Page 155 of The Spring in My Heart

Ollie’s face manifests behind my eyelids—how kind he was today, how tight he hugged me. I still feel his hand wrapped around my wrist. His words echo in my heart.

I’m dumber than he is for letting you go.

I’m the one who fumbled the ball because I messed up by hiding Ayla’s secret from him. They have more than made up for it. I remember walking into the church today and spotting the way he held her. When we were alone, Ayla confided that she was worried about losing her dad. It’s only normal, but she said he reassured her. It felt like she was trying to earn him brownie points. She said how sad he was without me.

My phone pings. I grab it, and my heart skips a beat.

Ollie

You okay?

I tell myself not to message back. Leave him on read and answer tomorrow. But my fingers are typing.

Me

Yeah, just relaxing.

Ollie

Good. You need it.

Me

Thanks for checking on me.

It’s really sweet of him to do that. And then my phone rings, and my fingers hover over the green icon. I answer anyway.

“So, I know you want to be alone, but Ayla made you some cookies?—”

“And we’re downstairs to drop them off to you. Can you come get them?” Ayla yells in the background.

Oh. My. God. They’re downstairs, and I’m not dressed.

“Lux?”

“Uh. Yeah. I’m coming. Give me a minute. I was in the shower.”

“I’m sorry,” he says. “We can come back.”

“No, don’t. I’ll open the door, and you guys can come up. I’ll be out in a few.

I am extra careful getting out of the tub. I’m so nervous I would probably slip and fall. How embarrassing would that be?

I rush to my closet to grab my emerald lounge set, quickly slipping into the joggers and tank top. The long duster jacket envelops me and doesn’t make it seem like I’m in pajamas. I put my hair in a messy bun, and apply moisturizer followed by lip balm.

I come downstairs to find them both standing with their jackets still on.

“Please sit.”

I don’t miss the way his eyes roam over me or how quickly the lust is replaced with worry.

“No. We are not here to bother you. We are only dropping off these goodies, and then we are leaving.”

I smile at him but rush to take the cookies from Ayla. “Thank you for making these for me. And you never bother me. Sit.”

She sits on the couch, and I plop down next to her, and he takes the opposite chair. It reminds me of the day he told her we were together and how uncomfortable she was when we were holding hands.

Except, she and I sit on the same side. I swipe a cookie and start to eat it. The sugar and chocolate chips hit my tongue, and my eyes drift closed. “So good. This is the nicest thing anyone has done for me.”

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