Page 158 of Go Find Less

“I think they’ve got it,” Mateo answers for me, gesturing to Frannie and Alex, who steps up behind my sister, taking off her gigantic earrings and stuffing them in her pocket. “Shit, she means business.”

“She’s still mad about last weekend,” Nolan says dryly, leaning against the wall next to the door like Alex isn’t laying into Liv and Ryan. “She’s wanted to knock Melissa Davis out since the first time they met.”

“She’s so…angry.” Mateo sounds less judgemental, more appreciative. “Like a Seer-sized ball of cursing and trash talk.”

“I heard that,” Seer calls from the other side of the bar, and pushes the swinging door next to Nolan open. “You gonna call off the wolves?” She nods her head at Alex and Frannie, who, at this point, seem to be feeding off each other.

“I will.” Piper’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn at the hip, meeting her gaze where she stands just behind Nolan.

She changed into a purple, gauzy dress with a belt to match mine just before everyone got here - a smart move, since in the span of an hour, she spilled on herself no less than four times. The hat she’s wearing, she told me, is something she and Vic designed together, with a strip of the same floral leather wrapping the top. The same hand-made, painstakingly stitched work she’d given to all of us - belts, bracelets, a mug strap for Seer, she explained, so she can use it at Greensleeves to attach her cup to her dress. I didn’t even know that was a thing until she held it up, latching and then unlatching it.

Her hair is back to those wild, messy curls that make me want to sink my hands into them, and seeing her in full form makes my frozen body thaw a little, not even realizing it’d gone cold with Olivia here. With Ryan here.

Piper’s eyes slide to mine. “If that’s ok.” She nods her head toward Frannie and Alex, and when I give her the go ahead, she says “Alex.” Alex doesn’t respond, still babbling. “Alex.” No response. Finally, she slides her thumb and forefinger into her mouth, letting out a loud whistle that makes the entire room go silent, including Frannie and Alex, who turn to us. Both of them are breathing hard, like they’ve run a marathon, and Nolan turns back to the room.

“Nothing to see here, people,” he calls, holding up the drinks in his hands. “Carry on.”

They do not, in fact, carry on, even as Jackie tries to get everyone’s attention with the slideshow on the projector screen. Through the crowd, Carla and Dylan emerge, Vic and Kyle on their heels, the whistle a Bat Signal for Piper’s friends.

“Jesus, dude,” Ryan breathes, meeting my eye for the first time since I’d come out of the kitchen. Red blurs at the edges of my vision, and I try to blink it away. I feel Mateo’s hand on my arm.

“Like my sister said,” I start, my tone more even and measured than I’d been expecting. “You’ve got balls showing up here.” I eye Liv. “Both of you.”

Liv scoffs, pushing off from Ryan like he’s a springboard and she’s a gymnast about to land a perfect trick, a smile sliding across her face as she smooths over her hair, which is flat against her head.

I look at her, then. Really look at her.

Polished, proper Liv, the woman I was married to, isn’t who’s standing in front of me. Not just her appearance, the dark circles under her eyes, the dull sheen to her skin and hair. She was meticulous, always putting up the perfect front, the perfect image. Much like my family growing up, I realize.

“I had to see for myself if the rumors were true.” Liv’s voice is incredulous, her eyes scanning the group around us. Though I can’t see it, I can feel more eyes on my back, staring into our little corner near the front of the venue.

“Rumors?” Frannie bites back, crossing her arms.

“Well, not rumors.” Liv smiles at me, and it’s sickly sweet. “I guess it’s not a rumor if it’s plastered, plain as day, all over your tagged pictures.” Her gaze falls to Piper, and her eyes narrow, a viper, ready to strike. But before she can make a move, Alex takes a step toward her.

“Watch it,” she warns, gesturing down to Liv’s stomach. “I dropped a ten pound baby out of my hoo-hah two months ago, but I’ll still beat a bitch.” I hear a snort from behind Nolan, and Seer is covering her mouth.

“Can’t fight your own battles, Fitz?” Ryan asks, settling a hand on Liv’s back, and I note the gesture, raising a brow at him. “So you send women in to do your dirty work for you?” Alex takes another step toward them, and they shrink back.

“Keep testing her, man.” Nolan chuckles, sipping on the beer in his hand. “She’s wound pretty tight and I can’t make any promises she’ll fight fair.” Ryan looks at Nolan, and something - recognition, maybe - crosses his eyes, before they land back on me.

“So you found a new girl, and a whole new friend group?” He laughs, looking down at Liv in front of him.

“Yeah, I did.” Several heads whip toward me, but I press forward until I’m a few inches behind Alex. “And you know what?” Liv gives me a droll look, like whatever’s coming next is the least interesting thing she’s ever heard. “They’re better friends to me than you ever were.” I look back up at Ryan. “Either of you.”

“You and Delmonico?” Ryan says, his tone critical and disbelieving. “I’m sorry, in what world-"

“In a world where you fucked my wife.” It’s out of my mouth before I can stop it, and I hear Piper’s sharp intake of breath next to me as I repeat the words Nolan, Kyle, and Brett had all said to me just a few weeks ago, mid-panic after seeing Ryan for the first time in years. “In a world where you fucked my wife,” I point to Liv, “and you fucked my best friend, and I was left to pick up the pieces.” I turn back to Piper, and her hand reaches for mine. Silently, I lace my fingers through hers, and she gives them a squeeze. Liv lets out a dry laugh, crossing her arms over her stomach.

“And you expect me to believe that this isreal?”

“I don’t expect you to believe anything, because I don’t give a shit what you think.” Her head rears back. “And honestly, Liv, this,” I hold up our joined hands, “is ten times more real after a few months than it ever was with you.” Piper blinks up at me, shock clear across her face, but the second the words are out of my mouth, I know they’re the truth. They’ve been at the back of my brain since I watched my dad and her from the side of the dance floor, praying he didn’t fuck up another thing in my life, knowing full well that Chris Westfall wasn’t going to scare Piper away.

“Well isn’t that just sweet.” Ryan’s voice drips sarcasm, and I open my mouth to tell him where he can shove it, but someone steps up between Piper and Nolan, effectively cutting off anyone else trying to inch their way into the corner.

“Is there a problem here?” I have to blink several times to make sure I’m seeing things correctly, because it looks like Andy is the one standing there, crossing his arms over his wide chest.

“Uh,” is all that comes out of Ryan’s mouth. And I realize it’s probably been just as long since Andy and Ryan have seen each other, that long, stressful day, far away at another WHG venue, when I tied myself to a different woman than the one holding my hand. I doubt Andy remembers most of that day, but I’ll take what I can get as he squares up, taking in everyone around him. If there’s one thing Andy Martin is, it’s a big presence, always rivaling my height but now doubling my weight, and Ryan shrinks under his gaze.

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