Page 236 of Small Town Firsts
“Why?”
“I’m hoping to encounter no-strings sex,” she said matter-of-factly.
Oliver smirked. “Encounterit? Like sex is a living, breathing entity of its own?”
“In my world, it might as well be.” She glanced back at me. “Anyway, that’s irrelevant right now. I’m worried about Ally.”
“I am too. But I’m sure she’s fine. You’ve tried calling her?” I dug out my phone. I hadn’t done anything but text her now and then, wanting to give her time and space.
“Yes. She worked on Sunday, then told me she was taking a few days personal time. But she didn’t book it with the boss. She just keeps calling in sick. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“You think she went to check out a school?”
Sage shrugged. “Maybe. She didn’t say much about that either. Just that she had to start going after what she wanted. She mentioned before that she was interested in Baruch in the city.” She tugged up her V-neck top. “Maybe we should drive down there, scope out the situation?”
“Scope out what situation? And I think we need a bit more to go on than to just pay a visit to some random school.” Oliver glanced at me. “I’m going to play a hunch, and if it pans out, I’ll get back to you.”
“Oh, hell no,” Sage said. “Any hunches get routed through me. She’s my best friend.” She pointed at me. “Quiet, you. You’re the one who wouldn’t know how to give a girl the fairytale if someone gave you a picture book with directions.”
I stayed quiet. I was still tangled up thinking about my supposed inconsistency. And handing out fairytales—what the fuck wasthatabout?
Perhaps I was the cause of Ally being so wary to take the next step. Hell, I’d never told her in so many words that I wanted to either. But she was my closest friend. Surely, she had to have some inkling about my inner workings. All of this had taken me by surprise. I was still feeling my way. It wasn’t as if I was some expert.
I’d never fallen in love with my best friend before.
Never wanted to be with someone so much that everyone—and everything—else except my little girl paled in comparison.
So maybe I was screwing this up without even knowing it. By not coming clean. By not being clear and saying the words.
By not giving her the goddamn fairytale.
“I’m handling this on my own,” Oliver told Sage. “I may be completely off-base. In any case, I have private business with Alison myself.”
I pushed my phone back in my pocket and crossed my arms. I was still working out the proper method of handling this, but obviously the phone was not it. No fairytales granted there. “What private business?” I demanded.
“Private,” Oliver repeated, already moving toward the door. “If I find out anything, I’ll be in contact.”
Sage chased after him. “I’ll tail you in my car if you don’t tell me where you’re going.”
His laughter drifted down the hall. “Honey, you couldn’t keep up with me if you had a Ferrari. Stay here, pet.”
“Pet?” Sage spun around and propped her hands on her hips. “He’s a complete jerk. How can you even stand him?”
I jerked a shoulder. “Probably comes from sharing a womb. It creates a bond.”
“Ugh.” Sage flopped in the chair opposite my desk. “He’s going to find her and make everything worse. She needs the womanly touch, not an interfering male.”
“Ally knows her own mind. She can handle Oliver.” I gazed at the folder on my desk. My fingers were itching with the need to trace the words she’d written.
Your Ally Cat.
If she wasn’t mine yet, she would be.
A knock sounded at my door and it opened. “Seth, the Parsons are on their way in to sign the papers for the—” My father broke off, his gaze alighting on Sage. “Well, hello there, Sage. What a pleasure. I didn’t expect to see you here.” My father’s smile could have burned a hole through glass.
“Hi, Mr. Hamilton. I’m sorry to interrupt business.” Sage was already jumping to her feet.
“No, no, you’re never an interruption. Stay, please.” He glanced between us, a disturbing glint coming into his eyes. “I can talk to Seth later.”
