As soon as we were back at home, I apologized to Hailey, gave her a big kiss on the forehead, then ran to my father’s truck to head straight out to find Missy. He always keeps his keys in the cupholder, so I was out of our driveway, speeding down the gravel road before the rest of my family even had time to fully get out of my truck. Brittany flipped me the bird as I drove past, still pissed at me over letting Monica join us. She didn’t talk to me the whole way home, and took the passenger seat like a brat while my dad drove, forcing me to sit in my own backseat. I didn’t fight with her over it. I know I fucked up and she’s right to be pissed at me. Shit. I forgot my phone was dead. I pulled my phone out to try and call Missy, but it was still off. My dad doesn’t keep a charger in his truck either. I tried going to her house first, but she wasn’t there. No one was. The ugly green Saturn was nowhere to be seen. I don’t know why she didn’t have her car earlier, but it’s not at her h
Missy POVLast night I was a mess. I cried hysterically for hours, sitting in Barry’s car. He drove to a random parking lot in the next town over, and just waited there patiently while I got it all out of my system. Or at least I tried to get it all out of my system. I never actually stopped crying. I didn’t want to go anywhere with him, and under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have, but I was out of options, and I didn’t want to stick around the diner and have it out with Adrian and his ex right there for the whole town to see. Ex my butt. You don’t go around town with your ex, playing family and not tell your girlfriend anything about it. He told me that she stayed over at his house, but said nothing about spending the day with her. He wouldn’t even answer the phone for me at all yesterday, probably hiding me from her. Then, I had to see that display in the window at the diner.How am I supposed to believe nothing happened the night before now?I trusted him. I trusted him more
Monica POV“You didn’t try very hard, did you?” The prick continues to chastise me on the phone. “I thought you said spreading those skinny legs of yours wouldn’t be hard with him?”“You made it sound like he was just sleeping with her. I didn’t expect him to actually love her. There was no getting past his defenses because all he could think about was her. Not my fault.”I was so humiliated yesterday. I never wanted to go back to that stupid little town after I left, but then this freak had to talk me into doing more than just going to the courtroom and signing the fucking adoption papers. It wasn't the lowest point in my life, having Brittany Brewer degrade me like that, but it was definitely not worth the empty promises this dude gave me. If he’s calling me this pissed off, he obviously failed too. I should have known better than to trust a stranger that randomly messaged me on Facebook. On Wednesday, this guy named Barry, claiming to be that Missy girl’s wronged fiance, DMed m
Adrian POV“Pokemon Go? Are you serious?” Missy asks after hearing my story about why I kept rejecting her calls. “I swear. You can go by the farmer’s market today and see the booth if you don’t believe me. Here,” I pull out my phone, showing her the new app on it Hailey made me download. “I don’t know how, but I’m sure there is a way to see when it was downloaded and how long she was playing it yesterday.”She looks at my phone in my outstretched hand speculatively, like she still isn’t sure if she believes me.“I’m telling the truth, Missy.”“Hmm,” is all she says in response. Hmm? What does hmm mean? This is stupidly frustrating. Earlier, when she first got out of the shower and allowed for me to hold her while we had our moment, I thought I had broken through to her, and she was letting me in her defenses.After several minutes, though, she kicked me out of her room and said to wait in the living room while she got dressed and we could talk after. Those defenses went right bac
Brittany POV“Auntie Britt, how much longer until daddy comes home?” Hailey asked me for the third time in the last ten minutes. She has been anxious since Adrian left early this morning. It’s now past noon, and there has been no word from Adrian or Missy, though I have texted both of them numerous times. “I don’t know, baby, but hopefully not too much longer. Do you want to go outside and play with the chalk with me?”She shakes her head solemnly. I sighed, wishing my stupid brother would call me, or at least text and tell me what was going on. I swear, if he blew his chance with Missy, I was going to fucking kill him. She is the best thing that ever happened to him. To us. She has really become my best friend since moving here. Gawd, I wish I hadn't been stupid and forgotten my phone yesterday. That would have saved all of us a lot of stress. I could have told Missy the whole time what was going on.Stupid Monica.If it wasn't for her bull crap, none of this would have happened.
Missy POVIt’s been a week since the incident with Monica. Moving past it hasn’t been easy for me, but I’ve been trying.Adrian has been great. Overly attentive and constantly affectionate, always going out of his way to be a gentleman. He isn't even making a third of the dirty jokes he used to make. I like that he is trying so hard, but those small insecurities that still linger between us pop their ugly heads out, making me doubt myself all over again at times. I liked his dirty talk and his rough demeanor.And, he won’t sleep with me. That's the biggest insecurity of mine right now. I thought it was because of Hailey, but even when Hailey isn’t around and he comes over without her, he won’t do more than give me kisses. He doesn’t grope me, get over touchy, nothing. I tried to initiate more last night, but he insisted on taking me out to the bar in town instead. At the end of the night, he simply told me good-night, made sure all my doors were locked, then left, even though Britta
Barry POVMy boss threatened to fire me if I took any more time off of work to come back to this shithole town, but how was I supposed to stay away? How am I supposed to just sit back and do nothing while Missy isn’t replying to any of my emails or messages on her social media? This fucking sucks.I need to get her to take me back. That’s the only way to crawl out this pit of despair I’ve found myself in.I need money. I can’t live like a rat any longer. Even that bitch, Jessica, is getting more annoying, not willingly letting me use her shitty car any more. I have to fuck her till she passes out, then sneak the keys from her cheap target handbag. She still lives in the city. Why the hell does she need her car that badly? Take the fucking bus or walk. Her flabby legs could use the exercise. Missy didn’t need any exercise. She looked like she'd been doing her squats in the weeks we'd spent apart. She looked so amazing last weekend. I just wanted to bury my face between those cheeks
Adrian POVI had just gotten in my truck after leaving the pre-school that Hailey was set to start soon, after officially signing her paperwork and paying the deposit, when my sister called me. “Yep,” I drawled as I answered. “Hey, I think you need to get down to my work. Now.”“Why? Someone bothering you again?” Britt had a couple run-ins with men passing through harassing her a few times.“No, not me. That ugly green car guy is back, and he’s bothering your girlfriend.”“What?! Is Missy okay?”Ugly green car guy? It can’t be that fucking dickhead again. Is he that stupid? “She’s yelling at him for trying to touch her. Can you get here or should I call dad?”I’m going to fucking kill him. I told him to stay the fuck away from my woman. He’s trying to touch her? He’s dead. He’s fucking dead. “I’ll be right there,” I sneered, hanging up and tearing out of the parking lot a lot faster than is probably safe. Luckily, no children or parents are outside right now. I’m not far. It wou
Christmas Morning “Mommy!” Hailey hisses, shaking my shoulder. “Is Quinton awake?” I grumbled, not wanting to open my eyes yet. “Mama!” I felt little hands tapping my face. “Mama, up! Santa!” Landon says loudly. That’s right. It’s Christmas morning. We were up so late last night putting pieces of Hailey’s new doll house together, and setting up Landon’s new toddler roller coaster track around the living room that I forgot to set my alarm. “Where’s your dad,” I groaned as I rolled over, trying to force my eyes to open. “In Quinton’s room. He said to let you sleep until there was light in the sky, and now there is light in the sky!” I looked over at the window, and just as Hailey said, there was a small sliver of sunlight peeking above the trees. I chuckle hoarsely, my throat dry from sleep and the cold air, then somehow manage to find the strength to swing my legs out from under the covers and onto the floor. “Okay, I’m up,” I say as I stretch. Hailey jumps in the air, c
Missy POV“Ready baby?” Adrian asks, helping me out of the wheelchair with one arm, his other hand holding our son who is sleeping in his carseat. The nurse waves goodbye to us at the door, then heads back into the hospital. “Yeah, but I feel like I’m wearing a diaper,” I complained, the chafing burning like you wouldn’t believe. “I’m going to look funny walking to the car.”He drove my mini van up to the curb, but I still have a good 30 feet to wobble, and I feel awkward and self-conscious walking in public. “You look hot in your diaper, babe,” Adrian tells me, kissing my head. “But lucky for me, you can’t tell you’re wearing one. Your coat is hiding all your goodies, so just watch your step and hold onto me until we get there.”I grin up at my amazing husband, so thankful for everything about him. Only he could make me believe that he really thinks I look hot in my oversized maxi pad and postpartum panties. This morning when I put my nursing bra on and had the cups unhooked while
Adrian POV“Push, baby,” I told her, holding one of her knees, and letting her break every bone in my hand. She’s doing so, so fucking well with this. If I have to get reconstructive surgery on my hand after this is done, it will be worth it. I was so scared when she told me a few weeks ago that she wanted to try and do this birth naturally. I know she hated the effects of the epidural last time, but it did take the pain away. She is doing so amazing, handling this all on her own. I’m so amazed by her. More than ever. She’s like a superwoman, her superpower being able to still look absolutely beautiful while pushing a watermelon-sized human out of her body. “You’re doing so, so good, Missy,” I told her as the contraction eased up just a little. Not a lot, but enough for her to take a breath and take a few seconds' break from pushing. Hun-Stev-Rick-Quin, which is what I’ve decided the baby will be named since we can’t ever fucking decide, is crowning, and I know she only has seconds
Missy POV“Shit! Shit! How do you spell contraction?” Rick asks, looking at his phone while pacing around frantically.“C-o-n-t-r-a-t-i-o-n,” one of the nurses tells him, looking amused while watching him freak out in the corner of the room.“Rick, you can go. I’m sure Adrian will be here any second,” I tried to tell him for the tenth time. “No, no. I’m staying. Let me just search Google for what to do during a….”Oh my gosh, he’s seriously googling what to do right now. It would be hilarious if it didn’t feel like a watermelon was trying to explode inside of me. Lord, I need Adrian. I didn’t want to get an epidural, but I don’t know how much longer I can deal with this pain without him. Just then, another gargantuan searing contraction makes my entire body tense with stabbing, all-consuming pain. My spine feels like it’s going to break and my pelvis is so tight that I bet you could bounce a ball on it, though I would kill anyone who tried. “Fuuuahhhhh!” I screamed out, one of t
Adrian POV“Daddy? Why are you picking me up? Where’s mom?” Hailey asked, looking confused as she approached my truck after walking out of school. I scoff, and pretend to be offended. “Why? Are you disappointed to see me?”She giggled, walking into my arms and hugging me. “No. Mom is always the one that picks me up, though,” she smiles, looking up at me. I kissed the tip of her nose, then opened the back door for her. “We’re going shopping,” I grinned, helping her to buckle her seat belt after lifting her up. “For Christmas?!” She asked excitedly. “Yes ma’am. We got to get your mama presents.”“Oh, can we get her a puppy?!” Hailey asks, jumping up and down in her booster seat. I chuckle at her request. She’s still got Pickles, but has been asking for a dog for months now, and Missy finally talked me into getting her one. She’s going to be one excited little girl on Christmas morning. The chocolate lab puppy that Missy found for her is at my dad’s for the next week until Christma
“I’ll give you something you can lick like ice cream all you want,” I smirked at Adrian in the mirror. “Whoa, woman. Who taught you how to talk like that?”I giggle at the face he’s making staring at me. “You.”A proud grin stretched on his handsome face. “Oh yeah.”His hands move down my arms as he starts to kiss behind my ear, making me moan. When his tongue flicks out against my earlobe, I whimper out, feeling it down there too. His hands move to my belly, gliding under it, and when he lifts the weight of his child off my bladder, I cry out, “Thank you!”, making him chuckle. “Gawd, you’re adorable,” he husks in my ear. I smirked slightly at him in the mirror, my eyes half-closed in relaxation with him supporting most of my weight. “I know,” I replied, mocking his tone, since that was totally something he would say. “Humble too,” he laughs. “Learned that from you too.”“Mmmh, I’m such a good teacher. Think you can waddle to the bed and let me teach you a few more things?”I gri
“Hey, guys,” I started to get up, pushing myself up from the couch, until a dishrag hit me in the back of the head. I turned to glare at my husband. “You stay put,” Adrian scowls back at me, pouring water into my mug in the kitchen,“You can all go to her to say your hellos. She’s not allowed to get up”Roseanne and her family chuckle while Brittany rolls her eyes again. “Are you in timeout, Missy?” Roseanne came to hug me from the couch after handing the pie I'd been waiting for all night to Rick. “Seems so,” I sighed, hugging her back. “What did you do this time?”“Dishes,” I shrug. She tutted her tongue, shaking her head, “Such a crime. I’m surprised he didn’t tie you to the bed after such an offense.”“Oh, I plan to later,” Adrian smirks, coming around the couch to hand me my tea before hugging Roseanne. She laughs at his cheekiness, used to his crude jokes. “How are you all? How was your thanksgiving?” Adrian asks, moving to hug Isabelle and shake Mike’s hand before giving
Missy POV “Mama, Dad said to tell you to stop,” Hailey tells me, coming in from the back door. “Stop what?” I asked, trying to get a grease stain out of my roasting pan, scrubbing vigorously at the supposedly non-stick material. “I can’t say the whole thing because he said curse words,” she scrunches her nose, making a face. Brittany chuckles from where she is sitting at the counter across from me, typing away at some final essay she has been working on since coming home for thanksgiving break. “Paraphrase. Leave out the bad words,” she mutters. Hailey sighs, “Well, he said to tell your stubborn butt to stop and be beeping patient. Then he said more beep words because Landon ran into his ankles with his tractor. When he stopped yelling and threatening to run over Landon’s tractor with the real tractor, he said to tell that beep woman I’ll do the beeping dishes in a sec, so she needs to sit her beeping butt down.” I rolled my eyes. If I wait for him and his
2 years later….This is bliss. I’m floating in my jetted tub, engulfed in sweet-smelling foamy bubbles and soft music wafting out from the mounted speaker. The house has been quiet for 3 songs now, so I think Adrian finally managed to get Landon to sleep. I volunteered, but he insisted on me taking a bath as I cleaned the kitchen after dinner and told me he had bedtime covered. I know what that means. He wants me relaxed, energized and in a good mood. I bet any second, he comes waltzing into the bathroom too….“Oh, honey!” Adrian’s excitement from the other side of the door made me giggle. He opens the door then pops his head in, wiggling his eyebrows. “Mission accomplished.”“Good job, daddy,” I told him, floating to the edge of the tub and resting my head on my arm. “Want some company?” He asks, even though he is already stripping out of his clothes. “If I say no, will that stop you?”“Not a chance,” he grins, tossing his sock and boxers in the hamper with his jeans. He slips