Page 108 of One Baby Daddy
“Easy.” I give her my attention. “You pick up the damn phone when I call you and you tell me.”
“You already hate him, I didn’t—”
“You’re damn right I hate him. I mean . . . fuck,” I press my fingers into my brow, squeezing my eyes shut, “Are you seeing him?”
“Like as in dating?”
“Yeah, are you two dating?”
Fiddling with her cardigan, she doesn’t answer me right away, making my heart stammer in my chest and my skin prickle with pure hatred.
“No,” she finally answers.
“Why did it take you so long to answer?”
Turning her head toward the fountain in the middle of the courtyard, she says, “This is none of your business, Hayden. I moved out here for you. If I bring someone with me, that’s my choice, not yours.”
“This is my business when that douche is sharing an apartment with my girl.” The word slips past my lips before I stop it. Adalyn tilts her head in my direction, a slight shake to it.
“I’m not your girl.”
Well I’m fucking aware of that now.
“But you’re his?” She doesn’t answer, sending me into a heated frenzy. “So basically you’re going to give that shithead a second chance when he treated you with nothing but disrespect after he slept with you, but you’re not looking at me twice when I hadno choicein our breaking up, when I wanted nothing more than to try to continue seeing you.” I stand now, pacing back and forth, my mind whirling. “Fuck, Adalyn, do you realize what this is doing to me? That kind of pain you’re putting me through? Why him? Why not me?”
“Because . . .” Her lips quiver, her inability to look me in the eye driving me insane. “You make me hurt too much.”
Halting my pacing, I drop my hand from the back of my neck. “What?”
“He’s easy, Hayden. He’s mindless. He doesn’t make me ache like you do. I’ve had a bad enough pregnancy, I don’t want to make it any harder on myself.”
“So you’re going to fuck a guy I hate with every bone in my body and play house with him, with my baby, because he’s easy? Are you hearing what you’re saying?”
“We’re not fucking as you so eloquently stated.”
“Does he kiss you?” I hold my breath, waiting for her answer. I want those lips for me and me alone. Luscious and plump, so addicting I could spend hours pressing my mouth against hers. I don’t think I can stand knowing Logan gets that privilege, gets to taste her, touch her . . .
“We’re friends, Hayden.”
“But he wants more.” It’s not a question; it’s a statement. I’m not an idiot, I know when a guy is infatuated, when he’s fucking lost over a girl because that dumb-as-shit look Logan gives Adalyn is the same damn look I have on my face.
“I have a feeling he does.” She presses her chin on her knees, staring down at the bench.
Scratching the heavy scruff on my jaw, I decide to try to calm myself, tamping down my anger because that’s not going to get me anywhere. Instead, I go for a more gentle approach. Sitting down next to her, I rub my thumb over her cheek, drawing her attention.
“Adalyn, do you hear what you’re saying? You are aware he has feelings for you. Why would you do this to him? Aren’t you playing him? Using him?”
“No, I’m not. He’s only a—”
“Not inhiseyes. And I don’t believe that you, someone so kindhearted, so giving and selfless normally, would do that.”
She looks away, and I can see she’s trying to deny what I’m saying is true. If she wasn’t confused, weakened by the weeks of being sick, I’d run now, because I don’t want someone so thoughtless handling my heart either. I know it’s not the real her, though.Unless I have read her very badly, but I no longer think so.But I don’t want her focusing on him. I want her heart as it is completely interwoven with mine.
"What can I do to make this work between us?"
She searches my eyes, her brown to my brown. “Hayden,” she sighs, “It was a fling, let’s keep it—”
“Don’t you fucking lie to me about what we had. Respect me enough to never use that word again. It’s an insult, one I don’t deserve.”
