Page 42 of The Recovery Coach
“That’s a given.Livy will always be around.But you’ve never thought about maybe being a little...more?”
Hazy was stunned.He stared at Livy and Lover, their heads bent together, whispering while they worked.
“See?”his mom said.“Forget I said anything.”
“Mom,” he said, the word sticking in his throat.
She ran her fingers through his hair again and squeezed him tight.“It’s okay, honey.That wasn’t fair of me to ask.”
“No, it’s okay.Livy is like a sister.That’s all.”
He’d said the words a million times before, to anyone who ever asked.It was the only answer he had any right to.Hazy eliminated any chance of them ever exploringmorewhen they were teenagers.
The image of her in their treehouse, their childhood sanctuary, was burned into his brain forever.The memory of his draft day was forever tainted.He’d been terrified of moving to Seattle.A thousand miles seemed Lightyears away back then.Livy offered to come with him.But she had a whole life to live, and he would never ask her to compromise on her dreams for him.
“What about college?Your dreams?Becoming a nurse and having kids with your dream man?What happened to all that?You can’t do that if you’re following me around.”His pitch rose with every syllable.
She stood and crowded him; her temper spilling over at his reaction to her offer.“You are my dream man,” Livy shouted back at him.
Shock had his heart in his throat, and he stepped back from her.“What?Ew.No, I’m not.You’re like my sister.”
Livy recoiled, her reaction so physical she could have been slapped.“I’m so in love with you it literally hurts, like a giant open wound in my chest.And you don’t even see me.”She sank into her neon pink beanbag, the wind taken out of her sails.
Connor looked down at her as she cried at his feet.He knew his words weren’t the right ones.Knew he’d fucked up the second they left his mouth, even though they were honest.
Gathering their dirty cereal bowls, he moved to leave, scared of making the situation worse.He stopped in the doorway.“It’s been a long day.You’re not thinking straight.Let’s talk tomorrow, okay?”
She nodded.Connor left.
They didn’t talk the next day.Or the day after that.Or the day after that.It took years for them to repair their relationship.They chose each other over and over to save their friendship.He wouldn’t mess that up.“Like a sister” is exactly how he’d described her their entire lives.
It didn’t matter that suddenly—for the first time—the words didn’t feel like the truth.
Chapter 15
Olivia
WhenOliviaandValentinefinished cleaning the Thanksgiving dinner mess, she went in search of her brother.
She found him sitting on the guest room bed in his pajamas, his attention directed at the football game projected onto the wall.He patted the spot next to him, and Olivia joined him, leaning against the headboard.She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
“Where’s Mark?”she asked.
He shrugged, far too engrossed in the game to care where Mr.Hale had gone or engage in meaningful conversation.
“Who’s winning?”she asked.
Jayden chuckled.“You don’t care who’s winning.”
“Not even a little bit.”
Olivia felt thankful that he’d taken the time to visit for the holiday.This time of year she could get in her head about her family dynamics.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said when the commercials came on.
He nudged her shoulder with his own.“I’m glad I’m here too.”
The game came back on.They watched, quietly enjoying each other’s company until the next break in play.
