Bay's POV

"Well, screw 'im, honey. Some men are just dirty dogs."

The woman sitting across from me had a blond ponytail and bright blue eyes. She had an apron tied around her waist, a waitress at the diner, though with no one else in this early, she was listening to me.

Debbie and I were fast friends. She was also pregnant, just a few weeks behind me. I came to the diner every morning, partly just to talk to her. After a week of her pestering, I had finally told her why I was here.

"I know, I just... I trusted him." I gestured to my stomach. "Obviously."

"My Charlotte, her father did the same thing. He kept sayin' how much he loved me, and he told it to every other woman he saw, too. Some men are just like that. But Earl, he's wonderful. You need to find yourself an Earl."

"I don't think I'm going to go looking for 'Earl' for awhile." I took a sip of my hot chocolate. "I need to go home soon. I have an appointment on the fourth."

"It's only the 25th. You have time. You stay as long as you need to. I know Carl likes having you around. And Margie."

I smiled slightly. Margie was Carl's wife, a woman who loved having people in the hotel. On my second day here, I had found out that Carl did, in fact, live just above the hotel. Margie liked to invite me up for lunch and dinner, but I liked Debbie too much to give up breakfast.

I had grown to know a lot of the inhabitants of Alderdeen. There was a woman, Carol, who spent her mornings feeding the birds in the center of town. James was only a couple years older than me, and whenever he delivered mail, he would stop and talk. Everyone in this town knew each other, and every morning I was tempted to never leave. Every night, I remembered all the reasons I had to.

Someone else came into the diner, and Debbie got up to greet them, leaving me to myself.

I looked out the window, watching the small town wake up. A couple women were jogging together, children were being hustled to school, lights were turning off as the sun rose higher in the sky.

After a few minutes, I got up, leaving money on the table. "See you later, Debbie."

"You, too, honey!"

I made my way outside, breathing in the cool air. I could smell spring coming, just around the corner. Flowers were already starting to bloom. It was peaceful in Alderdeen, seemingly separated from the rest of the world. There were no expectations here, no obligations, no cheating boyfriends.

I really did need to leave soon, though. And I should call everyone, let them know I'm alive.

I pushed the thought away and made my way back to the hotel.

...

"Thank you, Margie! Thank you, Carl. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

I slowly made my way downstairs, going to my room. I froze a couple doors down, eyes wide.

Emmett sat on the floor, leaning against the door. He was staring up at the ceiling, seeming lost in thought. He looked tired.

I took a deep breath to brace myself. I continued on to my door, and he stood when he realized I was there.

'Bay.'

I ignored him, unlocking my door. I went inside the room, trying to shut it behind me, but he was already there. He came in and shut the door behind him.

'Bay, please, I didn't-'

I grabbed a pillow from the bed and turned, throwing it at him, tears shining in my eyes. "I trusted you!"

He dodged the pillow easily enough. 'Bay, just listen to me. Simone-'

"Don't say her name! Get out! Get away from me! I never want to see you-"

'John paid her!'

That stopped me. "What?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, offering it to me. I slowly took it and looked down. A check made out to Simone Sinclair, for $2,000. Signed by John Kennish. I looked back up at Emmett, frowning slightly.

'John paid her to break us up. I talked to her. He said he would pay her more if she kissed me. She feels so bad about it she gave up the check. I didn't kiss her. I swear to you, I pushed her away, and I left. Please, Bay.' His eyes were wide, pleading with me.

"John did it?"

'You know I don't trust him. I always thought he was up to something. This was it. Please.'

He hadn't cheated on me.

'I love you, Bay.'

He hadn't cheated on me.

"I..." I winced as I felt the cramps start. "I need to sit down." I sank down onto the bed, taking a deep breath, hoping it wouldn't be too bad. If I couldn't handle some Braxton Hicks, I had no idea how I was going to handle labor. But sure enough, the cramps worsened, and I tried to breathe through them.

'Bay, what is it? Are you alright?'

"It's the, um, the... the Braxton... The Braxton Hicks."

Emmett was quickly on the bed, pulling me toward him until I was settled between his legs. He put his hands on my stomach, rubbing little circles into my skin, breathing with me. My favorite position that we had learned in Lamaze class.

I relaxed against him, and the pain faded away.

He hadn't cheated on me.

I felt like I could breathe again.

I closed my eyes, letting myself just take comfort from being in his arms again. He pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

After a couple minutes, I finally pulled away to face him. "Why didn't you come to the appointment?"

'I tried. Mom took me to school, and had someone following me all day so I couldn't leave. She said that she wanted you to hear it from everyone else before I could talk to you. By the time I slipped away, the appointment was over. And then I never saw your car at your house, and you didn't answer your phone. Daphne hasn't even looked at me. I haven't been able to get to you.'

I took a bit of pleasure out of Daphne giving him the cold shoulder on my behalf.

"You didn't miss anything. Nothing new happened at the appointment."

'I missed the appointment. I don't care if all you did was stare at the ceiling, I missed an appointment. Has anything changed? You're alright? She's alright?"

"We're fine. Nothing's really changed. That was my second Braxton Hicks."

'When was the first one?'

"The night I got here."

His eyes saddened. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.'

"I don't want to think about it. I just want to put all of it behind us."

He nodded slightly. 'Alright.'

I nodded slightly and reached for the phone beside the bed. "I'm gonna call my mom." He nodded again, and I dialed the number.

She picked up on the second ring. "Hello? Bay?"

"Hi, Mom."

"Bay! Oh, my goodness, I've been so worried. One second." There was a sound, like she was covering the phone. "Regina! Bay's on the phone!" After some more shifting sounds, she said, "Ok, I'm back. Regina's been over a lot, waiting for you to call. Are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm coming home soon. Emmett's with me."

"What? Why is he there? Are you ok?" Her voice had raised an octave.

"I'm fine. We're fine. He found me. Mom... We found something out. Well, he found something out. About John. Don't trust him, Mom."

"Honey? What are you-"

"We'll explain when we get home. It's something you have to see. Just... trust me, ok? I've gotta go. Love you."

"Ok... I love you, sweetie. Come home, soon."

I hung up the phone and laid back in the bed.

'Everything alright?'

"Yeah. We should go back soon."

'Tomorrow?'

I shook my head. "No. Day after. I want the town to meet you. I've been talking bad."

He grinned slightly. 'How are we getting your car back?'

"Excellent question. Pay someone to get it, probably."

'Sounds good to me.'

I nodded slightly and kissed him.

This kiss was different than our others. We were both trying to pour so much into it. It was desperate. Emmett moved up on an elbow so he was above me, not breaking the kiss. He laced a hand through my hair.

One of my hands looped around the back of his neck, my hand fisting in his shirt, trying to pull it up. His lips left mine, trailing a line of kisses across my jaw and down my neck as I gasped for breath. His hand left my hair, trailing down my side and slipping under my shirt, and...

Well. A lady doesn't kiss and tell.