“But I think it needs to be said, for the future I still want you to have because you’re my best friend, and you’re missing out on something pretty great. What you need to know is that you’re enough, Foster.” He glances at Leighton, who nods. “I feel like a therapist,” he whines.
“You sound like one too,” I grumble.
Hayes stands. “See? I told you guys don’t talk like this to each other.”
Leighton tugs him back down by the sleeve and slides closer to me. “What Hayes is trying to say is that you deserve love, Foster. You deserve Callie’s love. And I can tell you, as someone who has been loved by Callie since I was a freshman in high school, she’s worth the risk. She’s loyal, and has your back, and always wants the best for you.”
“I know all this,” I say. “It’s not her that’s the problem.”
They stare at each other for a beat. I’d like them to leave so I can wallow for the foreseeable future and then pick myself up and move on with my life as if these past four months never happened.
Even if that feels impossible right now.
“Do you love her?” Hayes asks. “And don’t bullshit me. If you don’t, that’s fine, but do you?”
I’ve never told any woman I loved her. Hell, the last time I told anyone I loved them was when I was young and I told my mom. Look how that turned out.
Still, I can’t deny the truth. I give Hayes a sharp nod.
“Thought so. Then you have to fight, man.”
“What Hayes means?—”
Hayes looks at his fiancée. “I said what I meant.”
Leighton slides off the couch and onto the coffee table across from him. “Yes, and it was great.” She taps his leg a little condescendingly.
Hayes shakes his head and leans back on the couch.
I bite my lip to stop a small smile from forming.
“You have to fight for yourself, Foster.” Leighton meets my gaze and holds it. “You need to realize that you deserve this. You deserve to have Callie love you. This isn’t about fighting for Callie. She already wants to be yours. But you have to work on you. Put Callie out of the equation. How do you see this going with your unborn child? How do you expect your child to feel deserving of love if all he sees is a father who doesn’t?”
Fuck… she has a point.
“I’m gonna be honest, no one gets to love you more than you love yourself. You can’t keep destroying the relationships in your life, because it will inevitably trickle down to that little one growing in Callie’s belly. It’s admirable that you want to be a different parent for your baby, but you need to do the work first. And yes, it will be unpleasant, and it will hurt, but once you’re on the other side of it… well, I think you’ll find that Callie and your child are worth it.”
She sends a questioning glance at Hayes, and he gives her a small shake of his head, but she rolls her eyes.
A crease forms between my brows. “What?”
“It’s up to you, of course. But if you wanted, you could take the first step today… your mom is downstairs at Decker’s.” She raises her hand before I have a chance to speak. “You don’t have to forgive her. We have no idea what happened, so maybe you’re right—maybe she doesn’t deserve your forgiveness. But I think you deserve some healing. Maybe in order to do that, you need to hear her out. And if you still feel the same way, okay. But I think you need to handle that part of your past so you can move forward with your future.”
Hayes stares at me.
“I’m not a psychologist or anything, so take my advice as a friend who really wants to see you happy… and maybe with her best friend.” Leighton smiles sweetly, then pushes herself up off the coffee table. She puts her hand on my shoulder before walking over to the door. “I’ll be outside.”
Leighton opens the door to leave but then turns around. “If he says no, Hayes, ask him for the couch.” She laughs and walks out.
“She’s just joking,” Hayes says.
“Take the couch for Callie,” I tell him.
He doesn’t say anything for a beat before he gets that look in his eye. The same one he gets on the field when we’re on the cusp of winning a game.
“All right, now that she’s gone, let me tell you what you’re gonna do.” He leans forward and rests his forearms on his knees. “You’re gonna get off your ass. You’re gonna go down to Decker’s and hear your mom out. And then you’re gonna do one big grand fucking gesture for Callie. You love her, and she’s what you want. Sure, fight for yourself, but fight for the love the two of you have together. You never would’ve hooked up with my sister behind my back if there wasn’t something there from the get-go. I knew that all along. So stop wallowing like a punkass and go do the work to win her back.”
Hayes stands from the couch and takes a few steps before turning back around. “I’m telling you, it’s a great life. Don’t miss out on it.”
