Page 80 of Marry Me

“But be nice. I’m serious. We want to keep her.”

He frowned. “Do we, though? Let’s think this through.”

“Yes,” she said emphatically. “I have a job, and it’s not tending to reckless four-wheel drivers who need to be smacked upside the head.”

“What about if the reckless comes with dimples?” He flashed his and she relented. Now that the swelling had gone down around his face, it was nice to see his normal facial expressions start to make appearances again.

“Not enough of a perk.”

They teased each other more these days, partially to keep the mood light after such a terrifying experience, partially because it was a new way for them to communicate in their new dynamic.

“Big plans tonight? Is that why you’re leaving?”

“Yes.” She gave his kitchen counter a good scrub down.

“Is that all you’re going to say?”

She came around the island and faced him. “I’m meeting Megan for a drink.”

He went silent for moment.

He might have forgotten their circumstances, but she hadn’t. When she wasn’t with Megan, she was thinking about Megan, and she didn’t like the fact that the in-person aspect of their relationship had taken a back seat to her new sense of responsibility. She’d pretty much put everything on hold when Brent went into the hospital, understanding that part of that tug to step in came from the guilt she carried from leaving him. Broken up or not, she couldn’t just turn off caring abouthis well-being. Still, she wondered about the fallout. Megan had been incredibly supportive, but at the same time, things between them had been less than steady before the accident, and now they felt more distant than ever. She hated that and vowed to work toward fixing it. Step one? Get Brent back on his feet and slowly hand over the reins to his nurse and his friends and family. It was time for her to start stepping back and reclaiming her own life.

“Tell her I said hello,” Brent said evenly, a pleasant but unconvincing smile on his face. He turned on a soccer match while she organized his medication along a counter in the kitchen.

An hour and half later, she scanned the room at Shakers, looking for Megan, her heart already squeezing pleasantly with the knowledge she was about to finally spend time with the person she missed more than anything. Spotting her, Megan held up a hand from a table in the middle of the semi-busy bar, and the world seemed to burst with life again.At last. Her hair was down and fell in more natural waves. She wore dark jeans and a white blazer with a black cami underneath. The matching black heels made her legs look long and sexy. God, she was the most gorgeous woman in any room, and Allison’s stomach went tight with attraction and pride. That was her girlfriend.Hers. And she couldn’t have been more proud, happy, and excited about picking up where they’d left off.

She hurried over and closed her eyes when Megan pulled her into her arms and held her for a long moment. She inhaled her scent and nearly teared up at how wonderful it was to be back with her after so many long days away. “Hi, hi, hi,” she whispered. “God, it’s good to see you.” When she pulled back and gazed into Megan’s eyes, it was clear that she wasn’t alone in her sentimentality. The corners of Megan’s dark eyes creased with happiness as she grinned back at Ally.

“You are a sight for sore eyes. Are you okay?” Megan asked.

“Now I am.”

“You must be exhausted.” They sat, and Megan indicated the waiting glass of wine in front of Allison’s chair. “I ordered you a glass. I hope that’s what you wanted.”

“It’s perfect.” They sipped. They smiled. They sipped. They were still feeling each other out, searching for their groove, but happily so.

“You look great,” Megan said. “Really pretty, especially in thatblue.” Ally glanced down at the blue top with cap sleeves and three buttons, the top of which she just might have left undone on purpose.

Oh, that compliment felt nice. Warmth hit her cheeks. “Thank you. How’s work? How’s Kelsey? Tell me everything. What did you have for dinner? I feel so uninformed, and I hate it. Did I mention how much I’ve missed you?”

Megan laughed. “It feels good to hear it. Let’s see, we had two new bookings at work. Cade had a meltdown because he found out they’d discontinued the everything bagel at the cart on the corner. Kelsey broke a heel and was noticeably shorter all day, which we all loved. I had a chef’s salad for dinner. And I…have been busy trying to keep busy. Missing you. Now you go.”

“My parents are in good spirits, but sometimes I think they just say that to make me stop asking. Betsy is looking to redo her kitchen, and it’s a whole thing with the color gray and its many different shades. My fourth graders are preparing for track-and-field day, and I’ve taught them my secret tug-of-war trick.”

“And what’s that?”

“No. Uh-uh. You’re not in the fourth grade.” Megan’s foot pressed against the side of Ally’s leg beneath the table, causing her to roll her lips in. “Seriously? Puppy dog eyes and under-the-table flirting?” God, she couldn’t resist either.

“Yes.”

Allison laughed. “Okay, I’ll give you anything you want.” She leaned in, divulging state secrets. “The trick is you all get really low at the same time and pull like hell, and the other team will fold almost immediately. But you don’t start that way. You wait for the captain’s cue to drop. It’s all very coordinated, but do not tell the other fourth-grade classes. Do you hear me?”

“Good Lord, you’re adorable. I forget how much until you’re right in front of me caring so desperately about the best things.”

Allison picked up Megan’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Adorable?” She got hit with a good dose of lust and dropped her voice. “Do you still find me adorable when I’m on top?” Yessiree. She did just go there in the middle of a public bar. Highly unlike her, but it’d been quite a while, and she fantasized about Megan more than was probably normal.

She watched as Megan grappled with the swift change. Her mouthopened and closed, and she blinked. Finally, she fanned herself. “You have to warn a girl.”

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