Page 29 of Olivia’s Only Pretending (Sweet River #3)

“You’ve always been our world, Mama,” I said softly, trying to hold back the tears.

“You’ve given us so much, like you said—your food, your time, your paycheck, your everything .

If we can save you any bit of hurt, make your life any bit easier now, we’ll do it.

Even if it’s something dumb like snooping on your dates. ”

“The dating world is ridiculous out there. I didn’t want any jerks creeping around my mom.” Lucy shrugged. “I know I get carried away. But it came from a place of love.”

“I thought it was fun to wear all black and pretend I’m a spy. Okay?” Gracie admitted, making us chuckle.

Lucy gave her a shove.

“Listen, I know my daughters. I’m sure it came from the best place. But if I could step back and let you three make some very questionable relationship choices, you can step back and trust your mom can handle a few dates.”

“Um, questionable choices? Those two, maybe. I’m with Adam,” Lucy said, glancing at her watch.

“Lucy, I had to let go while you pretended this man who was just perfect for you was some cartoonish villain and let you figure it out,” Mom said.

Lucy smiled. Even just the brief mention of Adam had her grinning from ear to ear.

“On one hand, it’s hard to keep tight-lipped about the walking red flags you girls might date, but it’s equally hard to keep a tight lip when I watch my girls pushing away chances at something real and true.

Pushing away their own potential for happiness,” Mom said, her eyes catching with mine.

“You know what, though? I trust you three. I trust God. I know the women you’re becoming, or have become, so I can let go and know you will figure it out.

You’ll end up in the pages of whatever beautiful story God’s writing for you.

Even if you keep throwing in ridiculous plot twists. ”

A nurse popped her head into the room. “Do you ladies need anything else?”

“We were just heading out, thanks,” Lucy said, chuckling.

We Rhodes women had a habit of staying places way too late and then apologetically scurrying out.

We were laughing, hurrying down the fifth-floor hallway toward the elevator.

“I thought we would probably get caught by Mom, because, well, she’s Mom and we always get caught, but I didn’t expect to wind up in the ER,” I said, lacing my arm through Lucy’s.

“Yeah, getting hit by a golf ball surprised me a little, too,” Lucy said dryly.

“Oh, think how I felt! I was on a date with this handsome man when I heard all this commotion and glanced over to see what was going on to find Lucy lying on the ground behind the bushes!” Mom said as we arrived in front of the elevator doors.

“I’m sorry we ruined your date with the handsome man.” Gracie turned to Mom, shoes squeaking on the shiny linoleum floor.

“Oh, he thought it was funny. He said he was surprised it wasn’t his daughters snooping. He’s already texted me about grabbing dinner another night.” Mom smirked.

The elevator doors opened, and there stood curly-haired Adam in his white button-down, and behind him was Victor with his dark eyes immediately on me.

“Lucy!” Adam said, racing straight from the elevator to scoop Lucy up in his arms. “Are you okay? Let me see it.” He grasped her face in his hands and studied her bruise.

“I’m fine. No concussion, only a gnarly bruise,” Lucy reassured him. Our family’s little bodyguard was now in the arms of her own personal defender.

He kissed the wound, then left a trail of kisses down her cheek until they met her mouth. I looked away to find Victor walking toward me.

“We literally ran out of a meeting to get here. He threw me his phone and had me reading him every update you sent, so thank you for those. They probably saved us from running a few reds,” Victor said. “She really okay?”

“She’s going to be just fine,” I said.

Our group crowded into the elevator.

Adam’s eyes scanned us. “Why are you three in all black? Do I even want to know?”

“The Rhodes girls were up to something again.” Victor shook his head. “I’m betting it ties into winding up in the hospital.”

“Basically, I make a terrible spy.” Lucy pointed to her bruise.

“Spy?” Adam’s brows furrowed. “How does that include minigolf?”

“I’m going to need a long phone call tonight after you get home with the full story,” Victor whispered low to me.

I gave him a little nod.

The doors opened up to the first floor, and we sorted out the rides home. Mom had her own car, but Adam took Lucy, who’d driven with Gracie and me. Gracie drove me and Victor in her old Jeep Wrangler.

I sat in the back with Victor. Gracie’s eyes periodically glanced at us in the rearview mirror.

“So, you three attempted spying on your mom’s date at Big Fun but left learning pretty much nothing about the guy?” Victor rubbed his jawline after Gracie and I had filled him in on our evening.

“He drives a motorcycle,” Gracie said before hitting her blinker.

Then Victor leaned in closer to me and lowered his voice. “Liv, did you eat any dinner?”

“Oh.” I chuckled, realizing right then how empty my stomach felt. “I completely forgot about dinner.”

“Gracie, you two need food. Swing through the What-a-Burger drive-thru,” Victor called up.

“Victor, I can make myself something at home.” I glanced out at the houses glowing in the night out the car window.

“This way you can start eating now,” Victor said. “Plus, you’re probably a little traumatized. You watched your sister collapse.” His eyes assessed me intently, like checking my vitals.

“Oh my, I’m fine. She only has a bruise.” I pushed him away.

“It was kind of terrifying,” Gracie said as she turned into the What-a-Burger drive-thru.

“See?” Victor said pointedly.

“And hilarious.” Gracie snorted.

We ordered our food, and the second I took the salty, warm bite of french fry, I was grateful for pushy Victor.

“Hey, how’s Watson?” I said, my voice low, matching Victor’s from earlier.

“He’s right back to his normal self. It’s as if he never stepped on anything. It’s crazy,” he said, the two of us ducked down in the backseat, dark and cozy, while Gracie hummed along with the radio from the driver’s seat.

“I think he needs me to take him for another pupchino,” I said.

“You and the pupchinos.” He laughed, playing with the strings hanging from his navy hoodie. I popped another fry in my mouth. “You’ve given him a taste for whipped cream now.”

“Everyone has a taste for whip cream, sir,” I said.

He stole a fry.

“Hey, those are mine.”

Gracie’s eyes peered from the rearview mirror. “You two know you don’t have to look like a couple for me, right? We’re not on campus right now, but you’re looking awfully cozy back there.”

“Gracie.” I rolled my eyes. “He’s this close ’cause he wants my fries.”

He stole another. “Guilty.”

I ignored the way I wanted to kiss the salt off his lips right here in my sister’s car.

“Yeah, yeah.” Gracie didn’t sound convinced.

A fter we dropped Victor off at his truck at city hall and began weaving through the quiet, dark streets of downtown, Gracie turned down the radio.

“Even if you and Victor really are just best friends, it’s pretty sweet how he takes care of you.

Not even a lot of boyfriends go as far as he does,” Gracie said.

“The way he looks after you is … well, it’s special, whatever you want to label your relationship. ”

I fidgeted with my seatbelt. “I know.”

“You two back there whispering in your own little bubble? It’s rare I see my big sister acting like a dorky teenager. I don’t think you even acted like that when you were a teenager, so credit to Victor for bringing it out in you.”

“Well, I’m glad you find my complicated, messy situation with Victor entertaining,” I said.

“It’s not that complicated. Take it from a girl in a very complicated situationship.” Gracie pulled up in front of my house, putting the car in park. “What you and Victor have is pretty simple—you’re just making it complicated.”

I swallowed. “Easy to say from the outside looking in.”

“What, are you embarrassed or something that he’s younger?”

“No, not at all,” I said, shaking my head vehemently. “I’m scared because he’s never had anything serious before.”

“Just because something wasn’t long-term doesn’t mean he hasn’t been in love.”

“Gracie, he’s never even said the L word,” I said. “I heard his mom and sister talking about it. It would be so new for him, but we’d be serious right away. There’s no getting around it.”

“Well, what’s so bad about it being new for him?” Gracie grabbed her plastic cup from the cupholder.

“I don’t want to be his first love and lesson learned, while he’s the one I’ve been waiting for,” I said, my voice breaking on the last words.

“I’ve been through some heartbreaks, but I don’t think I could recover from that.

” Tears burned at the images playing out in my mind of letting myself love Victor, letting him in, bravely naming what it was between us …

then losing him. Knowing exactly what I was missing out on.

“But who says his first love can’t last forever? What makes you think it has to end?” Gracie asked as I reached for the door handle. “And hey, maybe it’ll be the first time you feel love that big, too?”