Climbing out of my car at the mall, I walk up to the sliding doors of the baby boutique to find Beau lounging in some fancy as fuck chair on display in front of the store. “Fuck, man, I think I need to get me one of these bad boys. I could happily sit on this thing for days.” He stretches his arms out above his head.
I grunt. “Coming or what?”
“Naw, don’t tell me you’re giving me the silent treatment, sweetie pie.” He bats his lashes at me like a dickhead.
I tuck my keys into my pocket and scoff. “Whatever. Wouldn’t have asked you to come here if I was. So get your traitorous ass off that damn thing and let’s do this.” I turn and walk through the automatic doors, the sound of kid’s music and screaming children pummeling my ears.
Beau follows me in. I stop and look at the shopping carts and baskets, shrugging and going for the cart.
We make our way down the first aisle; I wink at a flustered mother with two babies screaming in her stroller. Beau chuckles quietly.
I glance at him. “What? She’s cute for a stressed-out-looking zombie chick.”
He laughs again then starts in. “So you’re seriously not pissed at me?”
I refrain from rolling my eyes, just. “It’s cool. I’m just …” I trail off and stop at the display when I recognize the same bottles that Liv uses.
“Pissed at the world?” he suggests.
I shrug. Pretty much.
Seeing as nothing has gone as I thought it would since arriving back in Ivy Falls. In fact, everything just seems to get worse.
“Fuck, maybe it would have been better if I’d just stayed away.” I chuck two packs of the bottles in the shopping cart and keep moving.
“You serious? And not get to know your kid?”
I shake my head. “No, she’s probably the only reason I’m still fucking here if I’m being honest.”
I feel his gaze on me. “What?”
He whistles low. “I dunno, man. I probably shouldn’t even be telling you this.”
My jaw tenses as I wait for him to spit out whatever it is he shouldn’t be telling me. He doesn’t, just continues to stare ahead.
“Beau,” I prompt, “Shit, tell me what?”
He exhales roughly. “Seb left. You haven’t heard?”
My head rears back; I stop in front of a bunch of breast pumps.
“No, what the fuck? Over the shit with me and Liv?”
He shrugs. “Mil told me about that too, by the way. Nice going, dickhead.” He shakes his head.
I ignore that as my heart gallops in my chest. “Holy hell, does Liv know?”
He nods. “Oh, yeah. Apparently, she’s a mess. Mil reckons if it weren’t for Rose—” he cuts himself off.
“What? If it weren’t for Rose what?” I snap.
He looks apologetic for a second. “She said that she’d be completely falling apart.”
I scrub a hand over my jaw. “Wait, she didn’t when I left?” I’ve always wondered that but, ultimately, felt too guilty to ask.
“Well, she was a bit of a mess for a while. But she kept going. You know, kept going to work and getting on with shit.” He scratches at his jaw. “Being pregnant and having Millie held her afloat until she met …” He doesn’t continue. And he doesn’t need to. I get it; she met him.
But now, he’s gone.
Does this mean …?
I start walking again, a thousand thoughts speeding through my mind.
“So they’re definitely over then?”
“I’d say so.” He shrugs then eyes me. “Wait, don’t go making shit harder for her by trying to worm your way back in.”
I scoff even though the thought is already there. It’s exactly what I plan to do, but after our recent conversation—that almost destroyed me—I know I need to cool it for a while.
“Don’t worry; we’ve talked about it, and I get it now. I know that what I did is something she can’t get past.” I grab two boxes of wet wipes and chuck them in the shopping cart.
He guffaws. “It’s more than that, dude. She’s in love with someone else,” he says bluntly.
I try to hide my flinch, but it’s noticed anyway.
“Sorry, man.”
I know she says she loves him, and hell, maybe she does. But that doesn’t change the fact that I still love her and want her back.
“It’s fine.” I pause and look at some bibs. Choosing a set of purple and pink spotted ones, I chuck them in, too. “Like I said, I’m sticking around for Rose and gonna concentrate on being the best dad I can be.” And I will because that baby girl already has me wrapped around her tiny finger. But getting to see Liv, especially with that fucker gone? Yeah, I’m going to be the best damn dad she’s ever laid her eyes on.
He slaps me on the back as we move to the next aisle. “Glad to hear it, dude. Let me know if I can help in any way. But I’d tread lightly around Liv right now. Don’t be any more of an ass than you usually are, yeah? Millie’s pretty worried about her.”
I barely hold back a growl. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
I decide to change the subject. “What the hell’s going on with you and Millie?” I eye him skeptically. “You finally decided to quit fucking around and do something about that crush she’s always had on you?”
He grins. “You can bet on her fine, sweet ass I have.”
My lips tug into a grin of their own. “How’s that going for ya?”
His whole face lights up like the Fourth of fucking July, and I just laugh and shake my head. Never thought I’d see the day he finally settled down with someone.
“She’s mine; I’m just waiting for her to admit defeat already.” He shrugs and stops to look at some maternity bras. Playing with the clips on the front, he mutters, “Fuck, check out the easy access on this thing. I wish chicks would wear bras like this all the time.” He turns to me. “Look at this shit.” He proceeds to demonstrate, and I can’t help but agree even if they aren’t as sexy. I don’t give a shit about that. I just want to get to what’s hidden underneath as quickly as possible. My dick hardens just thinking about Liv wearing one of these ingenious inventions.
I snap out of it when some kid slams into my legs. “Shit, you all right, buddy?” He looks around, a bit dazed for a moment, before nodding and looking like a hellhound is on his ass when he sees who I’m guessing is his mother coming around the corner of the aisle.
“Michael! Get your puny butt back here this instant.” She closes in on him, and the kid looks ready to bolt again, so I grab him gently by the shoulders.
“Sorry, so sorry,” she mutters as her whole face turns red, and she picks him up, retreating like we’ve got the plague or something.
I get back to the task at hand. “Right, diapers. And Liv gave me her size, so we need some outfits.” I pause and look around. “Think they’ve got any first-aid kits in here?”
Beau laughs. “I dunno, man. Let’s grab that other shit first and ask.”
We finish up, making our way out of the automatic doors, when a high-pitched voice has us stopping on the sidewalk out front.
“Zeke! Oh, my God.”
Ugh, fuck no.
“I’ve been trying to call you. Did you change your number? I haven’t seen you since you got back. What the hell?” Kiera asks, looking all affronted when I glance at her. As if I owe her shit.
“Hey, yeah.” I look at Beau for help, who just smirks and looks away. Fucker. “I’ve been kinda busy. You know, got a baby and shit to take care of.” I raise the bags with my recent purchases for emphasis and watch her eyes harden.
“Oh, understandable. So where are they?”
“Liv? Ah, well, she’d be at home … with Rose.”
“I’ve seen Rose; she’s just adorable!” she gushes. I bet she has, and Rose is adorable, but I’m betting Keira wouldn’t readily admit that to anyone, though.
“Thanks.” I clear my throat. “Well, ah—”
She cuts me off. “I’m just waiting for Simone and Misty; they’re still getting their hair done.” She gestures to the hair salon a few doors down.
“What are y’all up to this weekend? We should totally all hang out and have some drinks.” Her smile is so eager that I almost feel bad for shutting her down.
“No can do, sorry. Got a lot going on at the moment, and Beau here is pretty much spoken for.” I try to dig my keys out of my pocket, wanting out of here, stat.
She laughs. “What? No way.” She turns to Beau.
He shrugs. “It’s true. Well, she doesn’t exactly know it yet, but she’ll realize soon enough.”
Her hand darts to her ample chest. “Lord, you don’t mean Millicent, do you?” She looks mystified.
I frown. Jesus, I forgot how much of a bitch she could be.
“The one and only.” He grins and slaps me on the back. “Later, darlin’.”
Thank fuck for that. “See ya.” I walk off into the parking lot with Beau trailing beside me.
“Call me, Z! We’ll catch up,” she calls out.
I flick my hand up in affirmation of hearing her, knowing that unless I’m desperate, I won’t go near that stage one hundred clinger ever again. The amount of bullshit she’s capable of springing on a man is un-fucking-believable.
Beau chuckles as I unlock the car and put the bags in the trunk.
I close it and lean against the car. “What’s so funny?”
“Everything about that crazy-ass woman is hilarious. God, I’ve always thought you were insane for touching that in high school.”
I shrug and turn to look over my shoulder, seeing Keira still standing there, playing with her phone. “She’s always been fucking hot. Just too much of a head case.”
“You got that right,” he mutters. “Where to next?”
“Gotta head home and set some of this shit up then head back out.” I straighten and open the door. “Liv said I could go over there tonight and help put Rose to bed.”
He squints at me. “Best behavior, dude. Don’t go stirring an already unsettled pot.”
“The fuck do you come up with this shit?” I shake my head. “No need to warn me; I’ll be on my best behavior.” I climb in. “Later.”
I’m gonna be the best non-boyfriend/baby daddy she’s ever seen.