Page 98 of Marry Me

“I did no such thing. What? You think I have no patience? Just checking in on my parents. Standard stuff.”

“I’m impressed at your willpower.”

She exhaled slowly. “I think if I want another shot with Ally, then I’m going to have to play the long game.”

“Ooh la la.” Kelsey sat back, her eyes dancing. “I cannot wait to watch take-charge Megan Kinkaid sit on her damn hands when we both know who she wants them all over. Start the movie already.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Megan said. But for the first time in a long while, she was smiling genuinely. There was actual hope, and she planned to hold on to that. No way in hell she was going to blow it this time. Been there. Done that. Now it was time to get serious.

Let the waiting begin.

Chapter Twenty-two

The fourth grade had been extra rowdy today. DJ had slugged Taylor for using his ruler without permission, and Evelyn and Claire had ended their best friendship over a disagreement about BTS. The whole class was inattentive, and Ally hadn’t remembered to breathe deeply when her workday smacked her in the face.

“You look awful.” She glanced up from her overcleaning of the dry erase board to find Lacey staring at her from the doorway. “If the fourth graders suck so much, please do not send them to fifth grade. No room at the inn.”

“Better start brushing up on your BTS backstory now, or you have no hope of settling the arguments. These girls mean business.”

“Good thing I’m an aficionado already.” A pause. “Remember when you played runaway bride?”

It had been nine days since she’d fled the scene of her wedding. She squinted. “Only vaguely.”

“How’s that going?”

She dropped her towel to her side. “It was the right move. I stand by it now, but I don’t feel better about it.” She slipped on top of the nearest student desk. “Brent and I have talked briefly. Giving each other some space. He understands. Even takes responsibility for rushing things.”

“Is there hope there?”

“For a romance?” She shook her head. “No. Too hard after…”

“Yeah.” Lacey slid her hands into the back pockets of her black pants and surveyed the room as if super interested in the decor. “About that. Her. You talked to her?”

“Nope.” That was Allison’s cue to go back to angry scrubbing of the whiteboard. “She kicked me to the curb and then successfully ruined my wedding day, moments before I was set to walk down the aisle.”

“I know, right? Damn her.” Another long pause. Lacey took a stroll around the perimeter of desks, trailing one finger along their surfaces as she walked. “You did skip the wedding, though.”

“Yes.”

“So maybe she had a point? Maybe there’s some unfinished…something…I don’t know…there?”

“Are you on her side now?” Ally asked, straightening midscrub, hand on her hip.

“Not if you’re going to shoot me looks like that.” She held up her hands palms out and backed slowly toward the door. “Just checking in is all.”

Allison nodded, not taking her eyes off Lacey as she retreated. “Well, to answer what seems to be your question, no, I don’t plan on reaching out to Megan.”

“I know, right? Blech. Wedding ruiner. Who wants that?” She offered a wave. “See ya later, Hale.” And just like that her friend took off like a scared kitten. She didn’t often have that effect on people, but she was admittedly extra feisty these days. Angry, confused, and adrift. But no. She wasn’t cutting Megan a pass on this. Let her stay downtown and plan her weddings and stop popping into Allison’s head uninvited, looking sexy and beautiful and kind.

“A mirage,” she murmured through her persistent cleaning. “Not going there.”

Once she had everything in its proper place for the opening of the once-a-semester school store, she headed home with a weary sigh. She felt clobbered and needed a pick-me-up. Knowing just the place, she made a right turn, changed course, and arrived at Froman’s, land of amazing caffeinated dream drinks. She happily took her place in line, ignoring the menu because she would be having a Toffee Crunch Dream. Iced this time because Dallas was incredibly warm these days. She was up next and gave the shop full of people a perusal. Meetings, friends catching up, some working on their laptops. Pause. Rewind. Ally froze because there by the window, laptop open, a neat stack of folders to its right, sat Megan, who stared back at her with a conservativesmile. Allison nodded and for the life of her didn’t know what to do. She forgot her order, how to place it, what money was.

She was up and the cheerful barista smiled. “Your usual?” Oh, thank God. Ally smiled and nodded, handing over the credit card she now clamped way too hard. Once she’d received her drink, she had a call to make. Walk by Megan’s table like a normal person and say hello, or stroll the hell on out of there. She exhaled, knowing herself and how she was raised. She found her smile and approached the table, her chest tight and her stomach full of butterflies.

“Small world,” Allison said.

“Isn’t it?” Brown eyes found hers, and the familiarity of their connection was startling. How was it still this strong after everything? Surely time would have dimmed its luster. No such luck.

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