Page 56 of The Last Thing
Hardy: Speak for yourself, Markie Mark. I need the TEA.
Brian: When Bridgerton isn’t on, he has to take his need for drama to the real world.
Me: There’s no drama. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Me: [Taylor Swift Anti-hero meme]
Devon: Of course you’re the problem. The Baker girls are troublemakers. This isn’t new information.
Me: Thanks for the love.
Brian: We all love you. Seriously, though, are you okay?
Me: Hahaha. What’s that?
No sooner have I sent the text than there’s a knock on my door.
It could be Frannie.
But as I get off the bed and walk out to the living room, I know it’s not.
When I open the door and find Deck on the other side, I know I’m in trouble.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
We stare at each other for a second longer, then we collide in a kiss.
Because when Wilson Decker is involved… I am weak.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
HALLIE
School pick-up linesare the bane of my existence, but at least it’s a nice day, so I can take the top off and blare Fall Out Boy.
Nothing like the wind blowing through my hair while I belt out the words toSugar, We’re Goin Down.
I’m trying to enjoy every second left with my Wrangler because I know our time together is coming to an end. As soon as I figure out how best to finance a new-to-me car, I need to get one. A Jeep Wrangler isn’t the most practical car for kids—especially a baby. But I found a different Jeep model I like. Maybe I’ll save up and have it painted baby blue to keep the love of my first car baby alive.
I drum my thumbs on the steering wheel as I jam—more quietly now—to Fall Out Boy.
I get an approving look from a guy walking by, and where in the past that might’ve been something that would be an icebreaker or lead me to a hookup, as I predicted the night we met, Wilson Decker has ruined me.
Since we finally gave in to the tension between us the other day, we haven’t been able to stop. We did it three times that day and again that night. And last night, Sophia convinced me to stayfor dinner, then read her a book before bed. Before I could even try to leave the apartment, Deck had cornered me, begging me to stay.
Because I now apparently turn into a pile of mush when he hits me with sex eyes, I did, then ended up in his bed. I fell asleep there because my body felt like jelly, and when he wrapped his arms around me, I didn’t have the energy to fight him. I had to do the walk of shame back to my apartment at five in the morning so Sophia wouldn’t see me.
Talk about messy.
And yet I’m getting surprisingly comfortable in my little mess.
Would it be so crazy to keep hooking up with Deck, co-parent our child, and continue being there for Sophia?
It could totally work, right?
Some new-age version of family that would make old people roll their eyes and say “back in my day, we had respect for what a family is.” All while at least one partner was cheating and women were forced to be childrearers and nothing else.
