Bobby hovered the pen over the span of white space, trying to figure out what to write. It had been over two years since that terrible day at MC's parents' house. There had been the occasional correspondence since then. A "Happy Birthday" text here and there. Maybe a "Merry Christmas" too. And after Bobby had publicly defended Noah and MC in the midst of the media circus, they had both reached out separately to thank him.

Once their engagement was confirmed, the rumors started spreading. Soon it was public opinion that MC and Noah had begun having an affair immediately after leaving the Villa, leading to the demise of each of their relationships. MC was harrassed ruthlessly, and portrayed as the backstabbing harlot who had tricked the public, and played their sweet baker boy. Bobby was suddenly receiving a deluge of sympathetic messages, riddled with vicious comments about how MC had wronged him, and how he deserved better. His stomach twisted in guilt with every brutal comment. Being the world's precious baker boy appealed to his people pleaser tendencies more than he cared to admit, but he hated this. MC only ever treated others with kindness and respect. She had loved him better than he had ever been loved. And now she was being punished for his mistakes. Every doting comment he got from a stranger, every harsh criticism he saw about MC, made him more and more ashamed of that dreamboat facade.

Normally Bobby avoided interviews, but he couldn't stand by and watch the public defame his lass without saying anything. So he agreed to an interview, and vowed to make himself vulnerable in a way he failed to do for MC before.

He had been sick with nerves as we waited under the burning studio lights. He wanted to make sure he got it right, and that he didn't make things worse for MC. He had to resist every impulse to joke his way through the uncomfortable moments or to charm the viewers. He liked being liked, and the whole purpose of this interview was to undo that.

A blonde, heavily made up television host sat across from him, speaking directly to the camera giving some sort of introduction. Bobby's nervous energy was buzzing so loudly in his head that he barely registered when she shifted her attention to him. "Thank you for joining us, Bobby. There has been quite a bit of buzz about you and MC lately, and the public has been eager to hear your side of the story."

"Thank you for having me. I've been really astounded by the rumors going about lately, and I felt it was important that I say something." The words rushed out of him, too quickly.

"I'd say we've all been taken aback by this news. MC came off as very loyal during the Love Island show. The whole world was rooting for you two. When did you find out she was having an affair with Noah?"

"There was no affair between MC and Noah. Things didn't work out between us, but that's on me, not her."

The host gave him a pitying look. "Still rushing to her defense, I see. That's very big of you."

Bobby shook his head and waved his hand as though trying to reject her sympathy. "That's just it. She hasn't done anything that needs defending. I have. I failed her, not the other way around."

The host's eyes widened and she leaned forward in interest. "Are you saying you had an affair?"

"No...well" He took a deep breath. "You know, a few months ago I would have said, no. But in a sense I did. I mean, from MC's perspective, I may as well have."

"Interesting. Can you tell us more?"

Bobby hesitated, not sure how this sort of information would play out in the public eye. What kind of sound bite would they create from this? Oh fuck it. The time for protecting himself had passed. This wasn't about him.

"Another woman expressed feelings for me, and I put her needs before MC." His voice was shaky. He wanted to say enough so that there was no way they could paint him as the hero of this story. "And I ended up dating her shortly after the break up. Before anything happened between Noah and MC." He took a deep breath before continuing, his words more confident. "I can't stand to hear people trashing MC and spreading lies about her. She doesn't deserve it. I broke her heart and all she did was move on to someone who makes her happy. That's not a crime."

Pouncing on an opportunity for drama, the host smiled with saccharine sweetness, "You sound like you regret that. Any chance you'll be trying to win her back?"

Bobby shook his head. "I've seen them together, and I've talked to MC since. She's made the right decision. Noah is the right person for her. Not me." He looked briefly into the camera, as though he could meet MC's eyes, hoping she would get the message.

"Well, what about this other woman? Are you still involved?"

"No, that didn't work out either."

The breakup with June had been painful, but coupled with relief. Like resetting a dislocated joint.

Bobby had poured his heart out to Priya after his realization that things were really over with MC and that he had brought it on himself. He felt completely ripped open, nothing left to hide. But Priya pushed him further.

"I'm so proud of you for letting your guard down like this, Bobby, but..." She paused, as if waiting to see if he would come to it himself.

"What?"

"June! You're essentially making the same mistake with her! When is the last time you even talked to her?" Bobby opened his mouth, but no words came out. "Let me guess." She crossed her arms. "She has no idea you went to see MC."

Fuck me. He had barely spared a thought for June through all of this. What was wrong with him? He groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Another poor girl has fallen victim to Captain B. Smooth."

"It's not funny, Priya." He gave her a miserable look.

"Bobby telling someone to get serious?" She clutched her chest in exaggerated shock. "You really must be growing."

He had driven straight to June's place after leaving Priya's and had another difficult conversation. June, at least, had seen this coming. She knew Bobby well enough to know something was off, and when he seemingly dropped off the face of the earth for several days, she recognized his classic move. He was grappling with some emotion that he couldn't cope with, and he was giving her the ol' Bobby slip.

June had been doing her own thinking while Bobby was MIA, and she realized that he had seemed like an exciting step away from the pain of her break up. A reliable, comforting option. But, if she was really being honest, she wasn't willing to fully expose herself either.

"We probably made a mistake jumping into this so fast." She had admitted. "I just got out of my long-term relationship. You had barely just ended things with MC." Bobby couldn't help but be annoyed at June's version of things. She seemed to have completely left out the part where she had yanked him from his post-villa bliss and forced him to confront her feelings for him. How she disregarded MC's role in his life and demanded his attention. Presented him with the choice of hurting his love or hurting his friend. Then once she had gotten what she wanted, it became "we jumped in too fast." What had been the point of all of this?

MC had practically begged Bobby to do better. When he couldn't live up to that, he had retreated to June, who let him be and never pushed him forward. All he and June had ever done was kill time together.

So Bobby took to the tedious task of processing his feelings and trudging reluctantly forward into an unknown future. He started going to therapy. He kept in touch with Priya to keep him honest. He was doing...okay. Some days he felt the water level lowering around him, the sand of the shore meeting his feet. He thought he might get back in the sunshine and out of the water at last. Other days, a wave of despair knocked him so thoroughly off kilter, he didn't know which way to swim to reach the surface.

He couldn't deny that Noah and MC's engagement was hard to handle.

"Bobby, what did you expect?" Priya had told him. "It's not that she cared less than you did. She's just been mourning this for a lot longer than you. You stuck your heartache in the freezer, and ignored it. The cost of that is that it's lasting a lot longer now. You're only just now thawing it out."

He'd forever wonder what might have been if he had been able to face the loss at the same time as her. Maybe they would have worked it out. But maybe things are better this way anyway.

"She's not with Noah to spite you, Bobby. She's just trying to find her way to happiness."

She did seem really, really happy, Bobby had to admit.

Especially the past 9 months. He had seen photos of her on social media, her stomach round, her face glowing like it was lit up from the inside. He had seen a few pictures of Noah with her too. He looked, there's no other word for it, joyful. He had the same lit up look about him. It was odd to see any expression on Noah's face. Stoicism tended to be his brand. But no longer it seemed. His eyes were gooey with admiration in every photo. His smile looked effortless and genuine.

There was one photo that particularly pricked Bobby's heart, where Noah looked down at his new family, shortly after the delivery. MC looked pale, exhausted, and breathtakingly beautiful. The way Noah looked at them, he couldn't describe it. His eyes radiated a love he hadn't known existed. It wasn't just that he exuded love onto them, you could see that he was awash in the love that they gave back. That it not only made him love her more, but made him love the whole world more.The kind of love that transcended time and overlaid every previous experience with a newfound appreciation and affection. A love that rushed forward into the future, brightening the path ahead.

Twins. Bobby shook his head, still hardly able to believe it. She was a mom of twins now. Bring on the major leagues, indeed. He knew this money would go to good use. There was no doubt that those two babies were going to grow up to be wonderful, amazing, unique people. He wanted to be a part of making that happen in some way. Even if distantly.

He tapped the pen against the table again, as if he could shake loose the right words to spill on the paper. The card had two cartoon pies on the front, and a message inside. A warm welcome to the world, cutie pies!

He considered a heartfelt message, as earnestness was the muscle he'd been trying to build these days. But ultimately decided to fall onto his old strengths for this one. He set the pen to paper.

So happy for your family. I know they're going to bake the world a better place. I'm already their biggest flan! Love and boops, Bobby

He included the account information for the education fund he had set up in their name. Their Love Island winnings had been sitting ignored for long enough. It had been tugging at him lately, his last tie to that dream they had shared. To a past that no longer led to the place he thought it would lead. He thought, maybe, at last, he was ready to let it go, and let the line recoil away back toward her, landing where it may. And even if he wasn't really ready, it was what he had to do. It was time to move forward.