Oh, but he planned to make her see it was right in front ofher.“No serious relationships?”
“A couple.One when I was in high school.One in college,but it didn’t last long.And one a couple of years back that died when he chosea job over me.He actually worked for us for a while.Smart guy.Ruthless guy.He used his position to leverage another job.We talked about getting marriedand starting a family, and instead of a proposal he told me he was leaving forNew York and he wanted to work on his career before settling down.Except hetook another woman with him, and I hear they planned to get married.”
“He sucks.”
She nodded.“He does, and not in a good way.How about youand Keane?Any serious relationships?”
He had her now.Oh, not entirely, but if Olivia was talkingand being real with him, they had a chance.“Not for more than sex.All of theplaces we’ve been in, there would be talk, and the women didn’t want the gossipand the scandal.”
“Let me guess, they were willing to date you and let Keanein the bed?”Olivia posited.“Keep him in the third-wheel role?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”Garrett asked.
“Because I watched it happen to Josh and Grim when they wereyounger.Grim has a whole doctorate in veterinary medicine and women treatedhim like he wasn’t good enough to date.They were willing to face the wrath ofWillow Fork in order to date the heir to the Barnes-Fleetwood Ranch, but notbrazen enough to date them both publicly.”
“But you would?”
“For the right guys, sure,” Olivia admitted.“Now that Ithink about it, I’m surprised I haven’t done it simply to piss off the churchladies.Not the nice church ladies.They’re lovely, but there’s a faction whoare awful.It’s fun to watch how much they hate how Willow Fork is changing.Mymomma did that.And my papa.He’s impossible to not like.Dad scares the crapout of everyone.”
Garrett studied her for a moment.“They looked down on youbecause you have two dads?”
“Yes.Absolutely.You can get away with it in a city likeNew York.It’s quirky and fun.Here, if you don’t fit the mold, you’re theenemy.Or the weakest link.My dad was never anyone’s weakest link.So he was athreat.Like I said, it’s gotten easier, but when I was a kid, I wanted to makeit until I could get to Bliss.”Her expression went thoughtful.“Huh.What ifmy original attraction to Bobby and Will was about the town where I felt safe?I have to think about that.”
He wanted to keep her talking.Maybe then she wouldn’t hearKeane.He probably shouldn’t have had that beer.“So school was hard on you?”
“No.When it was clear that it was going to be difficult, mydad built his own.It’s on the resort Danielle Lodge-Taylor built.I found alot of friends there.Most of the lodge workers who have kids send them to ourschool.When I was older, he brought in tutors for tougher subjects.I’m notsaying I had a hard upbringing.Not at all.I never had a day where I didn’tknow I was loved, never went hungry or worried about having a roof over myhead.But I know what it feels like to have eyes on me, judging me forsomething I had no control over.Not that I would use my control to make themmore comfortable.It still hurt when I was younger.”
Yes, there was the depth he sensed in her the night before.“Well, I understand that, too.”
“Foster care is tough on a kid.It’s made worse becauseother kids are assholes.”
“Not all of them.”
“No.At least you found Keane,” she allowed.“You know Ienvy my brother.Josh.I call Grim my brother and he is.Blood isn’t the onlything that makes a family.But he’s my brother’s best friend.Mine lived inBliss and had some secrets, and now he’s going to graduate and live inCalifornia and change the whole world.I wish I had a friend like Grim.Likeyou and Keane.”
“Are you friends with Nicole?”
“I adore my sister-in-law, but I don’t have that sharedhistory with someone.I didn’t grow up with a friend who became half of mywhole.”
“Maybe that’s what marriage will be for you,” Garrettoffered.“Love and passion and a deep friendship.You start your real historyon the day you meet.Everything from that moment is shared.Everything is builtfrom that first meeting.”
A bittersweet smile hit her lips.“That sounds nice.It’snot something that’s going to happen for me.I’m going to concentrate on workand ensuring my parents can retire soon.They deserve to travel and have funand enjoy their golden years.”
“Josh can help.”
“He does, and so does Grim, and I am certain I’ll betraining Nicole soon.But the big business portion is on me.I’m the one whocan travel at the drop of the hat.I’m the one who can work crazy hours.Isuspect they won’t wait too long to have babies.They need to concentrate ontheir family.”
“So everyone gets grace but you.”
“I don’t think of it like that.My parents are wonderful.Soare my brothers and my whole family.”
She misunderstood him.“I wasn’t saying they didn’t give yougrace.I’m saying you don’t give it to yourself.You put yourself last, andthey would never demand it of you.But patterns form and what is essentiallysacrifice turns into routine.You should talk to them if you want to slowdown.”
Her eyes narrowed like she’d never thought of it before.“Ihave no reason to slow down.”
“Yeah, you do.There’s more to life than work.And your lifeis meaningful whether you have a partner or kids or not.”
“I know that.”
