Firefighter's Virgin

I tried not to smile. “I’m not

sure if that’s how it works,” I said. “I don’t know if people go around asking other people to be their parents.”

“But I could try, couldn’t I? That’s what you and Grandma are always saying, that I should at least try.”

“It is good to try,” I said. “Even when other people are telling you that you can’t do it. Especially then. Unless it’s dangerous, of course,” I added quickly.

“I don’t think this is dangerous, though.”

“No,” I said, taking a bite of my sandwich. “I don’t think it is, either.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Allie

I was taking a break from working out in the garden, drinking a glass of cold lemonade, when my mother called.

“Good, I’m glad you answered,” she said. “I have something very important to talk to you about.”

“Okay,” I said slowly.

“We’re going to be driving down to Provincetown for the Fourth of July,” my mother said. “It’s been so long since we’ve been there! Would you like to go with us?”

“No, I don’t think so,” I said.

“Do you have other plans?”

“I don’t know. I’ve got the day off, so I’ll probably just take it easy and then maybe figure out where to go see fireworks or something.”

“You’re not going to go to a cookout or anything?”

“I don’t know, Mom, maybe. Though the last time I tried having a cookout, it ended up getting crashed.”

“Oh, stop it, Allie, we didn’t crash your party, for heaven’s sake. Why don’t you ask Cole what he’s doing?”

“Maybe,” I said. “He might have plans with his family; I don’t know. I might see what Amy is doing, one of the girls that I work with.”

“Well, you’re always welcome to come with us to P-town. It’ll be a lot of fun, you know. We all went there once on the Fourth, when you were in middle school I think. Do you remember?”

“Sort of,” I said, vaguely recalling a long drive to the Cape, and then crowds of people packing the narrow streets of Provincetown. They had shot the fireworks off from a boat in the harbor, and I always thought that was neat.

“Well, if you don’t come down for the Fourth, what about just a visit to the city? Taking Declan to LEGOLAND? That sounds nice, doesn’t it? I think it’d be really great if you guys did that. How is everything with Cole?”

“He’s good,” I said.

“You’re really very fortunate to have him as a neighbor. It’s not every day that you’re going to move somewhere new and hit it off with your neighbor as well as the two of you seem to. I just... I can tell there’s something there, between the two of you.”

“He’s a nice guy, and we’re enjoying each other’s company.”

“And by enjoying, do you mean...?”

“Mom!” I said. “Stop it. I’m not going to talk to you about my sex life.”

“So you have!” she exclaimed. “I knew it! Allie, honey, congratulations! Why didn’t you tell me? This is very exciting!” I could practically hear her clapping. I winced.

“Mom, I didn’t say anything.”

“You did, actually—you said sex life. Which means you must have one. Which means you had sex. I’m happy for you, Allie! Mothers and daughters can talk about this sort of thing, can’t they?”