Chasing Allie (Breaking Away Series #2) by Meli Raine

it and makes a snorting sound. “Well that explains everything ,” she declares.
    The sarcasm in her voice makes me shudder inside. I feel the same way.
    She drinks some of her coffee and then frowns. “Does this have something to with all the texts he was getting last night?” she asks.
    I shrug and try again with my coffee. This time I sip it so it doesn’t burn me. “I don’t know,” I say. That’s the truth. I really don’t know.
    “Did he say anything last night?” she asks. Her face is twisted with pity and confusion. I imagine mine is too. The confusion part, anyway. 
    “No,” I say, the word coming out like a gasp. “If he’d said something, at least I’d know why he’s gone.”
    She nods. “Maybe it was something bad and he had to get home right away.”
    I give her a hard look. “Then why didn’t he wake me up? Why didn’t he write a better note? Why didn’t he...” My words break off. I can’t control the sob in my throat.
    “Oh, honey,” Marissa says, coming over to me and enveloping me in a giant hug.
    I let the tears come out. I let the sob escape from my throat.
    “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she says in a soothing voice, rubbing my back.
    “I love him,” I choke out.
    “I know. I know,” she says.
    The fact that she’s not surprised by my admission of love for Chase surprises me. “I’ve never said that before,” I explain. “I’ve never told anyone that I love them.”
    “You’ve told me,” she jokes.
    “Ha ha,” I say. I can’t help but let half of my mouth go up in a smile. “You and Mom. That’s it,” I concede.
    Her face goes serious as she pulls away and looks at me. “I understand, I really do, Allie. He’s the first person you’ve fallen in love with, and you...” She lets her voice trail off, and then, when I don’t answer she adds, “The first person you’ve slept with?”
    I shrug. “Sort of?” I don’t know how to describe what I’ve done with Chase.
    She doesn’t pry. “But the first person you’ve been intimate with.”
    “Yes,” I reply. “That’s a good way of putting it.”
    Her eyes scan the room as if she’s thinking. As if she’s planning. She licks her lips and catches my eye again. “This may have nothing to do with you,” she declares. “He’s in business with the biker gang whether you like it or not, Allie. Something happened and he had to go home and deal with it. That’s my best guess.” She pauses. “Until you see him again, you’re not going to know.”
    I nod and work on my coffee. “That’s about all I can do.”
    Joshie appears suddenly at our feet, his head barely coming up to my knee. He tips his face up and holds his sippy cup out to Marissa. “Want more, want more,” he says, his little voice high and sweet.
    “Okay, buddy,” Marissa says. She looks at me. “I remember when you were this little.”
    I look down at his bright red curls and tousle them. “I remember being this little. Mostly.” I swallow. There’s a click in my throat. The tears are being held back, but barely. “I remember when life was this simple. When all you really worried about was whether you were going to get more milk or not.”
    She points to the bathroom. “Coffee. Then shower. Those are my orders.”
    I salute her as I stand, picking up my cup of coffee and shaking my head.
    It’s funny how much better you feel after a few cups of coffee, an apple and some cheese, a shower and a good conversation with your sister. Thirty minutes later I’m a whole new Allie. 
    Not really, but I pretend.
    “Let’s go out and see the sights,” Marissa declares. Her voice has a firm tone to it. There’s no room for argument. And that’s okay. I need something to take my mind off Chase’s disappearance.  
    I don’t have a phone, so he can’t call me. He has Marissa’s phone number in his phone. But I’m holding back. I don’t want to text him. I don’t want to reach out. I figure if he wants to talk to me, he knows