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CHAPTER2
Olivia
“You do realize it’s Friday, right?” Jen’s wheedling voice came through the car’s speakers.
Olivia rolled her eyes. The accounting firm where she worked had been short-staffed since 2020, and she’d just finished yet another red-letter week in her career. The last thing she wanted was to have the same irritating conversation for the ten thousandth time.
“Shockingly enough, I’m well aware of what day it is,” Olivia replied, trying to sound amused rather than annoyed. It sort of worked.
“But you never go out,” Jen said, her tone going from wheedling to straight-up whining. “You wouldn’t even come celebrate your birthday last weekend.Please?It’ll be fun.”
Olivia couldn’t keep herself from laughing. Yeah, she didn’t go out because none of her friends bothered to ask whatshewanted to do—on her own damn birthday. “When has it ever been fun?” Before Jen could get out more than a word of her objection, she added a curt, “For me?”
The line went quiet for so long, Olivia glanced at the car’s display to see if the call had disconnected. But no, her friend’s name and picture still glowed on the small screen. Jen only got quiet like this when her feelings were hurt.
Olivia repressed a sigh, forcing herself not to give voice to the apology on the tip of her tongue. Jen should be the one apologizing, for harassing her to go outevery damn weekendas if the answer would somehow change. Part of her even felt like maybe her friendship with Jen had run its course—that they were such different people now than when they’d met, and the two of them no longer made sense.
Not that any of the other people in their friend group were different. If she ditched them all, who else would she have? The last thing she needed was to feel more alone than she already did.
“Look, I know bars and clubs and dancing with super-hot guys is your thing,” Olivia said, softening her voice. “And I think that’s great...for you. Honestly, I wish I found all that fun. My life would be a hell of a lot more interesting. But it makes me anxious as all hell. I’m sorry.”
Jen was quiet for a few more seconds—long enough to ensure Olivia knew she was still unhappy. Then she heaved the dramatic sigh Olivia had kept in. “You think I don’t know that?”
Olivia frowned as she navigated her car toward the back of the apartment complex. “Then why—”
“Because it seems like you’ve given up on you. And I don’t want to give up on you, too.”
Okay, Olivia was definitely back to being annoyed. “I’ve given up on me because I like reading or watching TV more than I like grinding up against some rando on the dance floor?” She couldn’t have kept the sarcasm out of her voice if she’d tried.
“When’s the last time you had sex?” Jen demanded.
Olivia was very glad she’d just parked, because God only knows what would’ve happened if the car had been in motion. “I—that’s—what does that even matter?” she spluttered.
“Or been on a date or whatever,” Jen said, with an annoyed little huff. “I know you get all squicky about casual hookups. Are you even on any dating sites?”
She had been. Once upon a time. But the kind of men she met on those sites did absolutely nothing for her. At least not in the bedroom. And the one guy she’d liked and trusted enough to open up to about what she needed had ghosted her the very next day. She’d long since decided her time was way too precious to keep wasting it, and closed all her accounts.
Not that she could explain any of that to Jen in a way she’d understand. So she found herself going on the offensive instead. “And which of your sexy one-night stands has turned into a lasting relationship?”
Jen’s laugh was harsh. “Are you seriously slut shaming me?”
“Jesus, of course not.” Olivia pressed her head against the headrest and closed her eyes until she’d calmed down a little. “I’ve known you for eight years. When, in all that time, have I ever given a fuck who you sleep with? I’m just saying, if you know I prefer dating to hookups, why do you keep trying to make me go out with you when you’reonlylooking for hookups?”
Another sigh came through the car speakers. “I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately. I think...” Jen groaned, then forced out, “I think I’m probably freaking out about turning thirty next month.”
Olivia had to hold in what she knew was a dismissive reply. Her own thirtieth birthday had come and gone three years earlier, and she hadn’t noticed or cared. But then her age had never really mattered to her the way it did to her friends. They all thought if you didn’t have your entire life figured out by thirty, sucks to be you, time was officially up.
“I know, it’s tough,” she said, trying to sound appropriately empathetic. “But hey, on the bright side, you don’t look a day older than twenty-two.”
Jen’s appreciative chuckle was a tiny bit smug. “That’s true.”
“Happy hunting tonight.”
“Thanks.” She even sounded like she meant it. “Have a nice time with your Kindle.”
“You know it.”
When the call disconnected, Olivia closed her eyes again and let herself breathe for several seconds. She’d been on edge before the call, but now, her heart and mind were both racing. If only she’d been brave enough to tell Jen what she’d done. It would’ve helped to have someone to talk to about her dumbass decision to send an application to the infamous Fairford Manor last weekend. It might’ve even gotten Jen off her back about the whole sex/dating thing.
