Intent(46)

His brows draw down before he replies in an ominous tone. “I’d be glad to relay the message to him. In my own words.”





Chapter Fifteen





ACE



“Squirt is bathed, pajama’d, and already asleep. You must’ve worn her out today.”

“Pajama’d?” Layne asks teasingly.

“That’s a legit word.”

“No wonder I’m having such a hard time teaching her to speak correctly,” Layne laughs. “That is definitely not a legit word.”

“I love that you speak your mind, Layne. I don’t have to wonder if you’re harboring some secret resentment because you can’t speak up for yourself. You put me in my place when I need it, but I never have to question if you have my back. I can’t tell you how unique that is to find someone like that around here.”

Well, f*ck. Listen to me pouring my feelings out faster than I can pour a beer. Aren’t I Mr. Sensitive-Touchy-Feely Ace Sharp? There is just something about Layne that brings out the whipped * in me. Apparently, she also brings out the possessive, jealous man in me, too. When she said Bobby had called her again, begging her to talk to him, I wanted to have a man-to-man talk with him right then. By the time I got done with him, he’d have no doubt who the man in Layne’s life is now. He sure as hell doesn’t fit that bill.

“Speaking of speaking my mind,” she replies pensively and instantly puts me on high alert. She’s never hesitant to tell me what’s on her mind.

“Let’s hear it. Spit it out.”

She starts by reminding me of Zoe’s current pregnant state and her parents’ reaction to it.

“Yes, I’m well aware. She just had dinner with us a little while ago before going back to the cabin you’re now sharing with her. She’s not wearing the oversized clothes to hide it anymore, so her advanced pregnancy is clearly visible. And?”

Next, she reminds me of Zoe’s age and how her senior year of high school is coming up soon. Again, I’ve known Zoe all her life, so this is not news to me. I’m still waiting for the bombshell. She then shares Zoe’s aspirations to move to Athens and have the full college experience at UGA. Without conscious thought, my eyes drift down the hall to River’s bedroom door and I try to picture myself in this same situation at seventeen years old instead of thirty.

I’m beginning to understand the predicament.

“Zoe asked me to adopt her baby and raise it as my own. She has such a bright future, but she knows she won’t be able to provide for this baby if she stays here. I’ve told you about my problems conceiving and how very much I want a baby. So, I’ve agreed to adopt her baby,” Layne explains. “We’ve already filed the petition for adoption with the court.”

I’m completely dumbfounded for a moment as I try to assimilate the ramifications of Layne’s decision. What does this mean for us? This is more serious than one of us driving up in a brand-new car and convincing the other one it was a good investment. Adopting a child is a wonderful thing, but shouldn’t we have talked about it together first?

“How long have you two been planning this?”

“She asked me after the race on the river, when we were on the playground together, and I agreed after we’d talked about it for a while.”

I feel my head nodding slowly, not entirely in agreement, but more in understanding. My gaze is fixed on the blank TV screen directly in front of me. She’s waiting for me to respond, but I can’t look at her at this second. Like an idiot, I’ve apparently misread our entire relationship and expected it to be more. This is what I get for giving love another chance to f*ck me over.

“Hmm,” I finally reply. “That sounds great for you. You’re finally getting what you’ve always wanted.”

She shifts on the couch, turning sideways to fully face me. “Ace, now isn’t the time to hold back what you really think. Talk to me.”

“Talk to you?” I retort in disbelief as I jerk my head to the side to look at her. “You mean the same way you talked to me about this decision before you agreed to it? Don’t get me wrong—I think this is the best course for her and for you. I guess I’m just now realizing that I don’t factor into the equation at all. You gave no consideration to me before plunging headlong into a decision that impacts both of us. No giving me the benefit of being part of the decision that you made two weeks ago.

“Do you have any idea what the first question that popped into my mind was? I’ll tell you. I thought, ‘What does this mean for us?’ Us. As in you and me. As in a couple. But now that I think about it, the answer to my question is crystal clear. You don’t see ‘us’ as a couple. You don’t see a future for ‘us.’ There isn’t an ‘us.’ There’s you and there’s me. Separate.”

Pent-up energy, anger, and a sense of betrayal propel me off the couch and onto my feet. As I pace around the room, I think about how f*cked up the rest of the summer will be with her living next door to me. So close but so far away. There’ll be no more of our late-night lovemaking, holding her tightly until we fall asleep, or waking up with her in my arms. No more evening strolls with River walking between us, holding our hands and watching the sunsets—like a family. I feel like such a f*cking fool.