Page 44 of Before You Go

“His name is Dayton. He’s an attorney,” I reply, and her nose scrunches, making me laugh. She also dated an attorney—one of Matthew’s friends, actually—and he forever ruined her for all other men of that profession.

“He’s different and actually kind of…” I pause, trying to come up with the right word to describe him. “Awesome.”

“I didn’t even know you had hooked up with anyone since Matthew.” Georgia’s eyes narrow on Molly. “Did you know about this?”

“I wasn’t hooking up with him,” I answer before Molly can respond, and Georgia can start interrogating her on what she knows and, in turn, get pissed that she didn’t know about Dayton first—which is her way. “It’s just something that happened.”

“How do your parents feel?” Amelia asks, and I rub my lips together. “Do they know?”

“Mom knows, but Dad doesn’t. I’m going to tell him soon. I wanted to see where things were at with me and Dayton before I shared the news with him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dayton had a vasectomy, so he didn’t think the baby was his at first,” I admit, and Georgia’s mouth opens and closes while Amelia starts to choke on the sip of wine she took. “I knew he was because he’s the only guy I’ve been with in almost a year. Still, he had a valid reason to question if I was being honest.”

“You had unprotected sex with him?” Amelia whispers.

“Really, Amelia? That’s what you got from this? How the heck do you think she ended up pregnant?” Molly asks, and I start to laugh.

“I don’t know. Maybe the condom broke,” Amelia snaps.

“How old is he?” Georgia asks, and I focus on her while Amelia and Molly bicker at each other.

“I don’t know.” I probably should since I’m having his child, but it’s one more thing I don’t know about him. “I’d guess in his thirties.”

“Does he have kids already?”

“No, he didn’t want kids.”

“Damn,” she says quietly, and my heart squeezes. Damn is right, and Georgia gets that more than most people because she also doesn’t want kids. “But he’s going to be involved?”

“I think so. I mean, he hasn’t said it, but he went to the doctor’s appointment with me yesterday, and we had dinner together last night, and he brought me breakfast this morning.”

“That’s good. And you know that if he doesn’t step up, we’re here for you.”

“I know,” I whisper, and she sighs when she notices the tears filling my eyes.

“Don’t start crying.”

“I’m not going to.” I suck back the tears. She’s never done well when even one of us has gotten emotional. That’s why, if something is happening in my life and I need to cry about it, I don’t call her—I call Molly or Amelia. She’s the person I call when I need a pep talk and a reminder that I’m a badass.

“When do we get to meet him?” Amelia asks, and I shrug.

“I have no idea. Right now, we are just getting to know each other.”

“Take your time,” she says as a shadow falls over the table.

“Are you ladies ready for the check, or would you like another drink?” our waiter, Lee, asks, and I start to open my mouth to tell him that we are ready for the check, but my eyes catch on Dayton sitting at the bar, and my heart plummets into my stomach.

It’s not seeing him dressed like he came here after work and only took enough time to roll up his sleeves and loosen his tie that catches me off guard. No, it’s the woman sitting next to him with a bright smile on her face that does. Well, that and the fact that she’s gorgeous, with dark hair slicked back in a tight ponytail, emphasizing her elegant features. I can’t see the bottom half of her from where I’m sitting, but either her dress or her top accentuates her cleavage, especially when she leans into him and laughs at something he says. He grins at her in return.

Is this the woman he’s supposed to be fake dating for Billy?

Oh God, I’m going to be sick.

“Are you okay?” Molly asks, and I tug my eyes off Dayton and the woman he’s with.

“Yeah, sorry. Are you guys ready, or did you want another drink?”

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