Page 14 of This Kind of Forever

“I would’ve picked you up.”

“It’s fine, Gabe. I’m used to walking places. It was either that or the TTC down in the city.”

“Well, I’ll drive you back later.”

She shakes her head. “You really don’t have to. I’m fine. Or Clara can pick me up on her way home from Dockside. Then you won’t have to go out of your way.”

I cross my arms. “I’m driving you, Hallie,” I say, leaving no room for argument.

She has no choice but to nod.

As she looks around my house—or what she can see with her feet rooted on the mat in front of the door—I let myself look at her. On top of the skin-tight, painted-on jeans she’s torturing me with, she’s wearing a cropped t-shirt with Dockside’s old branding ironed on. Before Clara got her hands on it, the restaurant’s logo had been the same since my parents bought it when we were kids.

“Abbie’s mom should be here any minute to pick her up. Then we can head out back,” I tell her.

As soon as the words leave my lips, the front door swings open behind Hallie. Today is one of the rare days Larissa and I both have off work. Usually, we’d do something together with Abbie, but I have other plans today.

“Mommy!” Abbie shouts, rushing from the living room.

Larissa wraps an arm around Abbie as she crashes into her legs. “Hi, baby girl.”

They both turn toward me and Hallie, and I’m hit with how alike they look. Although Abbie has some of my features, she shares the same curly hair as Larissa. It took some trial and error on my part, but now I can take care of her hair like a pro.

“Hi,” Larissa says with a grin. “It’s nice to see you again, Hallie.”

Although the three of us went to the same school, Hallie often kept to herself, and Larissa used to hang out with girls on the volleyball team. Still, I think they had a few classes together.

Hallie offers her a shy smile. “It’s nice to see you, too.”

“You know, I’ve heard a lot about you over the years.”

This causes Hallie to freeze, and I internally curse. The last thing I need is Larissa making her run for the hills. She’s always been a little skittish, but especially since coming back. I don’t want to completely scare her off.

“Clara talks about you a lot,” I explain. “She missed you.”

Larissa’s brow arches, as if to say,Only Clara?I intentionally ignore her look.

“Yes,” Larissa says aloud. Her eyes dance with mischief. “You’ve made quite the impression on a certain Bowman.”

I cut her a glare. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

She laughs, and Hallie’s gaze flits between us, curious. “Sorry, yes. Abbs, say bye to your dad.”

After a quick hug, Larissa ushers Abbie out the door. As soon as it clicks behind them, silence blankets the house, and it’s then I realize they had been acting as a buffer. With the two of them gone, the full weight of awkwardness bears down on us.

Hallie’s wide, blue eyes scream,I don’t want to be here.

I swallow.

“Larissa is nice,” Hallie offers. Her words almost echo in the vast expanse between us. The distance isn’t physical, but I feel it viscerally all the same. “And she’s pretty, too.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “She’s great.”

“Is there something—? I mean, are you and—” She shakes her head, cutting herself off. “Never mind.”

My brows shoot up in surprise. “You think I have a thing for Larissa?”

Hallie’s blush appears again. Or maybe it never disappeared to begin with. “Forget it, Gabe. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s none of my business.”