Page 665 of Not Over You

Then what Tommy had said about Liv and Amber came into my mind. Amber had picked up the broken pieces that Liv had left behind all those years ago, and God knew I’d put her through some bullshit. But she loved me anyway. I was an asshole for even thinking about leaving her to try to fix things with Liv, but how could I deny what I felt? Something was different between me and Liv, something deeper, and I just didn’t feel that with Amber. I loved her, but not like I loved Liv. There was just no comparison.

I let out a breath of frustration. Liv was the mother of my child, and I knew I would always love her, no matter what happened. Amber had been there when Liv wasn’t and had done nothing but try to make me happy. She deserved my heart.

The only problem was that it still belonged to Liv.

I’d told Amber that I’d meet her for dinner Saturday night to tell her about the meeting with Piper, so after I got some work done around the farm, I met her at one of our regular spots.

She was sitting in our normal booth when I walked in. When our gazes met, she smiled and waved. I felt sick to my stomach as a replay of me kissing Liv flashed in my mind. I knew I should tell Amber, but I didn’t want to hurt her.

I slid into the seat across from her. She reached across the table and grabbed my hands. “So how did it go?”

I couldn’t help but smile as I thought about Piper. “Great. She’s amazing—a really good kid. Smart, funny, and kind.”

Amber’s smile widened, and she squeezed my hands. “That’s great, babe. I’m so happy for you.”

She seemed genuinely happy for me, which made me feel worse about what I’d done with Liv. “Thank you.”

“How was Olivia?”

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “She was good. Excited, of course, and a little emotional.”

Amber nodded. “That’s understandable.”

The waitress came by and took our drink order.

“So are y’all planning to see Piper again?”

I sighed. “I hope so. She wanted to see us again, but her parents didn’t seem too keen on the idea.”

She frowned. “That’s gotta be hard. I’m sorry.”

I sat back, pulling my hands from hers. “Yeah, I guess we just gotta wait and see how it all turns out.”

“Does she look like you?”

I chuckled. “She looks like Liv, but with my eyes.”

I could tell by the face she made that she didn’t care too much for that comparison. Liv had always been a sore subject between us because of our history, and Amber always felt she had to prove she was better than Liv. “That’s nice.”

Thankfully, the waitress brought our drinks and came to take our order, saving us from the awkward moment. When she walked away, Amber changed the subject. “What are your plans tonight?”

“I’m meeting Tommy and the guys to play cards.”

She faked a smile. “Good ole poker night.”

I nodded. It would be nice to unwind after the long day I’d had. “Yeah. What about you?”

She brightened up, smiling a real smile. “The girls and I were going to go do some karaoke at Backstreet.”

“Sounds like fun. Hope you girls have a good time.” I’d gone with her a couple of times to make her happy because I knew she loved it, but I was glad she was going without me.

We made small talk until our food arrived. Amber chatted with our waitress about drink specials as my phone buzzed. I looked down at my screen and couldn’t stop the smile as I read the text:

* * *

Liv: Can I still take you up on that drink?

Me: Sure :) Pick you up in an hour.

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