Page 14 of Count Your Lucky Stars

Olivia bobbed her head. “Sounds good. Tomorrow?”

Margot nodded. “Sure. I’ve got a meeting in the afternoon, but I should be back in the early evening.” She cast a glance in the direction of the kitchen. “Feel free to raid the fridge, if you want. We—Elle and me, and Annie, too—were pretty easygoing about sharing food and splitting the grocery bill, but if you have a problem with that...”

“No.” She shook her head. “All good with me.”

Margot cracked her knuckles. “The shower’s kind of finicky. You have to pull the knob before you turn the water on if you want to take a shower. If you try to do it the other way around, the knob sticks.”

“Good to know, thanks.”

All she wanted right now was to fall face-first into bed. She’d only gotten a brief look at her room, but the mattress was a clear step up from the pullout she’d been ruining her back on for the last eight months. Her old apartment, while nearer to ECE’s office, offered little in terms of space. Her living room tripled as a bedroomandpersonal office. Margot’s apartment—hers now, too—was downright roomy by comparison.

“Tomorrow, then.” Margot backed slowly toward the hall.

Olivia waved and immediately wished she hadn’t. How utterly dorky. “Good night.”

Margot’s lips twitched upward in a barely-there smile before she turned and disappeared down the hall. Her door shut, and Olivia slumped back against the couch.

What a day.

Not that it had been all bad. It certainly could’ve been worse. She and Cat could’ve been sleeping in a hotel or a sleeping bag on her coworker Kira’s floor. Even her car. She would’ve only been able to swing any of those options for a few days while diligently hunting for a new apartment. Had that not panned out...

She probably needed to let Dad know that she was living somewhere new. Not that he was likely to mail her anything, but he might. Stranger things had happened.

“Livvy, hey,” he answered on the first ring.

“Hi, Dad.” She picked at the label of her beer. It was soggy, easy to peel at the corners. “Now’s not a bad time, is it?”

Dad huffed. “Never.”

A pleasant ache radiated behind her breastbone. In the background, she could hear what sounded like the television. Football, probably. “So. Do you remember Margot?”

“Margot?” He hummed quietly. “Used to eat all our food?”

“Dad.”She laughed.

He chuckled. “What about her?”

She nudged her beer bottle further from the edge of the table and leaned back against the couch, tucking her feet under her. “I’m kind of living with her now?”

“How do youkind oflive with someone?”

She rubbed her eyes. “It’s a... It’s new. I was just calling to let you know I have a new address. I’ll text it to you, okay?”

“Is everything okay, Liv?”

Her throat chose the worst possible moment to grow impossibly tight. “Mm-hmm. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”

Dad went quiet. “Are you okay on money, because I don’t have much, but I can send you—”

“No. I’m good. It’s just been a long day. There was a plumbing problem at my old apartment; that’s why I moved. I’m—I’m really fine. I promise.”

Dadhmmed over the line. “You sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” She forced a laugh. “I’m actually doing really well, otherwise. Lori’s letting me take point on a wedding, and it’s—it’s a really big deal, Dad.”

“Good for you, Liv. I’m sure you’re going to be great.”

Cat hopped off the other end of the couch and stretched, letting out a sweet, contented-sounding meow. At least one of them was feeling right at home.