Always & Forever (Nick & Bailey #2)

41. Bailey

I return home just minutes after Ian.

"So he told you?" He asks as I enter the kitchen.

I nod, and pause on the other side of the kitchen island from him.

"Good. I would have, if he hadn't."

"I know," I say with absolutely no enthusiasm.

"So did you tell him it's over?"

I look down. "No. I told him I needed space."

"Seriously? Bailey, you have to dump him."

"I don't have to do anything, Ian! You don't understand. It's not that easy."

He walks around the island to stand next to me. "Yes, it really is, Bailey. He cheated on you. That's it. It's over. End of story."

"You've wanted us apart from the moment you found out about us! That's all this is."

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself. I wish I was able to.

"That's not what this is, Bai. But how am I supposed to look at him? Coming to family dinners? Or putting his arm around you? All I will see is him staring at another girl's tits in his face."

I flinch at his hurtful words, and he notices. "I'm sorry, Bailey." He pulls me into a hug, and I feel my tears returning. "I'm just so angry right now. I shouldn't have said that, though."

"It's okay," I say, even though it really isn't. "But could you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

"Could you take my shift at the pool tomorrow? I'm supposed to go in in the morning, and I think I just need time to myself."

He pulls away and looks down at me with a pitying smile. "No problem. I want you to think about this—really think about it. Think about how you could possibly move on from this. I couldn't."

"You've made your opinion perfectly clear, Ian. And thank you."

Who knew moving away would turn Ian into the protective brother that I'd always heard about?

I turn away and begin walking to my room where I plan on staying for the foreseeable future.

"Honey? How are you doing?" I hear my mom's voice as she opens my door. I don't answer.

"I know you're awake. I just heard you use the toilet."

I knew I should have held it until she left.

"I'm awake," I confirm, begrudgingly.

She comes to sit on the side of my bed. "Still not feeling well? I brought you a sandwich. I haven't seen you eat anything in two days."

Had it really been that long since I saw Nick? It's hard to keep track of time when I'm constantly in a state of tear-filled consciousness—alternating between painful memories, restless sleep, and trying to figure out where we go from here.

The smell of peanut butter and jelly is too much for me to resist. I sit up and eat half of it four bites. I take a break to drink some water before diving into the other half.

"So what's going on, Bailey? Are you really not feeling well? Or is it something else?"

I'm mid-chew and have a sudden urge to spit it out. I don't, though. I take my time swallowing, trying to decide if I should tell my mom the truth.

"It's Nick," I admit.

She nods. "I thought it might be. You came home earlier than you said you would and haven't spoken to anyone since. And Ian was very secretive about whatever he knew."