Page 94 of Single Chance

“Oh, this should be good,” Presley quipped as she led us back down to the main floor.

“What in the world are you going to do with all this space? Three thousand square feet for one person? You could fit three of my house in here.”

“I told you I might rent it out,” Presley said, unconcerned. “Or live here. Who knows. It’s good to have options.”

I would do just about anything for a few options right now. I kept the thought to myself, as I hadn’t told the girls what had happened between Chance and me. I didn’t want to think about it.

Once we stood out on the spacious deck, gazing at the lake, with me in the middle of the other two, however, Chloe leanedinto me with her shoulder. “I’ve waited as long as I could to bring it up. You and Chance seemedcloselast night at the Fly. Yeah?”

“Ooh, I called it,” Presley said from my other side. “Living with the father of your baby, when he looks like that and you’re still attracted?” She laughed. “A girl wouldn’t stand a chance.”

I inhaled deeply, the ache in my chest intensifying when I let the air back out.

“That didn’t sound like a girl-in-love sigh though,” Presley said, eyeing me from the side.

Chloe turned and leaned her backside against the railing, scrutinizing me. I met her gaze, and she could apparently read beneath the surface because she said, “Oh, no. What happened?”

I pressed my lips together, as if I could hold in the feelings I’d been trying to stave off all day. It didn’t work.

Tears rolled down my cheeks before I could get a word out. Presley put an arm around me and pulled me into her side. Chloe held on to my hand.

I opened my mouth to start the story I needed to get out. “We—” My voice cracked. “I…”

Presley reached up to wipe her own eyes even though I hadn’t gotten a single sentence out yet.

“I need to find a place to live,” I finally said on a wail.

Before I knew what was happening, my two friends pulled me into a group hug, which unleashed the sobs I’d been avoiding since walking away from Chance. I’d cried so much in the past six months. I was so, so tired of feeling like I’d been filleted, exposed, bleeding out in the form of saltwater.

“Let it out, babe,” Presley cooed.

As if I had any choice. My heartbreak gushed out of me in an ugly cry.

These girls, these beautiful friends of mine, just held me, encouraged me to purge the sadness, let me know I wasn’t alone.

Eventually the sobs slowed, and I was able to get out, “S-s-s-sorry,” between hiccups. “I’m a mess.”

“Between life, stupid boys, and pregnancy hormones, you are entitled to be as big of a mess as you need to be,” Chloe said.

“H-how do you kn-now the boy was stupid?” I stuttered out.

“Because he’s a boy,” Presley answered without hesitation.

Laughter bubbled out even as I cried, which made all of us laugh harder, still holding on to each other.

When I could finally speak coherently, I straightened, wove one arm with Presley’s and one with Chloe’s, and stepped to the railing, taking them with me, keeping them on each side of me.

I let the story pour out, from the magic of last night’s concert to the slow dance in the kitchen to what I thought was a magical connection in Chance’s bed. My admission of love, which turned out to be the nail in the coffin of our blink-and-you’ll-miss it relationship. Chance’s refusal to see where it might’ve gone.

“Blazes of hell, girlfriend.” Presley again put her arm around me and rested her head on my upper arm. “That’s the last twenty-four hours?”

“More like twelve,” I said.

“And he thinks, what, you’re just gonna change diapers and feed the baby together like nothing ever happened?” Presley continued.

“I don’t know.” I couldn’t begin to think about what that would be like. “I know it was fast, but I love that stupid man,” I said, sniffling.

“You went quiet, Chlo,” Presley said. “You could fire him, couldn’t you?”

---