“You need to give him a shot,” she said quietly.
I nodded, though doubt still lingered. I wanted to, but I couldn’t ignore the hurdles: his kids, Blake, the chaos of it all.
“I’m going home with him tonight,” I whispered to Camille and Lauren.
Camille grinned. “You should. Honestly, I’d go home with his friend,il est canon.”
We all laughed as we hugged goodbye. Will waited with me while the Uber came for Camille and Lauren, slipping some cash to the driver and giving him a few instructions.
Evan took an Uber home as well, giving me a quick hug before he left. “It was nice to finally meet you, Natalie,” he said, his tone warm and genuine.
I felt a strange pang of emotion at his words.Will had mentioned me to his best friend.
As the valet brought Will’s car around, I noticed him glance at his phone. His face tightened briefly before he slipped it back into his pocket.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Fine,” he said quickly, but I could tell he was lying.
I pushed aside the thoughts lingering in the back of my mind—Blake, our exes, the kids.
Tonight was ours.
CHAPTER 18
SIDE BY SIDE SINKS
WILL
When we pulled into the garage, I killed the engine and turned to Natalie. Her hand rested lightly in her lap, her eyes lingering on the dashboard. I reached over, threading her fingers through mine.
“I know you’re scared of this life together, but I think it could be a good one,” I said softly.
Her eyes flicked to mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw the walls she’d built up around herself begin to crack. “I know,” she replied, her voice just above a whisper.
Before I could say more, my phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking the moment. I glanced at the screen. Blake.
Natalie’s gaze dropped to our joined hands. She gave me a small smile, pulling her hand free. “Answer it,” she said.
“I’ll see you inside,” she added, slipping out of the car as I let her know the garage door was unlocked.
I sighed as I watched her walk away, her back straight, her steps measured. Reluctantly, I picked up the call.
“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.
“Hiiiii, you’re alive,” Blake said, her voice overly chipper. The noise of music and chatter in the background confirmed she was out with her friends.
“What’s up?” I asked, keeping it short.
“I want to come over,” she said. “I feel like we need to talk.”
She wasn’t wrong. We did need to talk. If I were being honest with myself, I’d been a terrible boyfriend to Blake. Even if Natalie weren’t in the picture, I had no business being with her. Blake deserved better, someone who was all in, someone who didn’t constantly compare her to another woman.
“Listen, I think we do need to talk,” I said. “But not tonight. Let’s do it tomorrow when we’re both clear-headed.”
She sighed. “Fine. But just so you know, I’ve been hit on by a very hot bartender all night.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Please be safe, Blake. Call me tomorrow.”
