Hey there!

If you read and loved ‘Break Up with Him, for Me,’ here are a couple of short scenes that were cut from the novel.

I hope you enjoy them + Thank you so much for reading Hayden & Penelope’s romance. I can’t wait to release another one!

F.L.Y.

(Effin Love You)

Whit

Deleted Hayden & Penelope Scene

**Unedited**

Penelope: Present Day

Bora, Bora

I leaned against Hayden’s chest as we watched the clear blue waters kiss the sandy-white beach. We’d been sitting in silence for hours now, recovering from back-to-back rounds of unforgettable sex. 

Since we’d long abandoned caution and stopped using condoms, I had an endless urge to feel him deep inside of me as often as possible.

“How long do you think it’ll take Travis to get over losing his fight?” I asked, finally shattering our silence.

“I’m not sure.” He laughed. “He’d have to believe that he actually lost first.”

“So, five years from now?”

“I was thinking more like ten.”

I smiled. “In that case, when do you want to tell him about us?”

“Penelope…” He let out a sigh. Then he tilted my chin up with his fingertips until his eyes met mine. “Our relationship is none of his business, but I’ll tell him eventually. Your brother is the last thing on my mind. He always has been.”

“I haven’t met with any clients or does any real work recently,” I admitted. “So whenever we’re silent, he’s the only thing on mine.”

“Okay.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “I’ll help you think about something else soon then.”

“Something non-sex related?”

“Of course.” His lips curved into a smirk, and he gently pushed me off his chest.

“I need to make a quick call to Lawrence inside first,” he said, kissing my lips. “I’ll be right back—unless you want to join me for this scream-filled video chat?”

I shook my head. “No, I’ll wait for you to come back.”

I watched him leave—waited until the glass doors were tightly shut, and then I picked up my phone.

Opening a private tab, I searched for “Annual U.S. Figure Skating Reunion Exhibition & Charity LiveStream.”

For the next few hours, my former peers—Tatiana included, were due to skate short pieces or give input on their careers. The exhibition was a celebratory event that pitted the past skating world against the present, and only the top skaters were given access. 

I never took offense to the fact that the association stopped inviting me; I’d never responded to any of their invitations.

“Every year, I look forward to this event, Janet,” a male announcer said. “The best skaters in our sport—every single one of them, are all here giving back.”

“It’s also a way for us to reminisce about our favorite programs,” Janet responded. “I love it, too!”

Tears welled in my eyes as Tatiana—looking beautiful as ever in a silver and red costume, waved at the camera. Then the announcers began detailing her career.

“Tatiana Brave is still in my top three skaters of all time,” the male announcer said. “There was a point in time when she and The Perfect Feather gave us the most memorable—and cutthroat, performances I’ve ever seen.”

“Oh, that was my favorite era, Frank,” Janet said. “Their hatred brought out the best programs, and I think they almost killed each other a few times.”

“Is it possible that they ever became friends, all these years later?”

“Hell no.”

They laughed, and my heart ached as they began to talk about my career.

I wasn’t even present—never had been, and they sat there and went through an unnecessary conversation about everything that I could’ve been. 

“If only she’d never fallen…”

“I think about that all the time. Such a tragedy.”

“We still haven’t seen anything like her.” 

“We probably never will again.”

Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. 

I suddenly heard the glass doors open behind me, so I tossed my phone onto a pillow.

“Do you feel like going for a walk on the beach with me?” Hayden grabbed my wrists and pulled me up before I could answer. “Or are you too sore?”

“The latter.” I forced a smile and avoided looking directly into his eyes. “You already know that.”

“Fair enough.” He turned around and motioned for me to climb onto his back. “I’ll carry you the entire way.”

Blushing, I took my time climbing onto him, and within seconds, the sadness about the announcers’ conversation dissipated.

As Hayden carried me down the steps, I quietly vowed to stop picking at the scars of my past so much. To focus on “us” and the things that I could control instead …

*End of scene*

###

Deleted Penelope & Tatiana Scene

“I hate Hayden Hunter.” My voice cracked. “I really do.”

“You know, if I wasn’t convinced the first five hundred times that you’ve said it tonight, I promise you that I more than get it now.” Tatiana placed a pillow behind my head. “Surely there’s something else that you want to talk about.”

“Would you like me to talk about being pregnant with his baby, then?”

“No.” She smiled. “And unless you want me to start telling you about a new easter egg that I just found in the very first Sailor Moon episode, I suggest you think of something else quickly.”

Ugh. Sold. “Tell me something that you’ve never told me before.”

“Hmmm.” She plopped down next to me. “I’ll never admit this publicly, but my gold medal from Pyeongchang is utterly worthless.”

“What?” I turned to face her. “What the hell do you mean by that?”

“I wanted to win it after competing against the best skater in the world,” she said. “I didn’t get my chance, so it doesn’t count.”

“That’s not true, Tatiana.”

“It really is.” She looked into my eyes. “No one has ever said it to my face, but I know that they all wonder what would’ve happened if you’d never gotten hurt. It’s not a legitimate win to anyone, not even me.”

“It’s legitimate to me,” I said. “I always thought you were a threat. You were starting to land a quadruple lutz in every routine back then.”

“I was planning to add a second and a third for Pyeongchang.” She hugged me. “But I doubt we would’ve ended up as friends any other way. Like, from the bottom of my heart, I want you to know that you really were a bitch.”

“You were always a bigger one.”

She laughed, and I couldn’t help but join her. My first genuine one all week.

“Not to be a buzzkill …” she said, letting out a breath. “But when exactly do you plan to tell Hayden about the baby?”

“Is whenever I make it into the delivery room too soon?”

“I’ll give you a few more weeks to do it, or I’ll have to break the friend code and tell him myself.”

“I thought we were still enemies.”

“In that case, I’ll call him now.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Then don’t make me.” She looked serious. “You have to tell him—hatred or not. He needs to know.”

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll draw up a co-parenting schedule first.”

“I’ll help with that.” She paused, and then she looked at me as if the next words couldn’t possibly wait.” Is now a good time to tell you about the hidden thing that I found in the show?”

“Never would be better.”

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.”

*End of scene*

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F.L.Y. 

Whit