Page 43 of Trying Not to Need You

“Do you know how embarrassing Sunday was for me, Baylor?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The New Year’s Eve dinner. I had to go alone and make excuses for you. It was embarrassing and uncalled for. I’m here to bring you back home where you belong.”

Oh, hell no. I have to force myself to stand still. This prick thinks he’s going to force her to leave with him after weeks of silence? Not happening.

“Why would you need to make excuses for me, Todd? We’ve broken up. We’re done. I left. You made your choice for your future, and I made mine.”

“Is that what this is about? My procedure?”

“Yes!” she yells. “That’s what this is about. We had a plan. We both wanted a family, Todd, and you took that choice away from me without even discussing it.”

“That’s not worth tossing away five years of a relationship.”

“We. Are. Done,” she says, her voice low, but the intensity of her words hits their mark.

“Just come home. It’s been weeks, Baylor.”

“I am home, Todd. This is where my family is. Where my heart is. It took leaving and you destroying us for me to realize that this is where I belong.”

I’ve heard enough. I walk around the stall wall I’ve been hiding behind and don’t stop until I’m standing behind Baylor with my arms wrapped around her waist. She leans into me as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Hey, baby,” I say, kissing her cheek.

“Who the hell are you, and why are you kissing my girlfriend?”

“Ex,” Baylor seethes. “We are not together, and we’re never going to be again,” she says, placing her hands over mine that are resting on her belly.

“Is this him? The one who fucked up?” I ask Baylor.

Todd scoffs. “This is who you left me for?”

We both ignore him as I hold my spot, but I release one hand and offer it to him. “I’ve been dying to finally thank you in person,” I tell him.

He glares at my hand and then back at me.

“Oh, no manners either. Good to know,” I comment. “You dodged a bullet with this one, Bay,” I say, wrapping that arm back around her.

“Her name is Baylor,” Todd spits.

“Thank you.” I nod, and he seems taken aback.

“Doesn’t even know her name,” he scoffs.

“Oh, I know her name. I know everything about her,” I say, my voice dropping, and I can see the steam coming out of his ears. My words hit just as I intended them to. He thinks we’re already sleeping together, which is exactly what I want him to think.

“I’m thanking you for getting fixed.”

“Vasectomy, idiot.” Todd shakes his head in disgust.

I chuckle. “I’m the idiot? You had her, Todd.” His eyes widen as I use his name. Yeah, I know that, too, fuckstick. “You had this incredible woman. You had the chance to hold her in your arms every night, have her by your side every fucking day of forever, and you fucked up. You’re the idiot. I can promise you I’ll fix every piece of her that you broke, and when she’s ready, I’ll give her all the babies.”

He glares at me, so I keep going. “You know what that means, right, Todd? I know you’re not the sharpest knife in the drawer, with getting snipped and all that, so let me dumb it down for you. That means a piece of me will be growing inside her.” Baylor sucks in a sharp breath, but her body relaxes even further into my embrace. “A small piece of her and a small piece of me, creating a new life, something beautiful, a piece of us.” I pause and bury my face in her neck.

I’m hard as a rock, not just from holding her, but from the picture I just painted for him. I want that. I want that life with her more than I’ve ever wanted anything. I’d give up all my buckles, every fucking award, all the accolades for every eight-second ride, to have that life with her.

Baylor presses against me, and I groan. I need to get myself together. I kiss her neck and force myself to slowly lift my head. “So, thank you for fucking up and bringing the best thing that ever happened to me home. This is where she belongs. With her family, with me, and the family we’re going to build together.”

“She’s not meant for this life. Look around, Baylor, we’re standing in a horse barn, and it smells like feces.” He scrunches up his nose.