“She’s right,” Persy takes over. “I could live without Ford. I just don’t want to live without him. My life would be colorless, tasteless, and boring. Can you say the same about Misty?”
“How many times did you call her from Costa Rica?” Nyx fires up the next question.
I’m under siege and not in the middle of a freaking intervention. These two should work for the CIA or the FBI.
“I don’t think you can compare what you feel for Ford with what Nyx feels for Nate.” I look at Persy, then turn to my sister. “Love is different for everyone.”
“Yes and no,” Persy counters. “The butterflies in your stomach. The heart palpitations, pulse-quickening, and blood pumping faster than the speed of light is a reaction most have when they fall madly in love. There’s this person you want to call when something good happens to you. A person you want to be with when the world seems to come to an end.”
“The fact that you didn’t call Misty while you were away says a lot about your relationship with her,” Nyx concludes. “When we’re on vacations, you don’t even mention her, call her, or even bring her along with you.”
“While I was in Costa Rica, I thought about her,” I claim, but did I really think about her? I was thinking of Liv and how she’s been ignoring me since November. “Perhaps it’s time that I take the next step. My company is doing well enough to support a family.”
“If things between the two of you felt right, you wouldn’t have doubts. You would jump head-on because you trust yourself. Your love. The future you can build with her. It’s like your businesses. Not one of them worked because you didn’t believe in them. This last one did because it was yours—you were passionate about it.”
I rub the back of my neck, wondering if I should tell them it is something that Olivia and I came up with a long time ago. We worked hard to make it happen.
“You feel lonely,” Persy concludes. “As I told you, she’s comfortable, but not the person who can be your safe place. She’s someone who is there for you. It feels good, but will she feel good enough to become permanent? Will she be okay if you leave her for months and you never call her? Will she join you because she can’t live without you? Unless you’re one hundred percent sure about your relationship with her, you should let her go. Support your best friend in her next chapter. This is about her happiness, not yours.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Olivia
I should’ve said no to Holly’s invitation. Of all the places in Denver, I have to be in the same restaurant as Eros and his family. I am in the corner waiting for Holly to arrive—or to cancel. I should leave and text her that I can’t be here. She’d understand if I tell her that Eros is in the same restaurant. The two women with him are his sisters. His fiancée is not with them. The two guys next to them look a lot alike. I assume they are Persy and Nyx’s husbands. Eros told me once that they were twins.
“Why are you hiding here?” Holly asks when she spots me.
“Hi.” I wave at her. “Where is Calvin?”
She points at him, as she drags me away from my hiding spot. “He’s greeting our friends. Come with me.”
“Holly!” Persy says animatedly.
“You know them?” I mumble.
“Persy, Nyx, let me introduce you to my best friend, Liv,” Holly says. “Liv, this is Persy, Nyx, and Ford.” She points at the tall guy next to Calvin. “Where is Nate?”
“With my brother,” Nyx responds, pointing to the other side and then shaking my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
I look at Holly. She frowns. It takes a slight glance to where Eros stands for her to understand why I am freaking out and we should leave right about now.
“Chadwick, party of eight, we’re ready for you.”
Holly links our arms together and says, “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“You don’t understand, I need to leave.”
“Don’t let him ruin our night,” she says. “I’ll talk to his sisters. I thought he was single.”
The last sentence slams into my chest.
“Were you trying to set me up with him?” I whisper-shout.
Is she fucking kidding me? I told her to stop setting me up.
“He sounded good until—”
“He’s getting married,” I argue. “How is it that his sisters are setting him up?”
We enter a private room. Great, let’s make this situation more awkward than it already is. This would be a great time to have some superpowers, like invisibility or teleportation.
I know the exact moment when he sees me. His penetrating gaze sweeps my body. “Liv?”
“You two already know each other?” Nyx asks.
Eros stares at me. He’s pinning me with his gaze. I can’t move. It’s as if he’s making sure I don’t disappear.
“How do you know her?” Persy asks.
“Oh, you don’t know?” I extend my hand. “Olivia Sierra. I might be his wedding planner. Unless his fiancée decides I’m not good enough to buy flowers for their big day.”
Okay, I could’ve been less sarcastic, but what the hell is wrong with him? He’s organizing his wedding earlier, and now he’s being set up. I thought he told everything to his sisters. Obviously, I’m not part of everything.
“You’re getting married?” Nyx asks. “I thought we talked about it earlier today.”
“Who are you marrying?” Persy demands.
“You don’t know Misty?” I look at Persy. “His college sweetheart.”
“What is she talking about?” Nyx demands.
“Ladies, we only allow one intervention a month,” Ford says and laughs. “Let’s sit down and have dinner.”
“Can we talk?” Eros tilts his head outside the room.
“I’d rather not,” I answer. “Why didn’t you invite your fiancée?”
“Why don’t we sit down?” Persy suggests. Everyone moves, but I can’t. My back is against the wall, and Eros is almost caging me.
His hand lifts, and I warn him. “Don’t touch me.”
He blows out a harsh breath. “Liv, I need you to listen to me for five minutes. I’ve been calling and texting you for the past four hours to give you an explanation. You keep ignoring me. Just like you’ve been doing for the last five months.”
“I’m not working. You can make an appointment with my assistant next week.”
“Fuck!” he growls. “After everything we’ve been through, the least you can do is give me the benefit of the doubt and five fucking minutes to explain.”
“Am I missing something?” one of his sisters asks.
“Not now, Persephone,” he growls.
“I thought it was weird that you stopped answering my texts, and you went AWOL on me. Now I get it. You were going to get married—to your college sweetheart. Do you understand what that makes me? What you made me?”