Chapter Twenty-Four
Olivia
“M y god, it’s actually a bit annoying how good you look in tassels,” Nicole says, snapping a few photos.
I laugh, giving her a dip of the cowboy hat she’s got me dressed up in.
We’re working on a shoot for her upcoming collection.
The bright lights are making my eyes burn.
And that’s not even commenting on the fact that it’s so damn hot in here; the thick makeup I’m wearing is practically melting off my face.
The lashes are long enough to act as a fan for Nicole, so at least she’s keeping cool.
“A few more. Won’t be long, then drinks are on me.”
“A lot of drinks, please.” I jut out my hip and give her a wink. I spot Josh lingering in the background, watching Nicole intently. His ears prick up at the mention of drinks, and I’m sure his hand is still sore from punching out that guy at the bar in L.A..
My heart squeezes at the thought. It was such a perfect day. Austin had been so unexpectedly calm and in control. I was really starting to see a side to him I hadn’t realized he has.
Danny is calling me every day, checking in.
It’s only work-related stuff I can discuss, and there is a lot.
I’ve spent the week devising a new plan for the year: content to create, scheduling follow-up meetings with my contacts from the fitness expo.
Which has led me to catch up with Nicole now that I’m in Texas.
We’ve hung out a few times and gone through some ideas together on where to take our companies.
It is actually so helpful to have a friend who also has their own business.
We commiserate on bad ideas we’ve had in the past and the difficulties of owning a small business, especially where customers could be as fickle as social media trends.
I didn’t realize how much I missed female company until we started hanging out. And Nicole is one of those people who genuinely feels that happiness shared, is happiness doubled. She’s introduced me to her girlfriends and that’s where we are heading after we finish up with our promo shoot.
“Okay, perfect. We’re all done. I’ll edit these tomorrow, and we can go through them together once I’ve tidied it all up,” she says, flicking through the images quickly on her camera.
Josh comes up behind her, his eyes flitting across the screen, and gives a grunt of approval.
She rolls her eyes at me before letting out a small sigh.
Our phones ding simultaneously, and she whips it from her pocket.
“The girls are out! And oh shitbags, they said there’s some out-of-town football team buying them drinks. Let’s get going!”
◆◆◆
Nicole might have the most diverse friendship group I’ve ever met.
Marianne is the smart one, her cropped shoulder-length hair and tortoise shell-rimmed glasses giving her the ultimate bookish vibe as she sips back on the only wine available in this deadbeat bar.
I’m pretty sure when she asked for a wine list, the bartender replied, “Red or white?” The shock on her face said it all as she muttered red, her cheeks flushing.
Blakely starts off the night quiet and reserved, but as soon as she hits her second drink, she’s up on the table dancing and taking over karaoke at every moment she can. Her auburn hair gives the image of flickering flames as she riles up the crowd under the neon lights.
And then there is Nicole, who is the most genuine person I have ever met.
She is soaring high with her business, becoming one of the most sought-after brands to work with, and she just wants to bring everyone along for the ride with her.
She doesn’t have a jealous bone in her body, just pure adoration for her friends with a tendency to take in strays.
She tells me after a few drinks that despite knowing Marianne since they were in kindergarten, Blakely is a recent addition to their friendship group.
And now there’s me—another stray looking for a home.
“That guy has been checking you out for the last twenty minutes.” Her eyes dart over to the corner where a tall, broad, dirty-blond-haired man is sitting. His suit is impeccable, styled with a classic Texan bolo tie and a cowboy hat that makes my mouth water.
He tips his hat to me as I catch his eye, but I quickly look away. It’s only been three weeks since I left Washington, four weeks since I’ve spoken to Austin, yet the memory of him lingers on my skin. How could I get a drink with another guy, knowing I could still smell him on my clothes?
“Hey, darlin’,” a deep voice murmurs.
I glance up and The Suit has made his way over to our booth and leans comfortably against the partition, towering over me.
Holy moly . This guy is hot.
“Hi there.” I smile.
I glance at Nicole, and she fans her face. “She’s single!”
“Nicole!” I snap.
“What? You are, technically.” She shrugs as Marianne and Blakely snicker into their drinks.
“Ah, technically, doesn’t sound all that single.” He laughs, holding out his hand. “I’m Levi. ”
“Hi Levi, I’m Olivia.”
“Don’t want to be too forward; I can see you’re out with your girlfriends. But I was wondering if I could get your number. I’d love to take you out so you can tell me all about what technically single means.”
Oh, he’s charming, not pushy, acknowledging that I’m out with the girls.
He’s ticking a lot of boxes. And the dimples that keep winking at me are definitely helping his case.
I pause for a second before pulling out my phone.
It’s been four weeks. I live in another state now. What did I have to lose?
“Put your number in my phone, and I’ll give you a call.”
He takes my phone, typing in his number.
“I texted my number, so I’ve got yours.” He winks. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Olivia.”
He takes my hand again but this time brings my knuckles to his lips and kisses them gently. I have the urge to fan myself like Nicole. But a second later, he’s heading to the door.
I turn to the girls. “Did that just happen?”
“Get it, girl. That guy was hot with a capital H,” Blakeley slurs before downing the remainder of her cocktail.
Nicole grins. “He was super hot, Olivia. Are you gonna call him?”
I shake my head. Honestly? No. I could never move on so quickly. Austin still has my heart and it wouldn’t be right to go on a date with someone else knowing that.
“I don’t think so, but it felt pretty nice to be shown some interest.” I wink before I offer to buy everyone a round of drinks to celebrate.
We dance and flirt some more, and it’s not until some random cowboy puts his hands on Nicole’s hips, grinding against her, that I spot Josh at the bar, gripping his glass so hard I’m surprised it hasn’t smashed.
She turns and puts her arms around his neck, and he whispers something in her ear. Her head throws back in laughter, and she lets him twirl her around .
“What are you doing?” I hear Josh yell over the music, gripping her by her elbow. It’s not hard enough to hurt, but it’s insistent. His eyes are imploring her more than his hand.
“Josh? What are you doing here?”
“Is this your boyfriend?” the cowboy interjects, stepping back an inch.
Nicole raises her eyebrow in question, and Josh splutters. God damn that man. He’s dragging her along over and over. Every time I see these two together I can’t work out what's happened. Other than the fact it’s her brother’s best friend. They’re clearly in love with each other.
He says nothing, and she rolls her eyes, shifting her body back to the cowboy. “No, he’s not.”
She drags the cowboy by the hand toward the door, looking back at me and mouthing, “I’ll call you,” as she skips out the door. The cowboy is holding on to his hat for dear life as poor Josh sinks his drink at the bar.
Blakely loops her arm into mine, and Marianne picks up her purse.
“I just know I’m going to have the worst hangover all day tomorrow and then back to work Monday. Fucking kill me now,” Blakely whines. She really does have the worst boss. A super creep if there ever was one.
“You should quit,” Marianne says for the hundredth time.
“Sure, Little Miss Four Jobs and Counting. I’ll quit my one when you quit at least two of yours,” she snips back, grinning. Marianne rolls her eyes. She’s still a little quiet around us both, but I’m hoping with time, she’ll warm up.
I say goodnight to the girls, giving Josh a little pat on the back as I walk out. He gives me a nod before lifting his beer for another pull.
As I’m in my Uber, I check some of the comments on my latest video.
Hundreds are still asking where the Masked Man is.
I know it’s only been a couple of weeks, but I thought they would have relented by now.
But truthfully, I want to know, too. I can’t stop thinking about Austin.
All the promises he has made. He said we would be together; he told me he loved me.
I don’t know if I’ll ever love again or if he’ll be stuck in my heart forever.
Could I really live a life without him? Knowing how good we can be together, I’m not sure.
I want him to choose me. Choose a life together that’s on our terms. But if I can’t have that, I’ll settle for knowing that he doesn’t see himself as the villain.
I want him to be happy and know how loved he is by so many people.
Pulling up to my new building, I miss the space that my family home offered. I love my new apartment, but a one-bed has significantly less space to live in. I have some dedicated space for my work, but it’s a squeeze that I’m adjusting to.
I set up my phone to do a live stream. Something I’ve never done before. No script, no planning, just enough tequila to give me the nerve and not enough to make me regret this in the morning. At least, I hope not.
I hit record and start talking.