Page 31 of Trying Not to Need You

“No.” I shake my head, grinning.

“Well?” Courtlynn prompts.

“I don’t know,” I groan. “Yesterday, he was all flirty and said some things.”

“What kind of things?” Ellison asks.

“Like, ‘he wants to make me fall in love with him’ things.”

All three of my sisters gasp.

“Back up the cookie truck,” Courtlynn says, raising her hand in the air. “Context, Bay, we need context.”

“What she said.” Leighton nods, also pointing at our younger sister.

“I’m with them,” Ellison agrees. “We need the conversation, not just bits and pieces.”

I exhale loudly and tell them what happened. I don’t leave anything out, not even going to get carrots from Alice. By the time I’m finished, all three of their mouths are hanging open, and I’m bracing myself for their thoughts on the matter.

However, the room is silent. My gaze bounces between the three of them, and still nothing. “Say something.” I fight the urge to stomp my foot, but they’re just staring at me, and it’s unnerving.

“I can see it,” Leighton finally says, slowly nodding.

“He doesn’t date,” Ellison adds. “I’ve watched him turn down women at the Hideaway, and I’ve heard the guys tease him about a dry spell.”

“Wait.” Courtlynn leans forward in her seat. “You’re thinking he was waiting for Bay?”

Ellison nods. “It makes sense.”

“You had no idea?” Leighton asks.

“No. None. I mean, he was always around when I came home to visit, but all the guys were, even more so now that Ells and Cope are married.”

“Didn’t you have a crush on him?” Leighton asks me.

I sigh. “Yeah, I did, but I was thirteen. He was far too old for me, and it was a crush.”

“Well, he’s not too old for you now,” Courtlynn says. “That five-year age gap gets smaller the older you get.”

“Are you calling me old?” I pretend to be offended, and she laughs.

“All three of you are old,” Courtlynn teases.

“How do you feel about all of this?” Leighton asks, in her calm, soothing voice.

“I don’t know. On one hand, thirteen-year-old Baylor is bouncing with excitement. Then there’s adult Baylor, who feels like he’s come out of left field with all of this.”

“How does he see things progressing?” Ellison asks, resting her hands on her baby bump.

“Just what he said. He wants a shot,” I remind her. “He wants me to give him a chance to show me he’s going to show up for me.”

“Do you want to give him that chance?” Leighton asks.

“He’s sexy,” Courtlynn announces. “I say go for it. He puts Todd to shame.”

“Todd was handsome, but he was kind of snooty,” Leighton says, crinkling up her nose.

“Macklin’s a good guy,” Ellison adds.