“Here you go.” Hadley ran her fingers along the new cord. “You move around so much, I figured this would be safer. You can wear it around your neck, and it won’t slip off.”

“Got it!” Eric leaned forward and tilted his head. “Then help me put it on?”

“Sure thing…”

Hadley adjusted the length first, looped it gently over his head, and pulled the cord snug around his neck.

She tilted her head slightly and asked, “Is it alright now?”

“Couldn’t be better!” Eric beamed without a trace of hesitation. Whatever she said, he would have agreed.

Hadley laughed quietly, her fingers releasing the cord. “There we go. All set…”

Before her words had fully settled in the air, Eric reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close without warning. His chest pressed against hers, his breath warm against her ear.

“Hadley… I can’t even explain how happy I am.”

“I know…” Hadley whispered, lips curving into a soft smile. That kind of reaction was exactly what she had expected from him.

A second later, Eric’s voice dropped, hesitant and muffled against her hair. “Does this mean I’m one step closer to being your official boyfriend?”

That question struck Hadley in a place she wasn’t ready for. Her eyes welled up slightly as she clung to him and gave a steady nod. “Yes. You are.”

“That’s the best news I’ve ever heard!” Eric held her tighter, as if he didn’t want to let go—not now, not ever.

For a moment, it felt as though nothing could separate them, as if they existed in perfect sync. But just as quickly, a quiet sadness drifted between them like a shadow neither could ignore.

With a voice barely above a breath, Eric said, “Hadley, I’ll keep trying. I’ll stay strong… and I’ll wait for the day when we can start over the right way.”

Tears welled up before Hadley could stop them. Her voice cracked as she replied, “I believe you. And I’ll wait too… for that day to come.”

?: g?ν?

In the stillness that followed, a low rumble suddenly broke the silence. Eric pulled back slightly, his eyes widening in surprise—the sound had come from her stomach.

Their eyes met, and just like that, the tension melted. A shared laugh escaped both of them. Fingers intertwined, they said at the same time, “Let’s get dinner!”

Because Hadley had a night shoot scheduled, Eric took the wheel and brought her back to the set once they had finished eating.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Hadley stepped out and leaned in through the open door. “Don’t forget—come by my place this weekend. I owe you a cake for today.”

She had wanted to bake it earlier and bring it to the restaurant, but the day had been far too packed. The weekend promised a little more room to breathe.

After pausing for a second, Hadley added with a slight grin, “You’re not even into sweets. Just take a few bites—it’s mainly for Joy.”

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