Page 39 of Replay

Berkley starts sobbing, and I drop to my knees in front of where she sits on the couch, pulling her into me. I didn’t think my heart could break any more after losing her, but seeing her like this is killing me.

“I’m so, so sorry, baby. Just never forget your mom had the greatest love ever… Her love for you.” I lift her chin, tears welling in my own eyes at her stricken face. “And take it from someone who loves you and has been loved by you, it's the best thing she could have ever experienced.”

Her chin wobbles, but she slings her arms around me. We hold each other like this for several minutes before she sits back.

Then she puts her face back in her hands. “I’m sorry. It’s so much to process. I’m livid, but I’m also hurt. I feel like they took so much fromher.So much from us.”

“The day I left for college, I spewed venom in my mom’s direction, and I haven’t spoken a word to her since.”

“Does Willow know?”

I shake my head. “She doesn’t know it was your dad, but she knows about the affair. She still speaks to my mom at times, but our family is a mess.”

“All because of my dad.”

“It was just as much her fault. They are both selfish.”

She exhales a shaky breath. “I feel sick… This is too much. I think I need to lay down.”

I hate them even more in this moment.

“Can I get you something?” I ask, not wanting to leave her like this.

She shakes her head.

“Please let me do something, BB?”

She lies down, and I barely hear the words she whispers, “Hold me, Nate.”

Wanting nothing more, I do as she says. Berkley fits her head under my chin like she always used to do, and I place a gentle kiss to her blonde hair.

Everything feels better with her in my arms, even if just for a little while.

A couple of hours later, I wake up, Berkley still asleep on my lap. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I realize the meeting to watch game film with my quarterback coach was supposed to start thirty minutes ago.

Gently sitting up, I text him back, letting him know I’ll miss the film because something came up. I really don’t care about the repercussions. Berkley is more important than anything, even football.

I take my time looking her over, wishing I could take every bit of sadness from her heart and replace it with nothing but happiness. It’s so hard knowing that everything we went through was for nothing because her father hurt her anyway, showing his true colors.

And I hurt her too.

The creak of the front door opening startles me, and in walks Bellamy, who slightly jerks back when she sees me sitting there.

But in true Bellamy fashion, she quickly adjusts and hits me with the snark. “Damn, stalker boy, you’re taking this thing to a whole new level. Staring while she sleeps.”

Berkley wakes up at the sound of her best friend’s voice, looking between us with a dazed expression.

“Good, sleeping beauty is up.” She blows Berkley a kiss. “Darby is on her way back. We have massages and pedicures booked at the Grove Park Inn this afternoon.”

“What?” Don’t you guys have class?” Her voice is still thick from her nap.

“Psshh. Did you really think we were going to let you sit in here all day by yourself?” She clears her throat. “Or with your crazy stalker… He was a plot twist I didn’t see coming.”

We both chuckle at that as Bellamy walks down the hallway.

“I’ll get out of your hair. Can we talk again soon?”

She nods, searching my eyes. “Part of me feels like our conversation earlier was a dream.”

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