Page 229 of Nobody's Girl

She can see it? I didn’t realize I was wearing an, ‘I’m falling for Laura,’ expression!

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take. She’s great, Ally. You know that already. I knew a version of Laura, the person she is in front of others. I’m getting to know the real Laura, the one with insecurities about love and faithfulness,” I say as we drive down main street and people openly point at us as if we’re from somewhere else. “This car gets a lot of attention. Do you see how people point and stare?”

“The car is beautiful and should be appreciated. I’m sure the handsome young man in the passenger seat is also a bit intriguing to people as well,” she says with a wicked grin on her angelic face.

What has happened to her? She seems almost like a different person. So confident, and she was anything but that.

I have to laugh. “Who are you, girl?”

“Still just me, Kyle. Anyway, I wanted you to know I’m cool with you both. I’m not mad. I was at first, but not anymore. Now that I know you didn’t use her to hurt me, I feel even better about you two.”

Damn! She’s taking this a lot better than I thought she would. Maybe she didn’t really love me after all.

She pulls into the parking lot of Trixie’s and parks, then looks over at me, and runs her hand through my hair. “I still love you, Kyle. I always will. My heart will hold you in it forever. I must have you in my life in some capacity. You and whoever comes along with you will always have a place in my life, no matter what.”

Pushing a curl off her face, I fight the urge to kiss her. “Ally, what do you mean?”

She pulls her sunglasses off and places them on top of her head. “I mean, I never want us to stop being friends. Just because we can’t be together in a romantic way doesn’t mean we can’t be close.”

“Does your guy know you’re with me?”

“Of course he does,” she says as she opens her door to get out. “You should text Laura to meet us here. We can all hang out like we used to.”

Only this time Laura will be on my arm! Awkward!

I get out of the car and follow Ally. “I don’t know about that, Al. Don’t you think it’ll be awkward?”

She looks over her shoulder at me. “I know you do, but we need to get past that. Tell her to come, Kyle, please.”

I walk a little more quickly to get to the door before she does, opening it for her to go through first. I resist the urge to drape my arm around her like I’ve done for what seems like forever.

“Let’s get a booth,” she says as she moves fluidly through the dark bar.

Ally slides in and I take the seat across from her. Sitting next to her would be too hard. “There’s something different about you, Al. I can’t pinpoint it yet, but there’s definitely something.”

Bonnie comes to take our order and she’s wearing a smile as she looks back and forth between Ally and me. “Well looky here, if it ain’t the perfect couple back together,” she says.

Ally reaches across the table and takes my hand as she looks up at the red-headed waitress. “Not like that we’re not. But nothing can ever break us apart, completely. Isn’t that right, Kyle?”

Intertwining our fingers, I smile at her. “Guess not.”

Bonnie looks confused and I have to say I am too. “Okay then, what can I get you guys?”

“The usual will be fine,” Alyssa says, then smiles a little. “And bring Kyle a beer. He’ll need to take the edge off. It won’t be easy on him once Laura joins us.”

“Sure thing, Ally,” Bonnie says then leaves the table.

My jaw drops. “How the hell did you get her to do that?”

Ally giggles and leans in to whisper. “Eden and I came here a few days ago. She was all flirty with him and offered him one, even though he told her he was only eighteen, but she said she wouldn’t tell.”

“So, Prince Valiant drinks beer?”

“No! He turned it down of course. You know if you can put all the jealousy behind you, we can all be friends. It would mean a lot to me if you could,” she says as she wiggles her fingers, which are tangled with mine.

Can I really do that? I’m fine with her now, but to see her with him, I just don’t know.

“I’m not over you,” I say as I lean in, our faces so close we could kiss. The sweet smell of citrus and flowers wells up around her. “Is that a new perfume I smell?”