Page 317 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 1

“I’m with a girl out there.”

“Yeah? You thinking about growing some roots in the city?”

“She’s the first one who ever made me consider it and now I want that.”

We bump fists and then stand, tossing the wax with some of his stuff. Just before we drop our boards in the water, Evan says, “I talk a lot of shit about missing the surf, but I’d miss my girl more. Seems like a good trade off and you coming out ahead if she’s worth the sacrifice.”

“She is.”

“Glad to hear it. I get first wave.”

“Naturally.” We both start paddling out.

Evan’s words stay with me—“I’d miss my girl more”—as I burn out my muscles on wave after wave. Now that I have Tatum in my life, I’d miss her more than anything else as well. When it’s good, it’s fan-fucking-tastic.

Now we have to work on those bad times.

Before I back out the truck, Evan calls, “Come see me in Hawaii sometime and bring your girl. It’s paradise out there.”

With my arm hanging out the window, I laugh. “I just might take you up on that offer.”

“Hope you do.”

When I get back to the house, it’s just gone nine. I’m later than I wanted to be, but glad that it appears she’s still in bed. I walk lightly down the hall, not wanting to wake her. I’ll take a quick shower and then make her breakfast. We can sit on the deck and I know she’ll start coming around to maybe splitting our time if that’s even possible.

We just need to get the conversation going so we can plan our lives because her walls don’t scare me.

And I intend to comfort her from fears. I’m not leaving this home permanently. We will be able to afford both places. The party life of LA can go, but this place . . . this place I chose for a family. Even if we’re only here part-time, it will be worth it.Hoping Tatum can see that too. Eventually.

When I enter my room, the covers are rumpled, and the bed is empty. “Tatum?” I look to the bathroom, but the door is wide open and she’s not in there. “Tatum?”

I know.

Deep down, my heart already knows.

But I do it because I need to prove it to my brain. I open the closet door to verify her suitcase is missing.

Just like she is.

Fuck.

Tatum is gone.

30

Tatum

What have I done?

My shell is so hard it’s become a detriment. Harrison Decker loves me. And I love him. “I love him so much that it hurts, Natalie. Like physical pain. So much that he makes me feel out of control.”

“That’s not him . . .” Her head wobbles in debate. “It might be him as well, but it’s definitely your hormones. You’re pregnant. All kinds of changes are happening in there. Do you know how many fights I’ve picked with Nick in the past few months over the stupidest stuff?”

“A lot,” Nick says from the couch. His eyes are fixed on the TV, but clearly, his ears are eavesdropping.

She rolls her eyes, but then says, “You guys moved so fast, and now you’re having a baby. So many emotions are involved in this that I don’t want you to act rash. Granted, you left, and that’s rash.”

Nick nods. “Rash.”

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