Page 119 of Force a Date

“I thought you already did that.”

My fingers immediately ball into fists at my sides because he’s not talking about the little bimbo but Liv.

Let’s just say I’m not the boys’ biggest fan right now ever since she high-tailed it out of here and went west.

“I didn’t hire this one. You did. She double-booked me for tomorrow and your clients are on Winslow’s shit.”

He cranes his head over his shoulder with confused and knitted brows. “What?”

I point for the door. “Fire her now.”

“Why don’t you do it?”

Motherfucker…

“I swear to Christ, Miles.” I leer through clenched teeth. “I don’t know why I have to remind you that I’m the boss here.”

“You should call her, ya know?”

I swear I think a blood vessel just popped in my temple with the way he’s looking at me like I’m some lovesick puppy who just watched his favorite dish get taken away.

There’s nothing for me to do.

No phone call is going to make her come back here and she’s better off. Especially since her mother is a cunt and her sister is some anti-feminist with a Karen complex.

“You should go do what I just said,” I clip back. “Or I’m gonna send you off to California in a box so that you can go say what’s up.” I spin for the door and bark out before I hit the hall, “And make sure you fuckin’ stay there.”

I swear I hear him chuckle from behind me but I don’t bother to stop and ask him what for. You could say my mood has changed but it hasn’t. The guys just like how I didn’t pay much attention to them while Liv was here because all I did was eat, think, and fuck her.

Now, it’s business as usual and they aren’t enjoying it, so I’ve been getting subtle jabs here and there about how I should go get my Liv-fix and I’ll feel better.

I won’t.

It’s been over a month since I found her at that bar and watched her walk out of it minutes later. I didn’t want to say anything that would make her stay because Liv needs freedom and not shackles. A lot of it stems from her mother’s disapproval of her young pregnancy, and I can’t imagine how that must’ve felt to feel alone during that time without your paternal motherly figure not giving a fuck.

It made sense the more I thought about it. Rory was something special to Liv and she didn’t want anyone judging her for it or having her daughter be subjected to any other douchebag.

I had no right to be pissed for as long as I was and I didn’t fix it in time.

Liv did it for herself and, with a fresh start, I know she can do something out there.

Slamming my office door closed, I settle behind my desk and begin to fidget. I open my laptop and openly stare at spreadsheets that blend together.

I think I loved that girl and I blew it.

My jaw locks as I stretch it to relieve some tension. I find myself wondering how she’s doing and if she’s enjoying it there. I dare not stalk her on social media, not that I have any, but I’m sure Miles would do it for me if I threatened to kick his ass if he told anyone about it.

I believed that, after time, things in my head would settle down but they’ve only amped up. How something that really wasn’t that big at all got the best of me and I let her go.

My finger taps along the spacebar of my keyboard for a few seconds before I quickly latch onto my cell phone. I won’t allow myself to stop but have this singular moment of Liv and, if she doesn’t answer me back, I’ll leave her alone.

At least I’ll know where her head is at when it comes to me and if she’s moved on.

HUDSON: Opie.

Fucking lame.

But a hello didn’t sound like me and a hey makes it seem like I’m fuckin’ bored out of my skull, when I’m really just going out of it with not knowing what to do and realizing how badly I screwed this shit all up.

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