Chapter 31
Nate
My eyes trail Olive as she hurries through the lobby and out the door.
I don’t have time to second-guess my actions before I’m jogging across the lobby so I don’t lose her.
She’s about ten feet from the door when I burst through.
I don’t call out to her. I watch and I follow, all the while recognizing how creepy I’m being but being unable to stop.
We walk the block before we pause for the light.
My heartbeat skips when Olive looks up at the sky, the saddest smile on her gorgeous face as the light hits her pale skin and shiny dark hair.
A force I’m helpless against causes me to take a step toward her.
I want to pull her into my arms, tell her everything is going to be okay.
And that I’m sorry for how I acted, and I didn’t mean it.
I would make her tell me all her problems so I could either solve them for her if she’d let me, or at the very least, help her solve them in whatever way she thinks is best.
Before I have a chance to follow through, the light changes, and she’s off the curb before I reach her. I continue to follow as she walks, oblivious to my well-intentioned stalking.
My feet stutter to a stop as she quickly turns to the left and pulls open the large door. I glance up at the sign—the public library.
I wait until the door is half closed before pulling it open and entering behind her. By the time I make it into the lobby, she’s halfway across it, heading toward some sort of conference area. I can’t make out the sign from where I am, but I wait until Olive enters before I approach the sign.
Nar-Anon.
My gaze rises to find Olive speaking with an older woman. The woman smiles at Olive and grasps her arm.
Then Olive steps away from the woman and disappears from view.
Glancing around the lobby, there’s a table off to the side, far enough away that I won’t be spotted by Olive when she leaves.
I want to make sure she gets back to the hotel safely.
I drop into a seat with a clear view of the door and pick up a random book on the table to wait for the meeting to be over.
When I feel it vibrate against my leg, I dig it out of my pocket.
Ian: I’m still pissed at you… You want to go get something to eat?
His text pulls a smile from me. I appreciate the ease in which we can handle any issues between us.
Me: If you want to go now, I can’t. But if you don’t go now, I can go in maybe two hours.
Ian: Roger that.
I have no idea if that means he’s going to wait on me, but I don’t care. All I care about right now is figuring out how to get Olive to forgive me. Now might be a good time to reach out to my sisters.
Me: I need some advice…
Lori: Oh, yes, please. Tell me this has to do with Olive. Pamela told me that Olive isn’t just your friend. Which I’m over the moon about.
Pamela: What Lori said.
Me: Well…good news and bad news. Pamela is right. We’re not just friends. But at this point, we might not be anything if I don’t fix my fuckup. How long should I wait until I try to talk to Olive so I can apologize?
Pamela: How big of a fuckup?
I cringe before I answer.
Me: Big enough.
Lori: *Eye-roll emoji*
Pamela: I second that.
Lori: But to answer your question, I would give her a little bit of time. Let things cool off. BUT! The most important thing is don’t give it too much time.
I sigh.
Me: So give it time, but not too much. Great. Super clear.
Pamela: Okay, smartass. Give it a day.
Lori: Yep, then you grovel.
Pamela: Lots of groveling.
Me: Got it.
Pamela: Nathaniel…keep in mind what that woman is going through. She deserves a little bit of grace, given her situation. Be gentle, or she’s more than likely going to run out of self-preservation.
My eyes rise to the closed door.
But my sisters are right. I’m not going to do it today. If her being at this meeting is any indication, she’s struggling. Hopefully, this meeting and time will help her, and we can work together to figure out our path forward.
Because, as crazy as it sounds, I don’t want to imagine my life without Olive in it.