His Best Friend

Chapter 15- She's Gone?

A week later, everything seemed to going really well. Almost a little too well. I sat cross legged in the office chair in front of the desk in Hunter's apartment. I have my Ipad with its bluetooth keyboard set up to start making plans for the fall tour. I'm also in the middle of putting video clips together to prepare the next 'For the Love of Music' episode on my computer.

Layla had just come back to Nashville to visit and she walked into the room and I immediately got up and hugged her. As soon as I let go, I said,
"I didn't know you were coming. Why didn't you call?"

"Cause I wanted to surprise my baby sister. That's why."
"Yeah, your baby sister who's going to have a baby of her own before you."
"Ok, so maybe Mom and Dad wish you'd gotten married before getting pregnant, but you're still their daughter. And they still love you, Ryleigh. And they'll absolutely love their first little grandbaby."

"I know. Wait, I just got to thinking. Layla, I don't normally drink at all. You'd agree with that, right?"
"Yeah, I can't even remember the last time you did."
"So, if I don't, and we both know that Hunter only drinks coffee or water, what made both of us get so drunk that night that, well, this happened." I patted my belly at this.

"What are getting at, Ryleigh?"
I didn't answer right away, instead picked up my Iphone off my desk and browsed the videos. The only thing I now remember from that infamous night back in my hometown, was that Hunter and his band had been videoing. I started watching it, but without the sound until I got to the part where Sam was holding the camera.

"See, Layla," I held the phone up so we could both see it, "You can see both my glass and Hunter's. We were both drinking water that night. So, how did we both get so drunk?"

"It certainly does look like water. But how can you be sure?"
"I can't. But you said it yourself, how often do I actually drink? That I can remember, once in my lifetime. Point is, if neither Hunter nor I drank that night, how did we both end up so drunk?"

"Good point, I can't answer that." My Ipod had been playing all my music on shuffle this whole time, and just as she said that, Hunter's version of 'Run, Run, Rudolph' came on.

"Didn't he perform that in Washington?"
"Yeah, he did it on TNT's Christmas in Washington."
"I think I might have watched it, I'm not sure now though. But of course, Libby attended that with him."

"Yeah, the ice queen herself."
We kept talking for the next few minutes until we heard a voice coming in from the hallway, saying,

"Hunter? You in there?" Libby walked in and just stared at me for what seemed like forever, "Ryleigh? What are you doing here? I thought we had a agreement?"
"No, you had an agreement. I only left because I didn't want Hunter to get hurt. But now, I have a reason to come back.

And you can't stop it."
"And why do you think that?"
"Because I can prove that if you really are pregnant, it's not his baby."

"What? But how?"
"First, let's start with how far along are you?"
"About 11 weeks, why?"

"Cause I'm also about 11 weeks pregnant. Difference is, I didn't try to convince Hunter that he's the father until I had a paternity test to prove that he is."
"So, you have proof that he fathered your baby?"

"Yes, absolute DNA proof that if we're both 11 weeks, Hunter can't be the father of your baby. Now, you don't have a way to blackmail him into dating you anymore."

She stormed off and before too long I heard the front door slam. Not 5 minutes later, I heard that same door open and close again. He walked in and immediately said,
"Libby ran past me, yelling 'She'll never win'. What was that about?"

I walked over to him and said, "Well, I may have confronted her and said that I knew her baby isn't yours." I wrapped my arms around his waist, rested my head on his chest and sighed. He wrapped his arms around me and just held me there until finally I lifted my head, looked up and said,
"What did I do? She's going to ruin your life now."

"No, she's not. I won't let her. I'm done being afraid of what she could do. Yes, I love music, but I love you too, Ryles. I won't let her tear us apart again. And now we have someone else to take of too." He moved a hand down to press it against my belly, "Ry, I don't care what she thinks she still has over me. I'm gonna be here to support you and the baby."

"I know, I really do. I'm just scared. No, check that, I'm terrified."

A/N: A sweet moment for Hunter and Ryleigh but, what's going to happen? What could Libby possibly have planned?
Alright, I'm in another good mood... due to the fact I'm going to see Dan + Shay in concert tomorrow night!! First time (hopefully of many) seeing them live!! So, here's another chapter...