Page 54 of Hooking
“What? Why would you ask me that? No way in hell is this baby his,” I say, as another contraction happens, stealing the breath right away from me.
Brooks’ features relax slightly as Hayley takes a seat next to me and holds my hand. “Channing thinks you lied to him about the baby and were using him. He thinks Vince is the father.”
“Why would he think that?”
“This is why,” Brooks finally speaks as he hands me his phone.
Burch reunites with Reynolds for baby bliss. A contraction rips through me as I read the headline, and all sorts of alarms go off. Nurses and doctors flood the room, helping me to my hands and knees to help slow down my contractions. Her heart rate steadies as they reposition me again. I take deep breaths as the doctor checks my cervix again and states that I’m now at seven centimeters.
I look to Hayley and Brooks as they embrace one another with tears in my eyes. I want that. I want Channing here, embracing me as we embark on this journey together. But I know by reading that headline, he’s not coming. He thinks I’ve lied to him.
Brooks and Hayley have a silent exchange before he excuses himself and leaves the room. “He’s going to try to get a hold of Channing.”
“Hayley, I would never lie to Channing about something like this or anything for that matter,” I say, sobbing slightly. “I love him.”
She squeezes my hand as I breathe through another contraction in silent support. I never thought I’d say those words aloud to anyone again. Now that I have, I just hope I get the opportunity to tell them to their faces.
Chapter 28
Channing
Two-game suspension.
That’s the punishment I get for beating the living daylights out of Burch in today’s game. I was pissed when I read the article. How could the woman I love lie to me about a little life I thought we created together.
Love.
I love Cassidy, and I was so certain that the little girl growing inside her belly was mine. I didn’t love Madelyn or Natasha when they told me they were pregnant. It was why I had my doubts as soon as they told me. And regardless of me stepping up to the plate to do the right thing, I knew I’d always have my doubts about them.
But I guess love is blind to the truths right in front of you.
My phone rings beside me, flashing Brooks’ name, but I don’t answer it. I let it go to voicemail and walk into the bar I know half the team is at. We won the game tonight, no thanks to me. I find a spot at the bar and order a shot of Jack. I don’t usually drink during the season, but my sour mood calls for it.
My phone pings with another text message, the fifteenth one from Cassidy begging me to call her, but like all the others, I choose to ignore it. I down my shot before ordering another one just as Tremblay plops down in the seat next to me.
“Avoiding someone?” he says as I flip my phone face down on the bartop.
I look at him as I toss back my next shot before ordering another. “What makes you say that?”
“I avoid everyone so I call it like I see it,” he says, ordering an IPA. “I’m an expert in avoidance.”
“Channing Halloway.”
I look over my shoulder and spot Sydney standing behind me. Great, so he called in the calvary. The bartender places my next shot in front of me, and I quickly toss it back before turning toward her.
“What’s up, Sydney?” I say, nonchalant, and signal for the bartender to bring me another. I’m drinking to forget, and it shows.
“Don’t you dare ‘What’s up Sydney’ me, Mister,” she says, making quotation marks with her fingers. “You know exactly what’s up. Cassidy has been calling you nonstop. She is scared and needs you.”
“Yeah, right,” I huff out a breath as I shoot another shot back. “You sure she doesn’t need Vince? I’m sure he’s ready to be there at her beck and call.”
She stares at me with anger as she cocks her hip to the side and folds her arms across her chest. “You don’t know shit about fuck apparently,” she says, stepping closer to me. “First thing’s first. That article you read was written by the one woman who helped conspire against the first time. She was out to lunch with her mother when they ran into Vince. They never had lunch with each other, she never told him she wanted him back, and she never said that the baby was his. The photo you saw of them hugging was after he apologized and congratulated her for finding someone who was capable of loving her the way she deserves. Yet looking at you now, I’d say you don’t love her or deserve her because if you did, you wouldn’t be sitting here, drowning your sorrows out with booze. Your ass would be at the hospital, holding her hand as she delivers a precious little one earlier than expected.”
Wait, did she just say Cassidy was in labor? She can’t be. I just saw her at the game, looking gorgeous as ever, in my jersey, I might add. “What do you mean she’s in the hospital? She was just at the game.”
“Her water broke when you and Vince were beating the shit out of each other.” Her words are laced with venom. “She’s thirty weeks, Channing. In case you forgot, she’s delivering a pre-term baby who is now going to spend months in the NICU.”
Shit.
