Page 52 of Breakaway Daddies

His words slam into me, leaving me breathless, like a punch to the gut.

I sit there, speechless, my heart pounding like a drumbeat in my chest, as the world continues to unravel around me.

I cross my arms tightly over my chest, feeling the frustration simmering just below the surface. “I get it, Coach. I really do,” I say, keeping my voice steady and controlled like a tightrope walker balancing on a thin line. “I was already thinking about going back to college anyway. Guess I just needed a push.”

Coach leans back in his worn leather chair, his fingers massaging his temples as if trying to ease away the tension. “That’s not what I want, Jinx. You’re good at your job. I hate to lose you over this mess.”

I force a small, strained smile to my lips. “Well,” I say, “now you don’t have to fire me. I quit.”

His mouth forms a tight line, but he gives a reluctant nod. “I’ll miss having you around.”

I stand up from the chair, eager to leave the office before my emotions start to unravel like loose threads.

“You know,” he calls out just as my hand touches the cold metal of the door handle, “you could always just…stop seeing them.”

I grip the handle tighter, feeling the coolness seep into my skin. “I really can’t promise something like that.”

With that, I walk out, trying to keep myself from hurling again.

Sitting in my car, I pull out my phone and open the group chat. My fingers hover over the digital keyboard, hesitating for just a moment before typing.

>> Moving back into my own place. Also, I’m pregnant. You don’t have to be involved if you don’t want to be. No hard feelings.

I hit send, the decisive tap echoing like a finality in the quiet confines of the car.

Almost instantly, my phone vibrates with urgency—each buzz a cascade of messages flooding in from all three of them, their words waiting impatiently on the screen.

I don’t read them.

Instead, I turn up the volume of the music, letting the pounding rhythm and soaring melodies wash over me, drowning out the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind.

As the car hums along the road back to Rowan’s house, the familiar landscape blurs past the windows. It’s time to pack.

Time to be done with this whole damn thing.

When I pull into the driveway, my phone screen is practically burning with notifications.

The boys are pissed.But I don’t really know why.

They wanted honesty, right?

That’s what I gave them.

I’m not going to lie about the pregnancy. I’m not going to keep the kid from them.

What else do they want?

Don’t they see everything’s falling apart?

I shake my head, pushing the phone deep into my pocket as I grab an empty duffel bag from the hallway closet.

I don’t have much stuff here, just enough to fit in my car. But my reptile tanks, my actual essentials? Those are going to take more than just one trip.

I sigh and pull up a truck rental site, frowning at the prices.

Great. Another expense.

A knot settles in my stomach, but I push through it. Just a few more things to pack, and then I can be gone.

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