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It was a low blow, but so was that punch.
He let out another gust of air, “You get women fawning over you all the time, Liam. Why did you have to go after her? She’s just starting her life. She’s been through so much shit from her parents, from me. She needs someone who will be good to her.”
“And I won’t be?” That fucking hurt.
Colson bowed his head, shaking it before asking, “Why her? Is it just that she was around?”
I pulled the rag away from my nose, finally feeling the flow clot. There was going to be a bruise and zero chance I could hide this from Haley.
“Why did you wait for Nora?”
Cole’s head snapped up, his eyes latching on to mine in challenge.
I shifted forward, needing to grab some ice.
“You couldn’t have her, yet you didn’t date anyone else. You said you did, but we both know that was bullshit. You waited for her. Why?”
My friend ducked under the rope and held it for me so I could exit the ring. Once we were on the mats, I moved toward the locker room with him on my heels.
“I waited because I knew that no one else would ever fit with me the way she did.”
Finding the mirror, I saw my nose. It was red and puffy, and there was swelling around my eyes too.
“That’s why it’s Haley and none of those other women. No one has ever fit with us the way she does. I love her, Cole.”
My friend watched me, as if he was sure I’d add something else to the end of that statement. Or take it back. When I dipped my face to rinse off the blood, I heard him clear his throat.
“Love…that’s… I thought…didn’t it just start at the wedding?”
I grabbed a paper towel and blotted my face. “No, man. It’s been going on for months. Shortly after she got here. And yes, it is why I left. She wanted more of a foundation, and I couldn’t handle being around her if I couldn’t have her.”
His face remained impassive as he watched me in the mirror, until he finally asked, “Does she know?”
Turning away from the mirror, I sat down on the bench and stared at the floor, thinking over how I wanted to word this.
“She knows I feel strongly for her, but I haven’t explicitly told her that I love her.”
Finally settling next to me, Cole leaned forward placing his elbows on top of his knees.
We sat there in silence, just watching nothing as the sounds from the gym lightly reverberated through the locker room door.
“Have you told her anything about Lacey?”
This was not something I wanted to discuss, but for the sake of transparency and getting back in a good place with my best friend, I answered.
“She knows some things. Lacey confronted her before I left. It’s what made her want space.”
Cole turned and lowered his head so that when he spoke it was quiet.
“Does she know what Lacey did to Maddy?”
Fuck. No. At least I didn’t think she did. I assumed Haley would have mentioned something if she heard that story from Maddy.
My best friend knew all this shit about me because for the first time in my life, I actually had someone to share the burden with, but I wasn’t eager to share my greatest failure as a father with Haley. She would be sweet about it, but there’s no doubt she’d look at me differently if she knew what I had allowed to happen, all because I was in love and wanted the mother of my children to be okay.
I let out a sigh and decided we’d done enough sharing. I had people to train and investors to reach out to.
“Are you going to be okay with us? I’d like to know so we can come visit. The girls will miss you.”
