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I smile. “Thanks. I’m gonna need it.”
He smiles and shakes his head. “You’re crazy as fuck.”
“I know,” I tell him as he gets out.
I decide to go home for a few hours, giving Savannah enough time to return to the hotel and enough time to calm myself down so I don’t freak out on her.
When I’m back home, I walk straight to my bed. I’m exhausted from sleeping on that small ass couch last night. After setting my alarm, I kick off my shoes and quickly fall asleep with Savannah on my mind.
The next thing I know, three hours have passed, and the buzzing rips me from a dead sleep. I get up and leave. As I’m driving over, I notice the sun hanging onto the horizon and splashes of pink and purple on display. Savannah is on my mind; she’s all I can think about. I refuse to allow her to fly back to New York without having this conversation. This discussion can no longer be avoided, and it will be settled tonight even if it’s the last thing I do.
I pull up to valet, and the guy who’s parked my truck each time laughs. “Back again?”
“Unfinished business,” I tell him, confidence oozing from my tone.
As I step inside the hotel, I run my fingers through my hair and look around. I contemplate going to the bar and taking a few shots before heading to her room. I look in that direction, and a smirk hits my face when I see Savannah sitting at the bar drinking a glass of wine. She’s going to have a hard time running away this time.
I cross the lobby and notice the stool next to her is empty. As I’m walking toward her, I can’t seem to pull my eyes away. She’s so fucking beautiful, even when she looks like the saddest woman on the planet.
“Is this seat taken?” I ask, and she immediately turns and looks at me, her eyes going wide.
She lets out a ragged breath and tries to ignore me, but I sit anyway.
“What are you doing here?” Savannah doesn’t make eye contact with me. “Thought you’d be proposing to Veronica, considering she’s having your baby and all.”
My jaw drops. “What did you say?”
Savannah turns and looks at me, shooting daggers. “Didn’t she tell you?”
Laughter roars from deep within. “Wait.” It takes everything I have to find my words. “Pregnant with my baby? I’m pretty sure you have to have sex to get someone pregnant, Sav. You know how it works,” I tell her with a grin, then order a shot of whiskey when the bartender comes up.
She looks at me like I’ve grown a third eye. “I saw the ultrasound, Hayden. I saw the date, and it was from only two weeks ago. I saw her name on it. I held it in my hand. So congratulations.” She deadpans, and I want to shake her.
“Hang on.” I hold up my hand. “When did you see Veronica?”
She takes a sip of her drink, then looks over at me slowly. “After you left, she showed up at my room begging me to stay away from you because her baby needed a daddy. So hold on. Are you telling me—”
“I’m not her baby’s daddy. Wow.” I release a slow breath. “This all makes sense now. Why she was so desperate to get me in her bed. Why she was wearing lingerie and doing everything possible to seduce me.” I face her and lean closer to her. “Sav, we never even kissed. Hell, I didn’t want to kiss her. She probably is pregnant but tried to trap me. I knew something wasn’t right with how she was acting. Un-fucking-believable.”
I can tell she’s trying to work out what I’m saying as I put all the pieces together as well. Anger flashes across her face, and I try to swallow down my frustration with this whole thing.
I can tell she’s upset. Her leg is shaking on the barstool as she processes everything. I grab her hand and tilt her chin so she looks at me. “Please say you believe me?”
For the first time since I sat down, her eyes soften when they meet mine. She slightly nods. “Yes. I do. I’m so sorry, Hayden. I can’t believe I bought her pathetic story and let her manipulate me again. I seriously hate her.”
A rogue tear streams down her cheek, and I wipe it away. She continues, “I thought I was doing the right thing by walking away from ruining your life again. I didn’t want to be in the way of a new family or your relationship.” I don’t miss the way she says again as if she thinks she already has or would have had we stayed together all those years ago.
I shake my head. “That’s the last thing you need to worry about, baby. You’re too kind. Always have been. Even to crazy bitches like Veronica. That’s why you skipped lunch today?”
