Page 14 of Second Chance At Forever

“Avery…please,” she sighed against his lips and he loved hearing the catch in her voice.

“Oh baby, yes.” He groaned when she clutched at him tighter.

“Don’t leave me again,” she whispered as they crashed over the edge together again.

“Never baby, I will never leave you again, I promise.” He held her tightly while she fell back asleep. He wouldn’t let anything come between them this time. Not his stupid pride and not the fact that she was with Meredith.

The woman had to know Colleen was in his bed tonight. She hadn’t gone home and Meredith hadn’t called her phone checking in on her. She had to know that Colleen stayed with him, slept with him, and he’d make it clear to the woman that he wouldn’t let her have any of her back. He was keeping his baby, for forever this time.

Chapter 6

Colleen opened the door to the house moving up the stairs quietly not wanting to wake anyone. She’d slipped out of Avery’s penthouse just before five, unable to stay and have another argument or conversation. Last night had been stupid, she never should have given into the desire she felt for him but her head and heart had both been on the same wavelength, felt the same need for something deeper.

Thanks to Tommy and the bakery, she was used to having little sleep and getting up early, and it seemed that Avery still enjoyed sleeping in on Sundays. That allowed her to leave, getting a cab despite her refusal to get one last night. At least the day was starting and she could see clearly to walk from the cab to the house.

She knew she should get ready to go to the bakery, check everything out to ensure the week’s orders were ready to go, but she didn’t want to go there right now. She wanted to sink into the bathtub and forget everything about last night.

She finally gave into the need and turned the tap on, filling the bath with silky warm water as she twisted her hair up off her neck. The heat soothed the slight ache in her muscles and she closed her eyes trying to decide what to do.

“You’re home,” Meredith said coming into the room with a cup of tea for her. She leaned against the bathroom wall and Colleen didn’t know what to say. “I get it honey, I do. Yes, I’m jealous. I can’t help that but it doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it.”

“Talk about what?” she asked trying to ignore the truth.

“How it was, why you snuck out and came home at five in the morning,” Meredith said sitting down on the stool beside the tub. “If he hurt you or scared you…”

“That’s not why I left Mere.”

“Then what is it?” Meredith brushed a strand of hair from her eyes that fell from the twist.

“I needed time to think about what he said without having to deal with the morning after awkwardness. He…”

“What honey?” Meredith asked when she stopped. “What did he tell you?”

“That he made a mistake because of his pride and masculinity being shredded…oh god, Mere,” Colleen said as the tears hit her.

“Honey what’s wrong?” Meredith asked as Colleen leaned her head on her arm and let the tears slide down her face. “What did he do to you?”

Colleen couldn’t talk at first and simply let Meredith hold her, let her soothe away her pain and she knew just how unfair she really was to her friend. She should never let her comfort her this way, not the first time and none of the others since then.

“Leen, honey what did he do?” Meredith asked again when she quieted, getting her out of the tub as the water cooled. She wrapped her up in a robe and walked behind her as she went to Tommy’s bedroom door and peeked in on him sleeping soundly in his new toddler bed. “Did you tell him about Tommy and he threaten you?”

“No.” Colleen felt relieved as she gazed at her son. The knowledge that he wasn’t Avery’s had scared her but now she knew she would love him no matter what. She led Meredith through the house to the kitchen before telling her the rest. “Avery lied to me when he kicked me out. There was no other woman. He’d found out from the doctor that he couldn’t give me a baby—it’s not possible Tommy’s his.”

“Oh god honey.” Meredith hugged her tightly and Colleen rested her head against her chest as Meredith stood behind her. “I know deep down you were praying a small miracle had made it possible.”

“And I was terrified to come home and look at Tommy…but I can’t be mad at my baby boy, can I? It’s not his fault and I could never give him up, never love him less.” Colleen felt Meredith press a kiss to the top of her head and it soothed and yet pained her, for how she’d taken advantage of her friend’s feelings for her for too long now.

“You’re positive Avery never cheated on you?” Meredith sat down with her once she’d calmed down again.

“If he’s lying he’s doing as good of a job now as he did the day he kicked me out. He knows about Tommy and the rape too…I guess he had someone find out information about me since Julia shoved us back together.”

“What did he say about that?”

“He was sorry but he’d protect us both, love us both if I gave him the chance to prove himself. Then he went on to say he knew I couldn’t be completely satisfied with a woman before kissing me…”

“Which led you to his bed?” Meredith guessed and she nodded. “How was it?”

“Incredible although it shouldn’t have been, I want to feel nothing but anger and hatred towards him. I don’t want to feel his pain because if he’d just told me what the doctor said we could have figured it out together. Yes, I wanted a family with him, but I wanted him more. Now with Tommy…how do I believe that he won’t get upset and leave us both? He offered to think about adoption and donor sperm if I wanted another baby…but would he really love us? He claims he still loves me but how do I trust him?”

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