by Eden Finley
The two weekends Cody had stayed with me were a good reminder that Paige did the right thing by walking out on me. Still didn’t mean it didn’t fucking hurt. I was appreciative that she didn’t put up much of a fight—it was what I needed—but I also hated that she gave up so easily. I had to keep reminding myself there wasn’t much of a choice, but part of me was wondering if I was more invested in her than she was in me.
Stop thinking about her. I inwardly groaned; it was impossible to stop.
Now that I’d returned her phone charger by sending it home with Cody the second weekend, she had no reason to come to the apartment. I may or may not have kept it hostage in hopes she’d come by and we could … I wasn’t sure … talk? I just wanted to see her. The times I’d gone to pick Cody up or drop him off, either she was hiding in her room or she wasn’t home. Not that Reece let me set foot in the house though anyway—we’d taken a step back in that department. She was back to being untrusting and nervous about letting Cody come stay with me. It was something about me being able to hide a relationship so easily, and she was wondering what else I was hiding from her.
She had to let me in the house this afternoon, though, and I was definitely going to see Paige. She’d no doubt be at Cody’s birthday party. I just hoped I could keep my shit together.
“Ready to go?” Hunter said, knocking on my bedroom door.
I grabbed my present for Cody—a violent video game I knew Reece would hate—off my bed and made my way out of the room. Walking past Hunter, I mumbled, “Yeah. I guess so.”
“You don’t have to go, you know.”
I spun to face him. “Not an option. I’m seeing my son on his birthday. I have nothing else.”
He nodded. “I get it, I really do. But I don’t know if seeing her is what’s best for you right now.”
“Always with the fucking counselling. I already have a psychologist, I don’t need one at home, too.”
He crossed his arms across his chest. “And when was the last time you saw her?”
“Who?”
“Your psychologist.”
“Stop mothering me!” I yelled, purely getting defensive because he had a point. I hadn’t had counselling in over a year, but I was adamant I didn’t need it.
****
My nerves hadn’t made an appearance until we were pulling up to Reece and Paul’s place. Palms sweaty, I wiped them on my jeans as I walked up to the door with Hunter trailing behind.
Reece answered the door with a smile, but it fell from her face as soon as she saw me. “Come in. Everyone’s out back,” she said, her tone short and clipped.
I lifted my chin in response and walked past her into the house. Despite Hunter’s and Reece’s often public snarkiness towards each other, they still greeted one another with a kiss on the cheek.
In the split second I paused at the back door, Hunter ran into the back of me and then gave me a shove, forcing me outside.
There was a giant bouncy house, an entertainer dressed as a fairy doing face painting at a table, kids running rampant, and parents galore standing around talking.
Paul noticed me and started striding towards me.
“I’ve got your back, brother,” Hunter muttered beside me.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. A lecture about sleeping with his daughter, an order to get out of his house—these things I would’ve understood. But him approaching me and shaking my hand, asking how I’d been, was not on the list of things that should’ve happened. But it did anyway. He, too, had been absent the last two weeks of drop offs and pick ups.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Yeah … uh, I’m good. You?” I asked, my voice completely giving away my confusion.
“Yeah, good, thanks.” He turned to Hunter. “Good to see you again, Hunter. I’m a little surprised you came considering your recent history with Paige.”
Both of our mouths dropped open in shock.
“Uh, yeah,” Hunter stumbled for words. “Well, Cody means a lot to me.”
“I know you two were kind of seeing each other, although Reece said it was all top secret and I wasn’t meant to know about it. Don’t tell Paige I told you this, but she’s been moping around the last few weeks, driving all of us crazy.”
“Uh …” Hunter stammered.
At least she’s been as miserable as me. “So where’s the birthday boy?” I asked, a little of extra pep in my voice. As much as I hated Paige was upset, it made me feel better that I wasn’t the only one suffering like I’d thought.
Paul pointed to the bouncy house, and I started to make my way there after putting Cody’s present on the gift table.
“Why does her dad still think she was with me?” Hunter asked as we walked across the lawn.
“I have no idea. I would’ve thought Reece would’ve told him the truth by now, but I’m kind of glad she didn’t. I don’t think I want to question it.”
We didn’t make it to the bouncy house. My eyes landed on Paige, across the yard. Dammit. I forgot how beautiful she was.
My heart constricted, and the self-deprecating misery returned. Then there was the stabbing pain I felt when some blond guy—built like a brick shithouse—approached her with a warm smile and a bottle of water, placing it in her hand.
Who the fuck is that?
“Is she on a date?” Hunter asked incredulously.
I shrugged. “She’s allowed to be.” She so wasn’t allowed to be. I let out a sigh at my thoughts. She wasn’t mine. She was officially mine for all of twelve hours before it all fell to pieces.
Her eyes caught me staring, and the smile she was giving the dickhead beside her fell from her face. She gave a small head nod hello, but then turned back to her date, putting her back to me.
“Oh, hell no,” I muttered. “I haven’t seen her for three weeks and that’s all I get?” She’s seriously on a date at my son’s birthday party?
My feet started making their way towards her without my permission. I didn’t look back, but I knew Hunter was on my heels. My hands fisted at my sides while I gritted my teeth.
“Oh. Hey,” she said when I reached her.
“What the fuck, Paige?” I growled.
The guy next to her laughed. Actually freaking laughed. “He’s got quite the mouth on him considering he’s at a kid’s birthday party.” He had an accent, drawling out his words.
“You got a problem with me?” I asked, taking a step forwards and getting in his face—his giant face that was a foot above my own.
“Cole, seriously, calm down,” Paige said, stepping between me and whoever the hell this guy was.
Her hand went to my forearm. The touch warmed my skin and my eyes jolted to hers. There was worry in them and something else. I thought I saw fear. The crack in my heart that she caused three weeks ago burst, smashing to pieces in my chest.
Hunter grabbed my elbow, pulling me back. I stumbled a few feet, wide-eyed and hurt at the look Paige was giving me.
“Go say happy birthday to Cody and let’s bail,” Hunter said quietly next to me. “I told you it wasn’t a good idea to come.”
The anger was sitting on my chest, making my throat tense and my mouth dry. Nodding to Hunter, I turned and almost ran into Reece who was standing right behind me with her eyebrow cocked.
“Whatever, Reece,” I said before she could even talk. “I’m just going to talk to Cody and then we’re leaving.”
“Good. For a minute there, I thought you were going to punch Paige’s brother in the face.”
Brother? She has a brother? I frantically tried recalling all the conversations I’d had with Paige. I didn’t think there was a mention of a brother … Wait … something about Texas ran through my mind … I’m such a fucking idiot.
I forced my face into an impassive expression.
“Don’t go yet, we were about to make an announcement,” Reece said, that evil gleam in her eye once again. I’d noticed she’d been using it a lot recently.
Hunter dragged me farther awa
y from Paige, and I was thankful I didn’t have to face her after what I just did.
Reece joined Paul outside the back door to the yard and laced her hand in his as he called for everyone’s attention.
I inwardly groaned, however, it mustn’t have been as inwardly as I’d hoped. Hunter elbowed me in the ribs to silence me.
“We have a small announcement to make,” Paul said, looking lovingly into Reece’s eyes.
Ugh.
“It’s still really early, but we figured we could tell you all while you were here,” Reece said, her hand going to her stomach.
The air in my lungs completely left me when I realised what they were about to say. There was a voice in my head screaming, no, no, no, no, no, but it was drowned out by my heartbeat hammering in my ears.
“Are you pregnant?” Reece’s mother jumped up excitedly from where she was sitting at the outdoor dining table. I hadn’t actually noticed her parents were there at all. Not that they would’ve said hello to me if I did. The animosity between Reece’s parents and me had never wavered over the years. It started as soon as I knocked up their nineteen-year-old daughter and never left, only got worse after what I did to her.
Reece nodded, the grin on her face absolutely blinding.
My eyes found Paige’s across the lawn. The blood had completely drained from her face, and her brother’s mouth was open so wide, I was sure a fly was going to swoop in and take up residence.
I shook my head and averted my gaze, unable to stand the hurt in her eyes. Cody and Paige were going to share a blood sibling. Even if Reece got over her shit and gave us her blessing—something that there was absolutely no chance of happening now—it wouldn’t change the fact that Cody and Paige were even closer as siblings now than ever before.
“Fuck this,” I muttered to Hunter.
“Damn straight,” was his reply.
I found Cody quickly, gave him a quick hug and a happy birthday, and Hunter and I left during the big congratulatory commotion, slipping out unnoticed.
“You just need more time away from her,” Hunter said on our way home. I was pretty sure he was trying to be reassuring, but it came out condescending. I was glad he was focusing on the Paige side of the coin and not the whole Reece was pregnant thing.
I managed to ignore the conversation entirely by giving a single grunt. I was barely holding my shit together, and I knew if I said something, I wouldn’t be able to stop. There was no way I was opening those floodgates.
Once at home, I stomped into my room and slammed my door behind me.
I took out my phone from my back pocket and scrolled to Paige’s number.
Don’t do it, the voice in my head said. But I needed to at least apologise for my behaviour. That’s what I kept telling myself, anyway.
My heart hammered in my chest as it began to ring. And ring. And ring. When it cut to voicemail, I almost hung up, but then the beep was there, and she would’ve known I called and then left a breathy five-second message before hanging up. Now it was ten seconds.
Clearing my throat, I left a simple but strained message. “Sorry for freaking out today … I … I assumed the wrong thing about your brother, and I just couldn’t take it. I guess this breakup has been tougher on me than I was expecting it to be. And then the whole Reece thing on top … I … I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called.” I let out a long sigh, knowing I definitely shouldn’t have said words that came tumbling out of my mouth two seconds later. “I miss you.”
I hit end on the call and cringed. Calling her was a bad idea. It seemed like I was full of bad ideas, because before I knew it, I was rushing out of the apartment, ignoring the “Where are you going?” from Hunter, and walked the few blocks to the nearest bar.
22
- PAIGE -
“Did that just happen?” Danny said beside me. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape.
“Uh-huh,” I stammered. “She’s pregnant.” I was fairly sure my expression mirrored Danny’s.
“And here I thought your ex-boyfriend wanting to beat my skull in was going to be the highlight of the party. Did he seriously think he could take me, by the way?” He flashed his muscly guns, kissing his biceps. “I mean, really?”
I laughed. “Thank you for distracting me with your lunacy yet again.” Danny had been great the past few weeks. I told him everything the night we went drinking; I didn’t have any secrets from my big brother. When I wasn’t at uni, I was basically with him. Or Sara. But never with both of them.
“Seriously though, P, he’s either insanely stupid or head over heels in love with you to pick a fight with a guy twice his size just for talking to you.”
I let out a sigh. “It doesn’t matter if Cole is in love with me, because you do realise his son is going to be big brother to our little brother or sister? How fucked up is that?”
“True. Pretty fucked up, I guess. But … I dunno … I kinda liked him. I liked he was willing to throw down for you.” Danny shrugged. “You need someone like that. It just sucks our stepmother-to-be has her head up her ass.”
I almost choked on my laughter.
By the time everyone had finished hugging and congratulating Reece and Dad, I noticed Cole and Hunter were gone. They must’ve snuck out after the announcement. I didn’t blame them. If I could have, I would’ve left, too.
And to add icing on the cake, Dad and Reece left us with another announcement. “We’ve also decided we don’t want to wait to make this thing official,” Dad said. “I want nothing more than to have my two kids with me when we tie the knot. So we’re taking advantage while Danny’s here with us. Three weeks from today, the little lady and I are getting married. The details still need to be ironed out because of the short notice, but make sure you keep the seventeenth open.”
More gasps and cheering came from all of the adult guests, while the kids continued to play as if my whole world didn’t just become stifled and suffocating.
“Thanks, bro.” I started to storm into the house, but Danny’s voice carried after me.
“You seriously can’t be blaming me for this,” he yelled.
I waved him off. It wasn’t really his fault, but the people I wanted to blame weren’t going to listen to me.
Hiding myself away in the laundry room for ten minutes, I tried to get a hold of my breathing. I had to go back out there and put on a brave face, as if their announcements hadn’t affected me. I didn’t want Reece to see me crumble, but worse, I didn’t want Dad to push me for an explanation again. I’d told him I hated Reece, but he was still marrying her anyway.
****
Shamelessly, I listened to Cole’s message for the millionth time while wallowing in self-pity in my room. The party started to wind down around five PM, but quite a few people hung around. What started out as a Cody’s birthday party had turned into a bigger celebration. All the adults were drinking, and by seven PM, it was all getting messy, which was when I came into my room and found the message on my phone.
“Yo, sis,” Danny said before opening my door. “I’m heading out.”
I sat up on my bed and wiped my weary eyes. With a yawn, I muttered, “Okay. Tell Mum I’ll catch up with her sometime this week.” Mum lived an hour’s drive away, an hour and a half during peak hour, so I didn’t catch up with her often but tried to make time for her whenever I could.
My phone was still in my hand from the repeated listening to Cole’s smooth voice, when it started ringing. Cole’s handsome face stared up at me from the screen. He was calling again.
“Is that him?” Danny asked.
I nodded. “Do I answer it?”
“Duh.”
“What about—”
“Screw Reece!” Danny raised his voice before covering his mouth with his hand. “Oops, I think that was a bit loud.” He jumped on the edge of my bed, waiting to eavesdrop.
“Nu-uh, out.”
“Aww, but …” he whined.
I hit answer before it could go to voicemail, while shooin
g Danny towards the door, but his movements were exaggeratedly slow, and he wasn’t even near the door when the line connected. “Hello?” My voice was high and shrill, totally not calm and casual like I was hoping for.
An unfamiliar deep rumble of a voice came through the other end, “Uh, is this … Shortcake?”
“Who’s this?” I asked, my tone panicked. Danny picked up on it and spun to face me, his eyes full of concern.
“Uh … do you know the guy whose phone this is?”
Worst-case scenarios were running through my head. He’s dead. He was in a car accident. He’s been kidnapped by punk gangsters.
My breathing was shallow, and tears pricked my eyes. “Oh my God, what happened?” I stammered.
“He’s okay, he’s okay,” the man said reassuringly, sensing the panic in me. My lungs filled with air again. “He’s just passed out. At my bar.”
Just like that, the air left me again and I couldn’t breathe. “Which one?” I asked frantically.
“You know where Sugar Shooters is on Main?”
Where we met.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
Ending the call, I jumped out of bed and started searching my room for my shoes.
“What’s happened?” Danny asked.
“He’s passed out at a bar,” I said, getting to my knees to search under my bed for my shoes. Any shoes. Where the hell are all my shoes?
“I thought you said he doesn’t drink?”
“He doesn’t,” I snapped and then told myself to calm down. I let out a loud, slow breath. “That’s why this is really bad. I have to get to him before anyone finds out. I—”
“I’ll go with you,” he cut me off.
“Thank you.”
Danny insisted on driving, which was probably for the better. My leg jackhammered against the floor of the car all the way to the bar.