I watched as Birdie tackled Sage, and they both went down laughing. “Okay.” I didn’t know how to feel about that, exactly. A million warring emotions battled for dominance.
“Doctors believe she’ll make a full recovery in time.”
“She talking?”
Hayes shifted in his seat. “I spoke with her this morning. She said it was an accident. That she lost control of her car—”
“Bullshit,” I hissed, sitting up.
Hayes lifted a hand to stop whatever was about to come out of my mouth. “It’s not going to hold up. Hadley’s testimony, the accident reconstruction, it all shows she’s full of it.”
I eased back in the chair, but nothing in me relaxed. “And now Hadley’s going to have to go through the nightmare of a court case, having her life picked apart. What about the rest of it?”
“She’s playing dumb. Said she didn’t even know Hadley made videos.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know why I thought almost dying might change her. It didn’t before.”
Hayes squeezed my shoulder. “Hoping someone can change isn’t wrong.”
“Maybe not, but it’s dumb when they’ve proven how heartless they are time and again.”
“She’s going to go away for a long time. Given her record, they’ll push for the max sentence.”
I gripped the edge of the chair, my fingers digging into the wood. “What’s the minimum sentence?”
“Seven and a half years.”
I let a slew of curses loose under my breath. “That means she’ll be out before we know it.”
“We’re going to push for longer, and I’ve already got a restraining order in place. Word’s out about what happened. No one in Wolf Gap will give Jackie a job if she comes back. No one will rent her a place to live, either.”
That was something, but it wasn’t nearly enough. I looked at Hayes. “How are you so calm about this?”
“I have to trust that the system will do its job.” His jaw worked back and forth. “That doesn’t mean I’m not pissed as hell and worried about my sister, but I have to choose trust. Hope.”
Birdie and Sage climbed to their feet, still laughing. There was hope in my two girls. In the future I had with Hadley. I could hold on to that.
“I’m going to ask your sister to marry me.”
Hayes had just taken a sip of coffee, and he began to choke. I pounded him on the back as he coughed. “Give a guy a little warning, would ya?”
I chuckled. “That mean you’re all right with the idea?”
“Would it matter if I wasn’t?”
“I’d still marry her, but I’d be sad not to have your support.”
“Nothing would make me happier than to have you as family officially.” Hayes grinned. “You gotta get her to say yes first.”
“Details.” I already knew exactly where I’d ask her. Our mountain. The one where we’d chased so many sunsets. Those sunsets had splintered once, but we’d put them back together. They were stronger now, and they meant more.
I now knew why I’d never given Jackie my grandmother’s ring. I’d told myself that I was saving it for Birdie or Sage, but the truth was, it had always been meant for Hadley. Now, it burned a hole in my pocket, just waiting for that perfect moment when I could steal Hadley away to make her mine officially.
Hayes shook his head, a smile still on his face. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Me, either.” I hadn’t believed I’d ever get here, that I’d ever be this happy. I took in my friend. “How are things with your mom?”
Julia had stopped by once after Hadley’s accident. She’d dropped off a casserole and stayed for all of ten minutes. I’d found Hadley crying in our bathroom that night, and it had nearly killed me.