Always Only You by Chloe Liese (z-lib.org).epub

“But you can’t,” I remind her. “So, let’s move on, shall we?”
Lo stares at me for a long minute. She has a very disturbing ability to intuit
my thoughts, so I blink away, avoiding eye contact as I take a long slow breath
to quiet my pounding heart. I have experience with this, maybe not with it being
directed so aggressively at me, but social media is a beast I handle capably every
day.
It’s not a big deal. People are assholes. I’m used to being judged for my
appearance—the cane and my flat expression. What’s a few hundred thousand
people thinking the worst of me?
“So,” Annie says, squeezing my hand affectionately. “When do you get your
acceptance letter from UCLA?
“That’s not a sure thing,” I remind her. “Who knows if I’ll get accepted?”
Annie rolls her eyes. “Please. You’ll get accepted. You are made to do sports
law. Your admissions documents were perfection.”
“It’s true,” Lo chimes in. “I edited them for you. I made sure of it.”
“We’ll see,” I mutter.
Annie pats my hand. “Let’s move on. I can see you getting upset talking
about it.”
“It makes me anxious to think about it. I’d rather just forget I applied and be
pleasantly surprised if I somehow manage to get in.”
“Fair enough,” Annie says. “How’s teaching, Lo?”
As Lo answers, my gaze wanders over to Ren, tucked into his circumspect
corner. His book rests flat on a small two-top table, his water and tea neatly side
by side.
“Frankie.” Lo’s voice startles me.
I glance back at her. “What?”
She flicks her lip piercing with her tongue and wiggles her eyebrows,
making her brow piercings do a little dance. “See something you like?”
My cheeks heat. I twist my fingers in my necklace. “I was just staring into
space.”
Lo quirks an eyebrow. I’ve learned this is code for bullshit.
Annie groans, oblivious to our exchange. “God. I’m sick of being pregnant.”
“Aren’t you due soon?” I ask her. “You look like my grandma’s bread when
she leaves it out too long to proof.”
Lo chokes on her water.
Annie stares at me in disbelief. “Frankie. I have another month, at least.”
There’s one of my Why-did-you-open-your-mouth-and-state-the-obvious?
moments for you. I grimace. “Sorry, Annie. I didn’t mean to be insulting. You’re
just a tiny person with a tall guy’s baby in you. And—”