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Luke
Myphonevibratesinmypocket,andIsmile.ItwidenswhenIconfirmit’samessagefromLiv.I’vebeentextingherallweek.SheleftthegymwithoutsayinghitomeonMonday,andIalmosthadanervousbreakdown.IhatednotbeingabletomessageheronSaturdaywhenwereontheyacht,celebratingmomlikewedoeveryyear.IplannedontellingherI’dbeoutofreachforabit,butIgotdistractedandwewerealreadyoutofsignalrangewhenIremembered.
Liv: I confirmed with Vera and John. We’ll all be there.
Me: Great. I’ll see you soon. Can’t wait.
Liv: Me either :)
I send her the address to my condo and head home to clean up. Mark lets me know he’s on his way up with the groceries we had delivered, so I prop the door open.
The elevator dings out in the hall, and Mark pulls in a luggage cart. I help him unload and turn on the grill on the patio.
I’m beyond excited to spend time with Liv. Even Mark raises an eyebrow at my fidgeting. Without a word, he slides over a beer and I take a fortifying sip. He brings the marinated ribs and chicken out to the balcony while I set up the rest of the food.
There’s a quick knock, and the door opens, revealing Brando and Jordy. I grin when Skye shoves Brando aside. “Damn behemoth,” she mutters as she walks into my waiting arms.
Brando shoves past us both, ruffling her hair as he passes, and Jordy follows him into the kitchen.
“Hey, Bug.” I kiss the top of her head before I release her, and we follow them.
“Where is she?” Skye asks as she bounces on her heels, looking around the open floor plan of my condo. It’s not the penthouse, but pretty close. I share the floor with one neighbor. It’s one of his vacation homes, so I never see him.
“On her way,” I say. She frowns, then notices Mark on the balcony behind me. She runs over and gives him a hug. He pats her head like a doting father and they talk, but they’re too far away for us to hear.
“She still with numb nuts?” I ask Jordy.
He sighs and shrugs. “She’s not serious about him.”
I scrub a hand down my face as I read between the lines. I swear she’s going to make me go gray before I hit 35. “Is she checking in?”
He nods. “For now.” Fingers crossed it will last this time, but I won’t hold my breath.
Brando gives me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and maneuvers around me to open the fridge. He hands a beer to Jordy and takes one for himself.
“Did Vera tell you she was coming?” I ask as he pops the top off his beer and takes a swig.
“Yup.”
“Is that why you’re drinking?”
He takes a long pull. “Yup.”
Jordy snickers and shakes his head.
The door flies open and Jackson comes in carrying two 24 packs. It’s his turn to restock the beer. “Let’s get this party started, assholes.”
He puts the beer in the fridge and opens one for himself. His phone connects to the sound system in the living room and country music spills out of the speakers. He raises an eyebrow at the beers already in our hands. Brando and I never start this early.
“They’re nervous,” Jordy says.
Jackson laughs. “Bunch of idiots.” He shakes his head and joins Mark and Skye on the balcony, handing him a beer. Skye gives him a hug and laughs when he says something I can’t make out. He pulls away, and she yanks his beer out of his hand, bringing it to her lips. He reaches for it, but sighs and heads to the kitchen to grab another one. We’re all still getting used to the fact that she’s twenty one now.
There’s a knock on the door and my heart rate picks up. I set my beer down and take a deep breath before I head over and open it.
Liv looks up at me and my entire body comes alive. Her hair is in a loose ponytail. She’s wearing a t-shirt with skinny jeans and flip-flops. It’s like seeing her again for the first time. She takes my breath away.
“Hi.” I’m able to grit out.
