"You already take care of me," Eric said softly.
"How would you like your fried egg?" Hailey asked, carefully cracking another egg into the pan. "I was debating with myself earlier about whether you prefer scrambled or sunny side up."
"Sunny side up," Eric said, moving to stand beside her. "And you were talking to yourself about my egg preferences?"
"Among other things," Hailey admitted. "I have very interesting conversations with myself."
"I'll bet you do," Eric said with amusement.
"Don't make fun of me," Hailey said, nudging him with her elbow. "Some of us think out loud."
"Okay," Eric said, adjusting the heat to make sure the eggs wouldn't overcook.
Eric moved toward the coffee maker, which was already brewing a fresh pot.
"Do you want coffee?" Eric asked, reaching for two mugs from the cabinet.
"That's alright," Hailey said quickly. "I'll make it. You should leave it there."
"Why?" Eric asked, pausing with the mugs in his hands.
"Because I'm the host," Hailey said. "I invited you over, so I should be taking care of you."
"It's alright," Eric insisted, already pouring the dark liquid into the mugs. "I can handle coffee duty."
"But I wanted to do it," Hailey protested. "I had this whole plan of being the perfect hostess."
"Two sugars?" Eric asked, reaching for the sugar bowl, ignoring her protests.
"Yes," Hailey said with a sigh. "You remembered."
"I pay attention," Eric said simply.
"Most people don't," Hailey said. "Most people think I drink my coffee black because I look like the type who would."
"What type is that?" Eric asked, stirring sugar into her mug.
"Tough, no-nonsense, probably-drinks-protein-shakes-for-breakfast type," Hailey said.
"But you have a sweet tooth," Eric observed.
"The sweetest," Hailey confirmed. "I put sugar in everything. Even my protein shakes."
She continued cooking, but found herself stealing glances at Eric as he prepared their coffee.
"This is nice," she said softly.
"What's nice?" Eric asked, looking up from the coffee.
"This," Hailey gestured around the kitchen. "Us. Doing normal couple things."
Eric noticed her staring and caught her eye.
"What are you staring at?" Eric asked, his tone amused.
Hailey smiled sheepishly, feeling her cheeks warm.
"I'm just not used to it," she admitted.
"Used to what?" Eric prompted.
"Having someone here in the morning," Hailey said, flipping the eggs carefully. "Normally, I live alone and talk to myself a lot more freely."
"You mean you hold back when I'm here?" Eric asked with a grin.
"You have no idea," Hailey laughed. "I have full conversations with my appliances when I'm alone."
"What do they say back?" Eric asked, playing along.
"The coffee maker is very supportive," Hailey said jokingly. "The toaster, however, is judgmental."
Eric chuckled. "I'll have to have a word with the toaster."
"It's nice, really," Hailey added softly. "Having someone here. Having you here."
"Good," Eric said, handing her a mug of coffee. "Because I like being here."
The warmth seeped through the ceramic into her hands.
"I don't have to work this morning," Hailey said, trying to keep her tone casual. "Do you want me to give you a ride home? Or we could do something together? We could go for a walk, or see a movie, or—"
Eric's expression changed slightly, and he shook his head.
"It's alright," Eric said. "It's a mess in my family now."
"What kind of mess?" Hailey asked, immediately concerned. "Is everything okay? Is someone sick?"
"Just... family stuff," Eric said vaguely, not meeting her eyes.
"Eric," Hailey said gently. "You can talk to me about it. Whatever it is."
"It's complicated," Eric said.
"Most family stuff is," Hailey said. "But sometimes talking helps."
Eric was quiet for a moment, then looked up at her with an expression she couldn't quite read.
"Can I hide here for a few days?" Eric asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Hailey's heart leaped at the suggestion, and she couldn't keep the happiness from her voice.
"Of course," she said eagerly. "Stay as long as you want."
"Are you sure?" Eric asked. "I don't want to impose."
"Impose?" Hailey repeated. "Eric, I would love nothing more than to have you stay."
She paused, then added with a bright smile, "Or you can move in and stay with me for a long, long time if you want to."
The words hung in the air between them, and Hailey immediately realized she had said too much.
Eric didn't respond, just stared at her with an unreadable expression.
The familiar pang of disappointment hit her chest.
"I was just kidding," she said quickly, trying to laugh off the moment. "I mean, not kidding about wanting you to stay, but kidding about the moving in part. Sort of. Maybe."
She was rambling now, and she knew it.
"The eggs are ready," she said, desperate to change the subject.
But part of her hadn't been kidding at all, and they both knew it.
----
Later that afternoon, Hailey returned to the training facility.
The main training area was filled with afternoon light, and the women were positioned on their mats for sit-ups.
"Ladies!" Hailey called out as she entered. "How's everyone feeling today?"
"Tired already," Emma called back, her face already flushed with effort.
"Well, we haven't started yet, so that's concerning," Hailey said with a laugh.
"Are you alright?" Hailey asked, noticing their positioning. "Are you ready to begin?"
"Yes!" the women replied in unison, their voices strong and confident.
"Excellent," Hailey said, clapping her hands together. "Let's start with sit-ups. Nice and steady."
She moved among them, her movements graceful and relaxed. She knelt beside Sarah who had struggled with her form the day before.
"How are you feeling today, Sarah?" Hailey asked gently.
"Better than yesterday," Sarah replied, already starting her sit-ups.
"Good," Hailey said, placing a supportive hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Take it easy. You're doing great. Don't push yourself too hard."
"But I want to improve," Sarah said.
"And you will," Hailey assured her. "But improvement comes with consistency, not with pushing until you hurt yourself."
She moved to the next woman, Emma.
"Emma, how's that shoulder feeling?" Hailey asked.
"It's okay," Emma replied, though her face was flushed with effort. "Just a little tight."
"Are you tired?" Hailey asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"I'm okay," Emma replied.
"If you need to take a break, just let me know," Hailey said. "There's no shame in pacing yourself. I'd rather you train smart than train injured."
"Thanks, Hailey," Emma said gratefully.
She continued moving through the group, offering words of encouragement and gentle corrections.
"Beautiful form, Jessica," she said to another woman. "Keep your core engaged, but don't forget to breathe."
"I always forget to breathe," Jessica panted.
"That's because you're concentrating so hard," Hailey said. "Try counting out loud. It'll force you to breathe."
"One... two... three..." Jessica began counting.
"Perfect," Hailey said with a smile.
Clara and Melanie exchanged puzzled looks as they continued their exercises.
"Is it just me," Clara whispered to Melanie, "or is Hailey being unusually nice today?"
"That's true," Melanie whispered back. "She's like a completely different person."
"Yesterday she made us do handstands until our arms shook," Clara added quietly.
"And today she's worried about Sarah pushing too hard," Melanie agreed.
"Maybe she got some good news," Clara suggested.
"Or maybe she's in love," Melanie said with a knowing smile.
"In love?" Clara's eyes widened. "With that guy who came yesterday?"
"Who else?" Melanie said. "Did you see the way she looked at him?"
"And the way she fell off her handstand," Clara giggled.
"Ladies," Hailey called out, having overheard their whispers. "Are we gossiping or exercising?"
"Both," Clara said honestly, not missing a beat in her sit-ups.
"Multitasking," Melanie added with a grin.
Hailey shook her head but smiled. "At least you're honest."