“Sure.”
Leading the way, Hadley walked with Eric a few steps behind her.
Reacting swiftly earlier, she had only had Nyla’s safety in mind. Now, the adrenaline was wearing off, leaving her shaken. As she entered the restroom, she stumbled on the threshold.
“Be careful!” Eric quickly reached out, steadying her.
Hadley snapped back to awareness, hastily pulling away. “I’m fine, really.”
There it was again.
Eric watched as Hadley regained her composure, noting how she recoiled from his touch. He pondered if she really found him that repulsive.
At this point, scolding her wasn’t an option… She had just saved his grandmother.
Eric managed to hold back his irritation from her earlier recoil, grabbed a cup, filled it with water, and offered it to her. “Here, you should rinse out your mouth.”
“Thank you.”
Hadley accepted the cup gratefully and proceeded to rinse at the sink. Watching her from the side, Eric paused before saying, “You don’t need to thank me. In fact, I owe you thanks. Really, Hadley, thank you.”
“Huh?”
Hadley turned slowly, almost as if she couldn’t believe what she heard. What did he just say?
“I’m saying thank you,” Eric responded, trying to ease the tension.
“For what you did for Grandma.”
Understanding dawned on Hadley, and she offered a slight smile. “It’s nothing. I didn’t do it for you. Nyla took care of me for five years. Helping her was the least I could do.”
Putting aside the past four years, Hadley knew how much she owed to Nyla for welcoming her into her home when she had no one to turn to. It was a logical response. Yet, Eric sensed that Hadley was maintaining a distance between them.
He had always desired this separation. But now, it unexpectedly irked him.
“You’re entitled to your feelings, but expressing thanks is my prerogative.”
He looked at Hadley thoughtfully. “What do you need? Name it, and I’ll provide it as a gesture of my gratitude.”
“There’s no need…”
“Come on, tell me!”
Eric’s patience was waning. “I hate being in someone’s debt. Just tell me what you want!”
Hadley understood then. Eric feared she might see this as an opportunity to reattach herself to him. His offer was a way to settle any perceived debt and ensure she remained distant.
“Alright, then.” Hadley finally made up her mind. “Let me think for a moment.”
She pondered what to request as a thank-you gift.
“How about this?” she proposed confidently. “Treat me to the donuts from Grandma’s Kitchen.”
“What?”
Eric, surprised, thought he might have misunderstood her.
He looked at her quizzically. “Are you sure?”
Did she really just ask for donuts when she could obviously have asked for more?
Grandma’s Kitchen was a cherished, quaint bakery in Srixby, famous for its small batches of morning treats. They baked only a few each day, and once they were gone, patrons had to wait until the following morning.
The scarcity of these treats made them quite expensive.
Hadley had been away for four years and had missed these delicacies. Even now that she was back in Srixby, she couldn’t afford them on her own.
Her choice of thank-you gift was heartfelt.
She nodded affirmatively. “Yes, I’m positive.”
Eric chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Make sure you’re certain. There are no second chances.”
Hadley could have requested anything-a sum of money, a car, or more-but she had chosen donuts.
“I’ve considered it well.”
Still, she didn’t waver, only specifying further. “I want the paczki.”
“Alright then.” Eric agreed with a nod.
He had offered her a choice, and she had firmly made hers. He felt no… obligation to offer more.
“Tomorrow morning, once Grandma’s condition is stable, I’ll take you to get some.”
“Deal.”
The next day, Nyla’s health had improved.
The doctor visited early to check on her and confirmed her well-being.
“You both have been awake all night. Go home and rest. The nurses will look after her during the day.”
Neither Eric nor Hadley had managed any sleep, so without objections, after ensuring Nyla was comfortable, they left together.
True to his word, Eric drove Hadley to Grandma’s Kitchen.
Without a chauffeur and unaccompanied by Phillips and the others, Eric parked and went in to purchase the donuts himself.
“I’m coming as well.”
Hadley joined him eagerly, her lips parting in anticipation.
“Nothing beats freshly made donuts.”
Eric was amused by her enthusiasm for the donuts.
“I’ll make sure you get plenty. Let’s head out.” He took the lead.
They arrived neither too early nor too late. Yet, there was already a line.
“You wait here. I’ll join the line.”
“Okay.”
Hadley found a seat and watched as Eric advanced slowly in the queue.
She counted the remaining people before him.
“Five more, four more…”
Soon, it was Eric’s turn.
He completed the purchase and retrieved the donuts, smiling slightly.
Luckily, three paczki remained. These were ample to satisfy Hadley.
Eric looked over the crowd and noticed Hadley approaching quickly.
“Did you manage to get them?” she asked eagerly.
Eric nodded and approached her.
“Mr. Flynn?”
He was stopped mid-way by someone.
It was Linda’s assistant, Teresa Cruz.
“It really is you.” Teresa was not alone. Pointing at the car, she said, “Linda’s waiting in the car. I came to buy her donuts.”
She sighed deeply. “Linda wanted the paczki, but they were gone by the time I arrived. You know how particular she is. She refuses to eat anything else.”
The assistant continued complaining, “The morning shoot is extremely hectic. If Linda doesn’t eat anything, how can she handle it?”
Suddenly, she paused, noticing Eric.
She looked at the paper bag in his hand. “Mr. Flynn, are you here for donuts too?”
“Yes.”
A look of discomfort appeared on Eric’s face, with Hadley just a few steps behind him.
“What variety did you get?” asked the assistant, her tone light but probing.
Eric did not respond, looking troubled. Teresa had already seen the label on the bag.
“Paczki.”
“Are those paczki?”
For the first time, Eric hated the clear labeling at Grandma’s Kitchen.
It was becoming annoying.
“Teresa?”
Linda, apparently impatient, had exited the car, her sunglasses and mask on, searching for her assistant.
“Why is it taking so long to get some donuts?” Then she noticed Eric and Hadley.
“Eric, Hadley-are you guys here for breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Linda,” Teresa quickly interjected. “The paczki are all taken, but Mr. Flynn managed to get some.”
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