Page 69 of The Final Straw

Olivia

Kipp takes me to my car, and I follow him back to their house. Van sent a text saying he was headed there, and Kipp mentioned that Grady should be there too. We park in the driveway, the evening air cool and crisp as we make our way to the front door. The house is welcoming, a haven after the stressful day I’ve had. As we step inside, the warm light from the living room spills into the hallway, drawing us in.

Van and Grady are on the couch, both jumping up the moment we enter. The concern in their eyes is unmistakable. A duffel bag I recognize immediately as Van’s sits on the couch beside him. He must be planning on staying.

"Are you okay?" Grady asks, his brow wrinkling as he strides over to me, his hand gently brushing my arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried about Bre," I tell him, trying to reassure him with a smile, though my anxiety still lingers.

"I'm so sorry, Livvy," Van murmurs, his brow furrowed.

"Don't feel guilty. I can tell by your eyes that you’re blaming yourself. I'm fine, and I said what I needed to say," I tell him firmly. The confrontation with Barbi was intense, but I feel stronger for having stood my ground.

Van nods, relief washing over his features. "Well, I got Grady’s call right as we were finishing up, so I asked the DA about a restraining order, and he got me an emergency one. Hopefully, that helps."

I nod, grateful for his quick action. "How did it go with the DA otherwise?" I ask, curious about the meeting's outcome.

"It went well. We don't need to meet again, and we have a date for jury selection," he informs me, a slow smile forming on his lips.

"Do you need to be in attendance?" I ask, hoping the answer is no. The thought of him having to sit through more legal proceedings than necessary worries me.

"It’s optional. And I'm not going. I'll be there enough soon, so I can sit this one out," he tells me with a reassuring smile, his eyes softening.

"Okay," I say, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. It’s one less thing to worry about.

"What about Bre?" Van asks, his concern evident.

"I have my attorney, who got the no-contact order with Jessica, down at the precinct. I told him to post her bail and I'll cover it. She has no priors, so she should be out in no time," Kipp informs us.

"Perfect," Van says, looking relieved.

"Tell us what happened," Grady pushes gently.

I recount the events of Barbi harassing us at the mall and Bre bashing her face into the racks. The room is silent as I speak, the intensity of the moment still fresh in my mind. I describe how Barbi's taunts escalated, her cruel words cutting deep, and how Bre, always protective, finally snapped.

"Bitch," Van mutters under his breath, a dark look crossing his face.

"Indeed." Grady chuckles, shaking his head. "She had it coming."

"What's funny?" Kipp asks, eyebrow raised.

"Well, you ran in there not even thinking about anything else, so I'm picturing Barbi's face when she saw you go to Ollie’s aid and not hers." Grady laughs, the image amusing him.

I laugh, the tension easing from my body. It's good to find humor in the situation, to remind ourselves that we can still laugh despite everything.

Kipp rolls his eyes. "Yeah, she was shocked and not pleased. I told her Ollie was our girlfriend."

"I'm sure that went over well," Grady mumbles, a smirk playing on his lips.

"About how you are imagining," Kipp retorts.

"Enough about Barbi and her crimes. Is anyone hungry? We can order pizza from Maciana's," Grady suggests, changing the subject to something more pleasant.

I laugh because this man always has food on the brain. I swear he thinks offering a good meal or making a fun snack can fix anything and everything.

"Ooh, I love their Italian beef. I want a sandwich instead, please, and mozz sticks," I tell him, my stomach growling at the thought.

"I second that," Van chimes in, grinning.

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