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“I stopped a second hit.”
“Olivia! You are lucky you are halfway across the country, or I’d come out of my skin. I love that dude. He’s amazing and precious and perfect. And he’s all yours, and I want him to live forever. But are you fucking telling me you took a knife?”
“And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. He’s mine, and you darn well know I won’t let anything harm him if I can help it!”
“I can’t say you don’t love with your whole heart. That’s for sure.”
“That’s right.”
“And Kyle can go home tomorrow?”
“He better. We can recuperate together.” I pause, voicing one of my fears aloud, “But I hate to admit this. If he needs help, I can’t assist him. If he hadn’t listened and gotten in the car today, I’d have…” I don’t finish the thought.
I love my boy. His size isn’t an issue to me. It never has been. But if something ever happens, I won’t be able to help him. I’ll lose him. I might be strong, but I won’t be strong enough.
“Don’t think about that. Think about getting better. You’ll be back on the beach and back on the sidelines in no time.”
“Yeah, about that...”
“Whatabout that?”
“You still sitting down?”
“Yes. Do I also need liquor?”
“Come to think of it, I could use some.”
“What the hell, Livy? I’m… Wait.” I hear her drag in several deep breaths. “Okay. Hit me.”
“I haven’t told anyone at work yet, but I’m going to request a leave of absence. If they don’t grant it, I’m going to resign.”
“Help me out here. You landed your dream job. You have a fucking endorsement contract because of it. What could have gone so wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I love my job. Nothing happened to change that. But I got a phone call the other day with an opportunity I just can’t seem to walk away from.”
“Was this from a billionaire who needs someone to teach yoga on his yacht while he tours the world?”
“Does that exist? I’d apply for that.”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
“I do. This is a smaller scale. It’s a private patient who needs full-time PT, yoga, potentially some nutrition coaching. No yacht. No world tour. But there will be horses, and Kyle gets to come along. We both need to be well, though.”
“Come along? As in, it’s not near Arabel Beach?”
“Yeah. In less than a week, I’ll be in… wait for it… Texas.”
THIRTY-THREE
THICK, CHUNKY SOUP
LAYTON
“Dude, are you trying to wait through ‘no shave November’ or what?” Braxton points at my face as he pours a cup of coffee at Pop’s. He’s been by more since dinner when Emberleigh put us all in check.
He has a good woman. I’ve been MIA for so long, either in Florida or at my house near the lake that I’ve lost some connection here. And since Mom… well, I haven’t even been at the lake. I checked out to a different time zone. As if the distance would actually make my heart breaking not hurt so bad.
But that means I’m also really just getting to know Emberleigh and Willa. And both are exactly what my brothers need. Strong, smart, reliable women. Vastly different but equally perfect for their men.
