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I’d given up on life like Colton had.
“I also don’t know what I would do without Troy.” Olivia’s expression warms at his name, and the sorrow I witnessed in her eyes and the curve of her shoulders fades. “He has stepped up in ways I never expected him to. He’s become my brick wall. I was lost without Colton, but Troy found me.”
Something about the way she says the last part causes my heart to pinch, but I pretend not to notice the reason for that.
The doorbell rings.
“I wasn’t expecting anyone.” Olivia stands. “I’ll be right back. Are you okay if I leave Nova here with you?”
“Sure. We’ll be fine.” I smile at the little girl who’s been entertaining herself with her mommy’s iPad for the past ten minutes.
Nova shows me the game she’s playing. A kids’ game with cute cartoon fishes. It makes me think of Windermere Lake, which reminds me of all the times I’ve gone canoeing with Troy. Unfortunately, my renovations haven’t been the only casualties of our injuries. I haven’t been able to go canoeing or practice yoga or hike. And Troy hasn’t been able to work in the same capacity as before.
Olivia returns to the living room with Lance. He’s wearing jeans and a gray T-shirt that hugs the swell of his lean muscles. His bangs flop in his eyes, and he rakes his hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. The guy is definitely good-looking.
“Hey, Jess. Didn’t expect to find you here.” He flashes me the teasing grin he usually gives me whenever he shows up at Troy’s office. He’s still entertained that I’m dating his boss—our boss.
Nova looks up at Lance and squeals. She clambers to her feet, and he scoops her up in his arms. “Hey, kiddo. I came to see if you and your mommy want to go out for dinner. Do you think you can convince her for me?”
He tickles Nova, and she giggles.
Olivia beams at the pair. “You know you have her wrapped around your finger. You can get her to do anything you want. Do you mind if I finish this interview first?”
Something tells me it’s more like Nova has Lance wrapped around her cute little finger.
“Not at all,” he replies, his warm smile firmly in place.
“You can stay if you want.” She sits back down next to me on the couch and resumes where she left off when the doorbell rang.
Her face brightens as she tells me all the ways Troy has helped her—like he’s helped me. The more Olivia talks, the more obvious it is just how much she relies on Troy. How much she cares for him. Cares for him as more than just a friend.
My gaze flicks to Lance as she talks, and I catch the frustration in his eyes. From the way Olivia talks about Troy, it’s clear she cares for him as more than just a friend, but it’s also clear from how Lance is looking at her that he has strong feelings for Olivia. Only, Olivia doesn’t notice it because she’s looking at me.
Just how far do her feelings for Troy go? It’s like she’s forgotten I’m his girlfriend.
Or maybe that doesn’t matter. Eventually Troy will realize he deserves better than my broken pieces.
The broken pieces I’m figuring out how best to slot together. But like a shattered vase, I might never be whole again.
Some of my pieces might be forever lost.
Pieces that Olivia still has of herself.
31
Angelique
July 1943
France
* * *
London has advised not to involve The Wolf in our activities at present time. Unclear where his loyalties lie.
The last line of Allaire’s message doesn’t surprise me. Johann has been doing whatever it takes to protect those he loves: his mother and sister, Oskar, Margrit, and Sonja. If the Allied forces were putting them at risk, he would fight us to save his friends and family. His loyalties lie with those he loves and not with a particular country.
But a Nazi shot Dieter, Johann’s best friend. Hitler doesn’t see a place for Jews and disabled people in his Aryan society. There is no reason for Johann to support Hitler and those who worship the füehrer—and there is every reason for him to help the resistance against the occupiers.
