by Aria Ford
So, I pressed my phone to my ear and listened to the soft ringing. When she finally answered, her voice brought a smile to my face.
“Hello?” she said.
“Olivia?” I asked. “Hey, it’s Brad.”
“Oh!” she said. “Hey!”
I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“How’s your day been?” I asked, leaning back in my chair.
“It’s been great,” she said. “I’m just now getting off work.”
“Me too,” I said with a sigh. “It’s been insane over here.”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“Fucking horrible, actually,” I said.
She laughed. “Sounds like someone needs to have some fun tonight.”
“There’s a bar not too far from your hotel,” I said. “You interested?”
“That depends,” she said. “Does this bar serve food? I’m starving,”
“Yes,” I said. “It does.”
“Then I’m in,” she said.
I grinned. “What time?”
“Well,” I said. “I’m finishing up a few things at the shop, and then I need to head home. So, eight?”
“Perfect,” she said. “I’ll see you then.”
“Bye, Olivia,” I said, feeling lighter than I had in days.
We hung up, and I sighed deeply, sitting up and running my fingers through my hair. I still felt exhausted, but my energy was renewed at the prospect of seeing Olivia later. In just a couple hours, I would be with my new favorite distraction. All thoughts of work would be driven from my mind, and I couldn’t wait. Grinning, I stood up and spun around to go lock up the garage. When I looked up, I saw Rex standing in front of me. His eyes were locked on my face, a look of understanding on his face.
I knew he’d heard my entire conversation with Olivia. I felt a heavy weight fall inside my stomach. I could see the judgment in Rex’s eyes, and I hated it. I didn’t want to get into this with him, but I didn’t see a way out of it. Rex was the most opinionated person I’d ever met. Now that he knew about me and Olivia, he would have more than a few things to say.
“Seriously?” he asked, walking toward me. “I thought you said nothing was going on between you two?”
“Nothing is,” I said, sighing deeply. “It’s just a casual thing, Rex. Relax.”
“A casual thing with a customer is a big deal,” he said. “What are you thinking?”
“That it’s none of your damn business.” I snapped.
“It is,” Rex said. “I care about you, man. We both know this is a bad idea.”
“Why?” I asked. “Why is it such a bad idea?”
Rex sighed and leaned against my desk. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him, waiting for the answer I knew was coming. Rex and I had been friends for years. We bonded over our mutual time in lockup. He was the only person in my life who could understand the places I’d been and the things I’d done. Like me, he spent time behind bars because of his father and like me, he’d sworn to turn his life around once he was released.
I respected Rex more than anyone, and I didn’t want to fight with him. Still, I could feel my anger boiling inside of me as he stared me down.
“Olivia Storm isn’t like us,” he said simply. “She may be slumming it right now, traveling across the country, pursuing her art, but she isn’t like us. She’s from an extremely rich family. Do you even know who the Storms are?”
“No,” I said. “And I don’t care.”
“Well, you should,” Rex said. “They’re one of the most prominent families in New York City. I can’t even tell you how much money this girl has.”
“She doesn’t have any money,” I said defensively. “Her parents cut her off when she left New York.”
“Is that what she told you?” Rex asked.
“That’s the truth,” I said. “She wouldn’t lie about that. I mean, come on, who would?”
“Maybe so,” Rex said. “But that doesn’t mean she’s going to stick around. She’ll stay in town until her car is fixed and then she’ll be gone.”
“So?” I asked, my frustration growing.
“So, then what?” Rex asked. “You’re going to get yourself all involved with this girl and then she’s going to bail. You’ll be hurt and alone. What good is that, Brad?”
“I’ll be just fine,” I said. “I can take care of myself, Rex.”
“So, you keep saying,” Rex said. “But here you are, putting your business in jeopardy for some chick.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I demanded.
“You’re screwing a client,” Rex said. “That’s not exactly a shining business ad.”
“It’s no one’s business.” I snapped.
“Think about this for a second,” Rex said. “Really think about it.”
“I have,” I said.
“Have you?” Rex’s eyebrows shot up.
I paused. He wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t want to admit that. I didn’t know what I would do when Olivia left town. Already, I felt myself growing attached to her but what could I do about it? It was too late.
“I’m not some sappy little bitch,” I said. “I’m not falling in love with Olivia. When she lives, life will go on.”
“Good, because there’s no hope for this relationship,” Rex said seriously. “You have no future with this girl.”
His words were harsh, but I knew he was coming from a good place. Rex had seen me stumble and fall more times than I could count. He knew how hard I worked to get this shop off the ground. After prison, it wasn’t easy to get work. People turned their noses up at you and looked the other way, ignoring you until you disappeared.
It was an uphill battle for us both. Rex and I struggled together. He was my best friend, and I relied on him more than anyone. He was right about Olivia and me. We came from entirely different worlds, and there wasn’t anything I could do to change that.
Still, that didn’t change my mind. I knew she would leave town and I knew our relationship would inevitably end but so what? Her car was almost finished. Work would be done soon and then she would continue making payments until the bill was paid off. It didn’t hurt to spend a little time with her, especially not if it was only one more night.
“I get it,” I said. “Okay? I get it.”
“I just want you to be careful,” Rex said. “You’ve been through enough shit in your life, man. You don’t need any more trouble.”
“Trust me, I know.” I scoffed.
Rex nodded and slapped my back. He left the shop without another word about Olivia. I thought about calling her up to cancel, but I knew I never would. My day had been total shit, and the only thing that would make it better was seeing her. I locked up the shop, closed out the register, and checked the garages one final time. When I was sure the place was secure, I climbed into my truck and drove toward home.
My conversation with Rex ran through my mind on an endless loop. By the time I got home, I was pissed and in need of a long shower. I got ready for my date with Olivia, trying to calm myself down as I did. Rex brought doubts to the surface that I wished would have stayed buried.
I always knew Olivia would leave Santa Fe the first chance she got. She’d get her car fixed, pay up, and then be gone. I knew that. I’d always known that and yet, hearing it from Rex’s mouth was somehow worse. Knowing that another person was involved, however remotely, made the situation feel more real.
As I got dressed that night, I pushed through my doubts and decided to just have fun. Olivia was hot as hell and insanely fun to be around that. That was what mattered, nothing else.
Chapter 14
Olivia
Brad arrived at my hotel room just before eight. This was the first time we were going out together since we’d had sex and I felt nervous but excited. My week at the gallery had been a long one, and I was eager for a night out. I had fun working for Carla, but she kept me busy, constantly assigned me different tasks or pushing me to complete more
sketches and paintings. Already, I’d learned more from her than I ever did from art teachers back home.
I couldn’t wait to tell Brad all about it. The more time we spent together, the more I wanted to be with him. Our relationship had shifted from strictly sexual to something more. I wasn’t sure when or how it changed, but I knew it had. Part of me was scared by the new development, but I decided just to ride it out. We both knew what this was. I wasn’t staying in Santa Fe forever. Eventually, I would leave. Brad and I both knew that getting attached wasn’t an option.
I told myself we were just having fun, finding companionship in each other while we could. He knocked on my hotel room door, and I bounced over, eager to see his face. My tight black dress hugged my curves perfectly, and I was excited to see the effect it would have over him. When I opened the door, I wasn’t disappointed. His blue eyes filled with desire as they trailed over my body. I smiled at him brightly, leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips.
He kissed me back, but it was swift, barely long enough to feel. I frowned slightly and pulled. His eyes were still on me, but his expression was darker than I’d seen it.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said quickly. “Just tired from the day. You ready to go?”
“Yup.” I smiled and swung my purse over my shoulder.
Stepping out of the room, I pulled the door closed behind us and followed Brad down the stairs. We were walking to the bar since it was close by. Brad wrapped his arm around my waist while we walked, but his silence was deafening. He insisted he was just tired, but I felt a distance between us that hadn’t been there before.
He held me close to his side while we walked, not speaking but also not letting me go. I nestled into him, enjoying the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me. The cool night air whipped across my face and my bare arms, making me shiver. Without a word, Brad slid his arm off me and took off his jacket. He wrapped it around my shoulders and then pulled me back against him. I smiled my thanks but didn’t speak. I didn’t know what to say.
Everything felt so strange. We were almost to the bar, and yet, he had barely spoken to him since he arrived at my door.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” I asked as we walked up to the bar.
“I’m great,” he said, smiling. “Let’s get a table.”
“Sure.” I nodded and followed him forward.
We sat down and quickly ordered some food. I was starving after a long day at the gallery and Brad had a rough day at the shop. We each ordered a beer to go with our dinner and quickly sunk into an easy rhythm. The conversation was light, and soon Brad became himself again. He seemed to lose the tension in his shoulders, and his eyes lightened.
“Need another?” he asked, pointing to my empty beer.
“Sure,” I said with a smile. “But I’ll get it.”
“No,” he said firmly. “It’s on me.”
“Brad,” I began, but he waved me off and hurried toward the bar.
When he came back, he wasn’t alone. A man I recognized from the auto shop was walking by his side. I frowned at the look on Brad’s face, somewhere between annoyed and pissed. The man, Rex, was smiling brightly as he slid into an empty chair at the table.
“Olivia, you remember Rex, don’t you?” Brad asked in a clipped voice.
“Of course.” I smiled. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“You too,” Rex said politely.
I glanced at Brad to see him glaring off into the distance. Whatever had been bothering him all night was now worse. The sudden appearance of his friend was enough to send his mood spiraling, and I didn’t know why. I wanted to pull him aside to ask, but I knew that would be rude. Instead, I tried to pull both men into a light conversation.
“So,” I said. “You both know Carla, right? From the gallery?”
“Oh yeah,” Rex said, laughing lightly. “She’s a trip.”
“I love her!” I said enthusiastically. “She’s so damn talented, but I’m exhausted. I swear I’ve never had a boss work me as hard as she does.”
“She’ll do that,” Rex said with a nod. “Carla is no nonsense.”
“No kidding.” I laughed. “I think I’ve cleaned more in the past week than I ever have in my entire life.”
Rex laughed but shot Brad a meaningful look that I didn’t understand. When my eyes turned back to Brad’s face, I saw that same angry and annoyed look in his eyes. I frowned and waited for him to say something but when he did, it wasn’t at all what I expected.
“Gotta pee,” he said. “I’ll be back.”
With that, he jumped out of his chair and hurried away. I watched him, feeling more and more concerned by the second. Something was obviously really wrong with him, and I had no idea what it was. With Rex around, I didn’t have any hope of asking him either.
“So,” Rex said, pulling my attention to him. “What’s going on with you two?”
I hesitated. Rex was obviously looking out for his friend, but there was a stern look on his face that brought me up short. I wasn’t sure how to answer his question.
“Listen,” he said, softening slightly. “Brad doesn’t usually act like this, that’s all.”
“Act like what?” I asked.
“He doesn’t open up to women,” Rex said. “He’s been through some shit and because of that, he’s closed off. He never sees the same woman for any length of time. That’s why I’m surprised by how much time he’s been spending with you.”
“Oh,” I said. “Well, I mean, I guess we were just…”
“Having fun?” Rex asked.
“Yeah,” I said, shrugging. “Is that such a bad thing?”
“No,” Rex said kindly. “But I know Brad. The way he looks at you… it’s obvious he isn’t just having fun. He feels something for you, something deep. I’m not even sure he realizes it yet, but it’s there.”
“I don’t really know what to say,” I said.
Rex was making me uncomfortable, and I knew he didn’t mean to. It wasn’t his words that bothered me. It was my feelings about the matter. Brad had been distant all night, and now I knew why. My own feelings for Brad were much stronger than I wanted them to be. I’d realized that a while ago but I pushed it away, not wanting to ruin a good thing.
“You’re leaving,” Rex said bluntly.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“Eventually,” he said. “You’ll be leaving town, right?”
I nodded.
“Just be careful, okay?” he said. “Brad is already attached to you, even if he can’t see it. When you leave, it’ll hurt him.”
I nodded again and looked away. My head was spinning, and I didn’t know what to say. Rex was prying into something that wasn’t his business, but I didn’t blame him. He was looking out for his friend. It was nice in its own way but my mind was still reeling over it.
I shrugged off Brad’s jacket and jumped to my feet.
“I should go,” I said softly.
I didn’t look back as I hurried through the bar. When I stepped outside, I felt the night air hit me sharply. It stung my eyes but I pushed forward, Rex’s words still playing in my head.
He wasn’t wrong, not about anything. My feelings for Brad were growing stronger by the day, and I didn’t know how to stop it. What started as something casual and fun had quickly turned into something much different.
I thought it was just me, but now that I knew how Brad felt, I couldn’t ignore things any longer. Rex was right. It wasn’t fair of me to let Brad get attached to me when I was just going to leave soon. Besides, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle the goodbye myself. Just the thought of leaving Brad was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
I blinked them away and jogged toward my hotel, eager to tuck myself away from the world.
Chapter 15
Brad
My frustration was worse than ever as I hurried into the bathroom. Rex showing up at the bar was enough to piss me off but having already been on e
dge, I felt even worse. The bathroom was empty, so I splashed some water on my face and tried to calm down. A part of me wanted to put Rex in his place, but I knew that wouldn’t solve anything. My anger toward him was really just anger toward myself. Rex was being a good friend. Me? I was being an idiot.
Falling for Olivia was never part of the plan, but after spending so much time with her, that’s exactly what I did. I fell for her, and now I didn’t know what to do. Rex was right, getting attached was a mistake, but I felt like I was already in over my head with no way to surface.
Once I was calm enough, I hurried out of the bathroom and made my way back to our table. When I got there, Olivia was gone. My jacket was hanging on the back of her chair, and Rex wouldn’t meet my eyes. He stared down at his hands with a guilty expression.
“What happened?” I asked.
Rex’s head snapped up, and his eyes found mine. He grimaced and shook his head apologetically.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was just trying to look out for you.”
“What did you say?” I asked.
“Just to be careful,” Rex said. “I reminded her that she was leaving. I said she might want to consider what it meant to get close to someone when she was still planning to leave town.”
“Damn it, Rex,” I sighed and ran my hands over my face.
“I’m really sorry, man. I didn’t mean to freak her out. I just wanted to—”
“Look out for me, I know.” I snapped.
Rex looked back down at his hands, that same guilty expression on his face. I wasn’t mad at him but really, what the fuck was he thinking? Of course, Olivia got upset. No one wanted a total stranger butting into their business. She probably fled due to sheer embarrassment.
I stared at the door to the bar, wondering what to do. My first instinct was to chase after her. The night was still young, and I wasn’t done with her just yet. Still, it wasn’t like me to run after a woman, no matter how hot they were. The idea of opening myself to a woman was terrifying, and yet, I’d already done it. I’d already let Olivia in without realizing it. Now I was faced with a decision I didn’t want to make: either chase after Olivia and hope she would understand Rex’s intrusion, or let her go and risk never seeing her again.
