Page 56 of The Fix-Up

I shrugged. “We leave each other notes.”

“That’s kind of sweet,” Mae said.

“It’s not sweet,” I said. “It’s a form of communication. Like smoke signals or telegraph.”

Mae hummed.

I half turned to face her. “There will be no humming. It’s not a big deal.”

“What could be in Austin?” Ali jumped out of the closet that she’d been giving a fresh coat of paint. “Oooh. We could follow him one of these Fridays and see where he’s going. It could be a stakeout. I already have a stakeout outfit.”

“No,” Mae and I said at the exact same time.

“Mayors do not spy on people. It’s impolite,” Mae said.

“And probably illegal,” I added.

“You all suck the fun out of everything.”

“Someone has to keep you reined in,” Mae muttered. “Lord knows Theo would let you get away with almost anything.”

Ali’s grin was practically wicked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Mae snorted. “Yeah.”

Ali hopped over to the stepladder and looked up at me. “But how are things with him there? How is Oliver with the new roommate situation?”

“Oliver loves him. In fact, I think Gil may be his favorite person right now. They talk dinosaurs.” Which was fine. It wasn’t like Iwantedto talk about dinosaurs, but also, I at least wanted to beaskedto talk about dinosaurs.

Sunny and I were going to have a talk about these feelings of jealousy.

“Oliver follows Gil around, too. Reminds me a little of how he was with Ollie.”

“They were so cute together,” Mae said. “Remember that Halloween Oliver insisted Ollie dress up with him?”

Ali giggled. “Ollie in that chicken costume will forever live rent-free in my mind.”

“Oliver was so excited. He has a picture of the two of them in those chicken get-ups in his room.” I grinned. “Ollie as Santa Claus was the best. I appreciated Chris dressing up this year, but I don’t think Oliver bought it when I said Santa must have eaten all his vegetables to grow a whole foot in a year.”

Mae sniffled. “I miss Ollie.”

“Please don’t start crying,” I said. “Then I’ll start.”

“I’m sorry. These stupid hormones. I am all over the place.”

“She cried yesterday when I told her the library budget has been approved,” Ali said. “Bawled her eyes out right there in her office.”

“Shut up,” Mae grumbled, swiping at her cheeks.

Time to change the subject or we’d all be in a puddle. “Gil has a motorcycle,” I blurted out.

“A motorcycle?” Ali pursed her lips. “Wasn’t that on your list of no-no’s when it comes to men?”

I scoffed. “I’m not interested in him like that.”

Mae shot Ali a look that said,who’s lying now?

Whatever. Iwasn’tinterested in him that way.

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