“Actually, I do.”
“Good,” Jake said, his jaw throbbing, now. “I’ll give you those two. Next time, I’m hitting back.”
Mike chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, well...what kind of big brother would I be if I didn’t deck the man boinking my little sister?”
Despite their age and the fact that Mike had been noticeably absent from Liv’s life for several years, Jake actually felt a little embarrassed that his buddy knew what he’d been doing with the guy’s sister.Tohis sister.
Memories assaulted him, and that ache from before morphed into a sharp, searing pain.
“There was more to it than that, Mike. Ahellof a lot more.”
“I know,” Mike said solemnly. “It’s the only reason you’re still standing.” He came over and squeezed one of Jake’s shoulders. “I always figured you two would end up together. Truth be told, there’s no one else I’d rather have by my sister’s side than you.”
Jake reared back in shock. “Really?”
“Yeah, man. You think I never noticed the way you’d look at her when you thought no one else was paying attention? Why the hell do you think I askedyouto be the one to watch out for her? And shit, that girl’s been in love with you since she was old enough to know what love was. So, fuck, yeah, I always knew you were the guy for her. To be honest, I’m surprised it’s taken you two this long to figure it out for yourselves.”
Jake was speechless. All those years he’d kept his hands to himself, even before Mike’s sudden ‘death’. All that time wasted.
Well, shit.
“I’m pretty sure I just lost my chance with her, so—”
Mike actually chuckled. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll go talk to her. She’ll come around. Although, I’m almost certain you’ll have to do a fuck-ton of groveling before it’s all said and done.”
Without another word, Jake watched Mike turn and head down the hallway toward his bedroom. He prayed his friend was right.
Because if Olivia decided she could never forgive him, Jake honestly didn’t know how he’d move on from that.
****
Olivia sat on the edgeof Jake’s bed, her bags packed and sitting by the door.
She kept trying—with no success—to get her emotions under control. To make sense of what had just happened.
Her brother was alive. All this time, he’s been alive. And Jake knew.
My brother’s alive.
She was still struggling to wrap her mind around it all when someone knocked on the bedroom door. Not waiting for her response, the door slowly opened, and Mikey was standing there, looking at her with uncertainty.
Mikey’s here. And he’s alive.
“I come in peace,” he said, smiling.
Olivia couldn’t help it. She smiled back.
Mikey shut the door behind him and walked over to her. The mattress dipped as he took a seat beside her.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Olivia stared at him. She couldn’t help it. He smirked and...God, she’dmissedhim.
His brows turned in. “What?”
She shook her head. “So many times I’ve wished I could see you again. Just one more time to talk to you and hug you and...tell you that I love you. And now, here you are and I...” Her eyes welled up again, and her throat became tight.
