“It’s better to sleep with the devil you know rather than one you don’t.”
“Olivia…”
There was that warning tone in her voice. The one that said she was about to give me a monologue about how I was doing a disservice to myself by settling. I held up my hand before she could start. “I just turned down dinner with my mom, so I didn’t have to hear it from her. I really don’t want to hear from you either.”
Her shoulders heaved up and down with her sigh. “I just worry about you.”
“Why? I have everything I want. More than I need. What’s there to worry about?”
“You shut yourself off from possibility. It’s like each year you try less and less. I don’t get it.”
“I’m not shutting myself off. I’ll tell you the same thing I tell them. I have my whole life to be busy—to work. Why pile everything on in college when I should be having fun? Why be so serious?”
“But you’re not having fun. You’re just sitting there waiting for something to happen to you, and you’re wasting time by not trying.”
“No, I’d be wasting my time if I tried, and it didn’t work out. I want it to be worth the effort—to feel something for what I’m giving my time to.”
“You give your time to Aaron and don’t feel anything for him.”
“That’s a lie. I feel quite a lot when I’m with him. A lot of pleasure.” She didn’t find my humor funny when I waggled my brows. “Listen, I’m not just sitting here not doing anything. I know I’m not part of any clubs or signed up for any internships to test out the business, but it’s not wrong to wait for something that you enjoy. I have a whole other year left of college to figure it out, and I’m bound to find something that sparks my interest. Until then, I have plenty of things that are fun. Design. Shopping. Hanging out with you.”
She looked unconvinced, but I could tell she would let it go. “I just worry about you.”
“And I love you for it.”
Her eyes flicked behind me, and her whole body stiffened, shoulders coming back, and fists clenched like she was preparing for battle. I looked behind me to find Aaron brushing some redhead’s hair back and leaning down to kiss her cheek. I took it in…and felt nothing. None of the hurt I’d felt when I caught him cheating. And that feeling of nothingness was why I was okay with settling for Aaron.
I knew what to expect and got what I needed from him.
However, I didn’t appreciate his lips being on another just after they were on me. I didn’t care that he was with other girls, but I did care that he would be so disrespectful to do it right in front of me.
“That motherfucker,” Oaklyn growled.
I shifted back forward and forked another piece of meatball, taking a bite with a shrug.
She finally looked away from Aaron and shook her head at my lack of caring.
Aaron plopped back down next to me, vibrating the bench. “Hey, Livvie-baby. Can we push the time to eight-thirty? I forgot I had something to do.”
More like someone to do.
My irritation spiked a little, and I couldn’t imagine seeing him tonight. I was having a hard time seeing him right now without giving in to the cringe pulling at my face.
All of a sudden, the dinner with my family and the wrinkly, old Alexander sounded pretty appealing. I popped a bite of salad in my mouth and turned to him with a bored stare.
“Actually, I can’t. Plans with the family. Sorry.”
His face crumpled, and that, mixed with Oaklyn’s snicker, had my spirits rising. Enough to give a genuine smile.
See, I had fun.
2 Kent
“Kent,” Daniel greeted me at the door with a smile. He opened the door wider and gestured me in with a heavy pat on the back. “I’m glad you were able to make it.”
“Yeah, my flight landed a little earlier than I thought.” I still had my suitcase in the car.
“Hey, man,” Daniel’s brother, David, said. “Hope the flight wasn’t too bad. I saw the snowstorms rolling into New York.”
“Yeah, wasn’t sure I was making it out today.”
“Well, be lucky you did. Julia made my favorite: pot roast.”
My mouth watered at just the thought of a home-cooked meal, which reminded me, I needed to visit my mom soon.
Julia was David’s wife and had an affinity for cooking, even though she only saved it for her family and friends.
We all walked through the open foyer and into the dining room. The room was formal with a china hutch and chandelier but had a mix of paper napkins and tin containers on the table. The Witts’ were an odd mix that blended perfectly. Daniel and David came from humble beginnings, while Julia came from a high-society house. Which led to the current situation on the dinner table, a perfect representation of them as a family.
“Hello, Alexander.” Julia gave me a radiant smile. Just as bright as her blonde hair that was familiar and had memories, I struggled to repress, rising. She set the two bottles of wine on the table and came over to give me a hug and kiss on the cheek. “It’s been too long since you’ve let me feed you.”
Almost two years, to be exact. I’d hesitated looking them in the eye knowing what I’d done to their daughter. Hell, it had been hard enough to look Daniel in the eye, but I couldn’t avoid my business partner and best friend.
“You boys always get together and leave me out,” she mock-pouted but also gave me a wink.
“How dare we?” I said, hand to my chest. “Next time, I’ll make sure we get reservations at the best restaurant in town for four, rather than the dingy bars us boys hang out in.”
“Good. I’ll be able to stop my husband from stumbling home drunk.”
“I very well can’t let my baby brother out-drink me,” David muttered.
Daniel laughed, sitting down in his seat. “At least try to not let me out-drink you. You never quite succeed.”
David flipped Daniel off, and Julia slapped his arm. “You’re grown men. Stop acting like children,” she chided, but still leaned in to kiss him. “Can I get you anything to drink, Alexander?”
“I’m good with the wine. Thank you.”
Julia was the only person to still call me Alexander. Well, her and my mother. Everyone else called me by my last name, Kent. Which was how I introduced myself most of the time.
I grabbed a seat next to Daniel and noticed only four place settings. A weight that had taken up residence on my chest the moment Daniel had told me I was coming to dinner at his brother’s house finally lifted. I took a deep breath and asked, “Just the four place settings tonight?” I had to be sure.
Julia sighed as she poured wine for everyone around the table. “Yes,” she said irritably. “I asked Olivia to come, but she said she had plans with her boyfriend.”
My jaw clenched, and I was only able to nod. Not that I cared that she had a boyfriend. She was what? Twenty, now? Almost twenty-one? Imagining her with someone—especially someone her own age—shouldn’t bother me.
“You’ll have to meet her another time,” David said.
The weight that had just lifted landed back on my chest with a thud. They had no idea I’d met Olivia before. Intimately. Repeatedly in a night’s span.