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By the time we’ve packed up and left our little slice of heaven, I’ve made sure that Liv won’t be able to forget me while I head off to do what I need to do the moment we get back into town.

“You’re nervous.” It’s not a question, just a statement, proving how well she can read me.

“Yeah, I’m going to meet Abigail and her dad,” I confess as we pull into the Beckworths’ driveway.

“Oh?” she asks, turning toward me with wide eyes.

“It’s time to get everything straight and set us both free.”

A smile twitches at the corner of her lips, but she doesn’t look as hopeful as I would like.

“Do you think it’s possible?”

“We’re about to find out.”

Silence falls between us as we come to a stop and the engine cuts out.

“So I guess this is where we part, then.”

“Nah, babe. I’m never leaving you, not ever. Let me deal with this, then I’m going to come back and take you out for dinner.” She stares at me in disbelief. “What? I can take you out for a date, can’t I?”

“I think I like this version of Reese Whitfield.”

“Good, because I fucking love this version of Olivia Beckworth.”

It’s not until her eyes go all glassy that I even realise those words fell from my lips.

“Reese,” she breathes as my heart picks up speed.

“I mean it. I fucking love you, Liv. I think a part of me always has. I was too dumb to see it.”

“You mean you’re no longer dumb?”

I can’t help but laugh.

“I’ll always make mistakes, Liv. But I promise to always talk to you about them so you can help steer me in the right direction.”

“I think I like the sound of that,” she says, reaching for my hand before leaning over to claim a kiss.

Leaving her is the last thing I want to do, but the second Liv pushes the door open and climbs out, I spot Oakley loitering in the window, not so discreetly watching us. With a heavy sigh, I let her go, knowing they need to talk.

With the two of them inside, I head back across town to meet Abigail. The second I pull up out the front of her house, she’s stepping out of the front door.

“Hey,” she says as I climb out, unable to miss the fact that she’s not wearing any make-up. There’s a part of me that likes that she doesn’t feel like she needs to cover up, but equally, I hate that she feels the need to try and hide who she really is when she’s at school. “How was it?”

“Amazing,” I breathe, unable to keep the smile off my face.

“She heard you out?” she asks, sounding hopeful.

“Yeah, and then some.”

Heat colours her cheeks and she looks away from me, embarrassed.

I might be becoming a lovesick fool, but I can’t help hoping that she’ll find someone who will make her feel like Liv makes me feel. She lights me up inside by being close. Her touch makes me burn from the inside out. Abigail deserves that too. It was never meant to be me.

“Ready for this? I ask when she fails to respond to my comment.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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