people and I could just throw the ball with Channing.
I popped the top off the Bud and downed half the bottle in one swig hoping that a few beers would dull the pain even more. I was about to take another swig and down the thing when the back door opened, and Olivia stepped out. I hadn’t spoken to her or even acknowledged her since I arrived.
She sat down beside me and spoke quietly. “Are you okay? You look like you’re in pain.”
“I’m fine.”
“Did something happen at physical therapy?”
“No.” I lied. I wasn’t sure why I did, other than just not wanting to face it.
“I hope you’re not mad. I accidently mentioned to your mom that you weren’t flying out until tomorrow and she got so excited and asked me to help her put this together for you.”
I knew that none of this was Olivia’s fault. I told myself that, but I still heard myself asking, “Why were you talking to my mom about me?”
She flinched at my harsh clipped tone.
“She invited me to a birthday dinner she was planning for you after you got back from New York. She said that she wanted to have it on your birthday, but you weren’t going to be in town. I told her that you weren’t flying out until tomorrow and she got so excited. You should have seen her. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I knew you would hate this.” She reached out her hand and rested it on my forearm. “I’m sorry.”
I moved my arm away. “Why did she invite you to my birthday dinner?”
She was silent for a minute, before she stood and wiped off her pants. Her entire demeanor switched. “I don’t know Holden, why don’t you ask her? You know, when you’re finished sitting out here pouting.”
Even if she was right, hearing her say I was pouting didn’t sit well with me.
“I just meant because we’re not together.” As soon as I said it, I wished that I hadn’t. The truth was we were together, even if we hadn’t officially said so.
I saw that my words hurt her. Just like on the dance floor but this time was worse.
“Right. Just like you and Luciana were never together.”
I could see tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Olivia,” I reached out my hand to grab hers, but she turned on her heels and rushed inside.
Fuck. I was a miserable prick. The last thing I’d ever want to do was hurt her but that’s exactly what I’d done. She didn’t deserve it. And I didn’t deserve her.
Chapter 26
Olivia
“Never put your happiness in someone else’s hands.”
~ Maggie Calhoun
“Thank you for a wonderful class, dear.” Mrs. Nelson took my hand and patted it.
“Thank you for coming. How are you doing today?”
“Oh, I’m just fine.” She took a step closer to me and lowered her voice. “Have you heard from our Holden?”
“No. I haven’t.” I answered at a normal tone, not sure what the secrecy was about.
“I haven’t seen him since his birthday party.”
Neither have I.
“That was nearly a month ago,” she added.
“I know.”
How could I forget? That had been the most colossal mistake I’d ever made. When Mrs. Reed told me her idea to throw Holden a surprise party and suggested we have it at my place because it would be easy to get him next door, I’d hesitated. I knew that on Holden’s best day, he wasn’t the sort of person that wanted to have a surprise party.
But I hadn’t been able to say no to Mrs. Reed. I just couldn’t look his mother in her eyes and tell her that it was a horrible idea.
When I’d tried to talk to him on the back deck, I’d gotten mad at the way he was acting. Since the party, I’d found out through the grapevine that he didn’t end up going to New York to shoot the campaign. And he’d been using a cane for the past month.
As much as I missed Holden, I could see Mrs. Nelson missed him just as much. I wished that I could tell her that he’d be back to class. His actions the past month told me that I couldn’t do that.
Maisy and Bentley’s wedding was in a week and Maisy said that he’d been answering Bentley’s texts and that he still planned on being there, but Travis had taken over bachelor party duties.
I knew that it wasn’t just me that he was shutting out, but I couldn’t help taking it a