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Ellie

Two days. That was all it took for Haleigh to have the most precious baby girl I have ever seen. They admitted her into the hospital due to her blood pressure the night she texted, and it wasn’t long before she ended up going into labor the following afternoon.

The small waiting room was bursting with nerves all day—myself included—and filled with her family and Ryan's. We waited at the hospital all day, where I tried my best to avoid Jaydon's gaze and ignored him the entire time.

My heart melted when I got to meet the sweetest little bundle of joy that afternoon.

She’s perfect, a tiny little miracle that helped solidify their love for one another. She's the most precious little girl, and I’m so proud of my best friend. I’m already in love with that sweet baby and can't wait to hold her again today.

They came home from the hospital yesterday, so I let them have a day to rest, but I can't take it any longer—I need to snuggle her and smell all of her sweet baby goodness. So, I’m on my way to see my bestie and that sweet baby girl.

When I pull up to Haleigh and Ryan's farmhouse, I immediately spot Jaydon's truck parked in the driveway, causing my stomach to tighten.

I should have known he would be here.

He’s been keeping his distance from me, but obviously, I haven't given him much of a choice. He fucks up my head way too much when he's around me.

The day after he made me feel like I was just another notch in his bedpost, I called Kevin. I needed a distraction, so I spent the day with him and tried to ignore the fact that I was just hiding from Jaydon.

I know Kevin wants to be more than just friends, but every time I’m around him, I just don’t feel the same. My heart is stuck on someone it shouldn't be, and no matter how hard I try to move on, I just can't shake the feelings.

I hear voices inside as I knock on the door, then the sound of heavy footsteps coming towards me. When the door opens, I see Ryan's smiling face as he greets me, and I’m so glad Haleigh ended up with him. He’s so in love with her and such a caring husband .

“Hey, Ryan,” I smile up at him.

He waves for me to step in. “Hey, Ellie. Come on in,” he greets me, pulling me into a side hug, and then leads me towards the kitchen.

Jaydon

She hurt my ego… it's my only excuse.

Am I being childish? Yes .

But I’m too fucked up right now to see it any other way.

I was gonna talk to her the day after she ran out of my room that night, but she left with that fuckface she calls her boyfriend before I got my chance.

I laid in bed all night, tossing and turning, planning a speech to tell her exactly how I feel about her—only for her to run out of my house the next morning and jump in that asshole’s little car.

He will never be her boyfriend though. At least not if I have anything to do with it.

There's no way she really wants to be with that loser. But I’m not gonna lie—it's still fucking messing with my head.

So, when she walks into the kitchen where I’m sitting, I can't help myself.

Goddamn, she's beautiful—even with the scowl etched on her face when she glances in my direction. I can't let her know she's got my head so fucked up I can’t think straight, but seeing her with someone else is driving me fucking insane.

So, I pull out the only defense I have against her and continue being an asshole.

Ellie

I hear Haleigh's voice right before we step into the kitchen, “I’m dropping it for now, but you will tell me later, Jay.”

Hmm, sounds like she’s pissed at her brother.

Ryan gestures for me to go ahead of him. Just as we enter the kitchen, I catch Jaydon's gaze. His face tense, with his mouth gaped open, staring at Haleigh, and it’s clear he’s backing down—not wanting to piss her off even further.

I can't resist. I make my presence known with a little snark.

“Hmm… Sounds like someone is in trouble.” My gaze flicks to Jaydon, and he scrubs his hands down his jeans, avoiding eye contact with anyone. “How are you feeling, bestie?” Without waiting for her to answer, I step beside her and wrap her in a hug.

I focus on Haleigh, trying my best to block out the man I shouldn’t be around .

But then I hear Jaydon huffing under his breath and Ryan chuckling behind us. Even though mixed emotions spark inside me, I try my best to ignore him and focus on the reason I’m here.

Her eyes tell me she’s exhausted.

“I’m feeling okay. Just super tired from being up all throughout the night, and we had tons of visitors today.”

“Aww, Hales, I should have double-checked to make sure you felt like having company.”

“No, you know you are always welcome here.” Her words come out so apologetic.

Jaydon uses that as his chance to speak at the same time as Haleigh, only to further piss me off. “Well, it seems like Haleigh is tired. So, you can go ahead and leave if you want,” He says, full of spite .

I can't stand him right now.

He looks at me with the most infuriating smirk on his stupid, handsome face.

Asshole.

I’m in his face so fast, “What the hell is your problem with me, Jay?” I snap a little too loud, before reminding myself that he’s just trying to agitate me even further.

He’s sitting at the bar with his tatted arms crossed, studying every inch of me, but his damn smirk doesn’t fade. He's trying to get under my skin, seeing just how far he can take this, but I refuse to give him any more of my time .

“You know what? I’m not doing this.” I spin on my heels back to Haleigh. “Take me to that sweet baby girl so I can get my snuggles in.”

Haleigh looks at Jaydon, shaking her head, and I step ahead of her.

She ushers me towards the living room, “Come on, she’s sleeping in the living room. It’s almost time for her feeding anyway.”

I waste no time leaving the kitchen—because the man sitting at the bar, looking fine as fuck, pisses me off like no other man ever has.

Ellie

Oh my goodness, I can’t take the cuteness. She’s lying wrapped up so tight in her pink blanket, the pink and blue-lined hat only revealing the tiniest hint of her dark brown hair. Walking closer to the bassinet, I reach for her without even asking—but I know my bestie, and she won’t care one bit.

“Sorry, Hales, but I need to hold this sweet little girl. Oh my goodness, Ryleigh Grace is the most precious baby ever. When she cries, she’s all yours, though.” I laugh and pull her into my arms, inhaling her fresh baby scent.

Haleigh giggles. “You're fine. She will let us know when she wants food.”

I pout, looking at her. “I’m so sorry we never got to do your shower.”

“It's fine. Little miss was determined to arrive early. Everyone has just been dropping the gifts off, so it all worked out.”

I cradle her head in my hand and feel the warmth of her tiny body in my other. “Oh my gosh, I still can't believe my bestie is a mom now!”

Haleigh's smile lights up the room. “I can't either, but she has been the greatest blessing for Ryan and me. She truly is the best surprise I have ever gotten.”

We talk and catch up for a while about all things baby .

I feel like things have been so busy that we haven't spent much time together lately, but we easily fall back into our normal selves—laughing and saying all the crazy things.

Then she pauses to look at me, and I already know the question is coming.

“What's going on with you and Jaydon?” Her eyes narrow slightly with concern as she asks.

Her question hangs in the air.

I should have known this was coming. I mean, I have been spending a lot of time with him. But I can't let on, so I keep my face neutral, trying hard not to let anything show.

I force a smile. “Just the normal, Hales. You know how we are.” I say like it's nothing, while looking back down at the baby—like we have no history at all, like this hasn’t blown up, and it's so much more. But I don’t let her see that, I can't.

I don’t let her know that it’s not like before.

It's much more… so very much more.

“Aww, I just want to hold her for days and smell her. Is that weird?” I glance up at Haleigh, unable to hide my smile, and we both laugh at my craziness.

“I do the same, so no.”

I’m in awe of this little bundle in my arms. I look down at her sweet button nose and cute little lips—she's perfect.

But then I hear footsteps coming towards us, and my stomach somersaults.

Dammit, couldn’t he have just stayed in the kitchen?

“I can tell I’m her favorite auntie already,” I joke, knowing she doesn’t truly have one yet .

The guys walk in, and sure enough, Jaydon sits his ass right beside me on the couch. I shift, feeling uncomfortable at the extra eyes watching the situation between us.

As if reading my mind, he holds out both hands, that smirk of his curving his lips upwards. “Okay, pass her to me,” he says, like it’s a command. But no way in hell am I going to listen to his bullshit.

I pull her back and turn to the side, away from him.

“I just got her, so back off. We’re bonding…

” I study her face, stroking her full cheek gently with the back of my finger, while ignoring the sexy-ass man sitting beside me.

“She has the cutest little face… hmm, I think she looks like me.” I giggle, knowing that’s not possible, but claiming it anyway.

“Ellie, she can't fucking look like you… You’re not related to her.”

“Jay, don’t be rude!” Haleigh scolds him.

I scoff.

Ryan chuckles and pulls Haleigh into his side while sitting in the oversized chair.

“Well, like it or not, I’m still her favorite auntie.” I snarl at him and his rudeness, then hold my head high and continue holding on to this sweet girl like she's my lifeline .

Jaydon

I’m drawn to her.

She's mine—she just doesn’t know it yet.

My gaze follows every curve of her profile while she sits there, staring so lovingly at my niece. Her eyes light up, so full of warmth, making over her tiny little face.

Ryleigh isn't even a week old, but the amount of love I feel for this little human is overwhelming.

What really fucks with my head though, is the amount of love I see pouring out of Ellie. I can see it in the way she holds my niece so tenderly—a side of her she so rarely lets anyone see—and it stirs something deep within me.

I can’t help but think about having my own children one day.

Fuck .

The thought is almost surreal, but sitting beside my Peachy, watching her… I know I want this.

Someday, I want to build a life with her, and it fucks with my head because I’ve never felt this way before. And this beautiful, crazy girl sitting beside me, gushing over her best friend's baby, would make the best mother.

Oh, fuck—yeah, I’m thinking about that.

But what the hell am I gonna do?

I can't get her out of my mind, and I can't see any other future without Ellie being part of it. The urge to tell her how I feel is right on the tip of my tongue, but it dies along with the joke coming from Ryan’s mouth.

“Ellie, ignore Jay. He's not having much luck in the lady department right now,” he snickers.

If eyes could throw a punch across the room, he'd be on the floor right now. This fucker thinks he's funny because he knows there’s more than we're letting on.

Haleigh slaps his chest. “Ryan!” she scolds him as his body shakes from laughter.

“Very funny, asshole. I thought we were friends.” I glare at him.

I'm looking in his direction, but I can feel Ellie shifting beside me. A low grumble slips from her lips before she speaks.

“Alright, my sweets,” she leans down, kissing my niece's forehead before sliding forward and standing with her. “I’ve gotta get going.”

Haleigh sits up, “Oh, Ells, you don’t have to leave. I thought you were gonna stay longer.” She pops her bottom lip out with puppy dog eyes, looking at Ellie.

“I promise I will be back when there is less company.” She says to my sister, and I don’t ignore the way her words are laced with something meant for me. Then her eyes meet mine. “Am I handing her to you?”

She's leaving because of me, I know this. I speak, trying to hide the fact that she’s killing me inside. “Of course you are,” I say, trying to keep my voice light. “Just for a minute, and then I’m headed out, too.”

I position my arms, waiting to take her, and she leans forward with the softest motion, placing Ryleigh Grace into my hands.

But it's not just the fresh scent of a new baby I breathe in when I take her. The sweet smell of Ellie consumes my senses.

I thought I would be getting to smell her newborn baby scent, but no. Ellie's perfume lingers and clings to her blanket like a whisper, reminding me of her intoxicating smell that’s already ingrained into my memory.

At that moment, I realize just how much she's a part of my life. And she's slowly fucking killing me, because I can’t touch her the way I want to.