Page 82 of The Ones We Fight For

Instead she turned away from him and muttered, “Don’t be a jerk.”

“I’m not trying to be. But I can’t kiss you. It’s a terrible idea.”

“Got it.” Talia flinched and finally glanced up at him. “Kissing me would be terrible.”

“That’s not—” Walker ran his fingers through his hair and started to pace on the porch. “I’m sorry. I took everything too far tonight, and I shouldn’t have. I knew I would, and I did it anyway. This is on me, not you. Please forgive me. I’ll stop baiting you, I promise. I don’t want to lose you again.”

“You won’t. Nothing to forgive.” Each sentiment came out with a definitive period at the end as Talia continued to flounder for the keys that were evading her grasp. When she finally found them, she maneuvered to frantically unlock the door and twist the knob.

“Tal, please. I’m sorry!”

She had no idea what Walker was apologizing for. He haddone virtually nothing. She should be apologizing for trying to cross the line. “Like I said, we’re good. We’re just friends. Thanks for the date. Have a great night, Walker!”

Then Talia did what any rational, sane person would do and slammed the door in his face. She leaned back against the door and let her eyes fall shut as she sank to the floor, dropping her stir sticks and purse haphazardly on the ground. Knees hiked up to her chest and hands covering her face, she waited for what felt like forever for the sound of Walker’s car to leave her driveway. When it finally did, her cell phone had found its way into her hand and her fingers had swiftly pulled up Amala’s contact.

She picked up after the first ring. “Girl, why are you calling me? I figured you’d be up to your ears in Walker’s sheets by now.”

“Nope.” Talia groaned and let her head fall back against the hard wood of the door. “Instead, I tried to kiss him, and he dodged it. I’m going to slowly crawl into a hole and die now.”

Amala gasped. “Oh, he did not!”

“He did. His exact words were ‘it's a terrible idea,’ and then I freaked out and shut the door in his face. I’m so embarrassed. We already said we weren’t going to do that, but he kept looking at me, and then I thought maybe he wanted to kiss me! Please kill me. Or if you don’t want to get your hands dirty given your husband’s job, maybe you know of a local serial killer I could offer myself up to as tribute? Can people hire hitmen for themselves?”

“Okay, is this really pee-your-pants-at-school-with-a-chocolate-milk-stain-down-the-front-of-you embarrassing?” Amala asked.

“It’s worse!” Talia shouted into the phone.

“Um, ow!” Amala yelled back. “Bitch, you’re going to blow out my eardrums! Stop spiraling.”

“Do you want to go buy a bunch of cats with me? I need to finally accept my role as a lowly spinster.”

“You’re allergic to cats. Before you go buying a ranch in Texas to hoard all your animals, I’m coming over. Be there in ten.”

“I was just going to read and attempt to go to bed,” Talia sighed. “You don’t have to come.”

“And what exactly were you planning on reading, Tal?” The accusation made Talia’s face flush.

“Nothiiiing,” Talia whined. “Definitely not Contracted Love.”

“You liar.” Amala laughed. “I’m coming over, and when I get there, I’m taking that damn book!”

“But I need it!” Talia jumped up from her spot on the floor and jogged to her room.

“I’m pretty sure you can use a vibrator without Walker’s book.” A car started on the other line as Talia spun around in her room in search of her prized possession.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Talia singsonged.

“Don’t you dare hide it, Talia Seraphina Cohen!”

There was no surprise when Talia eventually found the book in her underwear drawer, right next to her other prized possession that was rechargeable and bright pink. “I actually lost it. I have noidea where it’s at.” She lied and slid the book under her mattress like it was a Playboy magazine.

“I’m not stupid, Talia! I'll be there in a second.” The call ended, and Talia straightened her comforter a few times, examining her bed to make sure the book was fully covered.

Amala arrived a few minutes later, throwing open Talia’s front door and stomping straight back to her bedroom. Talia jumped up from her couch, where she was attempting to paint a picture of nonchalance, and followed on Amala’s heels. It only took two seconds for Amala to find the book, and when she pulled it out she held it up with a glare.

“You annotated it, you freak!” Amala tossed the colorfully-tabbed book on the bed like it had caught on fire and folded her arms over her chest, letting them rest on her protruding belly. Talia stared back like a deer in headlights, shocked at how easily Amala had found her hiding place.

The staredown was broken up when they simultaneously burst into fits of unhinged laughter. Accusations about Talia acting like a teenage boy and why Amala seemed to know exactly where to hide things were tossed around as they giggled. They were both wiping tears from their eyes and sitting on the carpet with their backs resting against the side of Talia’s bed when the laughter finally died down minutes later. One pathetic look in Amala’s direction was all it took for her to pull Talia into her side. Talia laid her head down on Amala's shoulder and sniffed back the real tears as she let her eyes fall shut.

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