He’ll never marry me.
Eve pressed on anyway. “I tried talking to Steven, telling him I was his partner and that marriage was give-and-take. But he didn’t hear me. He didn’t want to.” Eve’s words were hurt-roughened, as scarred as her heart had been from falling out of love with Steven. “And Katie and I… We’d tread carefully when he was around. We…” Eve didn’t want to admit this part—the months where she’d been compliant and miserable, having given up fighting for their marriage. But she had to say something. Eve owed Hayden the truth for pretending to be her one and only earlier. “It wasn’t a happy time for any of us, especially Katie.” Her little one had been crushed by Steven’s indifference.
Hayden’s black gaze fell by the wayside. He ran a hand around the back of his neck beneath that shaggy black hair.
“One day, I realized Katie and I couldn’t live like that anymore.” Eve might not have been able to save her marriage, but she could protect her daughter’s joy and light, as well as her own. “I served Steven with divorce papers and moved out. Surprisingly, he didn’t contest the divorce. But the process was drawn out and painful.” During which time she’d received copies of their financial accounts and realized they’d had plenty of money for her to go back to school. Steven just hadn’t wanted her to. It had been maddening. She’d since put most of the money the court granted her into a college fund for Katie. “After our divorce was final… Maybe over the last six months or so, Steven began stopping by our apartment unannounced and then hanging out, acting like the man I married.” As if Eve could forget the in-between parts.
“He had regrets.” Hayden sipped his coffee.
“Who knows? But it was too late. My heart was immune.” Inoculated by his petty selfishness. Eve sucked in a ragged breath, knowing if she went into too much detail about the breakup, she’d cry. And if she knew one thing about Hayden, it was that he hated histrionics. “Katie enjoyed his visits, unaware of the tension between us. But every time Steven walked through the door, it felt like all the air got sucked out of the room. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak freely—like I was back in a box I’d worked so hard to escape. I’d spent so long making myself smaller to keep the peace, I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until he left.”
“You were boxed into a corner.” Hayden’s expression was unreadable. “Sometimes, the only way out of a box is to smash it open and leave the pieces behind so you can breathe.”
“Yes.” It struck Eve that her mental state was similar to that of her sister when she couldn’t go through with her wedding to Hayden all those years ago. Violet had smashed free in the only way she’d known how.
Needing to stay in the present, Eve clutched Katie’s heart pendant. “I heard there was a skilled nursing job opening at the retirement home here in town.” From her mother, who’d also told her Hayden had returned the week prior, a fact that caught Eve’s attention. “When I was hired several weeks ago, I packed up and moved in with my mother. I made a budget that allowed me to finally pursue my registered nursing degree.” She’d signed up for two online courses right away. “We settled in quickly. But that’s when the trouble started.” Eve swallowed thickly. “When Steven called asking where we were, and I told him we’d moved to Bentwood Creek.”
“He used his lawyer skills against you.” Hayden nodded slowly, a bit of empathy in that dark gaze.
“Did he ever. I was served a court summons yesterday at work.” Eve hadn’t been able to sleep last night; afraid Steven was going to retaliate for the move and sue her for primary custody of Katie. “I don’t have a lawyer. I’d filled out the divorce paperwork at the county clerk’s office. It was news to me that I needed Steven’s and the family court’s approval before changing my job or home address.” Eve was back to choosing her words carefully, trying to keep her composure. “This morning in court, my request to stay in Bentwood Creek was denied. But while explaining why, the judge let slip that I could gain approval if I’d moved here to marry someone living in Bentwood Creek. So…”
“You created an imaginary fiancé.” Hayden shook his head in apparent disbelief. “Unwise.”
“It just sort of…came out.” And then she couldn’t find the courage to retract that statement. Eve blinked back a stronger threat of tears and stared at the ceiling. “Steven knew I was bluffing. That’s why he followed me back here.”
He’d caught up to her at the feed store, a place where cowboys could often be found. Having spent years worshipping Hayden, Eve figured that’s what she needed—a hardworking, honest cowboy. She’d been scoping out matrimonial prospects when she noticed Steven enter. She’d bolted out the back, not stopping until she’d darted inside the Coffee Corner.
Her gaze caught on a flyer announcing the Spring Festival, a local event coming up soon. The last time she’d attended had been with Violet and Hayden.
“You were trying to fix things,” Hayden said in a quiet voice, bringing her back to the task at hand. “In your own unique way.”
Does that mean…
Eve glanced at Hayden, smiling and hoping.
“I can’t marry you,” Hayden announced without emotion. “I’m not the marrying type. Sentiment isn’t in my DNA.”
That’s not the way Eve remembered Hayden. Her last memory of him was from his wedding day…
“Violet’s not with me,” Eve had told Hayden, having drawn him from the altar to the church vestibule after Violet left town. At the time, Eve hadn’t been able to look Hayden in the eye.
“Where is Vi? Was there an accident? Is she sick?” Hayden had tugged his tie knot loose, a hero ready to change into his Superman tights and fly to Vi’s rescue. “Do we need to delay the start of the wedding? We can do that. What do you think? An hour? Two?” As usual, Hayden was caught up in the logistics. Organization and schedules were his thing.
“Hayden, listen to me.” Eve had touched his arm, heart aching for him. For all of them. “This isn’t a short delay.”
“Four hours, then. Should I go to Violet?” Hayden began patting his pockets as if searching for his truck keys. And then, he stopped. “No. I shouldn’t go. Vi didn’t want to see me before we recited our vows. She’s not alone, is she? Your mother is with her, right? We can let everyone know we’ll be serving dinner later and—”
“Hayden, stop. Just stop.” Eve placed her palms on his clean-shaven cheeks and squeezed. “You’re not listening. Vi isn’t coming. She’s not marrying you.”
All the color had drained from his face.
“Did you hear me?” Hayden asked in the present, bumping the brim of his black cowboy hat upward. “Find a different stand-in husband, Evie.”
“But…” Eve bit her lip, wishing she didn’t feel so desperate. Wishing she was brave enough to come clean and face the consequences of her actions. But she couldn’t. Not yet. The fact that Hayden had played along with the deception earlier gave her hope. Hope she clung to. “I can’t find someone else. Steven met you. I introduced you as my fiancé.” No other man would do.
“Evie, there’s a simple solution.” Hayden fixed her with a cool stare. “I’m breaking up with you. Engagement…” He snapped his fingers. “…over.”
What am I going to do?