AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No worries,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
“And I’ve got the toast on the table,” Olivia spoke up. “I made whole wheat for you as well. I hope that’s okay.”
“Sounds good to me.” I grabbed the plate and went and sat at the table opposite Olivia. “I hope you’re not feeling too sore from the ride,” I said, giving her a small wink, and she blushed.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Ready to go and check out the area near the river later?”
“Yeah, I am.” She lowered her voice and leaned forward. “Is everything okay?”
Mom was right. Olivia was very astute, and I could see the care and concern in her eyes.
“Everything’s fine,” I said brusquely. There was a weird feeling between us, like we’d known each other for years. We were comfortable, and she almost felt like my partner in the way that she asked me those questions. But she wasn’t, and I couldn’t allow her to think that, either.
I focused on my parents. I was going to have to be strong now. I was going to have to hold it together. The responsibility was piling on top of my shoulders. I was devastated at what my mom had told me, but I couldn’t break down. I had to be the strong one for her.
But what if my dad died? What if I never got to see him again? What if I never got to throw a football with him again? What if we never went fishing again? What if this was it? I couldn’t stand to think about it, but I had to be strong—for myself, for the family, and for Horseshoe Ranch. The only one that I could depend on was myself, because that’s all I had. Everything rested on my shoulders. I had to be hard as rock. And if that’s what I had to be, then that’s what I would be.
“You know, I think I’m going to take this to the living room,” I said, standing up with my plate. “I need to do some work, and I don’t need any distractions right now.” I left the room without looking at anyone directly.
I had to be away from Olivia. I just couldn’t be around her. I couldn’t look into her big, beautiful brown eyes. I couldn’t stare at her body, lusting over her, not now. Not in this situation. Not when there was so much I needed to do.
Chapter Fifty-One
Olivia
“I’m so excited about tonight.” Lucy danced around in my room. “Are you not excited, Olivia? Why don’t you look excited?”
“I’m excited.” I sat on the side of my bed, not making any move to get changed.
“Oh, Olivia. It wasn’t that bad, was it?”
“Yeah,” I said. “It really was. He barely spoke to me in the car ride there or back. We were only there for about thirty minutes. He showed me the area and he’s, like, ‘Okay, we’re going to have cabins here, here, here, and here.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, yeah. There’ll be beautiful views.’ And he was like, ‘Yep. So why don’t you think of some ideas and then get back to me?’ And I was like, ‘Well, don’t you want to hear my ideas now?’ And he was like, ‘If you have some.’ I mean, he was so cold. I feel absolutely awful, Lucy.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Why do you think he’s acting that way?”
“Maybe because he regrets having sex with me? Or maybe now that he’s hit it, he’s ready to quit it.”
“I don’t think he’s like that.”
“He’s a man. Why wouldn’t he be? You know most men are like that. What’s that saying? Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?”
“I think that’s more in terms of like, living with a man,” she said. “But I could be wrong. It could also refer to hookups and one-night stands and—”
“So you do think it was a one-night stand,” I said. “See?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Oh, I’m just making a mess of this. Do you want me to speak to Austin?”
“No!” I jumped up and grabbed her hand. “Lucy, listen to me. Do not tell Austin anything, you hear?”
“Okay,” she said, looking away from me.
“Lucy.”
“What?” she said innocently, looking back at me.
“You’ve already told Austin something, haven’t you?”
