Page 73 of When Ellie Falls in Love

She had that gut feeling that things were right with Sadie. It wasn’t like she thought Sadie was The One. They were way too young to know that. But there was definitely a connection between them that was different than any friendship, and Ellie was certain it was time to finally ask Sadie to be her girlfriend.

Even if all the butterflies in the world were currently in her stomach as she stood a few feet away from Sadie in the pool.

It was late; late enough they were the only ones still in the pool. They’d found their way back to what Mason had deemed “the make out room” which was a small alcove behind the waterfall into the pool. The pump equipment for the pool sat inside the rock formation, which circulated the clean water back into the pool.

Not that any of that mattered.

All that mattered was Ellie had never been back there with someone she liked before. She’d caught her sisters and parents back there before, though. The latter was traumatic enough to make her not look them in the eye for several days.

But now, as she and Sadie leaned against opposite walls of the pool in the small alcove with their feet playfully touching underwater, Ellie understood. The privacy from the flowing waterfall diluted their view of the house, while the noise from the equipment made it feel like they wouldn’t be heard. Of course, Ellie knew from experience youcouldhear people back there.

Ellie shivered at the thought.

“You cold?” Sadie giggled as she pushed off the side of the pool and moved beside Ellie. She playfully ran her hands up and down Ellie’s arm as she smiled. “We can get out if you’re cold.”

“It’s a heated pool.”

“So then I guess we can go back to doing what we were doing?”

As Sadie pressed her lips into Ellie’s again, the well-thought-out speech to ask Sadie out went out her mind. She’d gone to Alexis earlier for help. Alexis had been alone on the beach enjoying peace and quiet when Ellie had plopped down beside her and ruined it.

“I need advice.”

Alexis sat up on her elbows and pushed her sunglasses back into her hair. She was wearing a two-piece bathing suit that she lookedphenomenalin, and her blue eyes softened as she smiled at Ellie.

“Aww, and you’re coming to me?”

“Well,” Ellie nervously laughed, pulling her knees up to her chin. “I can’t ask Mason what I need to ask you. And I feel Blake would freak out.”

“I don’t know what you’re about to ask me about, but my wife would very much freak out.”

Ellie giggled. “Exactly. And I know I could go to my parents but I need your specific help.”

“Color me intrigued.” Sitting cross-legged, Alexis put her elbow on her thigh and rested her head on her hand. “Go on.”

“I want to ask Sadie out.”

Alexis squealed, excitedly clapping her hands together. “Okay, one, yes, Blake would have freaked out, and no, you don’t need Mason’s advice on this. But why ask me?”

“Because you’ve been asked out by a Mackenzie.”

“True. But so has Chase.”

“Who’s married to Mason and would tell her I asked.” Joking, Ellie narrowed her eyes at Alexis. “Why? Do you not want me to come to you for advice?”

“Ellie,” Alexis put her arm around Ellie’s neck and kissed her cheek, “no. I love that you’re coming to me for this. It makes me feel like you love me.”

“Idolove you, goofball.”

“I know, and I love you too. But I love knowing you feel safe coming to me.” The faintest tears brimmed Alexis’s eyes as she seemed to try to ignore them. “Anyway, enough about me. Back to you and Sadie.”

Alexis seemed to think for a moment, almost as if she were carefully choosing her words. After what felt longer than it probably was, she finally started talking again.

“Honestly, I’m sitting here trying to remember how Blake and I started dating. I feel like one moment we weren’t and then the next we were. I remember one night in my apartment,” the happy smile on Alexis’s face was undeniable, “it was after game night and Ifinallyadmitted I liked her. And I know it’s cheesy but the rest is really history.”

Shrugging, Alexis laughed.

“I wish I had some great, big, romantic story to tell you but I knew early on that Blake was the one for me. Even though I was too scared to admit that or let her in for a while. So, I guess my best advice is don’t be afraid. If Sadie’s feeling it too, which we all know she is.”

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