Page 18

Shawna takes me back to her house, and I flop back on her couch, coffee drink gone and a bottle of wine on the coffee table between us.

Her feet hang over the side of her love seat, wine glass half full in her hand as she points at me.

“So, you’re telling me, he didn’t say a damn thing all through dinner.”

“Not a thing.”

“And she practically insulted you the entire time.”

“Yes. She started with Ruby, so I didn’t fight the shift to me. I don’t think Ruby could take much more of it. She makes a lot more sense now that I’ve met her mother.”

“But he didn’t defend you. At all.”

“No. He didn’t even blink. Ground his molars together a little bit, but nothing else. And I caught them in the bedroom arguing.”

“Oh my God, no .”

“Yes. She called me a whale.”

Shawna sits up with a jolt. “No!”

“Yes.” I sigh, resigned. “I think it’s less about me and more about unresolved issues between them.”

“You’re giving him way too much of a break on this, honey. Way too much of a break.”

I take another swig of wine and meet her gaze. “Listen. I know, but I also don’t know what happened in their relationship, so how am I supposed to judge the way it all went down. I’m more surprised by his sister’s reaction to it all.”

“I mean, she is the ex-sister-in-law.”

“Hmm. Well, it doesn’t really matter much, does it? I’m pretty sure they have some things to figure out between them, and I’m just a side piece while he waits to reunite with her.” Although that doesn’t quite feel right either.

“Liv, you undervalue yourself too much. No. No . What’s the sister’s name?”

“Marielle.”

Shawna pulls up her phone and starts her amateur sleuthing. “I’m going to figure this stuff out. Why would he invite you to dinner if he knew she was coming?”

“Maybe he’s been pining and his sister knows this, so she invited her.”

“Aha! Marielle and Lisa are best friends .”

Heat burns in my chest from embarrassment. “Well, that makes sense. They made it so Lisa and Nick had to sit next to each other at dinner too.”

“God, these people sound awful.”

“His parents were okay. Caring, but like they wanted to stay out of it. You know?”

Shawna groans. “Well, when he comes back around, you’d better make him grovel.”

“Mmm. We’ll see. How about some drama-filled reality TV that makes my life look so completely boring by comparison?”

My bestie smiles at me. “Okay. Fine. Deal. Pour me more of that before you finish it off.”

My phone dings, lighting up with a text.

Nick: Liv? Did you leave?

Another ding.

Nick: Where are you?

I press the power button, turning my phone off without opening them.

Shawna pins me with a curious and furious look.

“I’m ignoring him. Let’s watch the show.”

But we’re only fifteen minutes into The Bachelor before I turn my phone back on. My guilty conscience doesn’t want him to worry if I’m physically okay or not, so I send him back a single text.

I’m okay.

I don’t elaborate. He doesn’t deserve an explanation from me after shutting down on me at dinner. Making me put up with all of that on my own.

The hurt quickly transforms into anger, which comes out as snide remarks about the man and the women fighting for him on TV.

After two episodes, which are so much longer than I remembered them being. It doesn’t matter. I’m feeling much better by the time we finish the bottle of wine.

“You can stay the night if you want. You know that couch is comfy,” Shawna offers.

I do know; she sleeps on it more often than in her bed. When she’s alone anyway. And her boyfriend is gone for the weekend, so it wouldn’t be an issue, but I really want the comfort of my own bed.

“Nah. I’ll just order a ride. You’ve been drinking.”

Shawna cackles. “Bitch, we’ve been drinking.”

“Truth.” I laugh with her and order a ride.

It only takes fifteen minutes for the Uber to show up, and another ten to get home. My thoughts go back to Nick and Lisa. Marielle and Ruby.

The hurt and anger and confusion dwindle down into a light depression. Nick seems like such a good guy. What went wrong with him today?

I really hope today was just a fluke. Because we’ve become good friends. And I can’t lie to myself about how much I enjoy his kisses.

The hurt won’t let me go though. I’ve spent so much time having people treat me one way when we’re alone together and a completly different way when we’re around their people.

Sighing, I close my eyes and take deep breaths before the Uber arrives at my house, pulling into my driveway.

When I look, Nick’s Jeep sits on the curb, and anxiety drenches me, stirring up all of the feelings I’ve been combating this evening.

I hand over a cash tip to my driver and thank him for the ride.

“Did you need me to stay until you get in the house?” He glances at where Nick waits for me.

“No. It’s okay. He’s not dangerous. Thank you though.”

“Yeah. No problem.”

I’m sure to give him a good review for that as I climb out of the car. Ignoring Nick, I walk to my door, unlocking it as the Uber idles at the end of the driveway. What a sweetheart.

Nick’s at my back before I swing my door open, and I’m ready to let him have it until I see Ruby behind him, hovering at the Jeep.

My heart breaks a little. I didn’t just slip out on Nick. I hadn’t said goodbye to Ruby either.

The mix of emotions on Nick’s face when I meet his eyes weakens my anger. Just a fraction. It doesn’t help that he’s so beautiful.

His jaw works as he looks me over, shame bowing his head briefly. “I didn’t bring you there to compare you to her—I brought you because I wanted you to feel like you belonged. I was just blindsided and didn’t recover fast enough.”

Nick takes my hand, but I don’t let him pull me in. Defeat slumps his shoulder for a second before he recovers. His thumb runs over my knuckles. “I’m sorry, Liv.”

I chew on my lip. He seems genuine enough. Tipping to peer around his broad shoulders, I meet Ruby’s eyes.

“Want to come in and have some cocoa?”

Her eyes widen, and she nods. It’s so small that my heart wrenches again.

I take my hand back from Nick and wave her forward before I let them both inside. The house is empty. Mom and Dad are out on a date. Dinner and a movie. A classic, but they make sure to go out together at least once a month.

They work so hard. They deserve it.

Theo is also working. Saturday evenings are such a busy time for the restaurant.

Gesturing them to the couch, I busy myself with the cocoa. Made with real milk, thank you very much. We don’t pull punches with food in this family.

When I return with their mugs, I sit beside Ruby instead of Nick. “Hey. Are you okay? Family dinner seemed like a lot for you too.”

The teary eyes she gives me say more than words can. She shakes her head, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side.

“Does she usually comment on your body like that? On what you eat?”

Ruby nods, and I wait her out. “Mom tries to live—” She looks at her dad for the word.

“Vicariously,” Nick supplies.

“Right. Vicariously through me. She wanted me to be popular. Dress like her. Wear makeup. Starve myself thin. She didn’t like that I played sports or got dirty.

She wouldn’t let me have sweets except during holidays.

Even then…” Ruby sighs and deflates. I rub her arm to let her know she’s safe here to talk about it.

“I wasn’t allowed a lot. Her and Dad would always fight when he took me out for burgers or ice cream.

Yell about how he was going to make me fat, and then none of the kids at school would like me. ”

God, what a horrible woman. “That’s not true though, is it?”

Ruby shakes her head. “No. I mean, the girls I was friends with in elementary and middle school stopped being my friends, but I made new ones. Better ones. On the soccer team. They don’t care if I don’t wear dresses, or if I always have my hair in a messy ponytail, or if I’m not wearing makeup. I don’t even like makeup.”

I laugh softly. “I didn’t like it at your age either.”

She smiles at me, a small one. “They don’t care if I don’t go out to parties every weekend. That I like to stay home and read. Write stories.”

My breath catches, and she peers up at me again. “I didn’t know you like to write stories.”

Her smile gets bigger by an inch, but it’s still shy. “Yeah. They’re not any good.”

“Oh hush. I bet they are.”

“Mom hates that I like to write. Wanted me to be a model or actress because she never made it. I have terrible stage fright. There’s no way I could do it. And everytime I tried and failed, she’d try to take all of my stuff away. Tell me I didn’t work hard enough.”

Fuck, I really hate this woman. I chance my first glance at Nick, and his face is stormy. An old anger simmering in the serious lines around his eyes and mouth. I’ve never seen him look quite like that before.

What did she do to him?

“It really sucks when someone who’s supposed to support your dreams pressures you to fulfill theirs instead.” And I mean it. “I know sweets don’t fix everything, but there are a few extra cheesecake bites in the fridge if you want one.”

Ruby laughs a little. “Really?”

“Absolutely. You can always count on me to supply a girl with dessert. Always.” I shake her a little and stand, nodding for her to grab her cocoa and follow me.

She takes one of each and sets herself up at the kitchen counter. “Is your mom supportive?”

“She is. My dad too. The more I’ve met other families, the more I realize how lucky I am. And you’re lucky to have your dad too.”

Her features shift when I say this, and she nods. “You should forgive him. Mom is…hard to deal with when we’re prepared for her. You know?”

“I understand. I’m going to go talk to him now, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

I settle myself on the couch again, closer to Nick this time, and raise my brow at him. “Anything you want to add?”

His hand smooths over his face before his gaze connects with mine. “I’ll understand if you judge me for this. She makes me my worst self, but that’s no excuse for letting her treat you like that.”

I bite the edge of my lip. There is no excuse, but based on the small bits and pieces Ruby just told me, I get it.

“Is how she treated Ruby the reason you two got divorced?”

His brow wrinkles. “It certainly played a major role in it.”

Not one to hold a grudge—although I don’t forget things and I don’t forgive them easily—I’m willing to give him this one as a free pass. “I’d like for you to tell me more about those other reasons, but not now.”

“I can do that.” Nick’s posture straightens just a few inches, like I’ve lifted a small weight off of him. But his gaze focuses behind me, and he stands.

I stand with him and escort them both to my door. Grabbing hold of Ruby’s shoulders, I bend to look into her eyes. “Thank you for confiding in me.”

She dives in to hug me, and I give her a good squeeze. “Thank you for the cocoa. And the cheesecake.”

Her voice is muffled in my shoulder, but I tighten my hold until I feel her release me. Ruby goes straight to the Jeep, and Nick hesitates on my porch.

I touch his cheek, the connection between us zapping as it usually does. “I’ll see you on Monday.”