Page 142 of Should the Sky Fall

“Sure, sure.” She huffs a laugh. “God forbid you fully commit to something for once.”

Dawson’s eyes flash. “What do you want, Liv?”

“I wanted to see you,” she replies, actually sounding earnest. “Check on you.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

“You clearly have a lot to talk about,” Cal says, itching to make himself scarce before the tension chokes him. “I’ll take Donut for a walk.”

“That’s not necessary,” Dawson says at the same time that Olivia chimes, “That’d be great. Thanks.”

While Cal grabs Donut’s leash and clips it to his collar, Dawson sends him a betrayed look, mouthing “Traitor.”

It makes Cal feel a little bad, but he honestly believes that his presence would make the already unbearable tension escalate. Better to just let them talk it out.

He’s never been so grateful to have a dog.

Chapter 23

Olivia’swholedemeanorchangesonce it’s just the two of them. Her expression turns stormy. She’s preparing for a strike, and Dawson is in the impact zone.

“Whatthe hellare you doing?!”

Aaand there it is.

His phone was blowing up throughout the whole movie, so of course he ignored it. And he did plan on calling Olivia back…later. He figured there was no rush, since she’s been spamming his inbox the whole week and Dawson made sure he always replied.

He did not expect her to come all the way here.

“What are you talking about?” Dawson feigns innocence. He knows that look. It’s the same one Kieran’s been giving him, that Ellis has been giving him. Hell, he’s seen it in passing on Ash’s face too.

And it’s really getting on his nerves.

“I’m talking about this!” Liv flings her arms out, encompassing the whole living room. “And this!” She points at Donut’s food and water bowls and the dog bed he never sleeps in.

Dawson wonders what she’d say if she saw the photo collage they blue-tacked to the wall above their bed.

“What the fuck, Dawson?! Are you playing house with the guy who used to manipulate the shit out of you? The one who wouldn’t let you see your family?” A vein in her temple pulses dangerously.

He understands where she’s coming from, but she’s not seeing the whole picture, she never has. That’s mostly on Dawson who’s never let her see, will never let her see the extent of what he’s been through. But he gets it.

“Things are different now.”

“You’re kidding, right? That’s what people in your situation always say, don’t you see?! He broke you, Dawson. He completely fucked with your head.”

He physically recoils, the words like a blow to the solar plexus. He knows his brain is kind of fucked up—not even Ash tried to argue with him about it. No one gets out of an abusive relationship and miraculously has their shit together. He knows he has a long way to go before he can trust himself.

But he’s never thought of himself as broken. And hearing the words from his own sister hurts in ways he’d never expect.

The therapy must finally be rubbing off on him, because instead of spiraling into self-hate and doubt, he gets angry. Angry is good. It means he’s drawing boundaries. Ash would be proud of him.

“I’m not playing house,” he presses out through gritted teeth. God, he wishes Cal was here, holding his hand. Dawson will have some words with him for bailing like that. “And I’m not broken,” he spits the word out like poison.

Olivia scoffs and gestures at his painting. “He made you think so low of yourself that you gave all this up. You loved it and you gave it up becausehedidn’t like it.”

Dawson doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even waver. He’s talked about this over and over with Ash, trying to understand his growing feelings for the man who’d turned his life upside down.