Sean put his hand on my shoulder. “Let us do our jobs and figure out if there is any reason to be worried before you start freaking out.”
Even though they told me not to worry prematurely, I was a wreck inside. I was never one to freak like this but I just had a terrible feeling—a sinking in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t shake.
Jessica rushed back over to us. “We need to go. Sean, call some cabs.”
“On it.” Sean and Myla both had their phones in hand and dialing within seconds.
Jessica waved to the bartender with her credit card already in her hand. “We need to close out. Put the tabs on here.”
I tried to protest and Sean stopped me. “Dude, let’s get going.”
My mind was racing. “What is going on?”
Jessica grabbed my hand as the rest of our group started to follow me out of the bar. “There’s been an accident.”
Olive
My eyes flutteredopen and I flung my arms around. Glancing around the room, I realized I was not in my own bed. An IV was in my arm. The light gray walls looked all too familiar. My entire body hurt.
“You’re awake.” Griffin’s soft voice came from my bedside.
I sat up as best as I could to see everyone crowded in my tiny hospital room. Myla was sleeping, curled up with Jordan and Jessica on the floor in the corner of the room. Gavin, Griffin, Crosby, and Brayden were all sitting in a row in chairs next to my bed. Sean, Simon, and Shaw were standing in a little group, all clutching paper coffee cups.
“What happened?” My voice was weak as I coughed a little.
Shaw sank down on the end of the bed. “You fell asleep at the wheel and hit a tree.”
I gasped. “Oh fuck.”
Griffin grabbed my hand. “Other than a banged-up car and a dislocated shoulder, you’re all right. The doctor said if you had been going any faster, you might have really done some serious damage. Thank God you’re okay.”
“Otis!” He had been left alone for way too long.
Shaw patted my leg. “Rhonda has him. I called her right when Griffin got ahold of me.”
“Thank you.” I looked at Griff, who was wiping his eyes.
“Anything, babe. When you didn’t call, the gang sprang into action and got here as they were doing their initial tests.”
My heart filled with so much love for all the practical strangers crowding around to make sure I was fine. “You guys didn’t have to come here.”
Myla rubbed her sleepy eyes. “You’re part of the family now, Liv. You better get used to having us around. For better or for worse, you’re stuck with us.”
Griffin kissed the back of my hand. “That is, as long as you’ll have us.”
Chapter 18
Griffin
Over the next few months, Liv and I worked on getting into a good rhythm and made the best we could of the distance. She was spending almost every weekend in Queens with me in my townhouse. The row was conveniently owned by my father, so having Otis come was no problem.
After stuffing our faces with Indian takeout, Olive and I settled on the couch to watch the Otters game. It was the first night of the playoffs and Myla had tried to convince us to watch the game at her place, but there was no way I was going to share my time with Liv after not seeing her for a week and a half. Otis weaseled his way between us and was lying with his head in my lap.
“He’s such a damn cock block,” I complained, interlocking my hand with Olive’s and letting them rest on Otis’ burly back.
“He really is.”
The Otters won their first playoff game and I flicked off the TV, stretching. “Bed time?”
