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“Don’t bring my dad into this. He’s your best friend, and he’s been completely out of the loop this entire time.”
I clench my fist, tamping down on my outrage as I try to avoid shouting.
“So, what is it then? You can’t just say you’re sick, sound fine, and then decide to up and leave without any explanation.”
“Actually, I can. There’s no rule or law that says I have to give you a reason for quitting. But you do have to pay me for any outstanding hours.”
“Outstanding hours? You’re really going to make this just a business transaction. You know as well as I do that something else is going on.”
I remember that the last person she talked to was Natasha.
“Did my ex say something? Did she threaten you?”
Liv blanches, the color draining from her face in seconds. I knew she must have said something, but by the look Liv is giving me right now, it’s worse than I thought.
“What did she say, Liv?”
She just shakes her head and steps back. I instinctively follow after her, trying to lower my face into her field of view as she stares at the ground.
“Liv. Talk to me.”
“I can’t. Please. Just let me move on. It’s better this way for both of us.”
Her words sever any control I have over my temper. It’s the last straw.
“Says who! I didn’t make this arrangement. I didn’t decide it was over. Do I get no say in anything that happens? You won’t talk to me, but I know this has something to do with Natasha, and the fact that she’s trying to take not only Elijah and my business away from me but you, too, is too fucking much.”
“Noah, don’t you see that’s why I need to go?”
Liv’s eyes are pleading as tears form at the corners, but I won’t just sit here and let her leave without doing anything to stop her. I’m not letting more of my life spiral out of my control.
“No. I don’t. And you know what? I’m done acting like this isn’t here.” I gesture between us. “From the moment I met you, I felt a connection. I know you did, too. I know you still do.”
Liv turns away, walking toward the door. “I can’t do this, Noah. If you won’t give me my paycheck, I’ll just go.”
I grab her arm as Liv reaches for the doorknob. “Don’t. Don’t you walk away from this. From us.”
“Noah, I—”
“No! You’re going to hear me out. I’m not letting her take away the things that matter most to me.”
Liv is crying now, and I take her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me.
“You can’t go. Everything you’ve done to help me move past the stress of the divorce and work has been nothing short of a miracle. Natasha won’t ruin that. I don’t care what she says.”
“Even if she threatens your business? Even if she takes Elijah away?” Liv’s voice is small.
“She can’t just take Elijah away. It’s not up to her. He’s older. He gets to tell the judge who he wants to be with, and the judge has to respect that.”
I feel the breath shudder through her as Liv struggles to contain the sobs, and my own heart breaks at her torment.
“And what about your business? You really think the board is going to be okay with the fact that you’re screwing the nanny?”
I sigh. Even if Natasha doesn’t know for sure, she’s not above lying to them about it anyway. It would just happen to be true.
But as I look into Liv’s beautiful hazel eyes, I realize that I don’t care if she tells them.
“So what. So Natasha tells them, and they kick me out of the company. It’s just a job. I can get another one. Hell, I can build another one. I’ve done it before.”
