Bye-Bye Jerk, Hello Mr. Right

Chapter 157

Chapter 157

"I figured if you were in a hurry, you'd come looking for me, so I left it open for you," Hayden replied like it was no big deal.

And yet, like an idiot, I asked, "So you came out like that on purpose?"

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "No, I heard my phone ringing and came out to grab it. I didn't expect... well, the timing... Yeah, just perfect timing.

At least he had a great body, so it wasn't the worst thing to catch a glimpse.

On the way to the Johnston residence, Hayden stayed quiet.

I figured he was probably nervous. "When we get to the Johnstons', all you have to do is say hello. I'll take care of any awkward questions." "Okay," he nodded.

"And if Jace is there and tries to be a jerk or make things hard for you, don't hold back," I added.

"Got it."

"Oh, and one more thing-we should get our story straight. We'll say we met in Chiverton, and, um," I paused, feeling my face heat up, "you're interested in me... so you followed me here." "I don't think I'll have any trouble with that."

"Huh?" I blinked, not quite catching what he meant at first, but it quickly dawned on me.

After that, there wasn't much else to say, and the silence between us grew. The air felt tense, and my nerves crept up as I kept driving.

I must've been more anxious than I realized, because when the car in front of me slammed on its brakes out of nowhere, I nearly rear-ended it.

Hayden reacted instantly. His hand shot out, grabbing the steering wheel and jerking it to the side, turning the car into a sharp 45-degree angle, narrowly avoiding the crash.

By the time we came to a stop, I was still frozen in shock.

His reflexes were so quick, it almost didn't feel real.

"Focus when you drive. A car accident's not the worst thing, but what if you get hurt?" Hayden scolded lightly, and once the car in front of us started moving again, he handed control back to me.

I'd been driving for three years, but right then, I felt like a total rookie.

We drove in silence for a while longer, my pulse finally calming down after the adrenaline rush. Out of curiosity, I asked, "Your driving skills are amazing. Were you the designated driver in the army or something?" "No."

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Chapter 157

I glanced over at him, intrigued. "Then what did you do?"

*Special forces."

I didn't know much about that, but I'd seen enough movies to get the gist-special forces guys were the ones who charged headfirst into danger, always looking ridiculously cool while doing it.

And Hayden? Yeah, he definitely looked ridiculously cool.

There was this unshakable toughness about him, something you didn't see in most guys these days.

"So, why'd you leave the military? How come you didn't become a SWAT officer or something?" I couldn't help it-I was extra curious about him today.

Hayden didn't answer right away, and then Demi's words popped into my mind.

Could this have something to do with his father's accident?

I didn't want to ask him directly, so I tried to ease into it. "Hayden, you've never really mentioned your parents

or siblings. Can you tell me a little about them? You know, just in case the Johnstons ask-"

"My parents are both gone," he cut in before I could finish.

"My father died in a car accident while driving his boss and his boss's wife. None of them made it," he said, his gaze locking onto mine.

My heart skipped a beat. Both my parents died in a car accident too, and hearing him say that hit me hard. "My mom passed away after that. She was sick for years... grief tore her apart," Hayden's voice softened. I could tell he was in pain, and I immediately regretted bringing it up. "I'm sorry."

"I don't think my dad and his boss's car accident was an accident," Hayden added.

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