21. Olivia
Chapter twenty-one
Olivia
I want to slow down time and relive every moment from tonight a million times. I wish I could remain in this moment on the dance floor, wrapped in Elliot's arms, holding on to his happy smile because I can’t be sure I’ll ever see it again.
Every good thing must come to an end. I’ve known that from the start of this friendship, but I never anticipated being this hurt by it or falling in love with him. Julia was right; there’s no need to pretend that I didn’t fall for the villain in my fairytale. I’ve fallen hard for Elliot Sharp, and not even ending our alliance can change that.
My brother walks over to where I’m standing, and I force a smile. “Thank you, Ollie, for making this day special,” he says, sincerity evident on his face as he crushes me in a bear hug.
“You have Elliot’s patience to thank as well, and you know I’d do anything for you,” I reply, hugging him back, acutely aware that it might be a long time before I get the chance to embrace him again.
“Don’t worry, sis, the honeymoon should only be a few weeks, unless Julia says otherwise,” he winks, and I shove him aside.
“Eww, brother, you don’t even try to be subtle,” I groan, and Elliot laughs.
Julia, having released Elliot from her hug, moves over to me. “Trust me, darling, honeymoons are anything but subtle. You might even have a little nephew by the time we return.”
“Gawd! Can you both just be on your way already?” I gag, and they laugh.
As he gets into the backseat of the limo, Daniel calls out, “Take care of my sister while I’m gone, El. You’re the only one I trust.” Elliot nods in response, and we watch the car drive off until it’s out of sight.
With the party now behind us, I can't shake the feeling that this might also be the end for us. “Would you mind walking me home? I could use some fresh air,” I say. He responds by taking off his jacket and wrapping it around me.
Elliot is like a knight in shining armor—perhaps more like a knight in always-available jackets, as he somehow manages to have one ready to shield us from the cool air. It feels natural to slip my hands into his jacket, savoring his warmth. I only wish I could say the same about his heart. Our walk is silent; the moon is bright, but a dark, unspoken cloud hangs over us.
“Any idea where they’re heading after New York? My brother always dreamt of sailing the seas for months. Do you think they might do that now?” I ask, hoping to break the ice.
“I don’t think Julia will agree to spending her honeymoon at sea, Ollie, but I do know they’re never going too far away to show up if you ever feel that I’m a threat,” he replies, making me laugh.
“We both know I’m more capable of harming you,” I argue, bumping him playfully with my shoulder.
“Ouch, so aggressive,” he teases, and I smile.
The rest of the walk remains silent, and I simply embrace it. The silence is better than saying the wrong things and ruining the perfect night. The town is asleep, apart from the lights shining on porches, but my house, on the other hand, is dark.
Elliot stares at my dark house with concern in his eyes. “You know my mom will happily let you stay with her, right?”
“I know, but I’m fine. I’ve lived alone for years, so I can manage until the lovebirds return.”
I want him to stay and say something different from his usual words to me—I want him to tell me that, like me, he is sad about tonight's ending. I want to know that I am not the only one feeling this way.
With a long sigh, he slips his jacket off my shoulders. “See you around, Ollie. Goodnight,” he says, turning away to leave, and I just can’t let him go.
“Wait! I have a gift for you too,” I blurt out, and without a second thought, I lean upward and press my lips to his.
He looks stunned, caught off guard by my actions, but instead of pulling away, he holds me in place and kisses me back before stepping aside. His eyes burn with anger and something else.
“Goodnight, Olivia,” he says sternly, turning on his heel.
It takes me a few minutes to recover, but by then, he’s long gone. After spending the last few months insisting he doesn’t believe in love, he kisses me back and then vanishes without a word of explanation? How does that make any sense?
As I enter the house and get ready for bed, I can’t stop thinking about that kiss. I try calling him twice, but it goes straight to voicemail.
I decide to send a text instead: Don’t you think we have something to talk about? He reads it but doesn’t respond.
“Are you going to ignore me and pretend like tonight didn’t happen?” I text again, and he still doesn’t respond. His silence is all the response I need: he’s ignoring me. But what I want to know is why—why did he kiss me back?
I spend most of the night wondering about his reasons and don’t realize when I finally drift off to sleep. Now it’s past noon. I stare at my phone screen, and there are still no calls or texts from him.
“Care to meet up later today so we can talk? Pretty sure you had an exhausting night,” I text again, and I feel foolish for forcing things, but a part of me is still holding on to hope. He reads the message but doesn’t respond.
Now I’m fuming with fury. “Oh wow, you kiss me and then leave me in the dark. Hell no, Elliot Sharp!” I seethe through my teeth as I march into the shower.
It takes me less than thirty minutes to get dressed and storm out of the house, heading straight to his restaurant. “Let’s see if you can ignore me now, you evil Grinch.”
Fortunately, the restaurant isn’t as crowded as usual, and I spot him near the kitchen area as I walk in. When he finally notices me, it’s too late for him to back out. He approaches with an expression that’s a far cry from the smile he had last night.
“What are you doing here, Ollie?” he asks dryly, and I feel slightly insulted.
“You were ignoring me, and I said we needed to talk,” I pout, my arms folded across my chest.
He looks unamused, as if he wants me gone instantly. “There’s nothing to talk about. You kissed me, and I forgive you.”
“Forgive me? Forgive what…” I sputter in disbelief. “You’re forgetting the part where you kissed me too,” I bark, my voice rising a few decibels.
“It meant nothing, and I apologize. Now can you stop bothering me while I’m working?” he says, his words laced with irritation.
Elliot Sharp is a lot of things, but he isn’t impulsive. That’s why I don’t believe what he is saying. “You’re lying. I know it meant something.”
He drags his hand through his hair, visibly angry, but I don’t care. “Why do you want it to mean something, Ollie? Not everything has a motive, dear.”
“Because I know you,” I spit back, and his mocking laughter echoes all around me.
“That’s the problem, Ollie. You act like you know me after just a few weeks of pretending to be friends, but you don’t.” I’m staggered by his words but try not to show it because I truly believed we had a connection. “Alright, I’ll leave you alone. Sorry for bothering you,” I mumble, heading for the exit. I resolve not to see him again, at least until he’s ready to be honest about his feelings.
I bump into someone outside the door, nearly knocking them over. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Mrs. Sharp. I didn’t see you,” I apologize, steadying her.
“You sure are strong for such a petite lady,” she teases, and I smile, trying to mask my anger, but she sees through me.
“Let me guess, my son messed things up again?” she jokes, and I’m tempted to tell her how much of a jerk he is, but I don’t.
“Just the usual disagreements. We’ll sort it out eventually,” I reply nonchalantly.
She stares into the distance for a few seconds, as if pondering. “How about you join us for dinner tomorrow?” she suggests. I immediately disapprove.
“No, Elliot and I are pretty heated up right now, and I don’t think it will end well.”
She lifts her hand to my cheek and gazes into my eyes with her blue ones. “Sometimes my son needs a little nudge to see what’s right in front of him. I suppose I raised him to be a bit clueless.”
I’m not sure whether to agree with her about Elliot. Maybe he just doesn’t want to see what’s right in front of him, regardless of any nudges. Perhaps he isn’t cut out for this. Then again, she could be right.
Every love story could use a sprinkle of magic dust.