Page 94 of Breaking Ryan Baylor

“I missed you guys, too. And I think we’re gonna be OK, me and her. I’ve kinda accepted that we’re not together anymore, and I just wanna focus on building up a friendship with her. I think I might be ready for that.”

“That’s good, Rook.” Hayes paused, debating whether or not to let him know, and finally deciding that it wouldn’t be fair not to. “Hey, so, there’s something you should probably know.”

“Yeah? What’s that? You two run off and get married while I was gone?”

“Nah. Thought about it, but we ultimately decided against it.” For now, he thought it best to fast-forward through the part about him pounding her in the ass on his bed, along with the four other times they’d had sex while he was gone: twice in his truck, once on Amara and Ryan’s kitchen countertop, and once in the laundry room of the apartment building, just to bring everything full-circle. “Seriously, you guys aren’t together anymore, so it really isn’t a big deal, but…”

“But what, Hayes? Spill the tea already.”

“Alright. She’s kinda datin' a guy she met at The Bull. They’re not like, together, and I don’t think they’re fuckin'. But she’s been out with him a couple times for coffee, and I think she really likes him.”

There it was.

Ryan leaned forward, resting his head in his hands and exhaling loudly.

“Rook, you g…”

“Gimme a minute,” Ryan interrupted. “Just gimme…a minute.” He felt his heart beginning to race, but he began to reason with his anxiety.

She isn’t your girlfriend anymore. She deserves to be happy, just like you deserve to be happy. You should be happy for her. She’s your friend, and friends support each other.

Employing another successful technique that Dr. Gephart had shared with him, he felt his heart rate start to return to normal. “You meet him?” Ryan finally asked.

“Nah,” Hayes replied. “But I’ve seen him.”

“And?”

“It’s bad, Rook.”

“Oh God. Bad as in what?”

“He’s older, probably her age, which I think will be really good for her. But he’s jacked. Like, jacked. Arms like fuckin’ cannons. And he looks just like Seguin, bro.”

“Fuck,” Ryan ran his fingers through his hair and looked at Hayes. “Seguin? Fuck. I want her to be happy, but is it too much to ask for her to be happy with someone who doesn’t look like the literal hottest man alive?”

“I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I wouldn’t bring it up to her, but if it does come up, I didn’t want you to be blindsided.”

“Thanks, man.” He sighed. “Well, I was over her.”

“Stop it. Anyway, guess what?”

“What?”

“It’s my birthday, bitch!”

“Oh shit. Finally legal!”

“Damn straight. And after the game tonight, we’re all going out to celebrate. So make sure you bring your clothes with you to the arena because we’re leaving right after.”

“Happy birthday, Hayes. I’m glad we can finally party together.”

“Me too.”

Hayes cast a sideways glance at Ryan, remembering the “truth time” conversation he’d had with Amara the night they’d spent together in Ryan’s room.

“It’s that obvious, eh?”

“Totally. For what it’s worth, I’m…pretty sure it’s not one-sided, Ty.”

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