Chapter 22 Olivia
OLIVIA
“Are you sure you have to leave?” I whined, watching my brother pack his suitcase. “Surely your crew can handle the fiasco by themselves.”
Lukas sighed. “Livvy, I already told you they can’t. The flooding is extensive, and I’ve got to figure out what the fuck went wrong and how to get it back on track.” He closed the hardshell, turning to look at me. “It’s only two days. Three tops. You’ll be fine here by yourself.”
That was where my brother was wrong.
Since the funeral, I hadn’t spent a moment alone.
Most of my days were spent with Lukas, helping him with whatever menial tasks he had going on at work, while Charlie slept in my bed every night.
Unfortunately for me, Duke had been true to his word and kept his distance, so there’d been no time alone together.
But now, Charlie and Harper were having a sleepover with Grady and Cleo while my brother was leaving to address some emergency at one of his job sites, leaving me to occupy my time on my own.
Pre-funeral Olivia was used to being on her own. In fact, she quite enjoyed the time to do whatever she pleased. But that felt like a lifetime ago.
Now, it was the last thing I wanted.
I didn’t want to think about John’s death or the repercussions awaiting me when I returned.
I didn’t want to think about leaving my family behind for a career I didn’t want.
Most of all, I didn’t want to think about missing out on the first thing that’d made me feel alive in years.
“What if I came with you?” I asked. “I’m sure there’s something I can do to help, right?”
Lukas set his suitcase down and turned to look at me. “Spill. What’s going on?”
I laughed, but he didn’t. “What do you mean? I’m just trying to help.”
“No, you’re trying to distract yourself. You do this every time you’re experiencing anything resembling big feelings.”
“Um, no, I don’t.”
“You’re such a liar,” Lukas said, shaking his head. “Livvy, you set yourself up in a marriage of convenience because you were so goddamn impatient to prove yourself to the board. You didn’t want to have to worry about falling in love, or getting your heartbroken.”
“That was a business decision,” I said, crossing my arms. “And it worked out for not only me, but Grady as well.”
“Do you remember what happened when you found out you were pregnant with Charlie? Because I sure as fuck do.”
Honestly, I was hoping he’d forgotten about that whole fiasco because it definitely wasn’t my finest moment.
In a moment of absolute and blind panic, I asked Lukas to do a complete renovation on mine and Grady’s house just outside of Nashville.
I paid him double his fee just so he’d drop everything to get it done, but I didn’t tell him I was pregnant.
When it came time to decide how to decorate what was to become Charlie’s room, I panicked, blurted out that I was four months along, and left the room. When he tried to talk to me about it, I insisted the pregnancy wasn’t a big deal.
And then I cried in his arms for over an hour.
It got so bad that he had to call Grady and beg him to come home just to console me. When my crying had subsided, I moved on as if nothing had happened.
“Vaguely,” I said, shifting my weight from one foot to the other.
My brother sighed, rounding the corner of his bed to stand in front of me. “Livvy, I know you’re scared of being forced to confront John’s death alone.”
“I am not. I’ve already made peace with it.” No, I hadn’t, but I couldn’t very well admit that to him while I had a point to prove. “We knew it was going to happen; it was just a matter of time.”
“Knowing it was going to happen doesn’t lessen the hurt,” he said, bracing his hands on my shoulders. “A fact which I know drives you nuts.”
I batted his hands away. “No, I just wanted to spend more time with you because I know my time here is coming to an end. That’s all.”
That part wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either.
“Why don’t you call Duke, then? I’m sure he could keep you company.”
“Why would you think that?” The words left my mouth in a rush. “That’s a bit weird, don’t you think?”
“I know you think I’m an idiot, but give me some credit,” Lukas deadpanned. “I have two eyes and a working brain.”
“I’m not so sure on that last part,” I mumbled, breaking away from his gaze.
My brother stepped back and walked toward his suitcase. “I’m not here to tell you what to do. You’re a grown ass adult and can make your own decisions.” He paused, waiting for me to meet his eyes. “I just hope you don’t regret them one day.”
After spending hours attempting to distract myself, I wasn’t sure how I ended up here. One moment, I was pacing the length of the guest cottage, chewing my lip anxiously until it bled, and the next I found myself sitting in my car, staring at the bright red neon sign that read Frank’s Bar.
Realistically, I knew exactly why I was there, and it was a bad idea.
A horrible, incredibly stupid bad idea that didn’t stop me in the slightest.
Reaching up, I flipped my visor open and stared at myself in the tiny lighted mirror.
I left my hair down, only curling back my bangs so they framed my face better.
I told myself it was only because it was easier than perfecting my signature updo, not because a certain bartender seemed to prefer it that way.
My makeup was minimal, but flawless. A little bit of concealer and mascara went a long way to hide the fact that the last few nights had been restless.
If I wasn’t lying awake, overanalyzing every single detail that led me to my current predicament, I was getting kicked in the shins by Charlie as she tossed and turned all night.
Good luck to her future partner.
I glanced at my purse, grabbing the iconic red lip stain I kept on hand for emergencies before I could think better of it. “It’s fine,” I murmured, running the applicator over my bottom lip. “You’re only doing this to add a bit of color to your face.”
Even the lie felt pathetic.
A group of rowdy patrons walked by my SUV, laughing as they made their way into the small bar.
The parking lot of Frank’s was packed, even for a Friday night.
That was the beauty—and sometimes curse—of living in such a small town.
There wasn’t much else to do other than head to your local bar for a few drinks after work.
As the door opened, I got my first glimpse of him.
Duke was wiping down the bartop, laughing at something some brunette was saying. Her legs were on full display in a pair of shorts that barely covered her ass. Hair perfectly curled and styled.
I bet she was gorgeous.
Looking down, I only ended up criticizing my outfit choice.
Despite trying and failing to convince myself I was going out for me and me alone, my clothes didn’t necessarily reflect that.
I opted for a short, red dress that cut off mid-thigh and a pair of tall black cowboy boots I hadn’t worn in years.
They made me feel sexy. Noticeable, even.
But now I wanted to bang my head against the steering wheel because there was no way to make my outfit look casual.
You should turn around and head home, Olivia. Make your way back to the house before anyone sees you.
My hand hovered over the ignition, ready to turn it over when the door opened again, giving me a view of little Miss Legs For Days twirling her hair as she downed the shot Duke set in front of her.
Suddenly, I found myself stepping out of my car, slipping my purse over my shoulder, and marching into the bar like I had something to prove.
Here goes nothing.
Duke looked up the moment I walked through the door. His bright green gaze turned molten as he slowly let his eyes travel down the length of my body and back up. The girl was still talking, laughing shrilly and twirling her hair just to earn a scrap of his attention.
I didn’t blame her. I’d been strategic in my approach for his attention just like she was. But the key difference was knowing I had a horse in this race, while she wasn’t even competing.
Straightening my shoulders, I marched over to the opposite side of the bar where a young man was pouring a round of shots. It was impossible to ignore the weight of Duke’s gaze, but I tried not to think about it too much as I slid onto an empty stool.
The young barback looked up, offering me a kind smile. “What can I get ya?” he asked.
“A shot of tequila, and,” I took a quick survey of the beers on tap, “a Banquet, please.”
The man nodded. “Want some salt and lime with that shot?”
I said, “Yes,” the moment Duke walked up and said, “No.”
Our eyes met, warming me better than the liquor ever could. “Hi, Duke.”
“Move,” Duke grunted, forcing the kid out of the way. He gave me an apologetic smile and did as requested, switching to the side where the disgruntled brunette stood, glaring in our direction.
Duke leaned forward, bracing his hands on the bartop. While the weight of his attention made me feel uncomfortable, I didn’t balk, didn’t shift as he finally asked, “What’re you doing here, Olivia?”
I let my hands rest in front of me, hoping he didn’t catch the slight tremble in them at the sound of his voice. “Can’t a girl go out for a drink without a reason?”
His laugh was hollow. “Sure, but not you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t play dumb. It’s not a cute look.”
“What about desperate?” I asked, tilting my head toward the other side of the bar. I felt horrible speaking about another woman like that, but his comment had me aching to dig at him the way he’d just done to me. “You seemed to like that look very much. Tell me, what color were her eyes?”
“Couldn’t tell you.”
I clicked my tongue. “Ah, because you were too busy looking elsewhere, perhaps?”
“Because I couldn’t give a shit about her eyes or her tits or her smile,” he said, leaning forward. “And I think you know that.”
I wished I could forget, honestly. Maybe then I wouldn’t be sitting in a bar, in a short dress, no less, in fucking March.
“Charlie is with Grady, and Lukas left on a work trip, so…” I shrugged, shifting under the weight of his gaze. “I figured I deserved a night out.”
“You didn’t want to be alone.”
I broke away, grinding my teeth together because there was nothing to say. No rebuttal I could offer. He was right. I didn’t want to be alone, so I’d come here hoping for what? To talk? To drink myself into a stupor and sleep in my car?
“You’re right,” I muttered, slipping off the stool. “I’m just going to—”
“You know, Grady called me this afternoon. Asked if Harper could spend the night with Charlie at his house.” I turned toward him, furrowing my brow. “I said yes. Thought it would be fun for the girls. He even offered to keep them for the whole weekend. Said I needed a break.”
“He said the same to me.” Grady had been adamant about keeping Charlie over the weekend. Gave me some story about Cleo wanting to try a new cookie recipe she thought our daughter would love.
“So, we’re both child-free,” he said slowly. “And you’re here. In my bar.” His gaze dipped down my body. “In that dress.”
I leaned toward the bar, unable to help myself. The pull I felt toward him was unmistakable. “Looks like it.”
“When you need a drink, you come to me.” Duke kept his eyes on me as he reached beneath the bar and pulled out two small glasses. He grabbed the tequila, pouring a double shot in each before sliding one my way. Then, as if in synchrony, we reached for the glasses and brought them to our lips.
“To tonight,” he said.
I dipped my head. “To tonight.”