Page 58 of Love for a Lifetime

“Oh, hey. Didn’t see you there, Miss Olivia,” Levi said as he gave her the same excited greeting.

Jade stepped up beside them with baby Annie resting on her chest. “I swear, this is Levi’s dream come true. All of his favorite people are together in one place.”

“It’s awesome, isn’t it?” Olivia asked.

Levi looked around. “Yeah, but where’s Dawson?”

That was just what she’d been wondering. Well, Dawson hardly ever left her thoughts, but tonight, he’d been a real distraction. She had a wedding to manage, and the man was impossible to ignore.

“I can help you look for him,” Lauren said.

Levi bounced on his toes. “Okay!”

Olivia turned to Aaron and Jade as Lauren and Levi slipped into the crowd. “He’s such a good kid.”

Jade patted baby Annie’s back. “He’s the sweetest, but he’s a mess sometimes. I’ve been meaning to ask how you’re doing. Levi said you were hurting when he was at the farm.”

“Oh, I’m fine. It wasn’t anything major. I’m sorry I worried him.” Olivia rubbed the back of Annie’s little head as she slept soundly on Jade’s shoulder. “He adores Annie.”

“He’s proud to be a big brother,” Aaron said.

“Would you like to hold her?” Jade asked.

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Olivia said, reaching for the baby. Annie settled in her arms without opening her eyes. She was the epitome of peace and comfort, surrounded by the people she loved and trusted.

A twinge of longing pierced Olivia’s chest, and the happiness faded to a cold dread. Baby fever was a real thing, and she’d been struck by the bug. It made innocent moments like this almost gut-wrenching.

“She’s adorable!”

Olivia looked up to see Trey’s date clasping her hands with a wide, open-mouthed smile. Trey was right behind the woman, caught off guard. He clearly hadn’t expected Olivia to be the one holding the baby, and it seemed he hadn’t filled the woman in on his connection to her.

“How old is she?” Trey’s date asked.

Olivia stood frozen, unable to speak through the warring emotions. Of course, her cheating ex would catch her at a moment when she was lamenting the things she couldn’t have.

“She’s seven months,” Jade said.

Trey’s date said something else about Annie, but the roaring in Olivia’s ears obstructed her hearing. Trey was staring at her with an expression she couldn’t decipher. Was that pity?

Oh, no. Her breaths were coming quicker, and the thin air barely registered in her lungs.

“Liv, are you okay?” Jade asked.

“Um, yeah. I just need to get some air.” She quickly passed Annie back to Jade and headed for the door without looking back. She’d apologize to Aaron and Jade later for the hasty exit, but she had precious few seconds to get away from the crowd before the panic attack reached its peak.

The chill in the night air stuck to the sweat beading down her back, but she could breathe again. The full, deep breaths spread a tingling over her skin as she scanned the vehicles parked at the ranch. The music from inside was muffled to a small hum.

Low blades of grass tickled her feet around her strappy heels as she walked over to the wall of the reception building. She rested her back against the wood and closed her eyes.

“Lord, help me. Help me,” Olivia pleaded over and over. What was she even asking Him to do? What would it take to get rid of the irrational emotions?

She didn’t care about Trey. Why did it bother her to see him? She was happy for Aaron and Jade. Why couldn’t she look at a baby without wanting that life for herself?

She wasn’t even in a relationship. Her wants didn’t make any sense. Her overreaction seemed silly now that she was away from the triggers. Her breaths came easier, and her muscles relaxed.

The door opened, and an older couple stepped out into the darkness. The woman wrapped her arm around the man’s, and they walked through the darkness and the parked cars that filled the hillside.

With a deep breath, Olivia headed back into the building. It took a moment for her vision to adjust to the bright lights. The entryway was empty, as well as the hallway leading around the outside of the main room.

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