Page 58 of Love and the Laws of Motion
“Poor Teresa.”
“I’m glad she found Dad.He’s a good guy, and she deserves a prince.”
“I guess,” Livie conceded.“She’s...”
“What?”Jess pressed.
“She’s different than Mom.That’s all.”
Gemma shrugged.“Maybe that makes it easier for Dad.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe if he was dating someone exactly like Mom, he’d always be reminded of her, or feel like he was trying to replace her.With Teresa, he won’t compare, you know?”
“Do you think...?”
Jess handed Livie a stack of plates.“What?”
“Do you think it’s serious?Do you think Dad’s really serious about her?”
Gemma paused for a moment before answering.“I think, after all these years, Dad wouldn’t have brought her home if he wasn’t thinking about marrying her.”
Marry her?Dad was going tomarryTeresa?For a second, Livie couldn’t breathe.She was silent as she washed and passed the dishes to Jess to dry, tuning out Jess and Gemma’s quiet chatter about the dinner and Teresa.
When they’d finished cleaning up, they moved out to the living room.Livie stopped cold, arrested by the sight of Teresa and Dad, side by side on the couch, his arm around her shoulders, her body tucked into his side.The intimacy of it took her breath away.It occurred to her in a flash that maybe Teresa was spending the night.
“I’m going to go to the bar,” she announced, not realizing what she was saying until the words came flying out of her mouth.“To check in with Clyde and see if he needs a hand.”
Everybody turned to look at her.“I’m sure he’d text if he needed help,” Gemma said slowly.
“It’s Monday night.There’s a game.You never know.”
Without waiting for anyone else to speak, she turned and left the house.
Chapter Twenty-Three
For the entirety of the short walk to the bar, Livie berated herself.She’d been childish and stupid.So what if Dad’s girlfriend was spending the night?So what if they got married?It shouldn’t matter to her.Why did it?
The crowd at Romano’s was a little bigger than an ordinary Monday, owing to the Jets game, but that wasn’t what surprised Livie when she entered.It was the sight of Nick sitting at the bar.
“What happened to your meeting?”
He swung around to face her, guilt flashing in his eyes.“They cancelled.”
“You don’t need to keep lying.I know you didn’t have a meeting.”
His shoulders slumped.“I’m sorry, Liv, I just—”
She waved away his apology.“It’s fine.You were right.It was a family thing and you don’t do families, right?”
“Um, yeah, I guess.Is dinner over?”
“Yeah.Except Teresa’s still there.”
“Then why are you here?”Nick asked.
“I think she’s staying over.”Saying it out loud felt so weird.
