one crisis at a time, and right now, finding out Olivia’s mom isn’t who we thought she was is definitely the priority.”
“Rose, you’re going to be late!” Liv calls as she opens her bedroom door. She appears in the living room, wearing a pair of sweatpants and the shirt I’d bought her at the Blazer’s game. “I’m okay. I promise. I just need some time.”
Rose glances at me, her smile tugging into a half-smile. “You’re right.” She walks over to Liv and hugs her. “If you need anything—anything—call me.” She turns back toward the door, grabbing her backpack. “I’ll be back soon.”
Liv turns to me as the door closes. “This is weird.”
“What? My being here?”
She shakes her head. “That you basically saw me on the stage of Jerry Springer tonight, and I don’t know what part of tonight is most embarrassing.”
“Liv…” I shake my head. “Rose was right. This doesn’t define you. Every family has their shit.”
She nods but doesn’t look convinced.
“I get it,” I tell her. “This period of unknown has to be absolute hell. But don’t be embarrassed over this. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Her blue eyes meet mine, and slowly, she nods.
“Let’s order some dinner. Have you tried the Lotus Flower? They have the best egg rolls in Seattle.”
A smile curves her lips as she shakes her head.
“Well, if you were impressed with my coffee connection, just wait.”
“Look at you being all elusive.”
I call in our order, remembering to get all the things Rose told me are Liv’s favorites and adding Szechuan chicken, dim sums, kung pao chicken, and fried rice.
“Want to pick out a movie? I programmed your remote, so you just need the small one now, check this out.” I grab it and show her how to go through the different apps and channels.
“How’d you know what I like to eat?”
“Rose told me,” I admit.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Be here, holding my hair while my life throws up. You can go have fun, and I won’t be upset. I wouldn’t want to be here, either.”
“I’m exactly where I want to be.”
She holds my gaze for several seconds, and when she starts to turn, I reach forward, sliding my palm along her jaw. Her breath catches, and her eyes flash back to mine. “I hate this. I hate that you feel like your world is crumbling and that you have to be strong by yourself, and I hate that you’re embarrassed over it, and I really hate that I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know if I should be asking you to talk to me about it or distracting you from it or what—and that unknown has me tripping up, so I can’t imagine how you’re feeling. But I’m here for any of it—all of it.” Slowly, she settles against my hand, the movement so slight, and yet the significance seems so vast. It feels like trust and honesty and something that makes my chest feel both bigger and smaller.
Her eyes slowly travel between mine. “You were right. I don’t need you to slay a dragon. It’s nice to just have you here.” She swallows. “To just be.”
I nod, sliding my hand lower. Her long eyelashes close as I graze the edge of her bottom lip with my thumb, knowing I shouldn’t kiss her—not tonight—not after what she’s been through, and warring with myself over how badly I want to. The floor lamp in the corner of the room crashes to the ground, and then Juliet jumps and races toward us, forcing me to take a step back, so she doesn’t climb one of us like a goddamn tree before she whips around the corner to Liv’s room.
Liv laughs, her shoulders falling,
“What were you thinking, getting that cat? She’s crazy.”
Liv laughs harder. “What was I thinking?”
When silence settles, it doesn’t feel awkward or forced. Instead, it feels comfortable. We eat too much Chinese food and watch three episodes of a show before Rose texts Liv.
“Everything okay?”
Liv nods. “Rose said a friend needs a place to crash for the night—and I can’t tell if it’s code for a hookup?”
“They can sleep on the couch. I don’t mind sleeping on your floor.”
Liv looks at me over the top of her phone, then types out a response to Rose. “You’re not sleeping on my floor. I have a queen-sized bed.” She climbs to her feet. “I have a class early, and I don’t want Rose to feel guilty for inviting someone over,