Chapter 2

Hayley

The paperwork is signed and I'm waiting outside the car hire place in Quarry road for the keys to my courtesy car.

That's when I see him…the most gorgeous man I've ever seen. All I can do is stare. Tall and muscular with spiky black hair. In his black jeans, black t-shirt, oatmeal winter jacket and timberlands, he is a sight to behold. He turns slightly and even at this distance I can see his eyes are a piercing green. Wow. Just wow.

He's in the exclusive showroom next door with a few guys I'm guessing are with him.

“Mam, your courtesy car is ready"

“Thanks" I say as I turn away from the view next door and take the keys the salesperson is offering me.

I wish someone like Mr green eyes would notice me, fall in love me, want to have babies with me. I chuckle to myself, lost in my own dream world. I get enough attention to know I'm not ugly, but I’m also not in the same league as Mr green eyes next door. I would love to be all put together and model perfect with that fragile air, like the type of women he probably dates but I'm not, oh well, a girl can dream…

Mr green eyes is forgotten as I drive past middle class suburban houses on my way home,  worrying about the additional expenses I’ve just racked up and how I am going to pay for them.

“Dear God, please make a way", I pray as I pull up into my driveway. The familiar calm that finds me when I reach home begins to descend. This is where I hide from the world and all it’s drama. I am usually the first one here, but after my car drama, my aunt and mum have beat me home. As the gate opens, my dogs are already bounding out of the house to greet me as usual

“Zola! Stella! Hello my babies” I great them while receiving wet kisses and puppy hugs.

“Sebastian I see you there my boy", I say to my cat as he patiently waits for his turn. I gently scoop him up as I make my way into the house, followed by my dogs. My animals are my life line. I know their love is genuine and until you have been broken by someone you love, you will never know how hard it is to trust in love by anyone other than those that cannot lie.

My mum is over the stove preparing supper and my aunt is watching some police series on the television as I enter the house. I fill them in on the day’s events and my car troubles.  My family is close knit and even though it’s just my mum, aunt and myself at home, our home is always filled with my cousins, aunts and uncles on the weekends.

I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like because of work. Although tomorrow isa  Saturday and I’m working. A 7am to 7pm shift. I work in a laboratory as a medical technician so working weekends, shifts and public holidays are what my life looks like. That is why I make sure I take my dogs to the beach at least once a week so we can spend quality time together. They love walking on the boardwalk and I love the ocean, all 3 of us get exercise so it’s a win-win.

I grab the dog’s leashes, Zola hears the sound of the leashes moving and she’s already wagging her tail and whimpering because she’s so happy. She definitely knows where she’s going!

“I have to rush now if I want to make it to the beach and back before it gets dark” I say to my mum as I pass her in the kitchen.

“You’re still going? Aren’t you going to eat first.” mum asks

“Yip, I have to. I don’t want the girls to miss their walk”, I say walking back out the door, this time with two boisterous dogs in tow.