Page 43 of The Recovery Coach
With a toilet paper ad playing in the background, Jayden leaned further against her and hesitated before asking, “What are you doing here, Livy?”
The question took her by surprise.Struggling to form an answer, she remained quiet for a long time.Unspoken words caught in her throat.She asked a question she already knew the answer to, buying time to think.“What do you mean?”
“What’s the plan?What are you doing with your life?”
Olivia shrugged, focusing on the sports announcer she didn’t give a rat’s ass about.Tears filled her eyes despite her efforts.It was a fair question.She had no reason to be upset.If he hadn’t asked, she would be fine, but the asking unleashed her emotions.
“I don’t know.”
“Is something going on between you and Connor?”
She forced a laugh.“Which one?”
Jayden tried to meet her gaze.She avoided his.
“Don’t be like that.You’re living in his house.I won’t be mad if something is going on.You’ve loved him forever.I’m not here to deliver some overbearing ‘don’t touch my little sister’ bullshit.”
Olivia buried her face in her knees and groaned.Jayden wrapped an arm around her.“Why do you care?”she asked.
“You’re my sister.I want you to be happy and healthy, and loved.”
So much for Jayden keeping his nose out of her love life.“I am healthy.And loved.Nothing is going on between me and Connor.I work for him.”
“So you aren’t happy.”
“I’m technically homeless, working a temporary job I only have because of the kindness of my friend, lost my partner of five years after he cheated on me and got his mistress pregnant, and I live in the house of my childhood unrequited love, which means I have to see him every day.Most people would be struggling.”
Jayden muted the TV.“I’m glad you didn’t marry that asshole.He dulled your sparkle.”
The phrase tugged a sad, nostalgic smile from Olivia.“I’m glad I didn’t marry him, too.Could you imagine me trapped in a marriage and kids with him?Fucking awful.He doesn’t respect me at all.”
“Maybe it’s time you found someone who does respect you.Someone who adds to your sparkle instead of dimming it.”
“Oh my God.You’re right.Why didn’t I think of that?”She smacked her palm against her forehead.
Jayden snorted.“I’m being serious.Have you thought about dating again?”
“You’re being nosy today.”Jayden had never shown this much interest in her relationships.
He shoved past her objections, asking another question.“What’s keeping you from telling Connor?”
She’d never told Jayden about what happened on Connor’s draft day.She’d never told anyone.Olivia stuck her thumbnail in her mouth, debating how much to tell her brother.“I rely on him for everything right now.I can’t open that can of worms.”
“You could always come stay with me.And he wouldn’t kick you out.At least if you told him how you felt, you would have an answer.You could move on with your life.With him or without him.”
“I already have an answer.It’s no.”
“How do you know?You haven’t bothered to ask.”
Olivia covered her face with her hands, tempering her annoyance.Her brother couldn’t read minds.He didn’t realize the pain he dug at.
“I asked, okay?I laid it all out there, and he said no.He.Said.No.”
Jayden’s mouth popped open in surprise.“No, he didn’t.”
She sighed.“You’re right.He didn’t say no.He actually said,”—she did finger quotes—“ew.”
Her brother was storming toward the door before she’d processed that he’d stood.She scrambled after him, managing to grab his hand and dig her heels into the floor, halting his progress.
