Page 37 of Olivia's Only Pretending
A breath caught in my throat. Victor was younger than me, sure, but I’d never imagined he’d never even said the wordlovebefore. Never been in a serious relationship. I felt my guard going up.
“Yet,” Linda said, louder, stronger. “He seems different with this Olivia. I’ve never seen him look at someone the way he looks at her.”
“I saw it, too,” Katie said.
I took a few steps back, then ran back into the living room, colliding with Victor.
“I was looking for you. Could you find the bathroom?” he asked.
Icrawled into my bed, pulling the thick duvet under my chin as I recalled that overheard conversation. I’d played it in my mind so many times since that July night.Victor had never been in love.He’d never been in a long-term relationship. He’d been jumping from girl to girl. That scared me.
I remembered my first love, at sixteen, and I also remembered how it went up in flames and how that first scar had become just another lesson learned, another stepping stone into the woman I was now.
Becoming Victor’s first serious girlfriend, with the likelihood of being just a stepping stone for him, sounded like a real demotion from a best friend who would be in his life for years to come.
The best friend role came with longevity, while the girlfriend role came with risk.
He’d so quickly become someone I didn’t want to lose.
So, it scared me, not enough to run away, but enough to pump the brakes on our relationship and keep us coasting as friends. Enough to put my guard up.
Twelve
Victor
good morning to the rule-breaking-roof-climbing Olivia Rhodes ;)
now go check your doorstep.
Islipped on my house shoes, and while still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I shuffled over to my front door.
When I opened the door, my eyes dropped to my black slingbacks neatly placed on the welcome mat. Alongside them was a paper bag and a to-go coffee cup from my favorite spot.
I scooped everything up in my arms, a slow smile spreading across my face.
Of course he did. Because Victor always found the seemingly small, but most intentional ways to help.
I called him after I brought the items inside.
“You get your delivery?” Hearing Victor’s deep, raspy voice made my heart swell, even over the phone.
I rested my hip against the kitchen island, with my phone in one hand and the coffee cup in the other. “When did you go back to get my shoes?”
“After I dropped you off last night. Those are your favorite shoes.”
I wore those shoes pretty much anytime I dressed up, and he’dnoticed.
“Victor, you didn’t have to do that. You added an extra, what, hour to your night by driving there and back?” The paper cup was warm in my hand, smelling of clove and cinnamon. I took a sip.
“Don’t worry about it. I wanted to make sure they didn’t get lost or stolen.” He yawned into the phone. It was still early. He’d made sure to drop it all off before I left for work, too. This way, I could have my chai latte and, I peeked into the bag, an apple butter scone from Coffees and Commas before I left for work.
“I appreciate you saving my favorite shoes. And for bringing me breakfast.”
“I do have an in with the owner,” he said, referring to his older sister Katie, who owned Coffees and Commas, the café bookshop downtown. “She knows your favorites.”
You’re my favorite, bubbled up to the top of my mind, surprising me. I swallowed it back. “Katie wasn’t the one who stayed up late on the shoe rescue mission,” I said. “That was you.Soyou.”
“Well …” He sighed. I could nearly see him rubbing a hand over his chin scruff. “You’re my best friend. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
