Page 35 of Awakening

Anthony clears his throat and says, “Olivia? Are you okay?”

Realizing that I’m staring off into space, I shake myself out of my thoughts and give him a warm smile. “You remembered,” I say, pointing to the cup on the kitchen counter.

“I did,” he says, handing me the paper cup. “I had a couple of lattes and a few pastries delivered from a little café downstairs for you girls. Where’s Chloe?”

“She’s taking a shower. Thank you,” I say and bring the cup to my nose, inhaling the comforting fragrance. “This thing must be strong. I could smell it all the way in the bedroom. It’s almost like I have some kind of superhuman sense of smell and taste these days,” I say with a laugh.

“Hmm,” he says, looking at me with an expression I can’t quite decipher.

I take a drink and moan when the taste hits my tongue. “It’s freaking perfect.” I take a second drink. “Wow, it’s like the flavors are exploding in my mouth. This might be the best one I’ve ever had. I seriously don’t remember it tasting this good before.” He smiles as I lean over to look in his cup. “Ugh. Yours, on the other hand, smells especially vile,” I say with a laugh. “You always did like the bitter stuff.”

“I still do,” he says with a smile. “How did you sleep last night?”

I shake my head as I sit down across from him. “Not well. I can’t turn off my thoughts.”

“Can I help talk you through things?”

I’ve been feeling more guilty since Ethan left here last night looking so defeated. I’ve been trying to put myself in his shoes. I mean, I was having a child with this man. I must have loved him.

“Did I make a mistake by not going home with Ethan?”

“What?” Anthony’s eyes narrow and his forehead creases. “No. Absolutely fucking not. You don’t know that man, Olivia, and he’s clearly got a fucking temper.”

“I know, but I just think, desperate times. You know what I mean?”

“No. I don’t, because I never would have approached the woman I love in this situation the way he did. If I were him, I would have shown up here yesterday with understanding, and empathy. Instead, he was just demanding.”

He kind of was, but the more I think about it, I think he was acting out of pain. “I just feel bad. He went from having a fiancée and expecting a baby, to finding out his baby died, and not only does his fiancée not remember him, but she also doesn’t remember even being pregnant.”

Anthony moves to the chair next to mine and takes my hand while his green eyes stare into mine. “Olivia, do you trust me?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Do you believe I want what’s best for you, and that I’ll always protect you?”

“I do,” I say with a smile.

“I know you’re going to spend time with this guy because you feel like it’s the right thing to do, and I know you’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt, because that’s who you are. Please, just listen to me when I say to be careful. I don’t want you to be hurt by him.”

“I know,” I say, squeezing his hand. “I’m going into this with my eyes wide open, but you’re right, I feel it’s only fair to give him a chance.”

He nods with a sigh. “As long as you know that if he hurts you, I’m probably going to have to kill him,” he says with a wink.

I laugh and push him in the arm. “You’re terrible. Don’t worry. I don’t foresee murder in your future, but thank you for looking out for me.”

“Always.”

“So, your parents are really okay with me staying in that apartment rent free?”

“Absolutely. It doesn’t matter if you’re there for two days or two years. They’re really sorry to hear about your situation. They always loved you. Like I said, my dad was pissed when we broke up. He was convinced I’d done something to mess it up,” he says with a laugh.

“Well, the only thing you were really guilty of was being an incredibly committed student.”

“Still, in a way he’s right. I should have fought harder to make it work with us. If I had, we might still be together and happy.”

“Maybe,” I say with a small smile, “but that’s not where life led us.”

“No, but it did lead us back to each other,” he says, tracing my cheek with his finger.

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