Page 42 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

Just give me an address, and I’m there.

Allison’s heart skipped a beat at his grandiose show of protectiveness. She appreciated his willingness, but sometimes a girl just needed a moment to breathe—and maybe a muffin. She still hadn’t touched her cup of hot chocolate—which she bought only because she needed to cut down on the coffee—but she planned on attacking her chocolate chip banana muffin very soon. In her mind, a muffin was the perfect companion for any drink, enhancing the flavors and bringing a sense of comfort.

Her buzzing phone broke her out of her hungry thoughts. It appeared Angelo had assumed her extended silence—which barely lasted a minute—meant she was nose-deep in the toilet bowl.

Ew. Bad imagery.

Angelo

Address, sweet girl.

Allison?

Are you vomiting right now?!

Allison, I swear to God and all that is holy, if you don’t send me an address right now, I’ll contact my personal investigators and track you down myself.

Allison couldn’t help but laugh at his escalating panic. She imagined him pacing back and forth, ready to launch a full-scale rescue operation, complete with drones and a search party. It was endearing and honestly ridiculous. She typed out several texts before settling on the least sarcastic one.

Allison

I’m fine! Seriously! No need for the dramatic rescue.

And why do you have private investigators?

Angelo

What the fuck were you doing then if you’re fine?!

She took a sip of her hot chocolate, feeling a mix of affection and exasperation. She appreciated the concern, and she would be lying if she said his caveman-like behavior wasn’t hot, but he needed to tone it down a bit.

They weren’t dating. They were just going to be co-parenting in a few months.

Several deep breaths and a muffin bite later, Allison found the perfect way to shut down his erratic texting.

Allison

I’m on a date, Angelo. I’m busy. I’ll text you later.

She felt a smirk of satisfaction as she hit send, but her plan backfired when her phone buzzed with a call from the man himself.

Damn it.

Allison stared at the screen, debating whether to pick up or let it go to voicemail. She could practically hear his voice in her head, filled with a mix of confusion and concern. Instead of the sweet girl he knew, she had suddenly transformed into a woman with a date—one who he would definitely want to track down.

She didn’t get the chance to pick up as the bell chimed once more, and she spotted Amira making her fashionable entrance. Her friend swept into the café with the kind of confidence that turned heads, her designer bag swinging at her side and a bright smile lighting up her face. Allison felt a rush of apprehension mixed with excitement; was that smile for her or would it drop as soon as Amira spotted her?

Allison quickly tucked her phone away, trying to shake off the lingering tension. Her silent question was answered immediately.

“Allison! Hey!” Amira said excitedly, rushing over to Allison’s side. She greeted her as if nothing had changed between them. First, there was a warm hug, followed by a kiss on each cheek—because Amira was that kind of girl.

Allison didn’t feel quite as confident when she hugged her back. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and doubts ever since they’d arranged this meeting. She felt way too nervous for kisses on the cheek, and the familiar feeling of anxiety crept back in as she struggled to shake off the overwhelming uncertainty. Amira’s enthusiasm only made her feel more out of place, as if she was about to dive into a conversation that could either heal old wounds or open up fresh ones.

“Hey, Amira,” she said quietly.

“I’m going to order a coffee and I’ll be right back, okay? We have catching up to do,Soniye,” Amira said, using the nickname that brought back a flood of memories. She left her taupe coaton the chair opposite Allison’s seat and walked off towards the counter.

Her phone buzz buzz buzzed away, and she removed it from that mode, making it go finally silent.

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