“Co-parenting,” he repeats, and I hate the way his face lights up. “So you’re not together?”
I flick my eyes between his for a long moment. “It doesn’t matter if we’re together. I need to be home.”
“Okay,” he says, and I’m relieved he’s not pressing. “How about you take my number, and we can figure something out?”
“Uh, yeah. Sure.”
After swapping numbers and saying our goodbyes, I head home. Finn has been texting me throughout the day, but that doesn’t mean he’s okay. I feel awful about earlier, and I should never have let my needs get in the way of our current relationship.
I did this. I’m the only one to blame.
The second I walk through the door, I find Finn lying on his back with Skye sleeping peacefully on his chest. Finn’s green eyes flick to mine as he flashes a small but empty smile.
“Hey,” I whisper as I drop my bag onto the floor. “Everything okay?”
Finn nods silently.
My body tenses at his coldness. “Want me to take her?”
“She’s been asleep for like an hour,” he murmurs. “She might continue to sleep if you put her in her cot.”
As I step towards them, I scoop Skye up into my arms and try my hardest not to wake her up. When I return, Finn is sitting upright and has turned the TV off. There is strained tension in the air, and it’s agonising.
“Can we talk?” I whisper.
Finn sighs and lowers his head. “About what?”
“About earlier.”
“I’d rather not,” he strains as he rolls a hand down the back of his head. “I’d rather not hear all of it again. It was enough once.”
My heart stammers. “Oh—” I tremble before wrapping my arms around myself. “Yeah, okay.”
“Will you be okay for an hour or two?” he asks, finally meeting my eyes.
“Yeah. Why?”
Finn clears his throat. “I’m—” He pauses. “I’m gonna go to a meeting. I just…I really need it right now.”
My eyes burn, and my nose stings at his words. He might go to meetings regularly, but I know this is different. He’s actively going to seek one out because of me, because of what I caused.
“Okay.” I attempt not to let any tears fall.
“I’ll be back,” he says softly. “I wouldn’t leave you guys after the attempted break-in.”
I sniffle. “Take as much time as you need.”
Finn’s expression is near blank, and it terrifies me. “I’ll see you later.”
When he leaves, the apartment is deathly silent, and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I stand there for a long moment and try to wrap my head around what happened and how I can fix it. I start to pace as my stomach flips over and over.
“Fuck,” I mutter to myself.
Without hesitation, I reach for my phone and call JJ. I don’t know what else to do.
“Hello?”
“Hey,” I murmur and start to toy with my necklace anxiously. “It’s Maya.”
