Page 86 of The Recovery Coach
“Hell yeah, you did,” Jayden said.“Love looks good on you!It’s nice to see you in some color.And your piercings.You’re starting to look like yourself again.Since you got with Lance, little pieces of you fell away.I was worried you’d never get them back.”
“Um, thanks.”Olivia still didn’t follow.“Wait, what?”
Jayden’s bright smile faded.
“Connor told me you were dating Lover.”
“Ew,” Olivia said.“Don’t call him that.”
“That’s what everyone calls him.”
“Not me.”
“You aren’t dating him then?”Jayden’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Olivia stood from her bed, crossed the room, and kicked the door shut with a bare foot.She wouldn’t lie to Jayden, and if she wanted to tell him the truth, she couldn’t be overheard.
“I didn’t say that.”
“Eh, I don’t buy it.If you wereactuallyhis lover, you’d have no problem calling him that.You’d probably find it funny.”
She wrinkled her nose.“I’ve never called a partner ‘lover’ in my life.That’s gross.”
“Oof.You should get a better partner then.None of that cutesy pet name nonsense is gross when you’re with the right person.”
“How would you know, hmm?”Olivia demanded.Jayden had never introduced her to any of his girlfriends.In her mind he remained a twelve-year-old who bullied anyone he found interesting.
“We aren’t discussing my failed relationships right now,” Jayden said.
She put a pin in that to revisit later.
“Maybe I don’t want to talk about mine either.”
“Too damn bad.”
Olivia flopped onto the bed and covered her eyes with an arm.Then she held her phone as high as she could reach.On FaceTime you were supposed to pay attention to the other person, but she liked to look at herself sometimes.Was it vain?Yes.Was she cute as heck?Also yes.Her hair needed some help.But it was what it was.She debated giving all the details of her and Valentine and Jake’s escapades, but then a thought crossed her mind.
“What did Connor say about me and Valentine?”
“He said he hadn’t seen much of either of you.Kind of sounded dejected.Maybe you should give him his boyfriend back.”
“Technically, Valentine ismyboyfriend.Kind of.”
“Kind of?”
Olivia chewed her lip.“Do you think Connor is jealous of me and Valentine?”
“I knew you weren’t over it.”Jayden pointed a triumphant finger at the camera.“I fucking knew it!”
“Valentine has this stupid idea.”
“Oh no, Livy.Tell me you aren’t playing mind games with Connor.”
Heat crept up Olivia’s chest and cheeks.“It wasn’t my idea.Valentine thinks Connor is in love with me.”
“He’s probably right, but manipulation isn’t the answer.That’s not you.”
Shame sank in Olivia’s gut.Her brother was right.Tears welled in her eyes.She forced them back because she had no right to cry over her own behavior.
