Getting Over It: Sapphire Falls Book Six (24 page)

But it also meant she hadn’t trusted him enough to share.

Hailey continued. “Yes, that’s typically something you hear about kids having and sometimes growing out of, but no one tested me, and I struggled all the way through school. I got good at covering it up because I hated giving Angela things to comment on,” she said. “It was such a relief when I finally found out that it wasn’t my fault. Once I talked with someone who really understood it, she was able to give me study techniques and other things to keep me more on track and focused, and learning became easier. But I still get frustrated with it—with myself—on almost a daily basis. No matter how organized I try to be or how many techniques I learn, I can’t get over it completely, and I’m obviously not going to grow out of it.”

Hailey stopped and took a breath. “So if your child is struggling at all, don’t make assumptions or place blame. Talk to someone and see if there’s a way you can help him or her.”

Ty knew he was staring, but damn. That was easily the most transparent moment he’d ever experienced with Hailey. And he was experiencing it with a huge group of people. Not in the bedroom, not during a quiet moment between the two of them. She wasn’t even really telling
him
.

This was one more obvious example of how he
didn’t
know the real Hailey.

And yet he was fascinated.

“There’s medicine for ADHD, isn’t there?” he asked without really thinking.

She glanced at him for the first time during her reveal. She nodded. “But it has side effects, and for me the headaches were too much. Instead, I work with other behavior modifications, watch what I eat because sugar makes a big difference—in a bad way—and exercise really helps work off some of my excess energy and helps me focus.”

He shook his head. Well, it made sense why she’d loved all of the physical activity in Colorado.

She turned back to the crowd. “I haven’t ever talked about this openly. It’s been hard for me to admit that I have some struggles. But I promise you that I work hard to not let this affect my job, and I have wonderful friends and a fantastic assistant.” She smiled at the women clustered off to the side near the front.

Lauren, Adrianne, Phoebe and Tessa were all standing there, looking surprised but pleased. They hadn’t expected all of this to come out perhaps, but Ty could tell that they weren’t shocked by what she was saying. They knew. They knew about Hailey’s issues.

Which meant she did share it. With people she felt close to and trusted.

Ty felt his gut knot and he worked not to scowl in front of everyone.

“My friends keep me from freaking out,” Hailey said with a smile to the audience. “They put up with my quirks and my overuse of highlighters and my being late. So be patient with the people in your lives. Especially the kids. You never know what they might be struggling with.”

Ty agreed. And his current struggle was that the woman he was in love with had struggles he didn’t know about. That she had shared with other people. That she had not only
not
shared with him, but that she’d actively hidden from him. She had techniques she had to use to stay focused and on track? He’d never noticed a thing.

Was that a commentary on what a great actress she was or how unobservant he was? TJ said Ty had been wrapped up in his own stuff to the point of not paying attention to what was going on with Hailey and what she wanted and needed.

He’d moved in next door to her because
he
wanted to, without thinking that maybe her irritation would go beyond the initial surprise of it. He’d moved his life here, changed their entire relationship, without talking with her about it. Without even really considering how it might affect her.

No, that wasn’t it. He’d considered it. He just hadn’t worried that it would be a problem. He’d trusted that he’d be able to win her over.

“Ty?”

He shook his head and realized that Hailey was looking at him.

“Uh, yeah?”

“I asked what you would change about yourself if you could change anything?”

Ty felt his jaw tighten. He’d change the fact that his girlfriend couldn’t be honest with him. He’d change the fact that there was anything to change in the first place.

Dammit
.

He wasn’t good with things not being exactly as he wanted them to be. When he didn’t hit the time he wanted, he pushed harder. When the weather was crap, he worked through it. When he wasn’t feeling well, he worked out anyway and upped his fluid and vitamin intake. When he had an equipment issue, he got it fixed or bought something new.

Things didn’t always go his way, but he could always do something about it.

But how could he change this? He hated that Hailey didn’t feel like she was the woman he’d spent years adoring. Yes, he wanted her to be that woman—that woman was perfect for him. He wanted her to be confident and proud of herself, not have any leftover insecurities from her childhood, and not feel as if she had to defend herself to the town she’d served for six years.

But as conflicted as he was about all of this and how it affected him—typical of a guy who was used to everything revolving around him, he supposed—he also admired what she’d done tonight.

Pure honesty and vulnerability were the themes of the night? Okay, he could do that.

“I’d change the fact that I’m not someone the woman I love can trust with all her secrets and fears.”

Hailey’s smile fell instantly and a strange hush surrounded them.

She looked like he’d slapped her, and Ty couldn’t quite figure out why. She knew that she hadn’t shared everything with him. She’d been very purposeful about it. So was she surprised that he was hurt by it? Was she simply surprised that he’d said it publicly?

The silence stretched long, with no one even shifting on their hay bales.

Finally, Lauren stepped in. “Okay, let’s take some more questions from the audience.”

Ty kept his eyes on her as he took his seat. Hailey, on the other hand, avoided looking at him completely.

Hailey went through the rest of the Q&A session with only half her mind on what was happening. She avoided looking at Ty, but she could feel his gaze boring into her at various times. She could practically feel the waves of tension coming at her across the space between them.

They answered a few questions each about their favorite books, how they spent their down time, favorite Sapphire Falls festival or activity, favorite thing to order at Dottie’s and at Adrianne’s, and Hailey was grateful for the easy questions that required almost no thought.

Ty was pissed. Because she hadn’t told him about the ADHD. But how could he not understand why she hadn’t told him?
He
was the one who constantly talked about how great it felt to have won her over, how tough she’d been to get and how hard she’d made him work and how much he loved making her give in in the bedroom.

Most people who knew them both on the surface would have never believed they worked as a couple. It seemed that they both liked to hog the spotlight. But she was relieved to give it over, to let people focus on Ty when they were together. She could let go and not worry about keeping up the pretense of being queen bee. Everyone assumed she liked being in charge and that she’d sought the mayor’s office as a way of bossing everyone around. The truth was she’d gone after the office because it made her father proud and it was the most direct way to take care of her hometown.

If there was another way to be involved and make Sapphire Falls great, she’d do it.

And, yes, she needed to get over the need to seek her father’s approval. She knew that. She and Lena were working on it. But lifelong habits were tough to break.

Finally, they finished the session and everyone was encouraged to help themselves to the ice cream sundae bar set up on the other side of the gazebo.

“You were amazing,” Adrianne said, giving Hailey a hug. “Wow.”

“That was ballsy,” Lauren told her. “I didn’t expect you to open up about everything.”

Hailey shrugged. “It felt right. Maybe it’s the denim shorts, but I felt more comfortable telling everyone.” She tipped her head to the side. “You don’t seem surprised about the ADHD.”

Lauren shook her head. “Not surprised. I knew there was something going on with you.”

“You never asked.”

“Not my business unless you chose to tell me.”

Hailey glanced to where Ty had disappeared across the square. “You’re not upset I didn’t tell you?” she asked. “You’re not hurt that I didn’t confide in you?”

Lauren also glanced to where Ty had walked off. “No. But I haven’t been sleeping with you for almost four years.”

“He told you?” Hailey
was
surprised by that. Kind of. It depended on the circumstances of their conversation. “How? When?”

“At his mom’s the other day. Right after he announced he was running. He thought maybe he’d screwed up.”

Yeah, okay, surprised was right. “Ty never admits when he’s screwed up.”

Lauren nodded. “It must have really mattered to him.”

“Were you surprised about me and Ty?” Hailey asked.

“Not really. You seem like the perfect couple.”

Perfect. There was that word.

“We
seem
like the perfect couple?”

“Beautiful, successful, big plans and lots of talent,” Lauren said. “And Ty loves a challenge. You’ve been a challenge to him.”

“Ty likes to win,” Hailey said, feeling her heart aching. “He’s done this whole thing with this election because he didn’t want me to have an empty victory, but I told him that our whole relationship has been an empty victory for him.”

Phoebe frowned. “What does that mean?”

“He thinks that I’m this perfect woman that he had to win over and impress. When the truth is I’m far from perfect, and getting me wasn’t hard because I haven’t given him a real relationship.” She took a deep breath. “And I’ve loved it. I’ve loved how things have been between us. In little bits.”

Phoebe looked sad. “You don’t want him full time? Just in bits and pieces?”

“That’s what I can handle,” Hailey told her. “I can be the perfect girlfriend for two days at a time. Not full time.”

That felt horrible. She’d known it for a long time, but she had never said it out loud to someone else.

“I think you’re selling yourself short,” Adrianne said. “Full-time relationships take more work than weekend flings, but you’ve had full-time relationships with all of us.”

“But you know me,” Hailey said. “You know I’m not perfect.”

“Because you let us in. You told us what was going on with you. You didn’t do that with Ty.”

Hailey felt the tears threatening. “Because Ty had this idea about me already built up, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth. I loved having his attention, spending time with him. I—”

“Didn’t trust him,” Lauren filled in. “And he knows that now.”

Hailey nodded. “I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

“I think the fact that it
did
hurt him should tell you something,” Lauren said.

Hailey thought about that. Maybe. Maybe Ty wanted to know her better. Maybe it bothered him that there were things he didn’t know. But she was more afraid that he was mad she’d been deceiving him—and wasting his time.

“Hailey, honey.” Kathy Bennett was suddenly there, enfolding Hailey in a big hug. She rubbed her hand up and down Hailey’s back. “That was so wonderful.”

Kathy was an expert hugger. Hailey felt so much more than just the other woman’s arms around her. She felt surrounded by support and love. And she absorbed it all like she was a sponge tossed into the ocean. Or like she was still the little girl who could do nothing right in her stepmother’s eyes.

The tears did more than threaten this time. When Hailey pulled back and saw Kathy’s smile and the affection in her eyes, they spilled over.

“Oh, honey, don’t cry.” Kathy brushed a hand over Hailey’s cheek. “Think of all the kids you helped by showing them that this amazing woman they’ve looked up to had to overcome some struggles. Think of all the women that have looked at you and seen how put together you are and how you seem to do everything right who can now relate to you and accept that they don’t have to be perfect.”

That made Hailey cry harder.

Lauren stepped forward and put a hand on Kathy’s shoulder. “I agree. You did something awesome tonight,” she said to Hailey. “And if not everyone sees it that way, that’s their problem.”

Unless, of course, it was the man Hailey was in love with. Then it was her problem too. She could lose him. She’d always known it, and had known on some level that he’d eventually find out that she wasn’t the perfect woman he saw, but she’d had no idea that losing him would hurt this much.

Kathy scowled. “Who doesn’t see it that way? Did someone say something to you?”

Hailey caught Lauren’s eye and she shook her head. She couldn’t tell on Ty to his mom.

But Lauren said, “Ty.”

Kathy looked from Lauren to Hailey. “What do you mean?”

“Ty’s upset because Hailey didn’t tell him all of this before tonight.”

Oh, so Lauren was going to tell Ty’s mother on
Hailey
.