Page 29 of Accidental Theirs

“Itdoesmatter, Liv…”

She holds up her hands. “You know it’s a long shot.”

“Of course, I do, but?—”

“But nothing, Dominic! I’ve got too much going on right now to let you back into my life.”

I tilt my head. “You mean the merger?”

“Of course, I mean the merger. Everything is topsy turvy, and I don’t know which way is up.”

I take a couple of steps closer. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Liv. The merger is something Titan is behind one hundred percent.”

She bites at her lip. “And you know that for a fact?”

I nod. “I’m high enough at Titan that I get all the important documents.”

She blinks. “Are you... proud? Of work?”

“Is that so surprising?”

“Coming from you? Yeah.”

“I told you I changed.”

“Maybe you have.”

My heart soars.

Does this mean she’s going to accept me back into her life?

“It doesn’t matter,” she says quickly, and my hopes are dashed. “What matters right now is Carter Holdings.”

“The merger?—”

Olivia paces around the living room. “I don’t want to talk about the merger. It stresses me out. And you wanting to get back together? Stresses me out.”

My shoulders slump. “I don’t want to stress you out.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

I groan. “It really wasn’t my intention to put more on your plate, Liv. I’m on your side.”

“Are you? Seems weird, since we’ve barely talked in years.”

“And whose fault is that? You wouldn’t answer my calls.”

She glares at me. “Youleftme! You broke me, Dom. So, you don’t get a say in how I put myself back together.”

I hold out my hands, my heart dropping to my toes.

“You’re right. I’ll go.”

She grabs my wrist as I turn away. “You don’t have to go. I didn’t ask you to go.”

“You want me to stay?” My heart does a little backflip.

“Want is a strong word,” she mumbles, and then plops down on the couch. “I just don’t want to be alone.”