page49 (1/2)

"Do you truly understand how ed since he met you?"

I nod, h hundreds of memories I've built with him over the past months, all the complete antithesis to the man-whore philanderer he was

"He changed for the better afteryou, because that's what love does to you It happened tothat ith and fortitude he has shown I don't know of any other man that would have done what he's donestood by your side, ht this"

"I know," I whisper with shame Shame that I took all that from him

"Then you need to let hi You need to let hith to you You took away his decision to fight this out with youyou weakened hiness to talk this through You showed no respect or honor for what he's done for you already, and you should be ashamed"

Holy shit, those words hurt I ut

My head lowers and I stare blankly at the tiled floor I refuse to look up at hireatest fear "But what if I die on him? What if I let him love me and then I die?"

Alex's hand reaches out and cups me under the chin He pushes up to raise ivesin, he whispers, "But what if you fucking live?"

Chapter 29

Garrett

I keep watching the door of Houlihan's,around mepast their shoulders, past the other bar patronsand to that da in

Alex, that fuckwad, didn't tell one by Fleurish to check in on her, welcoely silent It's okayI wasn't about to ask him the details, because the more I let my mind wander to Olivia, the more it opens up old hurts That's why after a solid week of writing her e one response, I finally just decided to let it go

Let her go, the way she'd let o

And, fuck, if I haven't felt miserable ever since

Miserable I've lost her, and hurt and pissed and furious that she would do this to ard for the connection we had I love her, for Christ's sake, and she said she loved meonce at least

I was out on the ice during warm-ups when out of the corner of ainst it I saw Sutton there with her little brother, Glenn, as bulass in response to Alex I let a s its warmth, because smiles didn't come often to me, and started to turn away But then I realized there was so next to Glenn

Long, golden hair striped a the blond Braidedone hanging over each shoulder

Olivia

My heart stopped cold in my chestand maybe I died for just a second as our eyes locked I couldn't read anything on her facesos to the soul, but she readback to center ice and away from the woman who tore me apart

All erin ht then and there I wouldn't look back her way for the rest of the gaave upaand move on like she'd asked me to

Nocorrection She didn't ask She forced me Gave me no choice

Fuck, that pisses me off!

I was on fire during the ga, my focus honed sharp, and I helped our teaoals a soul And for a brief period of time, I put Olivia out of my mind

It felt good after the ga as I was naany hurt because I refused to acknowledge her I sort of hoped she did, because as far as I knowby her silence, I can only assu for me

I never hesitated a second before accepting Alex's request to head over to Houlihan's for a few beers I knew Sutton would be there, and I was betting anything that Olivia would be too It was tiet Olivia into effect, and noas as good a tiine the fortitude I'd be showing her by ht before her