Page 68 of Let's Talk About Love

She wanted to be everything Marie hadn’t been for her even then.

Their relationship ultimately died when Marie wished Feenie had never been born. She said Feenie ruined all the plans she’d had for herself.

“If I never met Ryan,” she continued, “I think I would’ve started training to fight professionally. Probably MMA. I think I’m too scrappy for boxing, and kicking the shit out of people is fun.”

Alice stared, mouth unabashedly open.FightingandFeeniein the same sentence gave her heart palpitations. Feenie had been threatened with expulsion in high school until Marie stepped in to save the day and Feenie’s diploma. After that, she somehow managed to control her urge to smash and break people’s faces. In the past year, she’d gotten into only two, both ending with her getting arrested. Fighting wasn’t a phase to grow out of—she knew Feenie liked, noloved, to fight, but she never knew she had considered going pro.

“Don’t look at me like that—I already know,” she said. “Besides, you’re not in my alternative life either. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have figured out I like protecting people. I’d be a helluva lot meaner. Selfish. You make me be kind and havefeelingsno matter how hard I try not to.”

And then she looked at Alice, the hard look sliding from her eyes.

“Maybe training isn’t such a bad idea,” Alice said quietly, unsure if it was okay to speak yet. “It would make sense.”

“No.” Feenie smiled, tilting her head so it touched Alice’s. “I would’ve been damn good at it, though.”

“If you really wanted to fight professionally, maybe you could talk to Ryan? Postpone your plans for a few years?”

“He already knows. The look on his face when I told him is probably going to haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Alice wanted to ask but decided not to pry. “I think our moms coordinated their efforts. I just got off the phone with mine.”

“God, could they just not be friends?” Her lips pulled back over her teeth in disgust. “Marie probably asked Momma J to take care of my case.”

“My mom didn’t mention it if she did, not that she would. She says hi.”

“What did she want?”

“Same oldgo to law schoolspiel. I have to come up with an alternative to present to her and my dad in three weeks.”

“Is foreign language out? Ryan told me he was going to teach you.”

“Not out, but it would only be a minor. I think it’s too late to try to pick a language and major in it, if I want to graduate on time,” Alice said. “Takumi is helping me, though.”

“Helping how?”

Alice smiled. “Mostly he helps me not think about it. He’s really good at that whole emotional support thing and distracting me. My mental state is quite happy that we work togetherandthen we hang out at his place after. It’s all Takumi, all the time.”

“Really?Wow. I hadnoidea. It’s not like I stare at your empty room every night, waiting for you to come home or anything.” Feenie rolled her eyes. “I have a headache.”

“Do you want me to make you breakfast in bed?” Alice asked quietly.

(She didn’t want to fight.)

(Not again.)

(But really, Feenie.Really?)

“No,” Feenie said. “I’ll cook for us. The last thing I need is for you to burn down the kitchen.”

“Aw, I love you, too. Scrambled eggs and coffee, please.”

Feenie kissed Alice’s forehead just as Glory howled from somewhere else in the house, also ready for breakfast.

CHAPTER

23

Takumi barely glanced at the onesie before saying, “No.”