already five thirty and Hayden was leaning on the side of his truck waiting for me.

I slowed to a walk, my feet aching in my heels, and even though I was wearing a coat and a thermal top underneath my shirt, and tights underneath my pants, I was still cold and my face felt numb from the wind.

As I approached Hayden, smiling and my heart racing from the run, Hayden pulled his phone out and snapped a photo of me.

I raised a brow, "what was that for?"

"You look adorable. I couldn't resist. Might be my new background."

"Really? Because I just ran like four blocks to get here and I think I've got about five new blisters on my feet."

Hayden smiled and pulled me to him, kissing me, then kissing the smattering of freckles over my nose. "Well, I think you look beautiful at all times. Especially all pink and flushed."

"It was adorable five seconds ago," I grinned.

He shrugged, "What can I say? You're both. And also, you're late. You really should start leaving the firm when you're supposed to Vi. It's a public holiday."

I grimaced, "I know. Sorry. What are you doing out here anyway? You have a key."

"I like the cold," he said. In fact, he was dressed in some black pants and a hoodie. And nothing else. It was like a super power that he was hot at all times. Figuratively and literally.