Page 46 of Don't Think

And just like that, we’re working effortlessly side by side like this is normal. Like we’ve been doing this our whole lives. I swear I could hold out my hand and she’d give me whatever it was I needed without me having to ask.

The frying pan sizzles as I look over and notice Allie eyeing the pan with her nose crinkled.

“I know it looks strange, but it helps with hangovers,” I say with a chuckle, shaking the pan. “All the grease from the bacon gets absorbed into the eggs. Works like a charm.”

I scoop some into a bowl, the steam rising between us, and she eyes it skeptically.

“Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it,” I say with a wink.

Did I seriously just fucking wink?

She thanks me quietly before taking her bowl to the kitchen table, setting it down carefully like it’s a ticking time bomb.

“I’m going to let them know that breakfast is ready,” she says.

I give her a tight-lipped smile and a nod, then move on to load the dishwasher, enjoying the last few seconds of silence before the hangover crew piles in. I can already hear them complaining about how bright the sun is and how we all need to whisper.

I’m half considering talking loudly, just to piss off Gareth like I usually do. He’s lucky Nora and Ana will also be hungover, or else he’d be in for it. Especially after the little stunt he pulled with Nora.

Breakfast goes relatively smoothly, aside from James practically falling asleep in his bowl and Nora refusing to lift her head.

Ana and I are clearing the table when Allie stands, her phone gripped tightly in her hands with a smile spreading across her lips.

“If you guys want to leave the rest, I can handle it. I just need to make a quick phone call,” she says, already backing away from the table.

“Not at all. We got it,” Ana replies, stacking the dishes.

Her smile grows a fraction larger, and she hugs her phone to her chest. “Thank you.”

The second Allie is gone, Ana blows out a quick breath, shaking her head slowly.

My brow raises, unsure if I should ask if something’s wrong or leave it alone. This is all new territory for me. I don’t make friends easily, and I’ve always been okay with that. But being aroundthisgroup of people? It makes me want to actually try for once.

“Everything good?” I finally ask while running a cloth over the table.

Ana nods slowly. “I just wish I could help her more. She hasn’t been handling being away well, and I probably shouldn’t even be telling you any of this,” she admits, then turns to face me. “She deserves ahellof a lot more than what she gets.”

She places the last utensil in the dishwasher before her eyes gradually light up. “Oh, that reminds me. James and I were talking last night, and you guys are coming to the aquarium with us on Friday,” she says quickly, then scurries out of the kitchen.

Then, it’s just me. Alone in the kitchen. And all I can think about is what Ana said about Allie deserving more than she gets. I want to ask more, to understand more. But again, it’s a constant battle of how much is too much? How far can I push to know her better without seeming like Gareth and that I’m just trying to get in her pants?

But, then again, we’re apparently all hanging out again on Friday. Maybe that’s my chance to ask the freaking questions this time without being afraid of my own shadow.

Fifteen minutes and one final wipe down later, I head into the living room with everyone else. My eyes quickly scan the room and land on them sitting on the sofa. Everyone except Allie.

Ana notices me first, her eyes flicking between me and the stairs repeatedly.

“Is she okay?” I mouth, making sure no one else can hear me.

She shakes her head, and my stomach drops. Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m taking the stairs two at a time.

When I reach the top of the stairs, I suddenly realize I don’t even know which room is hers. What am I supposed to do? Knock on every single door?

Then, I hear it. The faint sobs breaking through the door directly in front of me, and my chest tightens.

I tap gently on the door, inching closer to hear better.

“I’ll be down in a sec,” I hear her say on the other side between sniffles.