Max’s timing couldn’t have been worse.“I see.If…that’s what you want to do, I understand.”
“It’s what I need to do,” Bryson said, his gaze warm with feelings and emotions she didn’t dare name.“I won’t be the guy standing between a family getting back together, and this is a decision only you can make.Go after what you want, Hadley.Just be happy.”
Max closed in on them with a too-wise expression on his handsome face.
“Bryson, please, just give me time to sort this out.It’s so complicated.The history I have with Kyle…” Kyle had done what he’d done, and she could forgive, but she couldn’t forget.The pain was too deep.The hurt unimaginable if one hadn’t lived it in person.
But on the other hand…what if Kyle was sincere and this was her chance to have the marriage she’d always wanted?One that weathered the storms and emerged battered but whole?Stronger?Faithful?Was she going to turn her back on that?
The seconds lengthened as she struggled to find the words to express her convoluted emotions.She felt suffocated from all levels, Bryson, her kids, Kyle, her parents.
“Hadley?”
Her name on his lips drew her attention, and she struggled to contain her emotions at the somber expression on Bryson’s face.
“Just remember that you deserve someone who loves you.Only you.”
Her heart shattered and she sucked in a breath.“Bryson—”
“Mom?” Max said, now only a few feet away.
Hadley turned, spotting Kyle and Abby in the distance in the process of crossing the bridge over the dunes to descend the stairs leading to the sand.“Uh, hey,” she said, turning her face toward the wind to dry her eyes and give her an excuse to wipe them again under the pretense of shoving her blowing hair off her face.“Max, h-have you met Bryson?”
Bryson stood in a fluid motion and shook her son’s hand, greeting him like men do, his expression revealing nothing of their conversation.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Max said to her.“Dad wants to go to the Oceanic for dinner.”
“Oh, Max.It’s a holiday weekend.”
“He wanted it to be special for the four of us,” Max said.“Plus Grandma and Grandpa.”
Hadley glanced at Bryson and found him frowning at the comment.
“Sounds like a special occasion.You should get going,” Bryson said.“Enjoy your dinner.”
“Wait—what about visiting your father?”she asked, referring to their tentative plan to pay the man another visit.They’d discussed it last week, before chaos had arrived in Max’s Jeep.
“I’ll tell him you’re with your family,” Bryson said.
Hadley swallowed back the lump forming in her throat, accepting the comment as Bryson setting a boundary to prevent further pain.“I guess I’ll…see you around then?”
It wasn’t a breakup.They couldn’t break up when they weren’t technically together.But it felt like one because of his statement about removing himself from the situation.She wasn’t sure what she wanted, but she didn’t want him to do that, even though it probably wasn’t fair to Bryson.Was it wrong to want someone who wouldn’t walk away so easily?
Bryson looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t.He gave her a short nod and murmured goodbye to Max, ignoring the duo now at the bottom of the stairs.
“Mom?Are you okay?”Max asked after Bryson turned to walk away.
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure?That seemed…tense.”
“I’m fine.Help me up.”She lifted her hands and Max grasped them and tugged her to her feet with the ease of a strong young man.
“That guy…”
“Bryson,” she gently corrected.“He’s a friend, Max.And I’ve needed a good friend more than anything these days.Whatever you’re about to say?Be kind.”
Max seemed to accept her words at face value and nodded.