"Dex, man, you do not put love on hold to go shopping for something better," he said. "That is not how it works."
But I was so convinced that if I just waited, if I just proved how much I loved her, she would come back and realize I was enough.
Somewhere around month three, something shifted.
Maybe it was getting tired of feeling sorry for myself. Or maybe it was finally listening to Ryker's advice. But I started actually living again.
Used the money we had saved for the wedding to pay off my truck. Started hitting the gym regularly instead of drinking beer and watching Netflix every night. Even started talking to this nurse, Sloan, who came into the shop sometimes when her car was acting up.
Sloan was not like Nia. She did not make me feel like I had to earn her attention or prove I was interesting enough. When she laughed at my jokes, it felt real. When she asked about my day, she actually listened to the answer.
By month six, Nia's original timeline, I was not waiting anymore. I was dating Sloan. And for the first time in years, I felt like someone actually chose me, instead of just tolerating me until something better came along.
Which brings me to tonight.
Nia showed up at my door looking like she had been crying for hours. Obviously pregnant. Begging me to take her back.
"I got it out of my system," she said. "I know now that you are the one. I made a mistake, Dex. I am sorry. Can we please just go back to how things were?"
I am standing there looking at this woman I had planned to spend my life with, and I felt nothing. No anger, no heartbreak, no relief. Just nothing.
"How far along are you?" I asked.
"About 4 months. But Dex, it was an accident. I was being stupid and careless, and now I need you. We can raise this baby together. You always wanted kids."
"Whose baby is it?"
"It does not matter. What matters is that I love you, and I want to come home."
That is when it hit me. She did not come back because she realized I was amazing. She came back because she got herself into trouble and needed someone to fix it for her.
I was her backup plan.
"Nia," I said, "I am seeing someone else now."
The look on her face was like I had slapped her.
"What do you mean, you are seeing someone else? You were supposed to wait for me."