Boundaries.Right.I could do that.I needed to do that, for both our sakes.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
OLIVIA
“You did what?!”
It was the last week for Yoga in the Park at Columbus Commons, and somehow, Meghan had roped me into joining her and Marco.Apparently, my brother refused to attend after his first failed attempt, and they “needed a Friedman.”
“You heard me.Masturbated in my boss’s bathroom and he overheard.It's been almost a week, and I don't think he’s looked me in the eye since.I'm so embarrassed.”
“Oh my God, Livvy, that is too good.You can't make this shit up.”Marco dissolved into a fit of laughter while somehow gracefully rotating into warrior II.
I buried my face in my hands, hiding my flushed cheeks.“I know.It's mortifying.I can't believe I let Dr.March talk me into this 'self-care' routine.”
Meghan transitioned into triangle pose, her voice softening.“Hey, don't be so hard on yourself.You're following doctor's orders for your health.”
“Yeah, but in my boss's bathroom?What was I thinking?”I groaned, wobbling as I tried to mirror Meghan's pose.
Marco steadied me with a gentle hand.“Look, Liv, it's not ideal, but it happened.Now you've gotta own it.”
“Own it?How exactly am I supposed to do that?”
“Simple,” Meghan said, a wicked glint in her eye.“Next time you see Carter, march right up to him and say, 'So, about that orgasm...'“
“Meghan!”I squeaked, nearly toppling over.
Marco grinned.“Or you could always invite him to join you next time.”
“You two are impossible,” I muttered.But their ridiculous suggestions had lightened the mood, and for a few blissful moments, I forgot about the awkwardness waiting for me at the office tomorrow morning.
Thankfully, Marco switched topics.“You're coming to the launch party next week, right?”
“I don't know.It's on a work night.I don't want Carter to think I'm not taking my job seriously.”
“A likely story.”
“I have a solution to this problem,” Meghan said.“We'll just invite Carter, and then you'll both have to come!”
I snorted.“Fat chance of that.If you thought it was going to be hard to get me out on a Wednesday night, it's going to be ten times harder to get Carter to show.”
“We'll see about that,” Marco said.Then he and Meghan exchanged a look.God help me, they were up to something.
* * *
“Lunch is served!”
I'd laid out Carter's favorite order from the Brown Bag Delicatessen on the kitchen island, hoping to convince him to step away from his desk.He’d been spending more time in his office since our littlerun in.
But it wasn't Carter who emerged from the office.It was Pete, stretching and yawning after his morning nap in Carter's desk chair.
“Hi, buddy.”I bent down to give him a scratch behind the ears.
“Hi, Mom,” I said in my deep, grumbly Pete voice.
“Did you have a good nap?”
“The best.Dreamed of carrots.”
