Page 22 of Chasing Olivia (Trace + Olivia 2)

“You’re too sweet, Olivia,” she smiled, grabbing her own bag. I swear her purse was as big as a house. I didn’t know how she lugged that thing around. I’d seen her pull an umbrella out of it before…and not one of those small ones that folded up.

We walked outside and I waited as she locked the door before we both headed towards our cars. It was seven o’ clock and the sun was still bright in the sky.

“Bye, Olivia,” she waved, climbing into her yellow Fiat. The bright colored car suited her bubbly personality.

I waved back, slipping into my own car. I immediately locked the doors. After what happened with Aaron I’d become a nervous wreck, anticipating danger everywhere. I wasn’t afraid to admit that I was now the proud owner of a can of pepper spray…three cans actually. I might’ve gone a bit overboard.

I pulled my phone out and sent Avery a text, asking if she was available for a girl’s night.

Her text was immediate, saying she’d meet me at the apartment.

I was actually a bit surprised. I was expecting a half-ass excuse from her. I guess she was as much in need of some girl time as I was.

I called my favorite Chinese restaurant and ordered our takeout, swinging by to pick it up.

When I pulled into the parking lot of Pete’s Garage, Avery’s red Volkswagen Beetle was already there.

“Do I smell chicken fried rice?” She asked me when I got out of the car with the large takeout bag.

I nodded.

“Gimme!” She grabbed the bag from me, not giving me a chance to relinquish it.

“Geez, manners, Avery,” I scolded lightly, grabbing my keys and trudging up the steps to our apartment over the garage.

“Bitch, I’m hungry,” she glared. “Oooh,” she exclaimed, peering into the bag, “they gave us extra egg rolls!”

“I figured if I only got two, you’d end up eating mine,” I laughed, opening the door and waving her inside first. She set the bag down in the kitchen. “Come on, Ace!” I called.

The large black lab came running out of the bedroom and to the door.

“Hey buddy, mommy missed you,” I scratched the top of his head, grabbing his leash off the coatrack, and attaching it to his collar. “Don’t eat my sweet and sour chicken,” I warned Avery.

She ceased pulling the boxes out of the bag. “Just one?” She pouted.

“The last time I told you that you could have one piece, I ended up starving because you ate it all, the answer’s no.”

“Fine,” she grumbled.

I walked Ace around the block, letting him stretch his long legs. I would’ve walked him longer, but I was starving, and afraid that despite my warning Avery would eat my food.

Ace bound into the apartment and over to his cushion, grabbing his favorite toy, a yellow duck, and proceeding to sling it around in his mouth.

Avery was sitting on the couch, the food spread out on the coffee table, and flipping through channels on the TV.

“Don’t even think about snagging one of Trace’s skittles,” I warned her, pointing to the bowl of skittles on top of the two crates that were flipped upside down and served as our coffee table. “I think he must have cameras in here somewhere. I ate…like three one time while he was working, and when he came in he knew I’d eaten some.”

“Maybe he counts them before he puts them in there,” she giggled before taking a huge bite out of her egg roll.

“I have no clue, but since then I haven’t touched them,” I shook my head, grabbing a water bottle, and sat down beside her on the couch. “Anything good on?” I pointed at the TV.

“Say Yes to the Dress is on,” she shrugged.

“That’s not too bad,” I grabbed my container of sweet and sour chicken.

“So, where’s Trace at?” She asked, looking around like he was about to magically appear.

“He’s having dinner with his grandpa tonight,” I shrugged.

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