Single Dad "Starting Over"(Hunter Hayes Fanfic)...Completed

Chapter 52

Liddy's POV

"Liddy, will you, please slow down and just get in my car?" Liz asks.

I wait for her Acura to come to a complete stop before pulling the door open and stepping inside. "Thanks for coming to get me. I'm sorry I walked off on you. I just had to get out of there."

Liz reaches over and squeezes my hand. "It's fine. How are you doing? You look like hell by the way. "

"I'm sure I do. How long have I been wondering around Nashville?

"About 20 minutes. I wish I could have gotten to you sooner but I had to calm Kelly down. As soon as you left, she went on a rant saying she couldn't believe that she trusted you. She thought you two were friends. I tried to explain that you never pursued Hunter that it was the other way around. Of course she didn't like hearing that."

"I'm sorry I left you to deal with that. " I say as I hang my head.

"It's fine. Don't worry about me, it's you I'm concerned about."

I force a fake laugh. "Well, I'm as good as can be expected, after learning that the man I love, the only man that I ever saw a future with is having a baby with someone else."

"Aww, honey. I am so sorry."

"Thanks." I say as I wipe away a tear. "I just can't believe this is happening. I love him so much. It's going to kill me to have to walk away from him and Harper."

"What are you talking about?" I can hear the concern in her voice.

"Hunter and I can't ever be together. He needs to marry Kelly and start a new life with her, their baby and Harper." I can barely choke out the last few words because I'm beginning to sob uncontrollable again.

"There's tissues in the glove box." She says as she points to it. "Why do you feel that you can't be with Hunter, if you two love each other, which I believe with my whole heart is the case? It might not be an ideal situation, but I am sure you can work something out."

"No, we can't. Hunter is all about family and he loves being a "hands on" dad. It kills him to watch Harper go off to her mom's for just 2 weekends a month. He's never going to be content having to share joint custody with Kelly. The only chance he has at being truly happy is if he can fall back in love with her and they raise their child together."

"But."

I cut her off. "No buts Liz, Hunter needs to have his family with him as much as possible in order to be happy. As much as we might want it to be different, it can't be. He could try to convince himself it would be fine to see his child 50 % of the time or maybe even less because he travels so much, but over time it would slowly kill him."

"You said you had to walk away, what does that mean exactly?"

"It means that I'm going to have to find a new job." I say while sobbing.

"No, there has to be another answer. It's not fair that you have to loose not only Hunter but Harper, too!"

"I don't want to quit my job. I don't want to leave Harper, honestly I don't. But let's be serious, there is no way Kelly's going to allow me to be anywhere within 200 feet of Hunter. Plus, it's going to be too hard on me to see them together. I'm a strong woman, but I'm not that strong."

"But what about Harper? You promised her you would always be there for her."

"I know I did!" I say as wipe the tears from my eyes. "That's what's killing me. She's so young. She isn't going to understand. I'll have to stay on as her nanny for longer than I want so I can try and prepare her somehow for me leaving and once I do, I will find a way to keep in contact with her. I committed to be there for her and I won't break the promise."