I lean against my tailgate, doing my best to not stare at Olivia with the other man.
Eventually, I give up acting like I’m not staring. I’m looking straight at the asshole that keeps putting his hands on her. This has to be the Kyle.
I put my hands deep into my jean pockets as if that’s going to stop me from punching the smile off the man with the perfect teeth and hair. Oh my God, is that Kyle Richards from the Mavericks? I squint my eyes a little to see him. It sure the fuck is. The Kyle that she’s seeing is none other than the Mavericks’ starting first baseman and the man that holds the records for most homeruns in the league. Fuck! I scream in my head. How the fuck am I supposed to compete with that?
All I want to do is track down Kyle and beat the hell out of him, but I can’t do that.
Olivia isn’t mine, and she doesn’t want me.
The orange, red, and purple flowers are long forgotten in the passenger seat of the truck now.
Olivia
Kyle is a guy I’ve talked to a few times, but we figured out fast we made much better friends than we did anything else. He’s dropping by to make sure we’re still on for lunch to talk about our godparent duties to Brody and Rose’s child.
Kyle is always a hugger, and he’s got me locked in tight when I spot Derrick in the parking lot. I’m outside on the sidewalk in front of the vet office next to the parking lot so I’m close enough to see the very serious, concentrated look on Derrick’s face. The look only grows sterner as Kyle keeps talking. Does he know Kyle? Does he not like him for some reason?
As if Derrick’s opinion of him matters, I take a tiny step back and then realize I’m being ridiculous. He left you after having sex with you, Olivia. His opinion on anything doesn’t matter.
“I can’t believe how great you look. I’ll have to hit that gym you told me about. You’ll have to tell me about what has you so radiant over lunch. Seriously, Olivia, I could kiss you.” I turn my face, knowing he means on the cheek.
I see one of the assistants walk out with Derrick’s order, and he takes it from him easily and loads it into the back of his truck.
“If you have a minute, I’d like to talk with you, Derrick,” I say to him across the way. I’m not sure if he even heard me because he doesn’t even meet my gaze. He’s too busy staring at Kyle. “Kyle, can you wait a second?”
“Hey, no worries. I’ll let you get back to work. Just wanted to make sure we were still meeting for lunch.”
“Yes, we’re still on. Noon, right?”
“Yeah, sweetie. I’ll have to leave right after to fly out for Memphis and our next game.”
“Well, I’m not even going to tell you good luck. You can take the Barrons. I have no doubt.”
He gives me a high-five and walks over to his sports car.
I don’t even wait for him to start his car before I’m walking toward Derrick’s truck. He doesn’t look my way, and before I can reach him, he’s pulling out of the parking lot. When he pulls out on the road, he’s squealing his tires as if he can’t get away fast enough.
Well, I guess that means that today I get asshole Derrick.
Shaking my head, I start walking toward the vet’s office, and right in the parking spot where Derrick was parked is a bouquet of orange, red and purple flowers. I look at them and then at the back of Derrick’s truck as it speeds down the road away from me.
I bend and pick up the beautiful arrangement. When I look at the card, I’m shocked a little to see my name written in a tiny scrawl on the front.
I put the arrangement under my arm and open the envelope. Thank you for everything Olivia. I’m glad I met you. Derrick.
“What the—?” I say out loud.
I’m so confused.
13
Olivia
I stew over it all morning. In between patients, I do my best to try and figure it all out, but nothing makes sense.
I have lunch with Kyle, and even he can tell I’m distracted. I assure him I’m okay, and we have a nice lunch while talking about our upcoming duties as godparents.
I work the rest of the afternoon, and finally, because I can’t take it anymore, I know I need to talk to someone, I go over to the Forest Grove Inn hoping I can talk to Lacy a little bit.
Instead of knocking on the screen door, I push it open. “Hello! Lacy, you here?” I call into the entryway.
Lacy comes from the kitchen holding a towel and wiping her hands off. “Liv, hey, I didn’t know you were coming by. It’s so good to see you,” she tells me before bringing me in for a hug.
“Well, I needed to talk. Do you have a few minutes?”
She looks worried but doesn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. Come on, I’ll make some tea. Wait, or is this a hot chocolate talk?” she asks, looking at me over her shoulder as she holds the kitchen door open.
“Definitely hot chocolate.”
She purses her lips, knowing that there’s something wrong with me. Lacy is the nurturer of the group. She’s going to make me feel better, I know it. Even if it’s just listening to me get it all out.
We chat while she makes the drinks, and when she sets the steaming cup of chocolatey goodness in front of me, she says, “Spill it.”
I cover my face with my hands. God, where do I start?
I put my hands down and lay them flat on the table. “I lied to you guys. But not because I wanted to or anything. I was embarrassed.”
Her forehead creases even more. “What exactly did you lie about?”
“Uh, well, Derrick didn’t leave me at the bar.”
She shakes her head. “Why would you lie about that?”
I can feel my face heat. “He left me at my house… the next morning.”
She looks as if she still doesn’t get it. But I can see the second it starts to make sense and she smiles real big. “Ohhhhh!”
“Yeah, well…” And I tell her everything. About us meeting and how it just felt right, and I took him home with me. I scan over quickly about the amazing sex because I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear about her fiance’s brother. I tell her about the way he just left the next morning. No goodbye, no see ya later, nothing. I even tell her about him taking me horseback riding. About him asking me out and then about this morning when he was at the clinic and obviously tossed out the flowers instead of giving them to me.
When I finally finish, I stop suddenly, and I feel as if I’ve been running a race. She’s staring at me with the biggest look of confusion on her face. “It doesn’t make sense!” she exclaims.
“I know it doesn’t. But I don’t know what to do about it. I mean, what does any of this mean?”
She shakes her head and then straightens her back as if she’s made a decision. “You need to talk to him.”
I’m shaking my head before she even finishes the sentence. “No, I can’t. He wants me, then he doesn’t want me, then he does. I just don’t know…”
“Liv, listen to me. I know Derrick. I’ve known him all my life. He may have had sex with you the first night, but he’s never been known to be a player. If he likes you, it means something.”