Page 20 of Craving My Baby Daddy Billionaire

"Hey," I say, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it? I mean, I don't know you very well, but sometimes it helps to vent to a stranger."

Amanda looks up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She swipes them away, shaking her head. "No, but thank you. I think I just need to get my stuff and go."

I sit on the bed and watch her grab the sweaters, leaving tons of stuff behind. Framed pictures, books, handmade blankets...all left in the closet.

I'm seeing the wreckage of something, but I'm still not sure what.

Tex comes and sits next to me, his chin on his paws, and he whines softly. I reach down to scratch his ears as Amanda turns around, a tote bag stuffed with sweaters in her hand.

"Would you, um...help me put the bookshelf back?" she asks. "I don't want him to know I was here."

My brow furrows. "I'm sorry, but you know I'm going to tell him."

Amanda sighs. "Yeah...because you're an excellent house sitter," she says, and I'm not sure if she genuinely believes that's what I am. "Well, this has been..."

"Totally bizarre?"

"Yeah, that about sums it up," she mutters.

We stand up and head downstairs, leaving everything off the bookshelf. I'll put it back in order, but...well, honestly, I want to snoop a little before I shut the time capsule again. Amanda sighs and kneels to pet Tex one more time before she goes to the door.

"Thank you for understanding," she says. "I know I must seem crazy, sneaking around like this."

"It's okay," I reply. "We all have our moments."

She nods, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Well, take care of Ryan for me, okay?"

I raise an eyebrow. "I told you I'm just a house sitter."

"And I... honestly do not believe that," she says. "But I hope he's happy. Truly."

She opens the door and I have to stop her, raising my voice. "Why can't you make him happy?"

She sighs. "Because he wants things I don't," she says.

And with that, she leaves Tex and me behind in an apartment full of unspoken pains and memories.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and find a text from Ryan, just remarking on how cute Tex looks in the pictures I sent of him first thing this morning. I chew on my lip as I stare at the text, wondering how the hell I'm supposed to describe what happened tonight.

Amanda just stopped by for some of her stuff. She wanted to open up her closet and I didn't know how to say no. I'm sorry.

I text him. He doesn't respond.

Not right away, anyway.

And now begins the long, arduous wait to find out just how pissed off he is.

Chapter eight

Ryan

Istare at the text message Sophia has sent and immediately feel violated by what Amanda did while I'm away.

What the fuck?

It's been almost two years since Amanda left. Two years since she bailed and refused to pick up my calls since she abandoned the longest friendship of both our lives when I told her I didn't want to lose her—even if we weren't together.

And now, when I think I'm finally ready to move on, she comes back.

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