Page 27 of Accidental Baby Daddy

“It’s quite the story,” I said. “Do you guys want to hear about it?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Ciara breathed.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, I ran from the church right before the song started announcing the bride was walking down the aisle.”

“On foot?” Gray asked, his eyes widening.

“On foot,” I admitted. “I hitched a ride with a female trucker, who took me to the airport. I didn't even grab my purse before I ran off, and all I had was a little bit of cash stuffed down my bra. My ex had convinced me to let him handle the finances for a while. It was a bad move.”

“That’s really brave,” Ciara said, and I smiled at her. I wasn’t sure how to act around Gilly’s friends. I was already starting college by the time she entered high school, therefore, I’d never gotten to know them.

“Thank you,” was all I could say.

“Was he a bad guy?” Joshua asked. “Was that the reason you left him?”

I hesitated. “I don’t know if he’s a bad guy. I just know that he was bad for me. We were bad together.”

Ciara nodded. “I’ve had a couple like that.”

Joshua gave her a sharp look. “Who?”

She waved her hand dismissively while Gillian went into the kitchen to open another bottle of wine.

“Gillian is so glad you’re back in town,” Gray said to me quietly. “She really missed you. Talks about you all the time.”

“Really?” It touched my heart that Gillian felt that way about me, especially after all these years. She’d always looked up to me, but because of how our parents were, we’d kind of been pitted against each other.

“Yeah. She doesn’t even really talk to your parents anymore because of you,” Gray said, and I frowned.

Gillian returned with the bottle and started to fill up our glasses.

“Is that true, Gilly?”

I didn’t want to be the reason why Gillian was no longer close to our parents. She’d always been pampered by them; I can’t imagine she’d cut them out of her life.

She blinked at me. “What? Gray, are you running your mouth again?”

“Guilty,” Gray said with a chuckle.

“Is it true that you’re not talking to our parents anymore?” I asked.

“I talk to them,” she said defensively. “Just... not that much.”

“Because of me?”

Ciara and Josh muttered something to each other, and then Joshua stood up.

“It was really nice to meet you,” he said shyly. “But we should go. Ciara has class in the morning.”

Ciara nodded. “I’m studying to become a registered nurse.”

“Oh, wow,” I replied, still thinking about what Gray had said. I was distracted, and I didn’t listen much to Ciara as she went on and on about her nursing classes.

After Ciara and Joshua left, Gillian huffed out a breath.

“You should go home,” she told Gray. “Lexie and I have plenty to talk about.”

Gray sighed, standing up after kissing her temple. “I’m sorry I blabbed.”

---