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* * *
I wake early Monday after very little sleep.I shower and head over to Olivia’s condo without eating breakfast.She didn’t answer any of my calls or texts last night and I’m going out of my fucking mind.
Larry, her doorman, lets me know she’s not home.He hasn’t seen her since Friday.
I step out onto the sidewalk and call her.This time she answers.
“Hi,” she says tentatively.
Fuck, she sounds so distant.
“Where are you, Liv?I’m coming to you and we’re going to figure this out.”
I’m met with silence.
“Liv.”Every muscle in my body is tense.I can’t fucking lose her.
“Callan.”Her voice cracks.“I don’t think we can figure this out.”
Fuck.
“Don’t say that, Ace.Tell me where you are.”
“Can you give me some more time?”She pauses.“Please?”
Time and space are the very last things I want to give her, but I know that pushing her won’t get me anywhere.“How long do you need?”
“Give me the day.”
This is going to be the longest day of my life.“Okay.Where will you be tomorrow morning?I’ll come to you then.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Olivia isn’t just running from me.
She’s shutting down on me and I have no fucking clue how to reach her.
* * *
I make it through the day.Fuck knows how, but at seven p.m., I find myself sitting across from Damon, the guy I’m hoping will invest in my company.The fact he reached out to me after hearing about my plans leads me to believe I’ve got a shot here.However, fifteen minutes into the dinner, I’m not sure I can work with the guy.
He’s a cocky asshole and while I can generally handle cocky, tonight, all I can hear is Olivia’s voice in my head.Come on, Callan, you could never work long term with an arrogant ass like him.
Yet, I find myself pushing through because I also hear my father’s voice telling me not to get ahead of myself.Be smart, Callan.You need a backer for this.
“So,” Damon says after I’ve listened to him for an hour and a half.“What are your thoughts on my ideas?”
I start to speak but we’re interrupted by a woman’s voice from behind me.“Callan.What a lovely surprise!”
Jesus.
I glance up to find Penny coming to stand in front of me.“Penny.”My tone leaves no room for misunderstanding: I’m not fucking interested.
She smiles at me like she didn’t just hear the way I spoke to her before turning her attention to Damon and gushing over him.“Hello there.It’s always good to meet a friend of Callan’s.I’m Penny.”
Damon immediately sits forward with interest and introduces himself before insisting, “You must join us for a drink.”
“No.”I meet her gaze.“We’ve got a lot still to talk about.You two can have a drink another day.”
