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I needed to stop being selfish and let Liv live her life. And maybe, I’d get to living mine.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I got out my phone and texted Brenda.
Fletcher: I’ll go out with Morganne.
19
Liv
Della and Henrietta agreed to go shopping with me for my date with Knox. My entire wardrobe basically consisted of jeans, leggings, and T-shirts, none of which felt right for tonight.
He was taking me to Rutlage, a bigger town about half an hour away, so we could go out to eat without everyone in the town gossiping about us. And then we’d go to a dance hall. I loved going out to the bar with Della and Henrietta for a night of dancing and drinks, since we mostly just danced with friends we knew in town. But this was different, and my stomach was a ball of knots.
Maybe because I was still hung up on my boss I couldn’t date or the fact that Knox was said boss’s younger brother. I tried to push that thought out of my mind no matter how much it kept rushing back to the surface.
Even though there had been a couple heated moments between Fletcher and me, he was my boss and we needed to keep things professional for Maya’s sake. And my own, to be honest. I couldn’t afford to lose this job, especially since I had so much fun hanging out with Maya every day.
Watching her wasn’t like showing up at a job and clocking in. We did life together. And seeing her grow from the untrusting, angry child she was just a month ago to this blossoming little girl was the most rewarding thing I’d ever experienced.
I was falling in love with her more every day, and I couldn’t bear the thought of parting ways with her because of a silly crush I had on her dad.
Della held up a black dress. “What about this? It’s classic. And it’ll show off the girls.”
I glanced at the length. “Too short. My ass’ll turn it into a T-shirt.”
Henrietta chuckled. “You remind me of my friend Mara.”
I remembered meeting Mara at Henrietta and Tyler’s wedding. “The super-hot famous writer?” I winked. “I’ll take the compliment.”
“Good.” She smiled back at me. “Maybe you could wear the dress over leggings?”
“I think I’d get too hot with all that fabric,” I said. “Especially if the bar is crowded.”
She nodded.
I flipped through the rack, knowing I was being difficult. “I hate clothes shopping,” I muttered. “Even if it looks good on the hanger, it looks so different on me. And that’sifit fits.”
“I know,” Henrietta said in agreement.
Della kept it positive for us. “You just need one good outfit. Not the whole store.”
“Unless she goes on a second date with him,” Henrietta grinned.
Della laughed. “True. Two good outfits, then he gets the jeans and boots.”
They knew me too well. I held up a floral blouse with elbow-length sleeves. “What if I wore this with a pair of my jeans? I’d probably be more comfortable if I went in cowboy boots anyway.”
“I think it’s cute,” Hen said.
Della nodded. “Go try it on. We’ll be out here looking for second date fits.”
I took the shirt to the dressing room and started changing when my phone went off in my purse.
It was a text from Fletcher with a picture of Maya standing with a few girls from swim practice. She held her fingers in bunny ears behind another girl’s head, and her smile was so big I thought my heart might burst.
Fletcher: Just dropped Maya off at the sleepover. I barely got her to say goodbye to me.
I smiled down at the picture. Maya looked so happy.