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I narrow my eyes at her, but when I open my mouth to retort, nothing comes out. She's right. I'm sitting here getting frustrated because he's doing all the right things, when I should just be thankful he's still trying. He's still holding on. He won't give up no matter how hard I push back. And there's a lot to be said about that.
Becoming fully vulnerable and exposed, I drop my guard and look at them with fear in my eyes. “What if he hurts me again?”
“I mean, he probably will. He’s a boy. They do stupid things. But I don't think he’ll do it on purpose,” Tye counters.
“You don't know that. He could change his mind. Take one look at the baby and decide being a father isn't what he wants after all. Or he could fall in love with someone else after spending the night at the bar looking for something to take his mind off the hundreds of responsibilities he has at home. Or what if he lies to me again? I can't handle all that. I'll—”
Tye throws a hand over my mouth to stop my rant. “That isn't going to happen. He loves you.”
My shoulders sag in defeat. “How are you so sure?”
“Because he came into Safe & Sound earlier,” she admits.
I throw my hands in the air. “Great, so he was hanging out with Tessa. This is exactly my point!”
She rolls her eyes and then grabs my cheeks. “Listen to me. He came into Safe & Sound to tell Tessa that he can't talk to her anymore.”
“He what?” Amelia and I ask in unison.
Tye nods. “I didn't hear the conversation first hand, but when he left she told me that he said he couldn't talk to her anymore. That he values her friendship and thanked her for everything she's done for him, but that he has to put you first.”
Shocked doesn't even begin to explain how I feel. My whole body is tingling, and my heart is beating against my ribcage like it's trying to break free. I always wished he would pick me over Tessa, but I never thought there would be a time he actually would. It's why I left. I couldn't handle being second choice to the person I always put first. But he...
“Oh my God,” I breathe. “I have to go.”
Tye tosses me the keys to her brand-new car with a smirk, and I run out the door.
I need to get to Easton.
ALL THE LIGHTS IN the house are on as I run up the steps. I pull out the key Easton gave me and shove it into the lock, throwing the door open as soon as I can. Zayn is sitting on the couch and looks at me, confused, but it only takes a second before he figures out what, or rather who, I'm looking for.
“Upstairs in his room,” he tells me.
I thank him and book it up the steps. Before I can second guess myself, I go straight to his bedroom and barge in. Easton is sitting at his desk, earbuds in, hunched over a notebook, but when he turns around and sees me, he yanks them from his ears.
“Kennedy?” He stands up and comes toward me. “Is everything okay?”
“You gave her up,” I say breathlessly.
“What?”
I wipe away a stray tear and hold my head high as I stare back at him. “Tessa. You chose me over her.”
He arches his brows at me. “Of course I did. You're the most important person in my life—you and the baby. I should have figured that out a lot sooner, but better late than never, I guess.”
Everything I was holding against him fades away as I stand here, remembering all the reasons I fell in love with him in the first place.
My best friend's hot older brother.
My favorite late-night conversation partner.
The father of my child.
I take a step toward him. “Say it. Tell me.”
He comes closer and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “It's you. The answer to any choice is always you.”
Emotions wrack through me as I throw myself against his chest. Everything is so overwhelming and I don't know which way is up, but as he wraps his arms around me while I sob, I know I need this. I need him here, holding me tightly when things get to be too much.
