I Loved You First Novel – How does it feel to find out your boyfriend has a child with another woman? “He and Ally Foster… She’s pregnant.” Fiona continued to hold Mom’s gaze. “Okay…” “The baby’s Cam’s, honey.” Fiona rushed off the cushion as she instantly grew sick. “That’s not true.” Sympathy filled Mom’s eyes now. “I’m afraid it is—” “No,” Fiona repeated as she rushed to the entryway, grabbing her phone and the car keys off the table before she ran out the door. But her breath backed up in her chest as she saw him and her pecking. “Fi, wait!” She picked up her pace, full-out running, as she heard Cam’s footsteps quickly approaching. “Fiona, stop!” But she didn’t stop. Instead, she got behind the wheel, flipped a U-ey, and burned rubber as she slammed her foot on the gas. She would never look back.
Fiona sangalong with another song on her favorite playlist as she wrapped the last lock of her dark-brown hair around her curling iron. Picking up her clear gloss, she applied it to her lips, then snatched up her phone, snapping a selfie and sending it off in a text. What do you think? Seconds later, Leo responded. Holy smoke show! Fiona laughed. You’re good for my ego. But it’s not too shabby after a transatlantic flight and a two-hour bus ride home. Girl, that boy is toast. She snagged her lip with her teeth, hoping that would be true. Wish me luck. Her friend’s next response popped up. You don’t need luck. He’s crazy about you.
Fiona grinned as she heard the car pull up in the driveway. Taking a last peek in the mirror, she grabbed her phone and hurried downstairs, throwing herself into her mother’s arms as Mom walked through the front door. Mom laughed with delight as she returned her embrace. “Fiona, what are you doing here?” “I wanted to come home early.” Mom set Fi’s phone on the table, then captured her hands as she stepped back. “Europe has certainly agreed with you. You look beautiful, sweet girl.” Fiona grinned. “Thank you. Leo helped me pick out the dress and gave me some makeup tips.” Mom nodded as she studied Fi’s dress. “You know I’m thrilled you’re here, but I thought Cam was picking you up at the airport. In three days.” Fiona shrugged. “He was. But I wanted to surprise him—to fix things—before I have to go back to school next week.” Trouble clouded Mom’s blue eyes as she sighed. “Fi…” Her light mood immediately vanished because Mom rarely said her name like that. “What’s wrong?” Mom sighed again. “I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to do in this situation…”
Fiona swallowed as her uneasiness grew. “What is it?” “Come sit down,” Mom said as she pulled her over to the couch, keeping Fiona’s hand in hers as they sat. “Cam came by the house a couple of days ago, pretty upset. He shared some news that he wanted me to hear from him—that he wanted to tell you himself.” Fiona’s heart began to pound as her anxiety increased. “Is he okay? Is he sick?” She shook her head. “Cam’s health is fine.” Mom squeezed her hand tighter. “He and Ally Foster… She’s pregnant.” Fiona continued to hold Mom’s gaze. “Okay…” “The baby’s Cam’s, honey.” Fiona rushed off the cushion as she instantly grew sick. “That’s not true.” Sympathy filled Mom’s eyes now. “I’m afraid it is—” “No,” Fiona said as she shook her head more adamantly. “I don’t believe you.” Mom stood, capturing her hands again. “Sweetie, I saw Ellie at the council meeting this morning. We had a chance to talk. All of this has come as a huge shock to everyone. She told me Cam moved out of his apartment—that he’s back home. Ally’s been feeling quite poorly, so she’s had a hard time working at the salon… They’ll both be staying with Ellie and Danny while they try to figure things out.”
Fiona shook her head again as she tried to take it all in—as she fought to comprehend that the girl who’d hated her throughout high school would be living in Cam’s family home. That Cam and Ally were going to be parents. Together. “No.” Mom nodded. “Ellie mentioned that Cam and some friends are helping Ally move this afternoon—” “No,” Fiona repeated as she rushed to the entryway, grabbing her phone and the car keys off the table before she ran out the door. Mom hurried after her, stopping in the doorway. “Fiona, come back.” She didn’t listen as she got behind the wheel and quickly backed out. “It’s just a mistake,” she assured herself, unable to believe anything else as her hands trembled on the steering wheel. “We love each other,” she told herself next as she paused more than stopped at the occasional stop sign, driving closer to Ally’s above-the-garage apartment in the same older neighborhood Fiona had lived in nearly all her life.
She slowed halfway up the next block, stopping when she spotted the familiar pickup truck. Getting out, she left the Camry to idle in the middle of the street, listening to the Top 40 music echoing from a window as she walked closer to the well-maintained colonial, still trying to convince herself that there was another explanation—that other people besides Cam drove a black Dodge Ram. But her breath backed up in her chest as she read Bennet & Sons Home Builders on the side of the work truck. And then she froze when Cam and Cam’s best friend hefted a chest of drawers through the open garage door. Ally soon followed in short shorts and a tank shirt, looking stunning and no worse for the wear while she carried a small U-Haul box in her arms. “This isn’t happening,” Fiona whispered, still in disbelief, until Cam turned his head and their gazes locked. She saw it then—the surprise and apology in his gorgeous green eyes. Instantly, her heart knew what her head had been unwilling to accept. Everything about her life as she knew it crumbled into a million pieces. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she fought to breathe—as she turned away and hurried toward the car.
“Fi, wait!” She picked up her pace, full-out running, as she heard Cam’s footsteps quickly approaching. “Fiona, stop!” But she didn’t stop. Instead, she got behind the wheel, flipped a U-ey, and burned rubber as she slammed her foot on the gas. Five blocks quickly passed in a blur of tears and grief. The sobs came when she spotted the sweet two-story house she and Mom had fixed up together. Home. But she felt none of the familiar comfort in being there as she pulled into the driveway and ran up the porch steps, yanking open the door. “Mom!” Mom rushed from the kitchen. “Fi—” “I need to go,” she said as she hurried upstairs to the bedroom, crouching to shut the suitcase she’d barely unpacked, zipping it and grabbing her purse. She yanked up the heavy luggage, dragging it beside her down the steps. “I need to leave. I have to go right now.” Mom stopped her with a gentle tug on her arm as Fiona reached to open the screen door. “Take some deep breaths, honey.” Fiona adamantly shook her head. “I can’t. Please take me to the bus station.” “But—” “Please, Mom. I know Cam will come, and I can’t be here when he does.”
Mom nodded, following Fiona outside, getting behind the wheel as Fiona fought to get the suitcase into the trunk. Getting in the passenger side, she heard her cell phone ringing on the floor. Ignoring it, she buckled her safety belt while Mom backed up. “Fi, where will you go?” She shrugged, finding it impossible to stop crying. “To the airport. Then to DC. School starts next week.” “Where will you stay?” She jerked her shoulders again. “I’ll call Tara when I get on the bus. I’m sure I can stay with her. Her parents said I’m always welcome.” But she would stay in a shelter until the dorms opened if she had to. Because she wasn’t staying here. Her cell phone stopped ringing and alerted her to a text. Short on patience, she huffed out a breath as she yanked it up, reading it. Fi, please talk to me. Please let me explain. Then Cam’s gorgeous, grinning face filled her screen when he called again. Another wave of sorrow broke her as she selected his name in her contacts and blocked him. Instantly, the car was quiet, except for her shuddering breaths and sniffling. She’d been the biggest of fools. Cam hadn’t texted her two days ago because he’d been missing her the way she’d been missing him.
He hadn’t wanted to get back together like she had. Cam had wanted to tell her that he’d moved on and made a child with someone else. Minutes later, Mom pulled into the bus station lot, parking close to the Boston-bound bus. Fiona got out, eager to secure a ticket and be gone. Pulling her suitcase from the back, she shut the trunk. Mom met her around back, cupping Fiona’s face in her hands. “I’m so sorry, baby girl.” She started to cry again. “I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but you’re going to be okay.” Fiona cried harder. “He doesn’t love me.” Mom wiped away her tears. “You’re my strong, brave girl. You can do anything you set your mind to. Go make a life for yourself. Make all of your dreams come true the way your dad wanted you to. Call Simone and take the job in Seattle.” Fiona nodded. “Okay.” Mom wrapped her up in a tight hug.
“Put your tickets on the emergency credit card. I’ll bring you your stuff next week before we both have to get back to the classroom.” Fiona held on. “Thank you, Mom.” Mom eased back. “I love you, sweet girl.” She sniffled. “I love you, too.” “Lift up that chin, and go get your ticket, baby.” She nodded, swiping at her cheeks as she walked inside, heading for the ticket booth. Buying her fare, she immediately headed for the bus that was due to depart in eleven minutes. As she took her seat and stared out at the outskirts of the town she’d grown up in, she promised herself she would take her mother’s advice and build a new life. And she would never look back.