Page 32 of Love Under Construction

“Hey now, they’re not that bad.” She defends.

“Except for when they pee on your pillows and the front lawn like a dog.”

Laney laughs. “Okay, valid point well made.”

The waitress comes by and clears our plates, and I pay the bill. Laney wags her eyebrows at me as the waitress walks away.

“You should get her number.”

I can’t tell if she’s joking or not, but I shake my head. “I’m good. But thanks for playing wingman, or woman for that matter.”

“Pish. You need to have a little fun.”

“I have plenty of fun. I’m having fun now.”

“With a woman. A woman who bats foryourteam. Maybe you’ll lighten up some if you get laid.” Laney says bluntly.

“I think you’ve had enough to drink. We should get going.”

“Two margaritas,” Laney holds up her fingers. “I had two. I’m just fine. I know how to handle my liquor.”

“No doubts,” I say as we both stand and head to the parking lot.

We head back to the office so Laney can pick up her car and I can head upstairs to my apartment. When we pull up, I remember I’ve left my cell phone on my desk. I wait and watch until Laney gets in her car and drives off, and then I let myself back into the building.

I quickly grab my phone, and I’m about to head back out and around to the side of the building where the access to my apartment is when the bell over the door dings.

“Sorry, we’re closed,” I say at the same time that I look up. My breath catches in my throat. “Liv.”

Chapter 19

Olivia

I triedto drag information from Harley, but he kindly told me to fuck off. So, I turned to my next option, the Phoenix's. Lucky for me they still love me and were all too willing to tell me where I could find Jameson. I secretly hoped that Greta wouldn’t tell him I was coming. Judging by the surprised look on his face, I think I beat her to it.

“Liv,” he says again. “What are you doing here?”

“Can we talk?” All of the courage I had before is waning, and my voice comes out small and nervous.

“That depends. I’m pretty sure you said everything you needed to the last time we were together.” Jameson clips.

“What if I didn’t though? What if there was so much I didn’t say, and so much that wasn’t the whole truth?”

He rubs the back of his neck nervously and sighs. “Liv. Listen, I fucking love you. I’m madly and hopelesslyinlove with you. Because of that, I cannot do the back and forth with you. Walking out your door that day, knowing that I cause you anxiety? It nearly destroyed me. The Mason Center finished early because it was all I lived and breathed until it was done and I could get away. I timed my day so that we wouldn’t even cross paths. Do you know how goddamn exhausting that is?”

I’ve never seen this side of Jameson before; he’s tense and annoyed. Not that I can blame him, but I wonder if I’m too late. I was so caught up in my own world that I failed to notice that this wonderful, strong and glorious man, loved me.

“Jameson. I’m sorry. There’s no other way to say it. I fucked up. I turned my back on the one person outside of my father that I could trust. That always had my back, even in your own way sometimes. You’ve always been there. It’s notyouthat triggered anxiety, Jay. It wasmyfear of the unknown, fear of being in a relationship and having my heart broken because it’s happened before. The minute those words left my mouth I wanted to take them back. I couldn’t. Not until I worked on myself. I felt unworthy of you. I felt like, I needed to figure myself out and I needed to be alone to do that.”

“Thenthat’swhat you should have said,” Jameson huffs, and I laugh.

“Right and as stubborn as you are, you would have given me space?”

A small smirk pulls at his lips. “No. I wouldn’t have. I would have been dumb enough to keep coming back.”

Taking a chance, I move closer to him and touch the side of his face with my hand. He winces but doesn’t walk away. “You’re far from dumb Jameson. I’m sorry for making you feel less than anything but perfect by making you believe that you were causing me stress.”

He gently wraps his hand around my wrist and moves mine away from his face but doesn’t let go. “And what happens the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed? Liv, I felt used. You asked me for something, and I gave it to you. Then you pushed me away, more than once.”

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