by T. K. Leigh
“Libby, you are a goddess!” Kiera exclaimed, grabbing one of the cups of coffee off the table. “I barely slept last night.” She winked.
Olivia smiled. “Join the club,” she mumbled, her dream rushing back to her brain. Was Alexander the boy from her dreams? And was that what Adele inferred that he was keeping from her?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ENOUGH
“I DON’T THINK I can try on one more dress,” Olivia pouted. She slumped into a chair in the sitting area of an upscale boutique on Newbury Street. Her bridal consultant gave her an irritated, yet contrite look.
“Come on, Libby,” Melanie said, trying to comfort her. “We just need to re-focus our efforts. That’s all. I get that it must be frustrating having tried on dress after dress all morning, but you need to have a little bit of patience. The perfect dress is out there somewhere.”
“She’s right.” Bridget walked over to Olivia’s chair and sat on the arm, hugging her friend. “We’ll find it, even if it means we have to spend every Saturday from now until August helping you sort through racks of hideous white gowns.” She gestured to an atrocious white concoction that the consultant had carried into their sitting area.
Olivia laughed. “Thanks, girls. I just don’t really know what I’m looking for. I didn’t grow up dreaming about the day of my wedding. Hell, just a year ago, I would have rather been thrown into a pit of poisonous snakes before agreeing to marry anyone.”
“EEK!” Kiera exclaimed, breaking her gaze from her smartphone. It was obvious that she had been texting Mo by the lovestruck expression on her face. “That’s a little extreme, don’t you think, Libby?”
Sighing, she got out of her chair and started to head back to the dressing room. “No. I don’t, and I’m starting to re-think my position on that.”
Kiera gave her a swift kick in the ass. Olivia turned around and grinned at the girls, thankful that she had three good friends there to help her with everything. “Okay,” she groaned. “I’ll get back in there and keep going with dresses.”
Once inside the fitting room, she stared in resentment at all the gowns in front of her that she still had to try on. Not one of them appeared to be anything she would wear. They were too big and extravagant. She didn’t want anything like that. She liked simple. She wanted to get married on a beach, for crying out loud. None of these screamed beach wedding.
There’s no way in hell I’m wearing this piece of shit, she thought, picking up the next dress just as Kiera opened the door, peeking in.
“Kiera! I could be naked!”
“Whatever. Not like I haven’t seen you naked before. Anyway, here.” She shoved another dress into Olivia’s hands. “This is the one. Trust me.” She winked and returned to sit next to Melanie and Bridget.
Olivia looked over the dress in her hands. “Oh my,” she said under her breath. At times, it felt as if Kiera could read her mind. The dress was gorgeous. It was exactly what Olivia would have chosen herself.
She carefully put it on and stared into the mirror. “Holy crap.” She couldn’t believe her eyes. The sumptuous light champagne-hued dress had a low halter and clung to all her curves in the right way. The back of the silk gown was open, going down into a subtle V right above the beaded appliqué waist with a small chapel train trailing just slightly on the floor.
“It’s perfect,” Olivia said as she opened the door.
“You look absolutely ravishing, Libby!” Melanie squealed, jumping up from her seat. “You look like a movie star from the 1920s in that dress. It’s very Gatsby.”
“Let’s just hope that Alexander doesn’t meet the same fate as Jay Gatsby,” Kiera said as she adjusted the dress a bit.
“He used to be a Navy SEAL. As long as there’s no gun involved, I’m fairly certain he can handle a pool just fine. He can hold his breath underwater for five minutes or something like that,” Olivia remarked.
“Okay. Buy the dress and let’s go celebrate with some drinks!” Bridget clapped her hands in excitement.
Olivia nodded and the bridal consultant took down the necessary information she needed to fit the dress for her. It was finally starting to feel real. She was going to marry Alexander in just a few short months.
After enduring the tedious process of having every inch of her measured, Olivia and the rest of her entourage emerged from the boutique and clambered into the back of the large SUV.
“Did you find a dress, Miss Adler?” Marshall asked once all the girls were situated in the car.
“I did!” Olivia replied, rather excited.
“Where to now, ma’am?”
“Take us to the Green Dragon, please.”
The girls cheered. “This is going to be a fun afternoon!” Melanie exclaimed, oozing with enthusiasm as she bounced in her seat.
“I need a girl’s day with all of you!” Olivia admitted, finally feeling relaxed for the first time all day. Now that the pressure of finding a dress no longer hung over her head, she was looking forward to enjoying the afternoon with her friends.
After the short car ride toward the North End of Boston, Marshall pulled over on Congress Street, running to open the door for the girls, allowing them to exit onto the busy Boston street. “Go ahead,” Marshall said. “Carter is already inside, keeping an eye on things. I’ll be in after I park.”
Olivia nodded, thankful to actually have Carter and Marshall looking out for her after recalling Simon’s warning. The girls entered the old historic pub, nodding a greeting to Carter, who was sitting on a barstool near the entrance. They grabbed a high top table close to the bar and sat down to enjoy their afternoon of alcohol consumption. “You sit. Nature calls.”
Olivia began walking toward the back of the bar, not paying too much attention to where she was going, and slammed into a tall, hard body. “OH! I’m so sorry. Excuse me.” She didn’t look up and side-stepped the man, heading for the back hallway.
“Olivia? Is that you?” a soft voice said.
She spun around and her mouth dropped open in surprise. “Cam?! What are you doing here?!” She walked over to him and hugged him enthusiastically.
“Wow. You look so much better than you did…” He trailed off.
“It’s okay, Cam,” she assured him, placing her hand on his arm. “Things are much better than they were.”
“I’ve been wanting to get in touch with you and find out if everything was okay. I assumed that you worked things out with Alexander and that’s why I didn’t hear from you again.”
Olivia looked down at her feet, guilty that she didn’t at least get to thank the guy who pretty much saved her life. “I’m sorry. Alexander and I stopped at your house on our way out of town about a week later, but you weren’t there.”
Cam ran his fingers through his wayward sandy hair. “Yeah. I just needed to get out of town for a little bit,” he explained with a hint of sadness in his voice. “You know how that goes.” He raised his eyebrows.
Olivia nodded, remembering Cam telling her that he loved her just days before she was reunited with Alexander. “What are you doing here anyway?” she asked, wanting to change the subject.
“I’m here on a conference. The American Psychotherapy Association’s convention is here starting Monday. A few of us decided to come early to roam around the city. I’ve never been to Boston before. And the concierge at our hotel told us we couldn’t leave town without stopping here for a pint, although it seems like a tourist bar. What are you doing here?”
Olivia shrugged. “Even though I live here, I never really do the tourist thing. It’s nice to do it once in a while, especially on the weekends. It’s great for people watching.”
There was an awkward silence, neither one of them knowing how to act.
Cam cleared his throat. “I guess congratulations are in order.” He nodded his head toward her ring. “Elsie had mentioned something to that effect a few months back.”
She beamed. “Yes. I will be Mrs. Alexander Burnham come late August.”
“I’m happy for you, Olivia.” He wrapped his arms around her, struggling to maintain his composure. It felt as if his heart was just ripped from his chest. It was nice to see her happy, but he wished that he could be the one to put that spark back into her eyes. He knew he wasn’t what Olivia needed, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.
“Hey! Who’s this?” Kiera asked, sidling up next to where Cam stood.
“Kiera, this is Cam.”
She looked at Olivia, confused.
“You know… Dr. Cam.” She raised her eyebrows in a knowing manner.
“Oh!!! You’re so my new BFF!” Kiera exclaimed, nearly toppling him over and hugging him with all her strength.
Cam looked at Olivia, a surprised expression on his face from Kiera’s forwardness. Olivia simply shrugged. There was nothing she could do about Kiera.
“We’re so happy that you were able to knock some sense into this girl and make her come back home,” Kiera said when she finally released him. “She didn’t realize how much everyone back here would miss her after her little disappearing act. At least it didn’t take her four years to return this time!”
“Kiera,” Olivia said under her breath. “Enough.”
“What?” she asked.
Olivia gave her the look, and she knew she’d better shut her mouth.
“Sorry, Libs.”
Cam gave Olivia a concerned look. “You’ve done that before?”
“Yeah, but you are not my therapist so we’re not discussing it. So there…” she responded playfully, Cam’s uneasy expression waning.
“Well, I should probably get back to my friends,” he said, knowing that the longer he was in Olivia’s presence, the harder it would be to forget about her again.
“How long are you in town for?” Kiera asked. “You should come to MacFadden’s Friday night to see Miss Olivia sing! Libby is a motherfucking rock star. The band was always popular, but since Olivia returned, you should see the crowd they attract now.”
Cam turned toward Olivia, raising his eyebrows in a questioning manner. She glanced down, hiding her eyes from him, blushing.
“Is this true? Are you a motherfucking rock star?” he asked quietly, his voice husky.
Olivia raised her head and looked deep into Cam’s kind silver eyes, remembering all the times he whispered the things he wanted to do to her. But those days were over. Things were better now. “Fuck yes, I am!” she exclaimed. “Okay. Nature calls. Come see me before you leave, okay?”
Cam nodded and watched her beautiful body walk toward the back of the bar, exhaling loudly. Running into Olivia again was the last thing he needed. He knew that she lived in Boston, but when he decided to attend the convention, never in a million years did he think he would run into her. Seeing her again re-opened old wounds that he thought had healed over the past few months. Now he wasn’t too sure.
“So, she fucked you, huh?” Kiera asked him rather nonchalantly.
He broke out of his trance and turned to face her, shocked at her question. “What?”
“Oh, come on. I’ve known Libby for a long time, and I’ve seen the look on the face of every man she’s left in her wake. You’ve got the same exact look.”
He started to walk away, uncomfortable with the conversation. “It’s not what you think, Kiera.”
She followed him, surprising him with her relentless spirit. “Well, humor me then. What is it? I saw the way you were looking at her. I’d say you’ve got it bad for that girl.”
“I did have it bad for her,” he admitted, his expression turning from soft and wistful to intense. “But she was so broken when she was in Florida. I just wanted to make her smile. Then I realized I would never be the one to make her happy…not truly happy. Not like him. In Olivia’s mind, I’ll never compare to him, and I’m okay with that. All I care about is her happiness, and if it means sacrificing my own, it’s worth it. There’s a girl out there for me somewhere.”
Kiera’s expression softened. “You’re a good guy, Cam. I like you. You can stay.”
Cam nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Kiera.”
“You, too. Thanks for being there for Libby. She’s like a sister to me. I couldn’t imagine life without her in it.”
“I know the feeling,” he said sadly.
~~~~~~~~~~
“SO, LET’S TALK BACHELORETTE,” Kiera said once Olivia returned from the ladies’ room and a server dropped off a round of beers.
“OOH! Yes! Let’s!” Melanie said. “I know you haven’t really talked plans yet, but Bridge and I would love it if we could crash your party.”
“Yes!” Bridget said. “I could so use a weekend away in Vegas with my three favorite girls. It’ll be so much fun!”
“Okay, but this can absolutely not turn into The Hangover,” Olivia joked. Her friends had a tendency to get slightly out of control at times. And that was why she got along with them so well.
“And if it does, there’s nothing your bitch ass can do about it,” Kiera responded. “But we won’t be stupid enough to go the week before the big wedding. Now, here’s the thing. You’re going to be swamped with plans and shit the closer you get to the big day. And you don’t have much time as it is, so how about the last weekend in June? It will work for everyone’s schedule. I already checked with Alexander and he said he’d be out of town that weekend for a meeting with a big client.”
Olivia thought about Kiera’s proposition. She hated being in that big penthouse apartment all by herself. Runner and Nepenthe were good company, but it always seemed so empty without him. Not to mention it didn’t feel like home to her yet. She wondered if it ever would.
“Okay. Last weekend in June it is!” Olivia said. “But there’s one catch. You aren’t paying a dime for that weekend. I can’t ask you all to spend your hard-earned money on this trip.”
“Whatever,” Kiera interrupted. “Alexander told me this morning that he already booked everything anyway. He’s paying for it.” She winked.
What a bastard, Olivia thought.
“He’s a sneaky one, isn’t he?” Melanie asked.
“That he is.”
“I think he felt bad about overreacting last night,” Kiera explained.
Olivia smiled as she raised her beer glass and clinked with her friends, wanting to forget about Alexander’s overbearing tendencies for a minute. “To Vegas, bitches!”
“Vegas!”
Olivia turned her head to see Cam staring at her with a sad look in his eyes. She knew how difficult it must be for him to watch her and realize how happy she finally was. She cared for him, but her feelings for him were no match for how much she loved Alexander. Even so, that still didn’t make her heart break any less looking at the forlorn expression on his face.
Throughout the afternoon, the small tavern became more and more crowded. The sun finally came out to play after the rainy morning and Boston was swarming with tourists. The bar was located on the Freedom Trail in a rather popular section of the city. Many out-of-towners began to fill up the pub, wanting to grab a beer at the historic tavern in the city that was at the heart of the American Revolution.
The beers continued to flow hours into the evening as the girls planned their Vegas trip, although there wasn’t too much planning to do. Alexander had already done most of it.
“He probably had his secretary plan most of it,” Olivia slurred, finishing another beer. She wondered what number that was as she looked around the table at her friends. All of their faces were flushed from the liquor they had been consuming.
“It doesn’t matter,” Bridget said. “Whoever planned everything for us did a badass job. We’re in a presidential suite that sleeps, like, a gazillion people. We’re all having a spa day. And he’s arranged for bottle service at a bunch of the clubs in the area. It’s going to be a rockin’ good time!” She sounded rather excited. “And I’m so getting laid.”
The entire table erupted in laughter.
“I’m glad he’s pulli
ng out all the stops for this one,” Olivia said, thinking how busy Alexander must have been arranging everything that morning. “And I’m glad none of us have to do the planning. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“Libby,” a soft voice called out. All of the girls’ heads turned to look in Cam’s direction as he stood by their table. “I’m heading out. It was great to see you again.”
Olivia glanced at her friends. “I’ll be right back, girls.” She slid off her barstool and walked with Cam toward the front door, the silence deafening as she tried to figure out what to say to him after everything they had been through.
“Well, listen, here’s my business card,” he said, breaking the awkward tension and pulling a card out of his wallet. Olivia was immediately reminded of Simon…and Adele. “My cell number is on there so if you ever need anything, anything at all, you know you can count on me.”
She met his eyes and could see the pain that she caused him. But he was the one who pushed her back to Alexander. If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't be where she was right now -- physically and emotionally. How could she ever repay him?
Olivia took the card from him and placed it in her pocket, not able to say a word as her appreciation for everything he had ever done for her came rushing forward. No words could adequately convey what she needed to say to him.
“It was great to see you again. Good luck with everything, Libby.” Cam began to walk toward the front of the bar.
“Cam! Wait!” Olivia shouted, finally finding her voice.
He turned his head, his feet unable to walk any further. His heart wanted her to confess her undying love for him, but his head knew that would never happen.
“Thank you,” she said. “For everything. I mean, helping me get my shit back together. I just… I don’t…”
Cam's legs finally listened to his brain and closed the distance, cutting her off. He took her soft hand in his, savoring the contact once more from the only girl he knew he would ever love.
“You don’t need to thank me, Libby. I was just doing what any friend would do.” He stared into her eyes one last time before turning to leave the bar. She was a friend and that was all she could ever be. Nothing more. He regretted pushing her into the car all those months ago, and then making her confront Alexander when he showed up after he left his bride-to-be at the altar. But she would never have found her happiness unless she did so. Olivia was happy, at last.
