Ian's POV
"Thank you for saving me from my dad's antics tonight." Brad circled around to the driver's seat and closed the divider, like he thought we needed privacy.
"I am sorry you have to put up with that. My mother urges me to date, but she never tries to set me up." I thought back to the times Mom would point at a beautiful woman and nudge me to go talk to her, but she'd never herself mingle with a woman to get her to date me. It seems pretty ridiculous to be that involved in your child's love life.
"Must be nice. Both my parents try to set me up, usually with some family friend's son or, for my dad, one of his promising chefs," she said, rolling her eyes in annoyance. It got quiet for a moment, but I should have known better than to believe it would last for longer than a minute with Hailey around. "I have a question, but I want you to be honest, so let's play Revealing Hearts." It didn't sound like a question as she spoke. "I believe you're at my disposal for the next 24 hours." That smirk on her face told me I was in for a hell of a night.
"What's Revealing Hearts?" l asked, never having heard of this game before.
"It's a game I made up. It's very simple. We each get a turn to ask any question we want about the other. You must answer the question honestly. If the other person believes you are being dishonest, you receive a punishment of their choosing," she explained, looking ready to devour me with this game. I knew she wanted to probe into my mind more, but I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea.
"That doesn't sound like a good time. I mean, what if I tell you the truth and you say I am lying?" I feel like she would do that even when I was saying an obvious truth, just to get me to do something.
"I take this game seriously. I won't say you're lying unless I really feel like you are, and if I do call it a lie, you can try to convince me otherwise." She seemed determined as she looked at me. I took a moment to contemplate it further, but then she added, "I will answer questions about Liv if you decide to ask them."
"Fine, who goes first?"
"Since it's your first time playing, you go first." She gestured for me to start, but I didn't have a question ready off the top of my head. So I just asked the first thing that came to mind.
"Why aren't you dating anyone?" She seemed surprised by my first question, pursing her lips with a slight smirk.
"I really thought you were going to ask about Liv," she said, seeming both surprised and amused. "I have met no one that really sparks that interest in me. Besides, I'm focused on my career right now. It's hard breaking into the fashion design industry."
"I didn't know you were a fashion designer. What clothes do you design?"
"It's my turn now, Ian; no follow-up questions." She winked at me, flashing me her beaming smile. "When you kissed me tonight, was it purely for show, or did you want to kiss me?" I was stunned and silent for a few seconds, as I had to ask myself that question as well.
"I guess a part of me wanted to kiss you. You're a beautiful woman, Hailey. If I really had to say, it would be that it was more for show, but that I enjoyed it." I wasn't afraid to admit that to her. Aside from keeping my true feelings hidden from Liv, I tend to not be shy when it comes to telling others how I feel.
Hailey squinted her eyes at me for the briefest of moments before nodding her head. "I believe you."
"Good, you should."
We arrived at Hailey's large penthouse building, and she invited me up to continue the game. It was only ten at night now, with us having left the charity event early. Since she bought me, I owed her my time, so I agreed, following her up to her place.
"Tinita?" she called out when she opened the door, and I arched a brow in curiosity. Did she have a dog? Or did she live with someone? "I guess she's asleep already. Here, come with me to my room, so we don't accidentally wake her up. I'll get some wine and glasses."
"Who is Tinita?"
"My cousin, she flew in from California today. She's moving in with me for the time being," she said, as she grabbed the glasses from her cupboard and the wine from her cooler. "You'll meet her tomorrow."
"Will I, now?"
"I own you for 24 hours, dear Ian. If you decide you want to sleep at your house, you need to come back early in the morning. I don't want to waste any of my time." Hailey sure was playful.
"I doubt you want me to sleep here."
"Why don't you ask? It's your turn after all." She reminded me of our game, which I guess we were continuing.
"Do you want me to sleep here tonight?"
"I wouldn't mind if you're comfortable with it," she answered with her back turned to me as she led the way to her room. I felt a sudden rush of lust as I stared at her bare back, knowing we would be drinking in her room. These feelings can get out of hand fast, so I need to be careful not to let them overcome me.
"Seems I'm spending the night." I gave her the most dashing smile as she turned to look at me, again surprised by my answer. It made me wonder what she thought of me if she continued to be surprised by my answers. She seemed to read me well, so I am not sure why my answers were so shocking to her. I feel like she was reading me like an open book.
"How many relationships have you been in? I asked earlier, but you timed it well enough that you didn't need to answer." She handed me my glass as she asked, taking a seat on the edge of her bed.
"Let's see, I had a couple girlfriends in middle school, then I met Liv, but she sadly doesn't count." Even though she should, seeing as she's the biggest love of my life. "After Liv, I started the whole one-month thing, and that led to about 10 relationships. So, that makes twelve?"
"Ian the player." She grinned as she took a sip of her red wine. She patted the bed beside her, letting me take a seat. I sat on the other corner of the bed, not wanting to give myself a chance to do anything stupid. I'd already kissed her two too many times.
"Hardly." I shook my head. "It's not like I was dating multiple people at once. Just one girl at a time."
"Did you know Liv was dating Leo and Lucas at the same time, for a minute? She felt weird about it for a while and eventually chose Lucas after going on just one date with poor Leo." Her revelation shocked me, as I would never imagine my Red as someone willing to date more than one person at a time.
"That's hard to picture." I took a chug of my wine, needing more than this glass had to offer.
"It's not her favorite moment." Hailey giggled.
"I'm sure. Red's not like that. She's too loyal, too loving."
"Yup." Hailey suddenly seemed less amused as she took a chug of her drink. "Anyway, your turn."
"Oh, um. How did Lucas and Liv meet?"
"Ha! That was my fault, in a way. It was me who took Liv out to a nightclub, giving her the idea of having a one-night stand. I thought she could use the confidence boost after what that slimy ex did to her. I hate that guy." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Liv picked Lucas, which surprised the hell out of me. She came up with a little game, a sort of twist on revealing hearts, and man, was Lucas wrapped around her finger in an instant."
It was a question I shouldn't have asked. It hurt me to know more than anything. Lying back on her bed, I let out a heavy sigh. "I want to be over her, Hailey. I just don't know how. She takes up too much space in my mind and my heart. It's like she's trapped in there, clinging on for dear life, no matter how hard I pull at her to leave."
"I'm sorry, Ian. This is why I'm glad I've never fallen in love. The heartbreak seems like too much." She lay back, scooting a little closer to me. "When I was little, I believed in true love, fairytale endings, the whole thing, but then reality hit. The couple I most admired, most loved, most aspired to be like, got divorced. My mother cheated on my dad and it caused him so much heartache. He tried to hide it from us, his daughters, because he's a respectful guy and didn't want us hating our mother for his sake. I heard him crying in his room a few times, though, and despite his protests, I'd hug him and let him cry with me. It hurt me deeply to see him so broken, so I swore I would never fall in love unless I was absolutely certain that I could trust that man."
I turned on my side, staring at Hailey's profile as she stared up at the ceiling. She was clearly reliving the painful memories, making me reach out and grab her hand. I rubbed my thumb over the soft skin on the back of her palm. She squeezed my hand, turning to look at me now, too.
"Love is hard. Honestly, what's caused you pain has brought me hope. Lucas and Liv have made me believe again- in love and happy endings, though I'm skeptical. I am sorry you're hurting, Ian." It seemed her sympathy was genuine, not just empty words.
"Thank you. It's almost laughable how pathetic I'm being." I let out a heavy breath, squeezing her hand back.
"I wouldn't say you're being pathetic. You're just hung up on her, and I understand. Liv is pretty amazing!" She smirked, staring up once more. It made me happy to know that Red had a friend like Hailey. Someone that helped her, that pushed her out of her comfort zone and made her shine the way she was meant to. If anything, I guess I could be grateful to Hailey for that.
"She really is." I nodded, placing my hand behind my head and staring up at her plain white ceiling. That's me, plain, boring, maybe a little too vanilla. Could I have helped Red shine the way she was meant to? I had known her for 2 years and yet all I had done was give her a place to escape. Did I even do anything to really help her? To make her grow, or to make her life better?
"My turn, again. You just got really silent. What are you thinking about?" She used the game as an excuse to ask her question.
"How I'm so not ready for bed," I lied.
"Liar," she smirked, reading me like some kind of telekinetic.
"Am not. I really am not ready to go to sleep." I insisted, remembering this game had punishments for lying.
"Maybe so, but that's not what you were thinking about." She wasn't buying what I was selling, and I knew her punishment would be something out of my comfort zone. "Anything else you want to say to try to convince me, or do you cave, knowing full well you just lied?"
"I cave," I shrugged. There is no use in trying to convince her otherwise. I'm not that much of a liar.
"Good choice." She winked at me, sitting up on the bed. "Let's see. What should I have you do?"