“That’s not how I meant that to come out.” The opposite, actually. I’m trying to relay the news that I don’t care about any of that because I still want to stand exactly where I am.
I could use some improvement on delivery.
“I just mean, now we need to confront staying married if it’s not a necessity, and our pace and future and…”I love you.
“Right. Whether we need to stay married or not.” The sentence lacks energy. “And the call I had earlier. It was the league again. They offered me the job in New York again. They upped the offer to make it very enticing. It seems the world is trying to tell us something.”
“Oh… right. Well, I saw Liam and he’s calmed down. But wow, New York.”
Everything in that sentence fills me with dread. I don’t get a chance to respond with those three little words because we are interrupted by the hammering knock on the door.
Are you kidding me? Who do I need to kill right now?
I can only hope he grasped enough of my last sentence to understand what direction I was leading us in.
But right now, it will need to wait.
24
OLIVER
It was on the tip of her tongue. I know it was. Her wish.
Or I’m simply disillusioned, and it instills a little fear inside of me. Actually, it creates a giant hole that I’m not sure will be patched up.
We are at a crossroads. That I agree with.
All the more reason for why I’m ready to throttle whoever is on the other side of the door. At least use the fucking doorbell.
I hold my palm up to Hailey. “Just wait. I’ll get rid of them.”
Her face sours. “That ain’t happening. Whoever it is won’t give up. There are a few people who want discussions.”
Like me.
The pounding of the door now fuels a need inside me to rip someone to pieces, and it doesn’t even involve a negotiation of a contract.
“Oliver. We know you’re there.” It’s Liam probably.
“Seriously, we’re not going away,” Keats adds.
Fantastic. Double the fun.
“My brother.” Hailey closes her eyes for a second and squinches her face. “Just go, okay? He won’t kill you. He was fine when I saw him. I’ll head to my house for a bit. Leave through the garage, throw a bone at the neighbor’s dog for old times’sake, or even actually go for a power walk to clear my head. So go and deal with them.” She sounds sincere and patient. At least she’s not showing irritation. Another reason to add to the list of why this woman is only for me.
I release a cleansing breath and walk out of the kitchen to the door. The door isn’t even a crack open when both guys stroll on in.
“I’m here because I’ve slept on it and I want to get this conversation out of the way before the next family dinner. Plus, oh boy, this is a tizzy to be in. Isn’t it? So a man-to-man conversation we shall have.” Liam is nearly taunting me.
“I’m here to offer an ear and to step in if Liam decides to change his mood or in case your brother shows up. I heard he was working with his boxing trainer this morning.” The smug look on Keats’s face is actually a welcoming sign of hope.
I feel this is protocol for what you do when friends are in tight spots.
I trail behind them until we’re in the kitchen, despite the fact that my living room has a comfortable sofa. Liam peeks at his watch. “Oh goody. It’s noon.” He opens the fridge door and re-emerges with three bottles of beer, and he struggles to hold the necks between his fingers.
Keats quickly takes one then offers me the other. I’m in no mood for alcohol so set the bottle back on the counter. “Congratulations, by the way,” he says.
“For what?”
