Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)
Hello 392

No clue when my phone finally quit ringing, but by the time Hayden carried me back to bed from the bathroom, I felt like total mush. Like, even my bones were jelly.

I was so wiped I didn't even want to open my eyes. I curled up under the covers, and it didn't take long before I crashed.

"Rest a bit. I'll make you some oatmeal," Hayden's voice rumbled in my ear, all low and husky.

I mumbled something back, already slipping into sleep

But even half-asleep, I kept hearing my phone ring.

Ugh, I didn't want to move, and I definitely wasn't opening my eyes. I reached out for Hayden, but all I got was an empty bed.

"Hayden... Hayden..." I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.

He was by my side in a second, leaning down. "What's wrong?"

Without looking, I muttered, "My phone... it's too loud.

"Huh?" He sounded confused.

"My phone. It's loud," I grumbled, super annoyed by the phantom ringtone.

There was a pause. Then, in that soft, comforting tone, he said, "Kiki, you're dreaming. Your phone's off."

Wait, seriously?

Then why did I keep hearing it?

I didn't argue. I just drifted back to sleep, this time deep and dreamless.

When I finally woke up, Hayden was at the tiny table across from the bed, totally lost in whatever he was sketching. He didn't even notice I was awake. I sat up slowly, spotting blueprints spread out in front of

him.

Of course, he was working. No wonder Ron never gave him grief about not showing up at the office- Hayden was quietly getting everything done behind the scenes.

I didn't want to interrupt him, so I tried to slip out of bed quietly, but even that caught his attention. He looked up, saw I was awake, and immediately set his pen down, walking over. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I saw you were busy," I whispered, realizing too late how hoarse my voice sounded.

Instantly, the memory of everything that went down between us earlier hit me, and my face turned red.

Hayden caught it, of course. "I'll grab you some lozenges for your throat in a bit."

“No, I don't...” I stopped myself, trailing off.

His eyes locked onto mine. "You don't want them?"

It wasn't that I didn't want them. I just... couldn't stop thinking about baked pears.

1/2

Baked pears, especially with honey and mint, were my go-to when I had a sore throat. The soft texture, the natural sweetness-it always did the trick. Comforting, soothing, and exactly what I craved when my throat felt scratchy.

Back in Seavora, there was this one shop that made the best baked pears. I refused to get them from anywhere else. Yeah, I was stubborn like that- kind of like how I stubbornly loved Jace for a decade,

vi despite everything.

But no way was I about to tell Hayden I was craving baked pears right now. With him staring at me like that, I had to think fast. "I just don't like lozenges," I lied, forcing a smile. "I'll drink more water instead."

Hayden made oatmeal for me, topping it with banana slices and chocolate chips. He whipped it up right in the little kitchte in our hotel room. Honestly, hotels these days were really stepping up their game. It wasn't just about the bed anymore- these rooms were basically mini apartments. After eating, my throat felt way better.

But while I was fully rested, Hayden looked exhausted. I caught him rubbing his eyes a few times, clearly trying to stay awake.

"Hayden, go get some sleep. I'll clean up," I said, gently pushing him toward the bedroom.

"I need a shower first. I smell gross," he mumbled, hinting he hadn't taken a break after making breakfast and went straight back to his blueprints.

I turned him around, nudging him toward the bathroom. "Then go rinse off."

I looped my arms around his neck, pulling him down slightly to sniff his hair. "Smells fine to me-no need to wash your hair."

He frowned. "Who showers without washing their hair?

I laughed. “You can totally shower without doing