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“How would you say it to Cherish?” Jackson challenged him.
“That she needed to get out of her own head and listen to her heart.”
“Fine.” Jackson pointed to Stuart with his thumb. “Do that, but also, you’re an idiot.”
“Hey now!” Haylee glared and crossed her arms. “I think I like him better.” She winked at Stuart. “I probably am an idiot, but can we start at the beginning?”
“What beginning?” Stuart asked.
“I think she means what we’re doing here, how we ended up here, and why we know each other,” Jackson supplied.
“Yes. Start there!” Haylee pointed at Jackson. “You, shut up. He’s giving more answers than you are right now.” She focused on Stuart. “How do you two know each other?”
“I’ll give you one guess.”
“Febe.” Haylee sighed. Then she rubbed her hands over her face. “What did she tell you two?”
“Febe set up a video call with the three of us to sort out some of the issues you and Cherish were having. And through that call, we decided that the two of us better come out here and set you two straight,” Stuart offered.
“Set us straight,” Haylee repeated. She was pretty sure that was the last thing they needed, but she’d let it slide because she wasn’t talking only to Jackson. “What’s the issue exactly? Because Cherish and I aren’t in a relationship.”
“You are,” Jackson answered for her. “And you can’t deny it. Look, I know it’s not easy and that this is something you’ve always struggled with.”
“What do you think I’ve always struggled with?” Haylee glared again. This was an ambush, that was for sure. “Did Febe tell you I was going to pick you up?”
“Yes,” Jackson answered. “But not until the planes landed.”
“Pinged as soon as I turned my phone back on.” Stuart agreed.
“The original plan was a little different, but this works well enough.” Jackson smiled. “Maybe even a bit better.”
“Hey, great for you.” Haylee muttered. Still trying to understand exactly what was happening. “So she planned this whole thing?”
Haylee moved her finger between the two men.
“Yes, now stop avoiding.” Jackson gave her a sharp look. “You’ve always avoided deeper, meaningful relationships.”
“I have not!” Haylee sounded indignant but inside she nodded along, despite herself.
Jackson rolled his eyes. Haylee shifted a glance to Stuart, and he seemed in agreement. But he didn’t know her, so how was that even possible?
“I think you’re both wasting your time.”
“We’re not,” Stuart stepped in. “Have you talked to her lately?”
“No.” A pit settled in Haylee’s stomach.
“Cherish and I grew up in small-town America, where it wasn’t easy to be queer. I still live there, but Febe escaped, and when she started to set up her business, she asked Cherish to join her. I pushed Cherish to go, because I knew she’d have more acceptance here than back home.”
“Is that why she hasn’t visited?”
Stuart sighed heavily. “Yes.”
“But she’s in love with Febe,” Haylee mumbled. “She always has been.”
“She’s been in love with the idea of Febe,” Stuart corrected. “Nothing will ever happen between them. Febe isn’t attracted to Cherish like that. When Febe and Bernie got married, it was the first time that Cherish really started to look for love. But when Bernie died…”
“She gave up on it,” Haylee finished for him.
