Chapter 17 Olivia
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Olivia
It’s not often I spend Thanksgiving morning with nothing to do: no emergency work, no stress from Richard, no emails to answer.
I can just walk… just be.
So, the moment Ivy called me, I agreed to a walk instantly. She needs the triplets to calm down, and I am keen.
I find her at the park, pushing the triplets in a stroller, their little faces wide-eyed and curious as they take in the crisp morning. Ivy waves as I approach, and her smile feels like a balm to my frazzled nerves.
“Hey, Liv, good to see you. How are you?”
I roll my eyes. “Getting by.”
“Okay, you have drama on your mind. Let’s walk and tell me everything.”
As we stroll, I let it out. I might not have been planning to, but the words tumble out of my lips.
“It’s just… Leo,” I mutter, immediately feeling the frustration building in my chest. “The guy just doesn't get it, Ivy. Every time I turn around, he’s glaring at me or acting like I’m a problem. Like I don’t belong there, like I’m some burden to him.”
Ivy tilts her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Leo? Really? Why?”
“I just don’t think he likes me. At all.”
Ivy doesn’t say anything right away. She’s quiet, letting me vent, and I appreciate it more than I can say.
She knows I don’t usually open up like this, especially when it comes to the guys. I hate feeling vulnerable, and Leo seems to have this uncanny ability to make me feel… small.
Finally, Ivy lets out a long breath.
“Liv… I get that Leo’s frustrating. I’ve known him for a while, and trust me, I get how he can get under your skin.
But you need to understand something.” She leans forward, looking serious now.
“Leo’s protective of Karl. Always has been.
It’s not just you, okay? It’s how he’s wired.
But if he keeps pushing you away, he’s going to ruin this whole thing.
And if he ruins this for you and Karl… I don’t know if I’ll forgive him. ”
“I don’t know if Karl and I can continue, I’ll be honest.” I sigh. “Right now, I might as well just be spiraling again.”
“There’s no way you’re going to let Leo ruin things for you. Not when Karl is such a good guy, Liv.”
I tilt my head back, staring at the sky as Ivy’s words echo in my head. Don’t let Leo ruin things. It’s hard to take that in because I don’t know what to do.
Karl is good. He’s funny, he’s caring, and he’s been a solid rock when the ground under me feels like it’s crumbling.
But I do need to get out of his home.
I have to.
“I don’t know what I want,” I admit, barely a whisper, as though saying it out loud might make it more real.
Ivy doesn’t hesitate. “You don’t need to have all the answers right now, but don’t let Leo wreck everything. You know, you could always stay with us while your apartment is being fixed. I know the room is… a little tight. But the couch is free.”
I smile at her, but I’m sure it doesn’t reach my eyes. “What about the guys?”
“Oh, they love you,” she insists. “They would love to have you around.”
“Sure. But the triplets, Penny, and four adults? I’m pretty sure I’ll be in the way, and Ivy, you already have too much chaos on your hands.”
Ivy chuckles. “Hey, we’ll make it work. We always do.”
“The tight squeeze here might just be a little bit too… small.” I sigh heavily.
“I will just suck it up. Stay in the bedroom as much as I can, and cope with it until I can figure out my next move. Currently, I need to focus on the coffee truck as much as possible to ensure my business runs smoothly. Karl’s place is near my spot, so that makes it easier for me. ”
“How are things with the coffee truck?”
I smirk. “You mean, how grateful am I that you pushed me into it?”
“Well, yeah.” She tosses her head back and laughs. “Come on, Liv, you know I love a bit of credit when I’ve done something amazing, like helped you make your dream a reality, and in my town as well, so I get to keep you around for a little longer.”
“Actually, I love it.” I let out a breath. “Much as it’s scary to do something so new, so out there, I love it. It’s truly a dream come true. The people of this town are also supportive. It's like I’m getting myself back, you know? I didn’t even realize how much of myself I’d lost along the way.”
“Yeah, Coyote Glen is an awesome place,” Ivy agrees. “I mean, look at me. I came here to visit Jesse, and ended up in the most unconventional relationship of my whole life. Yet people here accept me. I don’t think I could live anywhere else in the world.”
As Mia starts crying and Ivy is distracted, her words sit with me. I also wasn’t planning on sticking around.
I’m supposed to be back under Richard’s control right now, running myself ragged for him. But I’m here.
Yes, life isn’t perfect. I have a lot of complications to deal with, but it’s so much better than what I left. I don’t think I could ever go back to that life, but does that mean I can stay here? With the complications that follow me around?
Karl and Leo?
Jesse too?
Urgh, I don’t know. Why do I always feel like I have the stresses of the world on my shoulders? Why can’t I just shake this all off?
Ivy beams at me. “Are you sure you don’t want to join us for Thanksgiving dinner? We’ve got more than enough room, and you know Mitchell can’t cook for shit. But Freddie’s been slaving over that turkey all morning, and you don’t want to miss it.”
I hesitate, the idea of spending another meal with Jesse filling me with dread. Because I know Ivy’s brother will be there. That’s why I’ve refused every time she’s asked.
Yeah, I don’t think I can do it.
“I’m good,” I say. “Thank you, but I just need a day off today. A day to chill.”
Ivy studies me for a moment, then nods slowly, as if she can tell there’s more to my refusal than I’m letting on. She doesn’t push me, though. She gives me a gentle nudge with her elbow.
“Okay, but if you change your mind, you know where we are. The door’s always open. You’re always welcome with us.”
By the time I leave, the morning fog has lifted, but the chill in the air still bites at my skin.
The walk had been refreshing, a good way to start the day and clear my mind, but now, I find myself dreading the return to Karl’s place.
The tension between Leo and me lingers, and it feels like the walls are closing in every time I walk through that door. But it’s Thanksgiving, and I have nowhere else to go. I’ve avoided it long enough—time to face it.
When I finally push open the door, the smell hits me first. Something warm, buttery, and herby. Not frozen pizza or takeout, I’ve come to expect when he’s left to his own devices.
Karl’s in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, moving between the stove and the counter like he knows what he’s doing. He glances over when I walk in, flashing that lopsided grin that’s far too disarming after the day I’ve had.
“Hey, Liv,” he says, as if I didn’t just storm out earlier to get away from all of this. “Lunch is almost ready. I figured you could use something other than coffee and a granola bar. Especially for Thanksgiving.”
I hover in the doorway, unsure. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, I did.” He shrugs, stirring a pan like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “You’ve had a hell of a week. Thought maybe I could give you one night where you don’t have to think too hard.”
Something in my chest softens—just a little.
I slip off my coat and move closer, watching him. He’s not graceful about it. There’s a sauce splatter on the counter, a pot lid teetering on the edge, but there’s care in the way he cooks. Real effort. For me.
“Sit,” Karl says, pointing at the chair like he won’t take no for an answer. “Wine?”
I bite back a laugh. “What are you trying to do, Karl? Romance me with pasta and cheap merlot?”
He smirks, dimples flashing. “Exactly. And hey, this isn’t cheap. It’s… mid-tier. And I know this isn’t the full Thanksgiving shebang, but I’m doing my best.”
Despite myself, I laugh. Really laugh, for the first time all day. “I appreciate it. More than you know.”
When he finally sets the plate in front of me, pasta tossed in a creamy sauce, sprinkled with fresh herbs he must’ve stolen from somewhere, I almost tear up. Because it isn’t about the food, it’s about someone caring enough to make it.
Karl sits across from me, watching carefully but not pressing, like he knows I’m still balancing on a tightrope between holding it together and falling apart.
“Thanks,” I whisper, meeting his eyes.
His grin softens into something gentler. “Anytime, Liv.”
I take a bite to keep from saying something stupid, and my eyes widen. “Wait, this is actually… good. Like, restaurant-quality good. Where did you learn to cook?”
Karl smirks, leaning back in his chair. “Believe it or not, I didn’t always have Leo around to nag me about doing things properly. Some of us bachelors had to survive on more than boxed mac and cheese. I might not be able to do it all, but what I can do, I do well.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Survive? This tastes like thriving. Don’t tell me you’re secretly some five-star chef moonlighting as a local boy.”
“Hardly.” He twirls his fork in the air. “I just like seeing people enjoy something I made. Food’s easy that way. You can tell if it worked or not by the first bite.”
“Well,” I say, pointing my fork at him, “it worked. You get a gold star.”
He chuckles, the sound low and warm. “Guess I’ll have to start a collection. How many gold stars before it earns me… say, a third date?”
Heat rushes to my face, and I shake my head. “Is this a date?”
Karl leans in, eyes glinting. “Food, wine, a beautiful woman across the table… sure sounds like one to me.”
I try to fight a smile, but it sneaks out anyway. “You’re incorrigible.”
“Big word.” He grins. “I like it when you call me names.”
I roll my eyes, but the tension in my chest eases a little more. “Okay, fine. But if this were a date, don’t you think you’re moving a little fast? Gold stars already?”
“I’m an efficient man,” Karl says with mock seriousness. “Why waste time when you know what you want?”
His words land heavier than he probably meant, and I feel my breath catch.
I cover it by asking, “So what did you want to be when you grew up? Other than a line cook trying to woo unsuspecting women?”
That earns me a full laugh, the kind that makes his shoulders shake. “Honestly? A pilot. Thought it’d be the coolest thing in the world, flying above it all. But then I realized I’m terrible with motion sickness.”
I nearly spit out my wine. “You wanted to be a pilot, but you can’t handle turbulence?”
“Don’t rub it in,” he groans, rubbing the back of his neck. “I figured out really quickly that wasn’t my calling. So instead, I stuck closer to home. Less vomit involved.”
I laugh so hard my sides ache. “That’s… wow. Okay. Not what I expected.”
Karl’s eyes soften as he watches me. “What about you, Liv? Always dream of owning a coffee truck?”
The question makes me pause. My fork hovers halfway to my mouth. “Honestly? No. I thought my life was already decided for me. Someone else’s schedule, someone else’s dream. I didn’t even realize how much I wanted something of my own until… well, until recently.”
He nods slowly, serious now. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re brave as hell. Most people wouldn’t take that leap.”
Something in me unclenches at his words. I smile faintly, shaking my head. “You make it sound like I’m some hero. I just sell coffee.”
Karl leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Yeah, but you sell it your way. That matters. You matter.”
And even though Leo’s shadow still lingers in this house, at the moment, it feels like Karl and I are the only ones here.