Page 121 of Force a Date

LIV: He still has his memory after all.

LIV: And she loves it. We go to the beach almost every day.

HUDSON: I love that for you. I’m glad you’re doing well.

LIV: Eh, that last part sounded like something a basic bitch would say. It was too formal.

HUDSON: Don’t start dissecting my shit again, Opie. It’s called being polite.

LIV: It’s actually fuckin’ lame. Especially since I know you and what you look like. If you said that to me and I didn’t know you I would think you were being a smartass.

HUDSON: I am a smartass.

LIV: No, you’re a hard-ass. Huge difference.

HUDSON: Apparently not that much anymore. I can’t even fire the new receptionist.

LIV: Ouch. That bad?

HUDSON: She doesn’t listen. She watches TikTok videos all day.

LIV: Does she market on social media at least?

HUDSON: If you call taking a selfie next to the band posters on my walls promoting…then sure.

LIV: Why did you hire her then?

HUDSON: I didn’t. I let Miles do it.

LIV: Okay, mistake number one.

HUDSON: Obviously.

LIV: Mistake number two, you should’ve hired her yourself.

HUDSON: No shit.

LIV: Mistake number three, no one can replace me.

HUDSON: Ah, well…I’m realizing that, Opie.

LIV: *smiley face*

LIV: Are you taking care of yourself?

HUDSON: I’m still alive.

LIV: You know what I mean.

HUDSON: Why don’t you call me and hear for yourself?

I continue to stare at my screen because Liv doesn’t reply with a text right away and I’m starting to think I pushed it too soon. She’s living her life; I’m seeping into it and she doesn’t need me to remind her of what we once were to each other.

Until my cell buzzes and Liv’s name lights up the darkness of my screen for a video call.

Hitting the green button, my girl shows up with a smile. Her long blonde hair is sun-kissed by the sun. Faint specks of freckles blanket over her cheeks and nose as the wind picks up a bit as Liv leans up against something light blue.

“Hi, stranger.”

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