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“She has you listed as her emergency contact.”
Chapter 30
Allie
“There’s a reason people stay loyal to you, Leo. Allow yourself time today to do something extra for someone you love.”-Allie’s horoscope, June 15th
“You’re just alone in his house? He left you?” Sadie asks through the phone.
“I’m alone at hismom’shouse. He’s at the hospital with her. It’s not like he’s blowing me off.”
“Hmm,” she considers, “I guess that’s fair. At least you have lots of time to snoop. Are you snooping?”
“No. I’m sitting on the deck.” Pulling my knees into my chest, I rock slowly on the porch swing on the overhanging roof. Betty is curled up in a tight, snoring, ball a few feet away, and the sun is about to set. The scene is almost idyllic, just missing Luke. “You can smell the ocean air from here. It’s delightful.”
“I can’t believe you’re not snooping. Don’t you want to know more about him?”
“Of course, but I don’t need to snoop. He showed me aroundthe house, his old room, childhood photos.”
“I snoop through Jared’s stuff all the time, and we live together.” Sadie says this casually, like everyone should be doing it.
“Sadie, what the fuck. Can’t you just ask him things?”
“He hates emotional conversations, you know?” Defensiveness edges her usually bubbly voice. “If I don’t snoop, I have no clue what’s going on with him.”
Fucking Jared. Maybe if he wasn’t an asshole, she wouldn’t have to snoop. Fuck that guy.
Betty’s head lifts when seagulls honk as they fly overhead, bringing her close enough that I can reach down and scratch behind her ears. “Listen, I want to be in your corner so badly. You have a right to be with who you want to, but for fuck’s sake, Sade. What are you even getting out of this relationship at this point?”
Sadie laughs uncomfortably, and I feel bad.But also, no I don’t.Someone has to have this conversation with her. “Allie, I don’t know how to be without him. We’ve been together for nine years.Nine.We were in high school when we met. I’ve never been an adult without him helping me.”
“In what way is refusing to talk to you, refusing to share hislifewith you, helping you?”
Luke’s truck turns onto the street, and I watch it rumble toward me and pull into the driveway as I wait for Sadie’s response.
When it comes, it’s quiet. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Neither do I. I never want to have this conversation again. I want you to be free. You’re capable of so much, Sade. Give yourself a chance. Devon and I are not joking about you living with us.”
“Allie, please. Let it go.”
“Fine, I’ll drop it. But please know, I hate him.”
Luke hears my last statement as he walks up the weathered wooden front steps. Pointing at his chest and raising his eyebrows playfully, he mouths, “Me?”
Rolling my eyes and shaking my head, I scoot over to make room on the swing. He sits, squeezing me tightly to him and kissing me on the temple.
“I kind of hate him, too,” Sadie admits, before making up an excuse about being busy, even though she called me to talk just twenty minutes ago, and we end the call.
“Who do we hate?” Luke asks.
“Fucking Jared, my friend Sadie’s boyfriend. He’s the fucking worst, and she is a beautiful ray of sunshine who won’t leave him. It’s heart-breaking.”
“She’s lucky to have you.”
“A lot of good it does if she won’t listen,” I pout, and Luke pulls me closer, squeezing my knee reassuringly, a move he does on and off the bike now.He’s comforting me after spending all day at the hospital with his mom. Shit.“Enough about me. Tell me about your day.”
“Let me grab a couple of beers from the fridge. We can take a walk on the beach while I fill you in.”
