“I just…” She hesitated. “I… Goodnight, Parker.”
She stood from her chair and again she hesitated like she had something more to say, but instead, she wrapped her towel tightly around her and left the room.
P A R K E R
Four years and five months earlier
I had called her phone six different times, and she didn’t answer. Not once. My insides were in knots after talking to Madison, but not talking to Livy was worse. I felt like I was falling apart.
It was her graduation day so I knew she was probably busy getting ready for her big day, but I still felt like something was wrong.
Hell, everything was wrong.
I had tossed and turned in bed all night. I thought about what I should do. How I would tell my mom. How I would tell Livy. How the hell I was supposed to take care of a baby.
I wanted to ask Mason what she had been up to all day, but I knew he would be suspicious of my sudden interest in his sister. Instead, I sat quietly in the seat beside him as we waited for them to call her name.
After boring speech after boring speech, they finally called her name, Olivia Mae Conner. Mason and I jumped to our feet and screamed for her. Most of the graduates got a few cheers and claps, but not our Livy. We yelled as she walked across the stage looking gorgeous, but she didn’t smile. When Mason blew his air horn that I was sure would get us kicked out, she didn’t even laugh.
We sat down as she descended the stairs, and I didn’t take my eyes off her. Some guy I didn’t recognize put his hand up in a high five as they took their seats again, and she slapped it with a fake smile on her face.
I watched her the entire graduation, the entire ninety minutes, but she never looked my way. When it was time for them to throw their caps, she didn’t throw it high in the air with no worry about where it would land, she just tossed it up, catching it a second later.
When she finally made her way to us after the ceremony, she instantly walked into her brother’s arms. She didn’t look at me. She just buried her face in his neck. When he finally let her go, I pulled her into me, not giving her a choice.
“Congratulations, Livy.”
“Thanks,” she said stiffly, her body just as stiff.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered into her ear, but she didn’t answer me. She just pushed out of my hold and faced her brother again.
“You’re going to help me pack tonight, right?”
“For sure.” Mason nodded his head.
“Pack for what?” I was starting to panic. What was she doing? Why wouldn’t she talk to me?
“Our little Livy here got accepted to The University of Georgia on a full scholarship. She’s been talking to her advisor, and she’s decided to get an early start with summer classes.”
“You’re leaving.” It was the only thing I could say, but there were a million thoughts running through my head.
I knew it was probably the best thing for her. As badly as I never wanted her to leave, I knew I would be toxic for her if she stayed.
“Yeah.” She nodded her head. “I made the final decision last night. I move into my dorm this week.”
All the air in the room seemed to disappear as she spoke. She didn’t seem happy about her decision, she seemed determined. Determined to leave maybe. To get away from me.
“Congratulations, I guess.” I felt more lost in that moment than I did when Madison told me I was going to be a father. I could handle a baby, I knew I could, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle anything without Livy in my life.
“Congratulations to you too.” She smiled, a fake smile that I fucking hated. “Madison told me the news.”
I jolted back as if I had been hit. Madison told her? That bitch. I had been home all night worried about how I would tell Livy, and Madison just went and told her. The look on Livy’s face was pure hatred, and although I thought she would be upset, I never expected that sort of reaction from her.
“What news?” Mason asked, completely forgotten.
“Oh, you didn’t hear.” Livy looked at her brother. “Parker is going to be a father.”
L I V
Present
I never expected so many people to be at this convention. The place was busting with people, and our booth seemed to be one of the most popular. Everyone was eager to meet Parker, Brandon, and Staci, but especially Parker.
People lined up and waited for hours for a chance to shake his hand and talk about a tattoo idea that they’d love for him to do. We had his portfolios laid out on the table of tattoos he had completed and drawings that were waiting for that perfect person.
Several people stopped on the photograph of my tattoo. After Parker made me lift my shirt up about ten times to show it off, Staci tied my white t-shirt up under my breast so it was on full display.
It made me feel a little uncomfortable considering the number of gawking men there were at the convention. Parker seemed uncomfortable with their staring as well, but more than that, he seemed proud to show off the work he had done on my skin.
We spent roughly eight hours at the convention, me passing out business cards and scheduling appointments. By the time we made it to dinner, we were all dead on our feet.
“I’d say that was a successful convention,” Brandon said as he cut into his steak.
“For sure.” I nodded. “We booked almost fifty appointments.”
“You did good today, Livy. Especially for your first convention,” Parker was smiling at me, a genuine smile that I hadn’t seen in a while.
A smile that made me feel things that I had no business feeling. It made me feel things that were too good to resist. It made me want to forgive him.
I wasn’t mad at him because he got Madison pregnant. I could have lived with that. I would have supported him. But knowing that he cheated on me while I was falling so deeply in love with him killed me. It completely gutted me.
We finished dinner and made our way back to the bar. The place was packed again but we found a booth in the very far corner and the four of us piled in. Shots were poured and thrown back, and before long, I found myself giggling at everything Brandon had to say.
“Now that you have your first tattoo maybe Parker will loosen the reins a bit and let me ink some of that skin.” Brandon winked at Parker, and Parker just rolled his eyes.
“I don’t know, Brandon.” I held my hand over my mouth to hide my chuckle. “Did you see the piece of art Parker put on me? I’m not sure if you can compare.”
“Ouch.” Brandon shook out his hand as if he had been burned, and Parker held up his hand to high five me.
We slapped hands, and Staci pulled Brandon’s head onto her shoulder to comfort him.
“It’s okay, Brandon. She’s just saying that because she thinks Parker’s hotter than you.”
Brandon pulled his head off her shoulder and looked at me in shock. “You think he’s more talented and hotter than me?”
“I didn’t say that.” I held up my hands in surrender.