Page 102 of Love and the Laws of Motion
“It’s not right that Langley is doing this.”
Andy sighed.“No, it’s not.And if you can figure out a way to bust him for it before you go, I wouldn’t complain.She’s always hated the little shit.But I can’t waste time worrying about him now.And neither can you.Get out of here, Livie.Take care of your own future.Make something of Mom’s work, since she can’t.”
Chapter Forty-One
When Livie arrived home after her miserable visit with Janet, the house was quiet and empty.Dad and Gemma were at the bar and Jess was at work.There was only Spudge, crashed out in his favorite sunny spot by the back door.
She sat down at the kitchen table, trying to process everything that had happened.Could she do it?Could she really take Janet’s research and start over someplace else?Logistically, it was probably an option.She’d been on very good terms with the dean of the Astronomy department at McArthur while she’d been applying.He still emailed her now and then, to see how her work was coming along.She was a strong candidate all on her own, but if she would be bringing Janet’s research with her?If she reached out to him and explained her situation, she suspected she’d be enrolled at McArthur and back to work when the new semester started in January.
But was that what she wanted?To leave?To move to Colorado and start a whole new life?It was a terrifying prospect.A year ago, she’d have said absolutely not.Even considering it would have been impossible.But as she’d discovered lately, a lot had changed in the past year.She wasn’t content anymore to hide herself away where she was safe—where she’d always been safe.
Safe had gotten her here—living at home, right where she’d started, academic career in shambles.But taking chances...she’d taken exactly one chance.She reached out for Nick instead of playing it safe.And sure, she hadn’t held on to him—that was never in the cards.But for a little while, he’d been hers, and it had changed everything.What else might happen if she quit playing it so goddamned safe all the time and took a chance?
The daylight faded and night fell.She didn’t move to turn on any lights.She sat in the darkness and thought about her life, all the choices she’d made—and hadn’t made—that had led her to this point.
She was still there, sitting in the dark, hours later, when Gemma and Jess returned together.They were laughing about something, some funny incident that had happened at the bar when Jess had stopped in after work.
Gemma flipped on the kitchen light and yelped when she spotted Livie at the table.
“Jesus Christ, Livie, you took ten years off my life.Why the hell are you sitting here in the dark?”
“I’ve been doing some thinking.”
Jess sat down next to her, reaching for her hand.“Is it about Nick?”
“Ugh,” Gemma growled.“Don’t even mention that asshole’s name.”
“It’s not about him,” Livie said.“And what happened wasn’t his fault.”
Gemma stomped over to the counter and retrieved wineglasses.“Excuse me?He ditched you and ran out of here so fast, you’d have thought the house was on fire.Didn’t even say goodbye.And all for some dumb job.I knew that guy was trouble.I knew he’d break your heart.”
When she set one down in front of Livie, she didn’t bother to remind her sister that she didn’t drink.Maybe tonight she did?Why not?New Livie might do all kinds of things Old Livie would never have considered.Actually, she was looking forward to finding out all about New Livie.She took a sip of wine.It sort of sucked.Okay, New Livie still didn’t drink.
“Gemma, I went into it with my eyes wide open.I knew exactly who he was.I knew what he was capable of and what he wasn’t.And guess what?I was right.If I got my heart broken, that’s on me.I’m not spending another minute crying over him anyway.”Would she ever feel as confident as she sounded?Teresa had told her it would happen.If she kept moving forward, focusing on her own life, her own work, her heart would eventually take care of itself, right?God, she hoped so.
“Good for you,” Jess said fiercely.
“I have bigger problems than some guy.”
Gemma set her wine down.“Like what?”
Livie filled her sisters in on everything that had been happening at school, finishing with Andy Finch’s extraordinary offer this afternoon.
“Oh, Livie, I can’t believe this.You really think Langley’s taking the grant money?”Jess’s eyes were lit up with a familiar spark.She smelled injustice and she was ready to tear down the world to right it.
“I can’t prove it.And if I accuse him, I doubt it’ll go anywhere.He’s now the head of the department and I’m just a grad student.He’ll probably turn it around and make me out to be some jealous underling.”Now that she’d figured him out, Langley’s actions were so clear to her.How had she ever given that asshole the benefit of the doubt?
“This isn’t fair,” Gemma fumed.“You shouldn’t have to change schools because of him.”
Livie took a deep breath and looked at both of her sisters.Leaving them would be the hardest part of all.“It’s not just about Langley.It’s about me, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know I had other choices for graduate school.”
“Yeah,” Jess said.“MIT accepted you, right?”
“And McArthur.”
