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Briana couldn’t stay quiet any longer. She stood up and got in Shawn’s face. “So you agree that he is partly responsible for this baby, but you don’t agree that he should have a say in what happens with the baby, is that right?”
“Yup,” Shawn responded. She put her finger in Briana’s face. “You, however, have no say in any of this, so why don’t you sit your ass down?”
“Hey,” Colin exclaimed, stepping in front of Briana to block her. “Don’t talk to her like that. You’re the one who is unwelcome here, so how about you tell me what you want and get out?”
“I made an appointment for next week. I just need you to send your half of the money to this address.” Shawn handed him a business card. “All of the information is on the back.”
“I’ll take care of it. Now please, just go.”
Shawn did as he requested and left as quickly as she’d arrived.
He walked back into his room and lay down on the bed, wondering how he’d ever recover from this latest development in his life.
Chapter Nineteen
Briana followed him and lay down next to him, cradling his body with hers.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He turned to face her, his eyes glistening as he spoke. “I’m not mad at her for her decision. She never wanted to have kids, I get that. But for one moment there, I was a father, and I found the possibility…exciting.”
She pulled his head to her breast and caressed his hair, letting him come to terms with the loss of a precious thing that he’d never really had. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened to their relationship if Shawn had been there to tell Colin that she was keeping the baby.
Briana was positive that he would be an amazing father. Although she knew that she wanted to focus on school and wasn’t ready to have a child of her own, she didn’t think that Colin having a child would have effected them negatively.
She had to admit that seeing the way he’d reacted to Shawn’s news had really made her proud, and nothing could have endeared him to her more.
More than she ever had before, she loved the man he was today.
I love Colin, she thought to herself, the smile building until it took over her face.
She continued to play with his hair until he fell in to a light sleep, then hugged him to her and wondered what their future would hold.
When Briana went to work the next evening, she was happy to see Roni and Nicole manning the hostess stand.
“Hey, Roni. It looks like you got the job. Congratulations.”
“Thanks, Bree,” Roni responded with a smile. “I appreciate the hook up. Nicole was just explaining everything to me before she goes to train with Kara. I think this will be fun.”
“Remember you said that in a few weeks, when you want to kill me for getting you into this,” Briana said with a chuckle as she walked towards the back. She noticed Kent sitting at the bar and wondered how long he’d been there. He looked like he was pretty hammered.
She went back to put her things down, and noticed that she had a text from Colin.
“Bree, I know I said this already, but you’re so amazing. It really means a lot that you were there for me yesterday. That was the craziest moment of my life, and you being there made it much more bearable.”
Briana smiled to herself and replied, “Anytime. Really. I’m happy that I was there. I’ll talk to you after work.”
She put her phone away and figured that she’d better man up and go out there and talk to Kent. She really did want to remain friends with him. She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it if he hated her. He just meant too much.
She approached Kent and leaned against the bar next to him. “Hey, Kent,” she said softly. “How’s it going?”
He peered at her with bloodshot eyes. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in over a week, and he may not have showered in just as long.
“Hey, Babe,” he slurred. “You coming back?”
Briana felt sad in the pit of her stomach, unable to believe that he was this affected by her rejection. She knew that he liked her, but thought it was more of a passing fancy.
“No, Kent. I’m sorry. Why don’t you put the drink down and go home and get some rest?”
