Hearts on Broadway (Book 2)

Chapter 20 - Friends Support

Morgan sat on the edge of his couch, scrolling through his phone absentmindedly. He hadn't been looking for anything specific, just passing time while Jackson took his nap. But then, his thumb froze over the screen as a headline caught his eye.

"Georgie Day Spotted with Riley Green: New Romance Brewing?"

His stomach dropped. He blinked, hoping that maybe he had misread the headline. But as he scrolled through the article, there it was—photos of Georgie and Riley leaving a restaurant, laughing and looking comfortable together. The world seemed to blur for a moment as he stared at the images, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.

The knot in his chest tightened. He'd spent the last eight months waiting, holding out hope that Georgie would come back when she was ready. He had given her space, trusting that she needed time to heal, just like she said. But seeing her with someone else? That was a punch to the gut he hadn't been prepared for.

Morgan threw his phone onto the couch and rubbed his hands over his face. He wasn't sure what hurt more—the idea that she might have moved on, or the fact that he'd spent all this time waiting for something that was never going to happen. A part of him had always believed they'd find their way back to each other. But maybe he'd been wrong.

The knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. Before he could respond, the door swung open, and Hardy strolled in, followed closely by Ernest. Morgan sighed. Of course, they'd show up now.

"Hey, man," Hardy said, plopping down on the couch beside him. "You good?"

Morgan didn't respond right away, still too caught up in his emotions. Ernest took a seat on the other side of him, eyeing the phone lying on the cushion.

"You've seen it, huh?" Ernest said, his voice gentle but knowing.

Morgan didn't have to ask what he was talking about. He just nodded, feeling a heaviness settle over him.

Hardy leaned back, crossing his arms. "Yeah, it's all over the place. People are going nuts. Georgie and Riley... didn't see that one coming."

Morgan swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising emotions. "Neither did I."

Ernest shifted, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "You don't know the whole story, though. It could just be media blowing things out of proportion. You know how they are."

Morgan nodded again, though the hurt still gnawed at him. He knew the media had a way of twisting things, but the photos didn't lie. Georgie and Riley looked happy. Relaxed. Like they were getting along way better than he and Georgie had before she left.

"Maybe," Morgan said, his voice tight. "But what if it's not just the media? What if she's... moved on?"

The words tasted bitter as they left his mouth. He had tried not to let his mind go there, tried to keep the faith that things between them could be fixed. But seeing those pictures made everything real in a way he wasn't ready for.

Hardy let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Look, man. I know this sucks. But you've been holding onto this for a long time, hoping she'd come back. Maybe it's time to stop waiting and actually do something about it."

Morgan frowned, turning to him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, call her," Hardy said simply. "Talk to her. Figure out what's really going on. You can't just sit here and assume the worst because of some photos."

Ernest nodded in agreement. "He's right, Morgan. If you still care about her—and I know you do—you need to reach out. Don't let this mess with your head. Georgie's been through a lot, and so have you. But the only way to know if there's a chance to fix things is to talk to her."