Page 41 of Forever After Never

Me: Oh, come on, you have got to have beer with tacos.

Alice: I'll be over at seven.

It is just before seven, and I am in the kitchen, getting plates sorted for dinner. The door knocks and Jed barks.

"Hey, bitch. Let me in. The rain is hammering!" I can hear Alice yelling through the door as I am walking through the house.

"Coming!" I shout back.

"I hope not, you massive hoe! Now hurry up!"

Stuffing tacos in my mouth I start talking to Alice about her new job. "Tell me all about it. How the hell did that happen? Corporate babe, to unemployed bum, to secretary in the sports field. You fucking hate sports! Only you would be that insane,"

"There is honestly no big story. I applied for tons of jobs, and this is the one that hired me, and I may just change my mind about sports, yet! These men are unbelievably hot!" she fans her face in response. "Hot and arrogant, unfortunately! They're only good to look at. Men that drip arrogance are an immediate turn-off."

"Ahhhh, so you're only in it for the dick!" I cackle. I don't have a graceful laugh and Alice gets the full wicked witch version of it.

"And.. talking of hot sportsmen.. Sawyer's brother, Carter.. He is your kind of hot! You would fall over yourself. I thought as soon as I saw him that he'd be a good match for the whirlwind that is Alice Barretta. He plays for The Saltern Glass. Maybe dating an athlete is on the cards after all."

"The Saltern, what now? Bitch, no. Keep your boyfriend's brother away from me. If he's related to Sawyer, and he plays hockey, he's going to be trouble. At least one of us needs to remain sane in this friendship. In the almost three decades that I've known you, I didn't once think that it would be me, yet here we are!" Jed is sprawled across the floor as he wags his tail and lifts his head up to look at Alice.

"See, even Jed agrees with me. Don't you, boy?"

"Ha, you're hilarious." I roll my eyes at my best friend and my dog. I swear to god, they team up on me purposely.

"So, how is it going with Loverboy?" she says, and I can't help the smile that stretches across my face. I go red at the sheer mention of Sawyer, and I can't help my body's response.

Oh, look at you, getting all embarrassed. Someone is in loveeee." Alice makes kissing sounds like the twelve-year-old she is.

I fan myself.

"Things are, well, really great." I press my fingertips to my cheeks and feel the warmth that has spread across my face.

"He is perfect. He is a very intelligent man. He looks after me. The sex is incredible." I giggle like a teenager.

"Yesss, we're on to the good stuff now!" Alice rubs her hands together.

"Honestly, he is so damn attentive. There isn't a single part of me that he doesn't adore. I have never felt so wanted, cared for, or loved. I waited my entire life for a love like this. Heis outwardly this big, scary, dangerous-looking man, but he is putty in my hands. He would do anything for me and doesn't care who knows it."

"Hello. Yes. Obviously, he loves, wants, and cares about you. You have eyes, don't you? You're a knockout. You're also one of the best fucking women on this planet. Why do you think I stick around? Everyone that comes near you is better for it. It was only a matter of time before a hot man came in and swept you off your feet. You might have thought that you'd be single forever, but that was never going to happen. I know you. You've gone from nothing to everything. You'll probably be married within a year."

I laugh out loud at the last part.

"Absolutely not, Ali. Don't be ridiculous." What I say, however, is not what I think because I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about marrying Sawyer. I know it's ridiculous. We've known each other for all of five minutes. I am not an idiot. I know that Sawyer would never want to get married, and I am okay with that. Having him with me is all I need.

"I have thought about asking him to move in, though. I have got used to him being here, and I hate it when he isn't around."

"Well, what is stopping you from asking him?" Alice mumbles through bites of taco.

"I don't want to feel like I'm pushing him into it. I worry that he'll feel obliged to say yes." Before Alice has the chance to respond, the front door opens, and Sawyer comes into the lounge.

"Hey!" I beam at him. Shooting a glare at Alice as she smirks at me.

"What are you doing here? Not that you can't be here. Obviously. I didn't think you'd be around for a few days."

"I missed you. I hope it's okay that I'm here." He bends down to kiss me on the cheek, and I feel the wet and cold on his skin, but I warm from having his lips on me.

"I tried to call, but there was no answer. I forgot that Ali was coming round."

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