Page 33 of Breakaway

Even once I’m in my car, Travis still stands where I left him. His eyes are glued to me, and the longing in his gaze, one I know so well, makes me uncomfortable. He doesn’t look like someone who’s ready to forget about his ex. Not even a little bit. Fingers crossed, he’ll never find out about my marriage to Roman. It would be a disaster if he did.

“I’m so,so happy for you!” I hug Angie tight as the aroma of vanilla and cinnamon surrounds me.

Closing my eyes, I let my imagination run wild, trying to figure out what she’s been baking. It’s a game we’ve played since graduation. Any time I caught her experimenting in the kitchen, I would guess what new recipe she was trying her hand at. The woman can do no wrong in my opinion, and she always has the most delicious food I’ve ever tried. Nothing really compares to it…maybe Roman’s cooking.

That was the dumbest thought ever, Nevaeh.

“Thank you, Nev,” she whispers, moving away and settling comfortably on the couch.

My gaze falls on her little baby bump, perfectly pronounced under her red tee, and I reach out my hand and press my palm to it. An overwhelming wave of warmth washes over me, causing my throat to tighten. Happy tears form, and I wave a hand in front of my face to stop them from spilling.

“I feel like the most extra person ever,” I mumble, sniffling.

“You’re not extra.” Angie laughs, covering my hand on her belly. “You’re just my best friend.”

“And you’re my soon-to-be-married best friend, who’s going to have the most beautiful babies in the world,” I tease, making her laugh even harder.

“I’m not so sure about the ‘soon’ part.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, picking up my glass of wine from the coffee table.

“The season starts soon, and we won’t have time to plan everything before that. I think we’ll wait till summer.” She shrugs. “It’s not a big deal, honestly. If I’m not meant to become Drake’s wife before our baby is born, so be it.”

Taking a sip of my drink, I look around the room. My thoughts are in shambles. The things I want to share with Angie hang on the tip of my tongue, but I have no idea how to start the conversation. I tap my fingers on my glass, the nervous rhythm echoing the rapid beat of my heart. It’s Angie, for fuck’s sake—why am I so afraid to open up to her? She’s never judged me.

The sound of a door opening and closing brings me back to reality. I tense, listening to paws slapping the tile. A moment later, Cooper appears in the doorframe. The dog tilts his head, watching me, and it feels like he’s smiling. His tail is wagging, and I can’t help but grin in return.

“Hey, Coop,” I say and shift my gaze to look at Drake. He stops beside Cooper, an open smile gracing his features. “Hey, Drake. Congrats on your engagement!”

“Hey, Nev. Thanks.” He smiles at me, pushing his curls out of his eyes. “I’ll take Coop to wash his paws, and then we’ll be in the bedroom. It’s girls’ night. I don’t want to be in the way.”

I frown, pinching my eyebrows together. “You’re not in the way.”

“Okay, okay, I’m not. I just have a book I’m dying to finish, and it’ll give you the opportunity to gossip without me around. Win-win situation, if you ask me.”

Angie mouthsI love youto him, and he winks at her. My insides constrict; it’s becoming harder to breathe. Their love for each other makes me all dizzy and fuzzy, filling me with love and affection. I’m levitating; my skin ignites with the happiness they make me feel. If I ever have even the tiniest ounce of the love they have, I’ll be over the moon.

“How’s Trav?” Drake asks, peering at me. His deep brown eyes reflect kindness, and the smile curving his lips is gentle. And yet I feel like I’m center stage under a spotlight, getting ready to give a speech.

I forcibly swallow a gulp of wine and lower the glass to the table. Straightening my back, I glance between Angie and her fiancé, and then just say on an exhale, “We broke up.”

“What?” Drake mutters, his eyebrows lifting.

But his surprise is nothing in comparison to the gloomy look on Angie’s face. She sighs. “I knew something was wrong.”

Drake pushes himself off of the doorframe and heads to the couch, sitting down beside Angie. They both stare at me, making me fidget in my seat. A huffing sound from the doorway diverts my attention to Cooper. He lies down on his belly and puts his head on his paws, as if waiting for me to explain myself. With a click of my tongue, I focus on Angie and Drake and tell themabout how I walked out of Travis’s apartment after I discovered the ring.

“Well, that sucks,” Drake says, patting my knee sympathetically. “But if you weren’t happy, then it’s for the best.”

“Thank you, Drake. But the hardest part is that Travis is dead set on us being end game.” I shake my head. “I saw him today after work…and I’m afraid he’ll think there’s still a chance we’ll get back together.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Angie takes my hand in hers, her eyes wandering over my face. “What if time apart?—”

“Time apart won’t change anything for me. Besides, things are way more complicated now. It’s better if I keep my distance from him. If Travis knows what happened—he’ll hate me.”

A loud huff from the doorway makes all three of us turn our heads to Cooper. “Dammit,” Drake exclaims, jumping to his feet. “I forgot to wash his paws. Coop, I’m so sorry.” Drake bolts out of the room, and the dog happily follows him.

Taking a deep breath, I meet Angie’s gaze. She’s watching me with a pensive expression on her face. Her dark green eyes remind me of lasers, because I feel like she sees right past my bullshit. She leans forward and grabs an apple slice from a plate. Her silence makes my skin itch. She knows there are things I’m not telling her.

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