Page 62 of Breakaway Daddies

A slow, genuine smile spreads across my face, and I find myself nodding. “Yeah. I think I am,” I confess, feeling a warmth spreading through me.

Kenzie, sitting beside me, lets out a long-held breath, as if she had been waiting for my admission. Her shoulders relax visibly.

Leaning forward, Ally taps the bar with gentle insistence. “Then maybe don’t give up just yet. Maybe… try being her friend. No pressure. Support her. Let her come to you.”

Kenzie chimes in with a playful grin, her eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. “And definitely apologize,” she adds, emphasizing this with a nod. “That part’s key.”

My hand snaps to my forehead as if drawn by an invisible force, my fingers pressing into my skin. “Wait… wait—did we ever apologize to her?” I mutter under my breath, my stomach churning.

My mind races frantically, sifting through every text message, every awkward run-in since she stormed out. I see the argument playing like a movie in my head, her face flushed with anger, her voice raised, and then the sound of the door slamming shut behind her.

My heart feels like it’s sinking into my chest.

Ally and Kenzie watch me intently, their eyes wide and expectant, not a hint of their usual teasing. They remain quiet, holding their breath.

“Nooo,” I groan, the word stretching out as if it could somehow lessen the weight of the realization crashing down on me like a ton of bricks. It’s the groan of a man who’s just remembered he’s missed an anniversary. “No, no, no, no—tell me we didn’t screw this up that bad.”

Kenzie arches her eyebrows, disbelief etched across her face. “Seriously?”

Ally tightens her crossed arms, leaning forward as if to drive the point home. “Thomas. You mean to tell us that after she dropped the bomb about being pregnant and moving out, none of you even said sorry?”

The groan escapes my lips again, deeper this time, a sound that seems to come from the very pit of my being. The truth hits me like a punch to the gut.

It’s all so clear now. Her sudden silence, the way she avoided us as if we were strangers. She must think we didn’t give a damn.

Kenzie shakes her head slowly, disappointment shadowing her features. “No wonder she won’t talk to you guys.”

Ally’s voice softens, her tone gentle and encouraging. “Look, if you really love her, if you all love her… you’ll do the right thing. All of you will.”

I nod as understanding and resolve begin to replace the shame swirling inside me. “Yeah… you’re right. I can’t believe we didn’t…”

My voice trails off, but my mind is made up. It’s time to make things right.

Despite the gravity of the moment, a chuckle escapes my lips. “So you’re saying I should play the long game?”

“Play the real game,” Ally advises softly, her gaze steady and sincere. “The one that matters.”

I slide my phone out of my pocket, feeling the cool metal against my fingertips, and quickly tap out a message to the group chat.

>> Hey… did either of you ever actually apologize to Jinx?

The little typing bubbles appear, first Rowan’s, then Bruno’s, hovering on the screen like tiny, flickering lights. Then, just as quickly, they disappear, leaving the screen blank and silent. I roll my eyes, exhale a frustrated sigh, and type again.

>> Yeah. Me either. Should we maybe do that?

A heavy pause follows, the kind that makes the room feel still and expectant. Then, the dots come back to life.

Bruno is typing… Rowan is typing…

I lean against the polished wooden bar, my heart pounding like I’m in the climax of a suspense thriller. Finally, Bruno’s message arrives with a soft ping.

>> Shit. Yes. We should.

Right on its heels is Rowan’s response.

>> Yeah. We royally fucked up.

I shake my head, a grin spreading across my face despite the tension in my chest, and I type again.

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