Bobby had the grace to wince.“I mean that was nice of you.”
“I was being sarcastic,” she said between gritted teeth.
Her mom stared at her like she was glowing or something.“Olivia, did you spend the night with two men?”
“Momma, please.I had a lot of stress, and I haven’t exactlyhad a wild sex life lately,” Olivia began.
“Because your boyfriend is gay,” her mom said.
Bobby held up a hand.“It’s not like I haven’t tried, Mrs.Barnes-Fleetwood.I have attempted to get her laid every time we’re together.Unfortunately, most of the guys I know are total nerds, and not the hot kind.But she’s been stubborn when we’re in Bliss.I also know there are some guys atThe Hideout who would love to get into her thong.”
Olivia groaned.This was everything she feared.“Mom, it wasone night.I don’t even know their names.”
“I can find out their names,” her momma said.
Olivia held up a hand.“No.Momma, I wanted this night, butthat’s all I want right now.I’m not ready to get into a relationship.I havework to do and a lot of things to figure out.”
“Bobby, sweetie, can I have a moment alone with mydaughter?”her mom asked.
Bobby stood up and sent Olivia a sad smile.“Yes, I’ll goand make sure the buffet is right.I’m sorry, Liv.”
She rolled her eyes.“You better make sure my brothers don’teat all the Danishes.”When the door closed behind him, she turned to hermother.“Momma, do not make more of this than there is.”
Her mother’s expression softened, and she moved in close.“Baby, we can finally talk about this.You loved that boy.You’ve loved himsince you were a kid.”
“I still do.I love him so much, but he’s a friend and thatmeans something, too.”
“It does.It means everything.But Livie, I need you to knowhow sorry I am that couldn’t work out the way you wanted.”
She had dealt with this.She really had, but her mother’sarms around her felt good.
“I wish you would have told me.I wish you would have let mehelp you through this,” her mother said.
Olivia moved back, brushing away tears.“It wasn’t my storyto tell, and I know you wouldn’t have said anything, but I needed to do thisfor him.Honestly, I needed to do this for me.I suppose in the early days Iwanted to see if it was a phase, which is horrible, but I was very young.Andthen I realized I simply love him and I don’t need to have sex with him to be apart of his life.He never lied to me.I was the one he told the truth to.Waybefore he was ready to, but he didn’t want to lead me on.”
“He’s a good man,” her momma said, stepping back and dryingher eyes, too.“Like I said, I’ve known for a long time.”
Olivia huffed out a laugh as she moved to the closet whereher suitcase was.She was eternally organized, so her outfit for the day waslaid out.“Now that I think about it, I can see where you tried to talk to me.A few times.”
“I did, but when you didn’t want to talk, I couldn’t forceyou.Are you okay, baby?”
She loved her mom so much.“I’m fine.The wedding made methink a lot about the future, and I’m tired of worrying about it.I can’t forcethe universe to send me my soul mates, so I’m planning to concentrate on work,but I’m going to stop neglecting my own needs.I will start coming into Dallasa couple of weekends a month.I’ll reestablish myself at The Hideout andexperiment without thinking about the future.”
“You’re not going to date?”
“Who would I date?I pretty much know everyone in WillowFork.Most of the people my age left for the city.I don’t see the possibilityof a man on the run showing up and needing my help.”It was how Josh and Grimhad met Nicole.It wasn’t happening to her.“So I accept the fact that I mightbe alone for a while.The truth of the matter is I’ve been using Bobby to holdthe world at bay.”
“You think I didn’t figure that out?”Her mom sat on the endof the bed.“Your sister did, too, by the way, but your dads still think you’reprobably going to marry Bobby and the two of you are waiting for Will to gethis head out of his ass.”
She winced.She needed to be careful about what she saidnext.“Will’s perfectly happy with a mathematician.He met her at MIT.AndBobby has a boyfriend he met there.They’re happy, Mom.It’s time for me tomove on, but I need to do it in my own way.”
“You’re telling me you don’t want me and your sister tostart setting you up,” her mom said equally carefully.
“I appreciate you thinking of me, but it’s a lot of pressurethat I don’t need right now.I know time is getting away.I know my eggs aregetting older, too,” she began.
Her mom stood and crossed the space between them, puttingher hands on Olivia’s cheeks and forcing her to look into her eyes.“Your worthhas nothing to do with children.Nothing.Your worth is also not tied to youhaving a husband.You are worthy because you’re a good person.That’s all youhave to be.If you want kids, you don’t need a husband.You have an enormousamount of resources I didn’t have when I got pregnant with Lexi.No one isgoing to kick you out or fire you.No one is going to question you.”
“I assure you the entire town will,” she shot back.“Butyou’re right.I don’t care.If I make that decision, I know you and Dad andPapa will support me.”
