Page 60 of All I Want is You

“Never mind.” He tosses the now empty bottle to the other side of the couch before he sits down.

I walk over, placing my hand on Anna’s shoulder. “Can you place an order for coffee for us and have my father on standby?”

She whispers, “I can do that. Is he okay?”

“No. Just make sure my calendar is clear. Thanks, Anna.”

She rests her hand on my arm before quietly leaving and closing the door. I follow close behind, turning my blinds closed, so we have as much privacy as we’re going to get. His posture is something I rarely see. He’s completely disheveled. Even after the gym he’s ridiculously put together. He didn’t shave today, which is completely unusual and he’s day drinking.

I lean back against the side of my desk to face the couch he’s on. He’s rubbing his forehead repeatedly so hard he’s leaving marks. “Do you want to talk about it? I’d assume yes since you’re here. Is the baby okay?”

“She’s gone, Eli.”

My stomach drops with those three words. I’m staring at Wes hoping he’ll keep going, that he’ll elaborate. He doesn’t. She’s gone lingers in the air like a layer of smoke. I have to peel it back in the hopes of comforting him.

I leave the perch of my desk to walk over to where he’s sitting. He’s fixated on his hands. He’s picking so hard at his thumbnail I can hear the vibration from his body sitting next to him. I lay my hand over his in an attempt to get him to stop. “When did it happen?”

“This morning.”

“Jesus. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”

“So you didn’t know?”

My head cocks slightly to the left with his question. “How would I know?”

“You really have no idea?”

“I haven’t spoken to anyone. Tell me how I can help you.”

“I don’t think you can, brother. It’s over.”

“Does Hannah have a support system to deal with this? She must be beyond devastated.”

Wes’s head turns, his eyes stare hollowly at me from the corner. “What does she have to do with any of this? No wait, scratch that. You warned me. You told me and I blew you off.”

“Okay, wait. Did Hannah lose the baby?”

He shoves my hand away. “No. Fuck no.”

“You said she’s gone. I thought you meant the baby.”

“Hayley. Hayley’s gone. She packed up all of her things while I was sleeping and left. I don’t even know where she is. I’ve texted dozens of times. I’ve called her phone, it goes to voicemail. I thought she might be here then when she wasn’t, I tortured Anna. I need to tell her I’m sorry.”

“Anna will be fine. She’s worried about you. Back up. Hayley took all of her things?”

“That’s what I meant by I thought you knew. I figured she’d tell you.”

“I haven’t talked to her since we dropped you both off last night.” I reach inside my jacket pocket for my cell. “Dylan would have told me if Hayley had reached out to her. Let me call my mother.”

Wes leans over, dropping his elbows to his knees. His head hangs low against his chest, as his hands shape over the brim of his faded Yankees ball cap. I watch him shake his head and mumble to himself the entire time my phone is ringing.

“Hello, dear,” my mother says.

“Hey, Mom. I think I already know the answer, but is Hayley there?”

“Let me guess, Wesley is with you?”

“Yeah. It’s not good, Mom. Do you know what happened?”

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