Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
“You put them in her station wagon?” Miranda asked, obviously horrified. “At least tell me she didn’t bring the dog.”
“I think the dog is in love with Keane.” It had been slightly funny to watch him try to deal with an elderly Chihuahua when he clearly didn’t have much experience with pets. Then she remembered why he didn’t and it made her sad.
“You are lucky they’re still around,” Miranda announced. “Unless they aren’t. Did you already scare them off with Willow Fork weirdness?”
“Bet she didn’t.” Gigi leaned over. “Think about it. Why did she run out of the house the first chance she got? And left her purse behind. And didn’t lock the door.”
“Livie, did you leave those two men at your house without a single good-bye?” Miranda asked.
Shame heated her cheeks. “Yeah. I did.”
“Why?” That question from Miranda’s lips made her gut tighten.
If she couldn’t talk to her friends, who could she talk to? She wished Bobby was here, but he would almost certainly try to push her into the nice, hot men’s arms. Miranda and Gigi both understood what it meant to be women in the dating world. “Because when we got there, Garrett wanted to negotiate.”
A brow rose over Gigi’s eyes. “Negotiate?”
She shouldn’t have used that word. “Yes, they wanted to understand how the whole Scott incident changed things. Originally, Garrett was going to stay at the motel and Keane was going to be in the bunkhouse.”
“I thought they lived together,” Miranda said. “A lot of men like that don’t like being apart. You should know that. Your papa would never want to be apart from your dad. Mine don’t even have sex with each other but they still sleep in the same bed. Even when my mom’s not around.”
“I didn’t think about that at the time. I was mean to them. I didn’t mean to be, but it happened.” She would be lucky if they weren’t gone by the time she got home. She thought about calling them, but she didn’t have their numbers. “I know it was wrong.”
“Which part?” Miranda asked.
All of them, but Olivia focused on one. “I shouldn’t have asked them to help me. I know a bit about them now. They’ve been through a lot, and I shouldn’t blow through their lives and cause more damage.”
“Why do you think you would cause damage?” Miranda’s eyes went distinctly sympathetic. “Olivia, you don’t cause damage. You’re a born protector. You’re the one people come to when they need help. Why would you say that?”
She didn’t know. Her parents loved her. She didn’t have a lot to worry about, and yet there was part of her that worried she wasn’t worthy of the kind of love her parents had found. Her brothers had found. “I’ve never had anything that worked out.”
“Livie, you have. Bobby worked out,” Gigi said with surety. “Not in the way you wanted, but he’s going to be there for you for the rest of your life. I know the whole thing with Scott cost you a lot, but you can’t let that hold you back. Or is this more about Bobby?”
“It’s not. I’m at peace with where Bobby and I are. I thought I was over Scott. Not himself. I’m one hundred percent over that asshole. I’m talking about what he did to me. What the guy from high school did to me. I’ve got a great family, but it feels like the minute I’m out of the insular world Dad and the uncles built for us, everyone thinks I’m nothing more than a walking bank account and access to power. Bobby is the only one who ever really saw me.”
“My brothers do not care about your bank account,” Miranda pointed out.
Olivia snorted. “They care about humping every woman in Colorado.” She sighed and stared at her friend for a moment. “Miranda, do you honestly think they’re ready to settle down?”
“No, but I want you for my sister-in-law,” Miranda replied with a pout. “They hang out with the bitchiest women.”
“Because they’re not ready to settle down, and they wouldn’t bring home a woman who isn’t nice,” Gigi pointed out. “It’s like a fail-safe for them. So the question becomes are you going to go back and negotiate with your guys?”
They weren’t her guys.
But they could be. For a little while.
She picked up her margarita. Maybe tequila would help her think.
Chapter Seven
Keane stared up at the bright neon light that proclaimed this space to be The Barn. And it looked a lot like one except there was rocking music coming out of it and a whole bunch of people partying inside.
“Do you want to set a pickup time, boys?” Gwen had the front window of the station wagon down, and sure enough his old friend Muffin was looking out beside her. The dog had switched to her lap after he got out of the car. “My business closes down at eight. Muffin needs her beauty sleep.”