Page 301 of Nobody's Girl

What in the name of all that’s holy?

My mouth falls open. “OMG! You’re lying!”

“I wish I was. Eden never told me about her until we met her at our wedding. Then I saw it for myself as his mind replayed a time they had a practice session. You can ask Kyle about it. I showed him the memory and he agreed it was a hot encounter.”

“Sick. Did they really call them sessions?” I ask.

She nods and I see the sadness in her eyes. “I just can’t get over it. I keep trying, but it’s so damn hard when she touches him and acts all young and shit. He seems oblivious to her antics. Then she shows up over here and the fool invites her to join us for a quick dip. I mean, could he be that clueless?” she asks.

I nod. “I think he just might be. I’ve noticed he doesn’t act like any super-hot guy I’ve ever seen, not that I’ve seen that many. He’s just so crazy over you that he can’t see that other members of the female persuasion find him fascinating. It’s one of the things I like about him.”

“You like that about him?” she asks.

“Well, yeah, Al. I mean he doesn’t look at himself like he’s anything other than your husband. Either he’s clueless about other women, or he just doesn’t see them as a threat to you, because he’s hopelessly in love with you. You’re the world to him. No one could ever replace you. You know what I mean?”

“I think you’re telling me I have no reason to be jealous,” she says as she drops the pillow to her side. “Because he would never do anything with anyone else, and the women who fall all over themselves for him don’t have a shot in hell at taking him away from me.”

“That’s right Ally,” I tell her. “Now that we have that cleared up, let’s clear up this thing between us. I know this is a little bit hard for you. I can see it in your eyes every time Kyle and I touch each other in front of you.”

Ally drops her head. “I’ll get over this, Laura. I don’t want Kyle like that. I don’t know why I get a little pain in my chest when the two of you touch. Or a big pain in my chest when it’s thrown in my face that the two of you are doing what I could never do with him. I hate to say this, but a part of me wants to know what would’ve happened if Eden had never come along and if this bird thing never happened.”

“But it did happen, Ally, and you’re happy with Eden,” I say as I take her hand.

“I was happy with Kyle,” she says as she runs her thumb over my knuckles. “When he touched me, it felt like a jolt of electricity ran through me. The night we finally got to go alone to the movies, we made out through the whole movie. I don’t even remember what the movie was because we were so caught up in each other. On the way home, he pulled the truck over and I almost gave into him. The only thing that stopped me was the promise I’d made my mother. I’m jealous of you, Laura. You get to experience more with him. I could have had that, but didn’t, and now I never will.”

“Ally, I had no idea you felt that way,” I say. “How selfish of me not to have thought you’d have issues about your unresolved feelings for him. I was foolish to think this could work.”

Ally’s brows draw together as she frowns. “No, please Laura, this can work. I need you, like you can’t know how much I need you. Look how you just helped me with my jealousy over Eden. You stopped me from getting into a big fight with him just now.”

“I did?”

“Yes, you did. I don’t have anyone to talk to about my own issues,” she says. “You’re the only one I can talk to like this and now you know everything about me. Do you know how hard it is to be a freaking bird and not tell anyone?”

I laugh. “I bet it is. Now I have to keep it a secret too. Do you think time will heal you, Ally? That’s what Eden thinks.”

Confusion fills her face. “You’ve talked to Eden about this?”

“Briefly, and only once,” I tell her. “We met at the top of the stairs one morning. The morning after we all went swimming at your parents’ house and Kyle and I took a little longer to get down there. I don’t know what happened between you and Eden. He must’ve gotten the idea you were a little jealous of what you must have guessed we were doing that held us up. I also confided in him that Kyle often tenses up when you and Eden are whispering to each other or touching each other.”

“He does?” she asks.

“Yes, he does,” I answer. “Eden’s sure the physical feelings you and Kyle had for each other are fading, that you are both getting back to the strong friendship you had before the physical stuff started to happen, and that time will fix this situation.”

Ally pats my hand. “So you have to deal with this crap from me and Kyle, then?”

“I pretty much knew that having a relationship with him so soon after you two broke up was going to be riddled with issues—mine, yours, and his,” I say. “He doesn’t talk as openly about your relationship as he did when I first started talking to him. I was trying to help him get past his obsession about getting you away from Eden and your parents. I don’t know if it’s because he’s talked it all out of his system or that he doesn’t want to hurt me. I can feel him tense up and see in his face at times that it hurts him to see you and Eden together.”

Ally turns away. “My poor Kyle.”

“Your happiness means more to him than anything else. Making sure you’re safe has always been his top priority. I can remember that from back when we were kids. Maybe he’s supposed to be your protector, Ally. Maybe I’m supposed to be that too. Whether it was pre-destined or not, that is what we are,” I say.

“Laura, I can’t thank you enough for being so understanding. Your heart is so pure,” Ally tells me. “I love you. You and Kyle have done so much for me. It’s time I stop being a selfish brat about him. To stop thinking of him as my Kyle and let the two of you have your life together, free from my petty jealousies. From this moment on, you’re going to see a new Ally. One who promotes this relationship of yours and encourages you as you’ve encouraged me.”

“I love you too,” I tell her as we hug. “I’m so glad we talked. Now let’s put this behind us.”

“I agree,” she says. “Now go get on your workout clothes, because we’re about to embark on a torturous journey that involves Satan himself. But don’t worry, because I have a jacuzzi we can soak in after the torture.”

“Ally, should I be afraid?” I ask in a fake scared voice.