Page 27 of Ex's Accidental Baby

But Dean saves me by coming up to us, clearly tipsy.

“You two have to get to know each other better. You should go with him, Meredith.”

Meredith stiffens, but she finally hops off the table and gives Dean a big hug.

“I’ll miss you, boss.”

Dean seems a little teary-eyed but at least Meredith doesn’t say a word to Paul, just leaves with me. It makes my chest puff up.

Meredith crosses her arms over her chest. “We don’t have to do this.”

“What do you mean? The old man said?—”

“I know what he said. But you don’t have to pretend to be interested in hanging out with me.”

“Who’s pretending?”

Meredith glances at me, flushing slightly. “You’re the one who left, Logan, so why would you want anything to do with me now?”

If only I could tell her. Explain it. “I was young then. We both were. I just… I wish we could be friends again.”

“What, and let bygones be bygones?”

“Exactly that.”

She sighs. “I’m too drunk to drive.”

“Me, too.” It’s not exactly a lie, but I’m definitely not as inebriated as I was when Grayson and I were out, so I consider it a win.

“I don’t want to be friends,” she announces, and my shoulders slump. “But I guess we can get to know each other again. Like Dean wants.”

I have to fight the smile from my face, not wanting to seem too excited.

When we arrive at the diner, she waves at the hostess, and I raise an eyebrow.

“Are you a regular here?”

“You don’t remember my insane love for French fries?”

I chuckle. “I guess I should have known you weren’t going to grow out of it.”

“I was fifteen when we met, not five.” She sits across from me and crosses her legs. She seems a little more open with me and, even if it’s the alcohol, I’m still thankful.

“Fifteen. God, we were such babies.”

Meredith nods, but her mood suddenly seems dimmed, and I hate myself.

“What do you think of Paul?”

Her eyes shoot to mine, a little smirk pulling up the corner of her mouth. “Should have known you were jealous.”

“Who says I’m jealous? Do I have anything to be jealous about?” My mouth keeps running, and I wish I could sew it shut.

“Given we haven’t been a thing in years, I’d say you don’t.”

“That’s not what I meant, princess.”

“I said don’t call me that,” she says through gritted teeth.

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