I cleared my throat, meeting her gaze with a stubborn set to my jaw. “Right,” I replied. “Locked and bolted.”
City Of Dreams
Iwokeupgaspingfor air.
It was just a dream. A nightmare.
My heart pounded as I urged myself to wake up fully. I was out of my father’s house, a thousand miles from the hell i'd lived in.
I reminded myself of that fact over and over until my heart rate slowed to a normal rhythm.
I’d gotten out of that damn town. I’d gotten away from him.
I was here. In the city of dreams. I’d finally made it into a Broadway production. And I would do whatever I had to do to stay.
My lifelong aspirations were right in front of me. All I had to do was reach out and grab them.
Truces And Peace Treaties
Ben
IsatatJackand Olivia’s dining room table with Brian and David, ready to be put to work, making centerpieces for the wedding. I’d hung out with both of them several times in the last year. They were both close to Olivia, and had been her support system through everything the last few years.
Brian and I got along great. We both loved baseball, and he had less of a filter than I did, which was hard to believe.
David was a musician of some sort. He was the quiet one of the group, but when he did talk, it was always something worth saying.
Eve sauntered into the room with Olivia, laughing at something she’d said. She glanced my way, her smile fading when she found me staring at her.
I shook my head, grinning at her crookedly. It was the beginning of the wedding week, which meant our truce was in effect. My stomach knotted with nerves. Eve always threw me a little off balance.
Olivia gestured to all the stuff she’d laid out on the table, quickly explaining how to assemble the centerpieces and putting us to work.
I tried to do as she showed us, arranging the flowers into the small wooden box neatly, but none of mine looked right. I arranged and rearranged, finally giving up and putting it to the side with the others that were finished.
Eve snorted, snagging mine off the island. “Really, O’Connor? That’s the best you can do?” She gestured at my attempt.
Brian and David glanced up. David rolled his lips together, clearly trying to contain a smile, but Brian laughed unabashedly.
“That’s plain sad,” he said, shaking his head in disappointment.
Olivia gnawed on her lower lip with a worried look. “Could you fix that for him, Eve?”
I groaned. “I’m trying. Arts and crafts aren’t my thing.”
“Obviously,” Eve muttered as she plucked and rearranged my centerpiece, making it look presentable.
I glared across the table at her. It was too easy to fall into bickering with her.
“How did I get roped into doing this?”
“You’re the best man. It’s your job to help,” Eve drawled.
“Where’s Jack? Shouldn’t the groom be helping?”
Olivia gave me an apologetic look. “We needed the extra hands. Jack ran into the office to finish a few things up before his family gets here tomorrow.”
“I think I’d rather be working.”
