Have My Baby (Crescent Cove 1)

Oliver stepped away. “Awkward moment.”

“If she liked it so much, why did she run away? She never misses work. And she hasn’t slept in her bed. So whose bed is she sleeping in?” Sage stepped forward and impaled my chest with a flame-red nail. “Huh?”

“Thanks for the vivid picture, but I can guarantee she’s probably sleeping alone and is perfectly safe.” I tried to ignore the icy jabs of panic pricking between my ribs. “She’s extremely level-headed.”

Sage made a noise in her throat. “Until she hooked up with you.”

“Since when do you hate me?” I held out my arms. “I always thought we were good.”

“You could hurt her, so I have you under a very watchful eye, buddy. If she’s with child, she doesn’t need additional stress from your inconsistency.”

“With child?” Oliver snorted. “Welcome, Madonna. Oh, and I’ll have you know, Seth said they only kissed. Virgin birth, is it now?”

“I did not say that. I said when you saw us—never mind.”

As if I’d never spoken, Sage whirled on Oliver, swinging her hips in a way that made my brother’s eyes flare wide. “Did I ask you? No. Why are you even here? Don’t you have shameless hussies to lie with?”

“Shameless hussies? The fifties ended a lot time ago. Oh, and newsflash.” He dropped his gaze lewdly to her attire. “Depending on point of view, you might fit into one of those categories you’re casting aspersions on.”

I winced. Now he was going to get it. And he deserved it too.

Instead, Sage beamed. “Really? Do you honestly think so?” She fluffed her hair. “I’m going for a new look. Wholesome hasn’t really been working for me.”

“Why?”

“I’m hoping to encounter no-strings sex,” she said matter-of-factly.

Oliver smirked. “Encounter it? 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.

No more.

“Yes. She worked on Sunday, and mentioned to me she was taking a few days personal time. But she didn’t book it with the boss, 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 and 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 fairy tale 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 fairy tales—what the fuck was that about?

Perhaps I was the cause of Ally being so wary to take the next step. Mainly because I’d never told her I wanted to. But she was my closest friend. Surely she knew what I was thinking before I did. All of this had taken me by surprise. I was still feeling my way. It’s not like 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 fairy tale.

“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.”