AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Also, for the record, going down on a man as hot as him is quite fun and I highly recommend it at 3:00 AM.
I smile, dizzy from the memory.
Abilene snaps her fingers in front of my face. "Earth to Paisley. Are you even here? What is happening? Oh my God. Are you seriously insane, certifiable?"
"No," I say. "I'm just in love. Isn't that what you wanted for me, to be happy?"
"No, I wanted you to go have a good time."
"I did have a good time. A very good time. Did I tell you I had S-E-X?"
"No. What?" She literally spits out her coffee all over my pancake griddle.
"You've ruined my pancakes." I frown. There's a knock on the door.
I grin, clap. I walk to the front door, knowing he is on his way. It's him. He has a bouquet of flowers. This one is even bigger than the last. And a to-go cup of coffee. Actually, three. I sigh. I swoon, really. And he has a bag of pastries. He shrugs. "I thought you might be hungry."
"I'm starved. Famished, really."
He gives me a kiss, a big old kiss on the lips. I don't even mind that my sister has come to the door and she sees. Her eyes widen. "Sarah Jo," I say, "go back to the cartoons." She turns on her heels and returns to the Disney Channel. Abilene, though, is jaw-dropped and looks at me like I've literally lost my mind.
"What?" I say. "I told you we fell in love and we had sex."
"In that order?" she asks.
I look to Holt. He nods. "Yes. In that order."
"We're just acting like this is normal?" Abilene asks.
I look to Holt again. He nods. "Yes. We're acting like this is normal. Coffee? Actually, I brought three different options. I didn't know what you guys liked. So I have an Americano, black. I have a French vanilla latte and I have an oat milk caramel macchiato."
I reach for the black Americano. "That okay?" Holt nods. "Sure." Abilene takes the vanilla latte. "Do you mind the oat milk?" I ask him.
"I don't mind at all. I told you I'm pretty easygoing."
"I remember."
"So is this like a whole thing? Like a real whole thing?" Abilene asks, reaching for the pastry bag from Holt. We walk into the kitchen and she opens it, reaching inside and grabbing a chocolate croissant. Holt and I look at one another, starry-eyed and laughing.
"Yeah. I mean, pretty much."
"You know she has like four children, right?" Abilene asks.
Holt laughs. "Yeah. I was kind of thinking I should probably get to know them." He scratches his jaw. I look at him, wondering how the hell I managed to meet a man like him. So sexy, so ridiculously charming and ruggedly good-looking. I don't know how I'm supposed to incorporate a man like this into my life, but I am ready to figure it out.
Abilene looks between us, realizing we're lost in one another's eyes.
"Okay. So I think I'm going to go,” she says. “Honey, why don't you call me later?"
"Okay, thanks for watching the kids."
"Sure. Um, Pais?"
"Yeah?" I manage to tear myself away from Holt's stare.
"Do you want to talk outside for a sec?"
"Sure." I set down my coffee and follow her outside. She grabs her bag and purse and tells the kids she loves them. I meet her on the porch. Her keys are in her hand.
"Thanks again so much for everything last night," I say. "And I mean it. You literally changed my life."
"About that. Don't you think this is a little intense?"
"You're the one who told me to go have fun."
"I know, but you hardly know the guy."
"So?" I say.
"So, I mean, shouldn't you like, get to know him a little bit better before..."
"Before what?" I say. "Before I finally have some fun? Get over the fact my life has been a shit show for the last three years? Enjoy myself? Be happy for once? Stop constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop? Wait. Or was it something else you wanted from me? Because this is a good thing, Abilene, me being happy."
"I'm not saying I don't want you to be happy, Pais. Of course, I do. I just want you to be careful. I love you."
"I know. So just let me be happy."
"Okay." She holds up her hands. "I am not going to say any more. I'm not going to warn you that this might be a little much."
"Right. God forbid the poor girl from the other side of the tracks is happy."
"Don't do that," she says. "Don't make this about you versus me."
"I'm not."
"Yes, you are, Paisley. Look, just because I didn't grow up like you did and don't have a mom in jail doesn't mean I can't be a good friend who's looking out for you. You just met Holt. We don't know much about this guy, and I'm being a good friend by making sure you're in a good situation. So don't make it any more than that, okay? I love you. I'll see you at work, okay?"
