Against the Odds A Love Story

Chapter 26

Adversity likes to kick you when you're down. But love compels it to take a hike.

Twenty-six

If I was asked to describe the next day, I would have to say it was definitely the longest day of my life.

The morning was blissful because Hayden slept in a little later than normal. However, the blissfulness was ended abruptly by the ringing of the telephone. Hayden groggily answered it. It was David.

“Hey, David, what did you need?”

For the next moment there was silence. I didn't know what was being said, but Hayden frowned in response to David's answer.

“I really don't wanna do it,” he said. There was a subtle tension in his voice.

I turned to my side to face him fully. It wasn't like him to say no to David, so I was very curious to know what he'd asked Hayden to do.

“Can't Tom or Lance do it?” he asked brusquely. After hearing David's response, Hayden closed his eyes and sighed. “All right.” He turned to see me staring at him and reached for my hand. “That's all right,” he said to David before hanging up.

“What's wrong?”

He heaved a sigh and pushed a hand back through his tousled hair. “David needs me to make a hay delivery I don't wanna make.”

“Well, where's the delivery?”

He looked at me, hesitating to answer. “It's Debra's place.”

“Oh,” I said softly, my heart dropping slightly.

He pulled me into his arms and buried his face in my hair. “I don't wanna go, baby, but David's back is bothering him this morning and Tom and Lance are taking over for him until this afternoon. If I could get out of it, you know I wouldn't go.”

I pressed my face to his warm chest. “I do know.” Taking a deep breath, I drew back a little. “You have to do your job.”

As much as it bothered me to have him going to that woman's home, I wouldn't make it any worse for him by complaining. But oh, how I despised her at that moment! And I was sure this was just another excuse for her to see Hayden. True, she couldn't have known Hayden would be the one to make the delivery, but it still angered me that she was able to intrude on our lives this way. If I didn't know any better I would swear she and Jerome had met somewhere secretly and were conspiring against us, doing everything they possibly could to make us miserable. Leave it to my overactive imagination to conjure up such a dreary thought.

I burrowed myself deeper in Hayden's embrace, wishing with all my heart that I could go with him. It wasn't that I didn't trust him. It was her I wouldn't put anything past. I hated the thought of her being anywhere near him. If I had learned anything about Debra in the two times I'd met her, it was that she was a cunning and conniving little vixen who wouldn't give wrecking someone's marriage a second thought if it meant she could have what she wanted. And what she wanted was my husband.

Why am I suddenly letting the pains of the past come back to haunt me?

I had never had a jealous streak before, and at that moment I was completely surprised by my thoughts. I also knew I needed to stop them before they went any further. I sighed and murmured against his chest, “I'm okay with it, Hayden. Really.”

“Well, I'm not okay with it,” he growled. “But I guess I have no choice.” He held me a little while longer and finally said, “I'd better get going so I can get back here and do some work. And I want to be close by just in case you need me.” He lifted my chin and kissed me. “I promise I won't be there long.”