Page 94 of Backup Plan

She walks in fifteen minutes after twelve.

I pull her straight into my arms, and it feels like it might be the last time I get to do this.

I don’t know how I’m going to do any of this without her. But I lived the first twenty-six years of my life without her as the center of it. I’ll figure out some way to move forward.

“Hey,” she whispers, and she pulls back. “What’s going on?”

I can’t help myself. I drop my lips to hers to give myself one last memory. It’s urgent and intense, a mirror reflecting my emotions right now, and when I pull back, she seems breathless and a bit flustered.

“Liam, you’re scaring me.”

“Look, Pen, I love you, but I can’t make this harder for you. Your ex is going to use my situation against you in court, and I refuse to be the reason you don’t get everything you deserve.” The words seem to fall out of me.

Her jaw slackens as she stares at me. “What are you saying?”

“I’m so sorry.”

“About what?” She seems confused. She seems like she’s not getting it.

“I never wanted it to come to this, but I can’t be with you. I can’t put your family or your friendship with my sister at risk anymore if you’re not willing to tell her,” I say softly.

“But…but…but I put in for the relocation request with the courts. I don’t care what Brent says.” The venom in her voice when she says his name is fierce.

But it can’t change my mind. I hate him, too. With my entire being. But it doesn’t change the fact that he’s their father, and he isn’t going to bend.

I don’t even have a child yet, and even I can understand that. She wants to move across the country and take them away from him. He’ll get even less time than he gets now.

It doesn’t matter that he’s the one who cheated. All that matters is that Penny is the one trying to move.

“Maybe if I didn’t have a baby on the way with another woman, things could be different, but you need to put your kids first, and I need to do the same.”

“Liam, stop. We’re both putting our kids first. It’s why I want to get the hell away from Brent. It’s why I want to move to San Diego to be with you.”

“I just don’t see any other way around this. He’ll keep fighting. He won’t give up his kids to let you move in with me, and he’ll use us both to get his way. Between the very public trial happening with my father right now, my family and I can’t afford more bad press. I’m just trying to do what’s right for everybody here.”

She purses her lips. “Except for yourself. What happened to I can’t do this without you, Pen?” she asks, lowering her voice to mimic me. Poorly, I might add.

“I guess I’ll figure it out. You’re welcome to stay here. I know it’s close for the kids, and I’m heading to San Diego soon anyway. I can stay at Madden’s or Everleigh’s house for now.”

She purses her lips and squares her shoulders. “For the record, I think you’re being a giant coward.”

I take the hit. Maybe I am, or maybe she is since she won’t tell Everleigh. Maybe someday she’ll see that I’m just trying to put on a brave face for everyone else. This isn’t what I want. At all. But I’m doing it to protect everyone around me—my family, her family, her kids…and even myself. I can’t continue to be her backup, even if it leaves me broken and lost in the end.

CHAPTER 30: Penny Calloway

I Fell in Love

So…I’m just supposed to go back to work and pretend like Liam Freaking Bradley didn’t just rip my heart out, stomp on it for good measure, and hand it back to me to put it back together?

Right.

No.

I text my boss.

Me: I think I ate something bad at lunch. I need to take the afternoon off.

I can’t believe this.