“What people?” Heath asked irritated. Why did Mike keep assuming it was over for him and Olivia? It was barely just the beginning. After the kiss they shared, he wasn’t ready to give up. Especially, when he had been so close. He just needed to get her in a quiet place, and then everything would fall into place.
“I don’t know.” Mike shrugged. “They looked younger.”
“Boy? Girl?” Heath strove for patience, but he was out of it.
“Girls, I think. They were far ahead of me, and I couldn’t see them clearly.”
Why did Olivia leave the carnival so quickly with two other people? He hadn’t seen her with anyone. Nor did she say anything about anyone being with her, while he was with her. Mike said girl, as if a younger person not an adult. He didn’t think Olivia had a kid. Not that he had ever asked. He just assumed she didn’t. He hoped she didn’t. That would put a damper on his seduction plans. He didn’t like kids, and they didn’t seem to like him.
“What are you thinking about so hard over there?” Mike nudged him with his elbow, since his hands were full.
“One, why did Olivia run, and two, who was she with?” Did it have something to do with their kiss? She was too close to finally caving, and she spooked and left. After the guy bumped into them, he could see her mind was trying to work overtime. He said the first thing that came to mind that usually got women to fall into his arms. He forgot momentarily who he was dealing with, but it didn’t explain why she left the carnival all together.
The urge to find Olivia was overriding him. He’d apologize for coming on strong and invite her out again. He could take her Marshall’s, or he knew a great eatery, if she didn’t like crowds. Other women he’d taken there seemed to like it. It was intimate and quiet. He wasn’t ready to give up yet, and retreat wasn’t in his nature.
“Just admit you like her more than just another casual fling.” Mike gave him a droll look, as he stuffed a handful of nachos in his mouth.
Heath scowled at him. “I’m not admitting anything. I like her sure, but nothing permanent.” He would never be with someone long-term. Not while he was still in the military.
Olivia understood your problems and seemed to accept them. His conscious warned.
It didn’t change the fact that at some point, whether it was in weeks, months, or years, she would get tired of him being gone all the time. His inability to tell her where he was going, or when he’d be back, and she would give him the ultimatum. And like Nadine, Olivia would try to make him choose, and once again, he’d pick his career. He didn’t want to go through all that again, but at the same time, he liked being with Olivia today. It felt like finding a new best friend. Someone he just clicked with.
“Will you just go already and check on her? You have that goo-goo eye thing going on, and it’s making me nauseas.” Mike said gently nudging him. “You know you want, too.”
Heath did, and it was time to stop stalling and go after her. He kept trying to come up with excuses not to see her, but none of them seemed to stop his feet from moving towards his car. He didn’t like messy entanglements, and Olivia was the biggest one he had ever met, but he didn’t care. He wanted her plain and simple.
“Are you finally coming to your senses and going after her?”
“Yes.” He couldn’t leave the carnival fast enough.
Mike chuckled not bothering to try and hide his grin. Let him laugh, it was out of concern for her safety he was going, and to see if they could pick up where they left off.
“Good, but first, can you drop me off at home, since I rode with you?”
Chapter 9
“So, why did we have to leave the carnival so early?” Ivy asked after taking a bite of key lime pie, one of Kathy’s specialties.
“I told you already. We had to get Susan back home.”
Ivy wasn’t buying her excuse by the glare she was giving her. “We both know that’s not true. Even Kathy, was surprised we were back so early.”
Kathy had looked shocked, when they came back. Funny, she thought she had been with Heath a lot longer. Time seemed to fly, when they spent time wandering the booths and the Ferris wheel.
“Earth to Mom,” Ivy said, waving a hand in front of her face.
Olivia blinked, feeling the flush in her cheeks. “What were you saying?”
“I was asking for the truth on why we left the carnival. I was having fun.” Ivy hunched in her stool, a sour look on her face.
Guilt pricked her conscious once again. “I’m sorry, honey. We can go to the carnival again tomorrow or another day. It’s going on for a few more days. We have plenty of time to go again.”
“I know,” Ivy said sullenly. Instead of eating her pie, she was pushing it around her plate with her fork. “But you keep avoiding my question.”
She only was, because she didn’t know how to tell Ivy about Heath. What was there even to say? She was afraid to start something, even something temporary, because of Ivy. Ivy was so fearful of men thanks to Royce. She didn’t want to put Ivy through the stress, even if Heath was nothing like Royce.
Heath was large and muscular like Royce, but that was where their similarities ended. Heath was kind and considerate, when he wasn’t trying to smooth talk her. Learning about his childhood and his ex, she now understood him better. They both created these different, harder personas to protect themselves.
