Page 41 of You've Always Been Mine

“I wasn’t asleep.” Boisterous laughter sounds in the background. “What’s up, Liv? Are you all right?”

“Yes. Well… kind of.”

“Kind of?” Alarm courses through me. “What’s wrong?”

“Holly and I are out at a bar and no ride shares are available to pick us up.”

“I told you I could take you home, sweetheart,” a man’s voice comes through the earpiece.

I’m on my feet and picking up the sweats I’d thrown on the floor before climbing into bed in an instant. “Don’t you dare go with him, Liv. I’m on my way to pick you up.”

“Are you sure?” I imagine her biting her bottom lip. “Maybe I shouldn’t have called?—”

“No,” I interrupt her. “You absolutely should have called. Now, share your location with me, but stay on the phone.”

I wait as she does what I say, grimacing as I hear her muttered curses as she taps the wrong buttons over and over again. She’s wasted, and my anxiety spikes at the thought of her being around strangers while in this state.

Several agonizing seconds later, my phone vibrates with a notification of Olivia’s whereabouts. In less than a minute, I’m in my dad’s truck and driving down the street.

I turn out of my parents’ neighborhood when Liv says, “Derek, my phone is about to die.”

I hold back a string of expletives. “Okay,” I inhale through my nostrils to stay calm. “Let’s hang up to save your battery, but don’t move from where you are. That way if your phone dies and I lose your location, I’ll still know where you are.”

“Okay.” More laughter comes through the background, and I think I hear Holly’s obnoxious voice. I’d bet half my net worth that she’s flirting with the guys who offered to drive them home.

“Promise me, Liv.” I don’t trust Holly to not try and lure her somewhere else. “Don’t move.”

“I promise, Derek. I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon.” I end the call and hit the gas pedal to make it through the yellow stoplight before it turns red.

I’m willing to break every traffic law if it means reaching Liv before something bad can happen. She’s worth the risk of a traffic ticket …

She’s wortheverythingto me.

CHAPTER 22

HOURS EARLIER

Olivia

“Aren’t those two guys cute?”I follow Holly’s line of sight and see two men leaning against the bar in the crowded Irish pub. They look casual in jeans and t-shirts, like most of the clientele here, and they’re looking in our direction. I lock eyes with the one wearing a baseball cap, and I am quick to avert my gaze.

I didn’t want to go out after the last show of Comedy Fest tonight. I would’ve much rather gone to my place to get a good night’s sleep. While I’ve enjoyed being with Derek every night this past week, my sleep has taken a hit. I’ve had to drink double the cups of coffee to make it through the workday, and I could use eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. But when Holly lamented about how she’d missed the week of fun because she was sick and pleaded with me to go out for at least one drink, I couldn’t say no.

Unfortunately, one drink turned into two, and the hours dragged on as Holly towed me from one bar to another. Now, it’s past midnight, and my college roommate shows no signs of slowing down.

“Should we go talk to them?” Holly’s talking to me, but her attention rests on the guys at the bar. Her body language is an open invitation for them to come over.

“I have a boyfriend,” I remind her. Just saying the words makes me want to smile.

After everything that’s happened, it’s still hard to believe how things have worked out between me and Derek. There are issues we still need to clear up between us—one thing, in particular, I need to confess.

For the last week, I’ve ignored the guilt that’s been worming its way into my mind, forcing me to acknowledge something I’ve spent the last sixteen months trying to forget. I know the time for avoidance is coming to an end, but that doesn’t diminish how happy I’ve been these last few days.

“Ugh, I know.” Holly groans and rolls her eyes, twisting to look back at me. “You haven’t stopped talking about it all night.”

That’s not true. I’ve only mentioned Derek twice. Once to tell Holly we were officially dating, and the second time to tell her who was texting me when he messaged to say goodnight.

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