Page 31 of Fielder's Choice

Sage always chooses plain mac and cheese, but I build mine up. Today, I had mine topped with bacon, buffalo chicken, and Sriracha—I love spicy food. Olive picked a white cheddar cheese sauce with bread crumbs. It’s simple but apparently delicious.

“Maybe we should go back sometime,” Olive says lowly, keeping her eyes down and away from me.

My smile is wide. “Making plans to see us again, Livvy?”

“Um,” she breathes. “Yes.” We round the corner and come up on a line of row houses on Spring Street. “Well, that’s me,” she says, pointing at a red brick home on the corner.

“Cute place.”

“It’s my parents’. I, uh… still live with them.”

I give her a reassuring smile. “Nothing wrong with that. You’re also not terribly far from my place.”

“Good to know,” she blushes.

Sage wraps her arms around Olive’s leg. “Bye, Owive!”

She bends down and hugs her back. “Goodbye, sweet girl. Can’t wait to see you for your lesson next week.” I look on happily as she stands up and takes note of my expression. “What?”

“I love that you already have a bond with my daughter.”

Olive smiles brightly at me. “Sage is such a sweetheart. I adore her.”

As she says that, I take a chance and wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close. She stiffens for a moment before returning my hug. “We both like having you around, Liv.”

“I like being around.”

“You know,” I say. “You don’t need to wait until the next lesson to see us again.”

“Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”

“How so?” I ask. “You teach my daughter ballet. I don’t see any reason we can’t be friends.”

“You want to be my… friend?” she questions nervously.

No, I think I want to be more than that, but I know I need to start slowly.

“Yes, I do. So what do you say, Ballerina?” I hold out my pinky finger to her. “Friends?”

She smiles and hooks her pinky around mine. “Friends.”

twelve

Olive

Rory

Welcome to the new group chat, ladies!

Harlow

Ooh, great idea, Ror!

Olive

Oh

Um, hi?

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