Page 47 of Twin Babies for the Pucking Billionaires

I play some Chopin, trying to calm my racing mind. I grab a beer and decide to repot some of my plants. The repetitive task helps. I must have been at it for hours because my back is in knots when I finally stand up.

Then I hear the door knock and Declan walks in. He looks at me and says, “Just put Lily to bed and wanted to check in. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I say, trying to sound convincing.

He gives me a knowing look. “I know when you’re okay and you’ve been distracted all day. What’s going on?”

I take a deep breath. “Declan, sit down. We need to talk.”

Declan looks nervous as I wash my hands and bring him a beer. “Remember that girl I slept with once, and then she snuck off the next day?”

“Of course,” he says.

“It’s Millie.”

I watch him mull this over before he stands, then sits, then stands again. “Fuck,” he says, downing half the bottle of beer.

“I know,” I say. “I had no idea I’d see her again, but then I walked into your apartment this morning, and there she was.”

“Fuck!” Declan runs a hand through his hair. “Now what?”

“I’m not sure either,” I admit.

“The mature thing would be for you to talk to her,” Declan says.

I shake my head. “No.”

“We’re facing the Minnesota Frostbites in less than four days. You can’t afford for the coach to bench you because you are distracted. Just talk to her. Get it over with.”

“Won’t it feel like I’m ambushing her? She left, after all,” I remind him.

“It would be easier if you at least figured out why she even left in the first place. You can’t spiral until you know the truth, Finn,” he says.

“Okay,” I take another sip of beer. “What’s the plan?”

“I’ll ask her if she wants to talk in the morning, then I’ll text you. We don’t have practice until noon.”

“Sounds great.”

“Perfect.”

I nod and thank him. We lean back, sipping our beers in silence, lost in our own thoughts.

I head back to my room, trying to process everything. I need to get my head straight. I lie down, staring at the ceiling. Why did she leave? Why is she here now? My phone buzzes with a text from Declan.

>>Talked to her. She’s willing to meet tomorrow morning. Coffee shop at 10.

I stare at the message, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. I need answers, but I’m not sure I’m ready for them.

The next morning, I head to the coffee shop early. I grab a table in the corner, trying to steady my nerves. When Millie walks in, my heart skips a beat. She looks around, spots me, and walks over.

“Hey,” she says, sitting down across from me.

“Hey,” I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.

We sit in awkward silence for a moment before I break it. “It’s been a long time.”

“I know it has.”

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