Page 234 of Small Town Firsts
Not anymore.
“Meant to end up like Dad, you mean? Bitter and alone, with only his money to keep him company?”
Oliver adjusted his tie. “He has two rather strapping sons as well. One more so than the other.”
“Keep trying with your workout routine. Persistence is key.” I tipped back in my chair. “Fuck, Ol, how do I fix this?”
No sooner had the words left my mouth, I shook my head. “No. Never mind. I did not ask for your advice. There’s desperate and then there’s suicidal.”
“Actually, maybe I should fix this.”
“What? No. God, no.”
His laughter was rich and throaty, like any good movie villain. “Seriously, man, pull yourself together. I thought you only wanted use of her eggs. And from the way you were making out the other day at Laurie’s party,” he cleared his throat, “I’m going to guess you already achieved liftoff there.”
“We weren’t making out. It was a kiss. We just kissed.”
“Hmm, and here I thought you knew how babies were made already.” Oliver whisked his fingers over the hairline-straight seam of his trousers. “That might actually explain a lot.”
Despite everything, I laughed. “Why are you still here?”
“Because you need help, and I’m a giver.”
“You don’t even like Ally. I don’t know why, but you don’t.”
“You are as dense as a two-by-four without all the uses.” He gave a heavy sigh when I stared at him. “I was jealous. Possibly.”
“Of Ally? Why?”
“Not of Ally, per se. Of your relationship with her. The two of you have always been a unit against the world. Before Ally, it was you and me, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“It’s different with Ally.”
“No kidding. But you never fully realized just how much.”
I shook my head. “No. Not until now. Even Marj—” I stopped. “You introduced me to Marj. Kept telling me she would be great for me.”
Oliver shrugged and set aside the folder beside my sandwich wrapper on my messy desk. “I never thought you’d knock her up. Or marry her.”
“One kind of led to the other,” I said drily.
“Yes, well, some of us know how to bag it up. Then again, you’re going bag-free intentionally now, so there’s no understanding you, brother.” Oliver rose and glanced down at me with all the paternalism being six minutes older brought to bear. “Let me try to fix this.”
“No. Absolutely not. You don’t even know what the issue is, and I’m supposed to let you sweep in and muck things up even further?”
“She’s left you without a word. What further muck can I cause?”
I had no answer for that.
“As for not knowing the issue, it’s fairly clear. You made up a nonsense reason to sleep with her that didn’t require brutal honesty, and now you’ve finally realized you’re in love with her.”
“That’s completely—” I exhaled. “Accurate.”
“Now you’ll be stuck with a kid too when all you had to do was admit you wanted to fuck her. As if she would’ve said no. That woman has looked at you with heart eyes since day one.”
“So not true. I drive her crazy. If she had heart eyes—whatever the fuck that is—she wouldn’t run away from me every time I get near her. It’s like I have a fungus or something.”
Oliver held up his hands, palms out. “Officially entering territory labeled ‘do not need to know’.”
