Page 28 of Dear Adam
“Yeah,” she says, one tear finally spilling over and running down her cheek. “I just miss him.” I wipe at the tear with the pad of my thumb. “I really wish I could get Pretzel in there somehow.”
“Why can’t you?” I ask.
“I can’t take a dog into a hospital,” she laughs. “Especially not that little troublemaker.”
“Sure you can. She’s tiny. Just stick her in one of your bags.” I point to her handbag on the counter. “That would probably work.”
She frowns, seeming to consider it, then asks, “What if it doesn’t work and they kick me out and I can never go visit him again?”
“You should probably go incognito. Trench coat, ball cap, sunglassesinsidethe building. The works.”
“You’re right,” she muses, eyes sparkling with mischief. “That could work.”
“And if it doesn’t,” I say, “this wasn’t my idea at all.”
She giggles and swats my arm. I try to ignore the searing heat rippling along my skin from the lightest of her touches, but I find myself wishing she’d do it again.
“How’s my picture doing?” I ask, settling back into the couch. It hasn’t escaped my notice that the only thing separating us now is a very small wiener dog. “Has the CEO of a multimillion dollar company that wants to build in San Diego and hire me for the job liked my photo yet? Send a message perhaps?”
She grins and cocks an eyebrow. “You are on the verge of being internet famous. I bet if we posted a shirtless picture of you holding a hammer, it would do the trick.”
I sit up straight and turn to face her again. Concern etches my brow when I ask, “Alyson Bloomington, are you suggesting I solicit business using my body?”
Her face instantly drains of color. “N-no. Your last post just did so well and I think it was because…” She fidgets with the blanket strewn across her lap and chews on that bottom lip again.
“Because?” I press.
“I mean…the filter and the hashtags might’ve helped. It was also still kind of early when we posted that pic so that probably helped too. I think engagement is always better in the morning…and I mean no one hates seeing an attractive contractor in their element.” She’s rambling now, and her cheeks are that same shade of tomato red as earlier. I find it more than adorable.
Get it together, Levi.
“Aly,” I interrupt her and try my best to stifle a laugh. “I’m just kidding.”
Her mouth instantly flattens to a hard, straight line. She’s squinting at me now and…“I thought you were really mad!” she whines, swatting at my bicep again, the heat of her touch returning to the spot.
“How could I be mad when you just admitted I’m… how did you say it? An ‘attractive contractor’?” I waggle my eyebrows and shoot her a cocky grin.
Her eyes widen. “Shut up,” she says, and tosses me half of her blanket, an invite to scoot closer. “You’re going to miss the elevator scene. Don’t think I didn’t notice how you used to conveniently always need a drink after this scene. I saw those misty eyes head to the bathroom for a tissue instead.”
I roll my eyes, and snuggle deeper into the couch, wondering if she notices the way our knees touch under the blanket, and if it’s affecting her the same as it is me. Pretzel pops her head up from under the blanket then each front arm, one at a time. I shoot Aly a quizzical look and she chuckles and shakes her head. “It’s a thing she does. I don’t think she knows she’s a dog.”
“Weird,”I mouth, eyeing Pretzel suspiciously. Aly nods in agreement. She’s propped her head on her hand, staring at the TV. Something about this just feels soright.
It reminds me of when we were in high school, of lazy weekends filled with romantic comedies in my basement with Adam and Aly, snacks strewn across the coffee table. Now, things feel much the same yet completely different. The air between Aly and me is charged with something that was missing when Adam was here to act as a buffer.
Then I remember, he can’t be here because ofme.Guilt washes over me like a heavy spring shower.Still, I can’t help but imagine that this is what life could look like every night if I stayed in Charleston, and Aly and I were together. Evenings with boxes of chicken tenders and waffle fries scattered across the coffee table, Aly in her worn pajamas that are honestly the sexiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. We’ve fallen so effortlessly back into our friendship that I can’t help but wonder, could itfinallybe more than a friendship this time?
Aly excuses herself to the bathroom and I notice she grabs her phone on the way. Jealousy courses through my veins at the thought of her texting Hudson, and I immediately breathe into the palm of my hand for a quick sniff test. Is it me? Did I do something wrong? Frantically, I replay the last couple of hours in my head.
Suddenly, I feel a buzz in my pocket. It’s coming from Adam’s phone and I glance around quickly to see if Aly is still in the bathroom. The door is still shut so I pull it out and notice one new text from…her.
Dear Adam,
What I thought could go down in history as one of the worst dates of my life turned into one of the best nights of my life. I can’t give you all the details now but I promise I will soon. Love and miss you.
Chapter thirteen
Aly
