Page 78 of Baby for my Daddy's Best Friend

He snaps his fingers to alert his guards to escort me off the property.

I shove past them before they have a chance to lay their hands on me and get back into my car. Anger is pouring out of every fiber of my being.

If I had any doubts before about who was behind this, it’s crystal clear now.

I drive back to the house and find a spot to sit down by the pool. My phone rings, and I pick up thinking it must be news from the chief.

“Enzo, got a moment?”

“Right now, Michael?” I sigh. This feels like the worst possible timing.

“I really think we should talk.”

I cannot find it in me to just hang up on him, especially given how tumultuous our recent history has been.

“Fine, what do you have to say?”

Right now, Michael is the only connection I have to Quinn. As sad as it sounds, I hope he has some news about her.

Is she safe? Did she make it back okay? Did they get a chance to talk about me?

“I’ve been doing a fair bit of thinking these last few days, and I’m not okay with how things are between us. We’ve been friends for years.”

“You know it was not my intention to upset you, Michael. Nor was it Quinn’s. It was just an unfortunate coincidence.”

“I know, but it’s quite a significant one.”

“We are not seeing each other anymore,” Bitterness seeps into my tone before I can help myself. “I’m not sure what else you want.”

“I know that. That’s part of the reason I called. I wanted to tell you that you both did the right thing by ending it—whatever it was. That’s what I’d asked Quinn to do, and I’m sure that you had your own input as well.”

For a second, red flashes in front of my eyes. Is it possible that Quinn only left because of her father? Even though I understand where he’s coming from, it irks me that he has such a large say over her actions.

“Right, of course,” I mumble instead. “It was for the best.”

But was it really?

I know that question is going to haunt me forever.

“It was. I am glad that the both of you were finally able to see reason. And as for our friendship…”

I’m waiting for him to pull the plug. In a strange way, ending my friendship with Michael would make a future with Quinn actually possible. But I stop myself before my mind can go any further with that train of thought.

“I know it’s going to be awkward for some time, but from my end, I can try to keep this going.”

“Don’t worry about it, Michael.” I drop my gaze to the floor. “It’s in thepast.”

“Glad to have this conversation with you, then.”

The phone clicks shut, and I nearly throw it across the pool.

I said nothing that I really wanted to. I wanted to tell him that I didn’t want any of this to end, even though it was the right thing to do. I’ve fallen in love with her in the brief period that we got to be together, and it feels like she left with a piece of me that can never be recovered.

A month with Quinn had been enough to make me feel things that had been missing in my life for years. I wasaliveagain.

My eyes glaze over as I put my phone beside me instead.

A splash of water hits me, and I realize I’m not alone here.

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