Eight
CALEB
I tap my finger against the side of my bottle of beer with a frown. I have no desire to be sitting at a table near the stage in the Red Parrot surrounded by people celebrating Saturday night.
If I had my way, I’d never step foot back in this place ever again. Too many memories.
The beer is the best part of the night, but I’d rather be sitting in my living room, wallowing in my pain instead of pretending I care about being here.
But when Wyatt stopped by my house and told me I looked like shit and smelled even worse, I rallied.
Because that’s what Wrights do. We rally in the face of a shitstorm.
My mom did it when my dad left us, and now I’m going to do it too despite the person I love leaving my ass.
Yep, Olivia’s gone.
I expected it when I returned to my house and she wasn’t there. But I didn’t expect that she’d hightail it back to Texas.
I’ve gotten a single text from her since the last time I saw her a week ago.
I’m sorry.
I wanted to text her back and ask her why she was sorry.
Was it because she loved me too and was sorry she didn’t know? Or was it because she didn’t feel the same way I did and was sorry she could no longer be my friend?
I didn’t answer her back, waiting to see if she’d elaborate. But she’s been radio silent since then.
I guess that answers my question.
Not talking to her is killing me. In the twenty years I’ve known her, there hasn’t been a day we didn’t talk.
If this is what addicts feel like going through detox, I can see why they stay addicted.
This shit physically hurts.
“Hey man, look alive.” Wyatt sits next to me and bumps my shoulder. “I don’t get too many nights off. Besides, it’s your favorite night. Karaoke night!”
“Fuck that.”
I roll my eyes and take another swig of beer. Karaoke had been Olivia’s favorite thing, and she always managed to get me to sing with her. She has the voice of an angel while mine sounds like I smoked a pack of cigarettes before singing.
I’d do anything for her, including singing badly in front of every soul I know.
Apparently, I would also spend the night with her and fuck up our friendship.
Great job, Wright.
“Don’t expect me to be your wingman tonight, Davis. I’m in no mood.”
He holds up a hand. “Bros only tonight. You’d scare the ladies off anyway with that ugly scowl on your face.”
“Fuck you,” I say, but there’s no heat behind it.
“Hey guys! Can we sit?”
With a smile on her face that reminds me of Olivia, Darcy stands beside the table with a drink in her hand.
“Absolutely.” Wyatt grabs a nearby chair and pulls it up to the table.
So much for just bros.
I try to be friendly, but I can tell by Wyatt’s frown, I’m failing hard.
Darcy’s cool. We’ve always gotten along, been friends for years. But she reminds me way too much of her cousin and I just can’t deal with that tonight.
While I sulk in my beer, they make small talk until the karaoke DJ comes out, telling everyone where they can put in their requests and hyping up the crowd.
Wyatt orders another round while we listen to a few tourists warble through songs. A group of women, obviously celebrating a bachelorette party—with a few of them hitting on me and Wyatt until Darcy puts them in their place—get up on stage and drunkenly destroy “Dancing Queen” by ABBA.
They have the entire bar laughing, and even I have to crack a smile.
Most of them are blonde, in tight mini dresses, wearing too much makeup. Exactly the kind of girls I usually took home and showed a good time. Tourists are especially good because the chances I’d run into them again were slim to none.
It’s easy. Meaningless. Just sex.
But the thought of touching any other woman besides Olivia makes my skin crawl. The kind of girls I used to go for hold no appeal to me at all anymore.
Even my dick can’t be bothered to give a halfhearted salute when the hottest one in the bachelorette party winks and blows me a kiss.
I hope the disgust I feel doesn’t show on my face. It isn’t her fault I no longer find that fake Barbie look appealing.
If I’m honest? I never really did.
When they finally leave the stage and settle back at their table, giggling and taking selfies, I decide I’ve had enough.
I drain my beer and set the bottle on the table with a thunk. “I’m going home.”
“Nah, man,” Wyatt says. “We just got here, and I drove.”
I shrug and pull my phone out. “I’ll order an Uber.”
Wyatt sighs. “Alright, fine.” He glances over at Darcy, who’s giving him a strange look. “But give me another thirty, please? I just ordered another round and some jalapeno poppers. You know how I love those things.”
Leaning back in my chair, I cross my arms over my chest. “Fine, fine. Eat your fucking peppers and then take me home.” I grab the fresh beer the waitress just put in front of me. “I hope you shit fire tonight,” I mutter.
Wyatt, the fucker, just smiles and claps me on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit.”
The DJ starts talking and I tune him out, guzzling my beer.
I need something stronger. May as well get shit-faced if I can’t get laid.
I’m turned away from the stage, looking for our waitress, when an angelic voice singing the first lines of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” stops me cold, and I turn my head to the stage.
And there’s my girl, standing at the mic, singing and staring straight at me.
I glance over at Darcy and Wyatt, huge grins on their faces.
Swallowing hard, I look back to the stage.
Stunned, all I can do is watch her while she puts her all into the song. She hits every note just right, as though she’s channeling another Olivia.
The world around me falls away until it’s just the two of us in the room.
Jesus, how is it she looks more beautiful than the last time I saw her?
Her dark hair falls down her back in waves, and a cherry-red sweater and black jeans hug her curves.
She’s gorgeous, classy, and if the lyrics she’s singing are true, she’s mine.
All mine.
Her eyes hold my gaze, and I know that every word she sings is meant for me.
When she gets to the last chorus of the song, she takes the mic off the stand and sits on the edge of the stage, never missing a beat, her eyes never leaving mine. Like a man in a trance, I get up and walk over to her until I’m standing between her legs.
She reaches out and cups my cheek as she holds the last word of the song.
You.
Before the last note fades, our mouths crash together. Her arms come around my neck, and my arms go around her torso, bringing her body flush against mine.
We kiss until we realize that the bar has broken out into hoots and hollers.
I press my forehead to hers and smile. “God, I’ve missed you.”
She lifts her gaze to mine. “I love you, Caleb. I always have and I always will. And I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you before. I was scared because I didn’t want to lose you. You’re everything to me.”
Peace settles in my soul, and I push her hair back behind her ear. “And you’re everything to me too. And I’m sorry if I sprang something so big on you that you weren’t ready for.”
She lays a finger over my mouth. “But I am ready for it. I’ve been ready since your eyes met mine at the clinic all those years ago.”
A flush of adrenaline makes my body tingle. “Are you serious?”
She nods, her smile shy.
I blow out a breath. “We’ve been chasing each other for years and never knew it. But Livvie, it’s always been you. It will always be you I love.”
Her fingers thread through the hair at the back of my neck and she smiles at me, her eyes bright.
“Say you’re mine, Olivia.”
“I’m yours, Caleb.”
In the middle of the crowded bar, I kiss my best friend. My heart, my soul, the woman who is my forever.
And I’m never letting her go.