Page 22 of After All This Time

Logan's number comes through almost immediately, and I quickly send a message.

AMELIA

Hey Logan, it's Amelia from the other night at the bar. I was asking Harper if she knew of any job openings, and she mentioned that your parents run a bar. So I was wondering if they might want to hire someone with zero experience but who's a quick learner?

Okay, so Logan doesn't message back anywhere near as fast as Harper, but I'm not exactly shocked. It's just a guy thing, right? Tobias is exactly the same. Sometimes, it feels like it takes him three to five business days to respond, even when the damn read receipt is sitting there mocking me.

With my phone still in my hand, I scroll through my contacts and find Allison's name. I hit call, and a smile tugs at my lips just thinking about hearing her voice.

Allison's my best friend from back home, and aside from Tobias, she knows me better than anyone, and unlike Tobias, she's fully aware of my dumb-as-shit, can't-even-deny-it attraction to him.

I fold my knees into my chest, nestling back into the couch cushions with my phone pressed against my ear, waiting for her to pick up.

"Milly! I swear I was just thinking about you." Allison's voice bursts through, and just like that, my day is better.

"Bullshit," I call her out, but there's nothing but pure joy in my laugh.

Through the phone, I hear her signature high-pitched laugh—the kind you'd recognize in a crowded room without even looking.

"No, seriously," she insists. "I was watching One Tree Hill this morning. Do you remember how in love we were with Lucas Scott? I had a jersey and everything."

"Yeah, back when we thought true love was pining after a guy who couldn't decide between two girls for nearly nine seasons."

"Peyton was always endgame," Allison declares with the same conviction she's had since we were sixteen. "I actually saw him on TV the other day, and that man has aged like a fine wine."

"He's a little different from what you go for now."

Her current type is worlds away from the clean-cut blond who, looking back, probably wasn't even the better Scott brother.

Jordan, her girlfriend, has dark-blue hair that falls all the way down to the best ass I've ever seen. Her tattoos and piercings might scream badass, but beneath that edgy exterior is a woman who's softer than the clouds. The kind of soft that doesn't just watch you ugly cry—she's gonna break right alongside you. I'mtalking tears streaming down her face, mascara everywhere, looking like she's crawled out of the same dark pit and knows exactly what it feels like.

"Speaking of true love, how's Tobias doing?"

"Yeah, I hate you," I grumble, my words muffled by the palm I drag down my face.

"You don't, but I'll let it slide."

"Firstly, it isn't love. It's not that deep. And secondly, it's not my fault he's hot. You know he is, so don't even pretend like I'm making this shit up."

"Oh, I'm not denying it. Tobias is stupid hot."

"One day, he'll stop looking like he does, and I'll stop feeling like this."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that, Milly," she says, not buying it for a single second.

"Whatever, just let me live in denial."

"Fine, but I do have a question."

"Do I want to know?"

"If you had the chance… would you?"

Her words hang in the air, asking what she doesn't have to—would I cross that line with Tobias if the opportunity presented itself?

My mind betrays me, flashing straight to him—the cocky half-smile that makes my traitorous heart race, the way his touch feels so innocent yet makes my stomach flip. And then there's the wayFireflyslips so effortlessly from his lips.

I sit up straight, my chest tightening as I say, "No."

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